David Francey and his Canadian Folk Music Award

The Canadian Folk Music Awards (CFMA) announced the nominees for this year’s awards. Overall, 70 artists and groups were announced as nominees in 19 categories who hailed from eight provinces and two territories in Canada.

The CFMA weekend begins on November 8 and runs through to November 10, culminating in the bilingual gala awards presentation at the University of Calgary’s University Theatre hosted by the CBC’s Shelagh Rogers and musician Benoit Bourque (La Bottine Souriante / Le Vent du Nord). Tickets for the gala are $40 and are available at 403 220-7202, online at http://www.ucalgary.ca/tickets/ or in person.

“This year’s nominated artists are all marked by a startling enthusiasm. We’ve got Appalachian dulcimers, five stringed violins, punk-inspired folk, classical-inspired folk, Irish hand drums, Iraqi oud fusionists, world-renowned step dancers and heart wrenching songwriters – all of whom are releasing and performing some of Canada’s best folk music,” says Grit Laskin, President of the Canadian Folk Music Awards.

Two groups and one solo artist from Ontario lead the nominee field with four nominations each: the Lemon Bucket Orkestra received nominations for Instrumental Group of the Year, New/Emerging Artist of the Year, Traditional Album of the Year and World Group of the Year for their eponymous independently released instrumental album, Lume. Dubbed wild folk revolutionaries, Lume has an impressive international tour schedule and delivers their joyous folk with raucous punk enthusiasm.

Described as “Tom Waits playing the fiddle, backed up by the Mahavishnu Orchestra” Jaron Freeman-Fox & The Opposite of Everything’s self-titled album also received nominations for Instrumental Group of the Year, Pushing the Boundaries, World Group of the Year and a Producer of the Year nomination for David Travers-Smith.

From the scenic hamlet of McDonalds Corners, Ontario, multiple Juno award-winning artist David Francey received nominations for his album So Say We All released via Laker Music. The former carpenter turned much-lauded songwriter picks up nominations for Contemporary Album of the Year, English Songwriter of the Year, Solo Artist of the Year and Producer of the Year.

With three nominations each, the CFMAs honors Lynn Miles for Downpour, Justin Rutledge for Valleyheart, John Wort Hannam for Brambles and Thorns and the Cape Breton duo Mary Jane Lamond & Wendy Isaac for Seinn.

Shining the spotlight on up and coming talent (those eligible must be under 19 at the time of the recording), this year’s Young Performer of the Year nominees include Rebecca Lappa for Avant Garden, Ten Strings and a Goat Skin for Corbeau, Keiffer Mclean for his self-titled record, Sydney Delong’s My Vow To You and Kierah’s Stonemason’s Daughter.

The New/Emerging Artist of the Year nominees include Ashley Condon for This Great Compromise, Lemon Bucket Orkestra for Lume, Lume; Mo Kenney for Mo Kenney, Ten Strings And A Goat Skin for Corbeau and Trent Severn for Trent Severn.

Celebrating innovation in creating new folk sounds, the Pushing The Boundaries category puts a spotlight on Kevin Breit for Field Recording, Jaron Freeman-Fox & The Opposite of Everything for Jaron Freeman-Fox & The Opposite of Everything, New Country Rehab for Ghost of Your Charms, Orchid Ensemble for Life Death Tears Dream and the Wilderness of Manitoba for Island of Echoes.

Songwriting is a key component of folk music. This year’s English Songwriter of the Year nominees are David Francey for So Say We All, Old Man Luedecke for Tender is the Night, Lynn Miles for Downpour, Justin Rutledge for Valleyheart and John Wort Hannam for Brambles and Thorns.

Nominees for Solo Artist of the Year are Maria Dunn, Stephen Fearing, David Francey Lynn Miles and John Wort Hannam.

Nominees for Producer of the Year include David Francey for So Say We All, David Travers-Smith for These Wilder Things by Ruth Moody and for Jaron Freeman-Fox and The Opposite of Everything, Jory Nash for Little Pilgrim, Rick Scott for The Great Gazzoon – A Tall Tale With Tunes & Turbulence and Steve Dawson for Brother Sinner & The Whale by Kelly Joe Phelps and for I Hear The Wind In The Wires by Jim Byrnes.

Two additional special category award recipients will be announced this October honoring this year’s Unsung Hero and Folk Music Canada’s Innovator Award. These special category awards will also be handed out on November 10, 2013 at the CFMA gala event.

For a complete list of nominees, click here.

For nominee artist bios incl. province and hometown, click here.

For high-resolution images of all this year’s nominees, click here.

– Jackie Peterson