Danny Michel receives two awards for his innovation on his spectacular album Khlebnikov
Fred Penner, Stephen Fearing, Leeroy StaggerLuc de Larochellière, Ken Yates, Twin Flames and Kobo Town awarded for their music
Gerry Strong receives the Slaight Music Unsung Hero award
OTTAWA-Canadian Folk Music Awards (#CFMA2017) were awarded during the first evening of celebrations at the Bronson Centre in Ottawa. The 13th anniversary event was hosted by musicians Jean Hewson and Benoit Bourque (La Bottine Souriante) in a bilingual evening filled with music including performances by 2017 nominees MAZ, Twin Flames, Beyond The Pale, BEYRIES, Kobo Town and Danny Michel. Ten awards were handed out throughout evening.
Danny Michel was honoured twice during the evening for his latest album Khlebnikov which received the Oliver Schroer Pushing The Boundaries Award. He was also awarded the Producer of the Year Award along with his collaborator Rob Carli.Khlebnikov takes its album name from the Kapitan Khlebnikov, the Russian icebreaker vessel that inspired the music and where he recorded the album’s songs during an arctic expedition. The album also features arrangements by composer Rob Carli as well as performances from Canadian Astronaut Chris Hadfield.
The iconic Fred Penner won the Children’s Album of the Year category for his album Hear The Music. Stephen Fearing won for Contemporary Singer of the Yearfor his album Every Soul’s A Sailor. Leeroy Stagger won Solo Artist of the Year for his album Love Versus. French Songwriter of the Year award was bestowed on Luc de Larochellière for his album Autre Monde while English Songwriter of the Yearwas given to Ken Yates for his album Huntsville and Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year was awarded to Ottawa’s own Twin Flames for their album Signal Fire. Kobo Town were honoured as World Group of the Year for their album Where The Galleon Sank.
The Slaight Music Unsung Hero Award was also given out this evening to Newfoundland’s much-loved Gerry Strong for his incredible contributions to the folk music scene.
