The curtain has come down on another Music P.E.I. Week but not before singer-songwriter Catherine MacLellan added four Music P.E.I. awards to her growing collection of accolades.
MacLellan made two trips to the podium at Music P.E.I.'s gala awards show at Confederation Centre Saturday night, the first to collect the award for female vocalist of the year, the second, to accept the award for album of the year for her critically acclaimed CD Water In The Ground.
On Thursday night, she picked up both the songwriter of the year award and the award for folk recording of the year.
Speaking afterwards, MacLellan said the recognition she received is encouraging and very much appreciated.
"It's nice to be recognized by your peers, especially at home," MacLellan said. "It's one of those things though that still feels funny to me. Like in the musician of the year category. Those people are all best friends, all my friends. So for me this isn't really a competition, it's a celebration of the music. Still it was certainly fun for me. The last couple of years have been pretty intense for me. A lot of work, a lot of shows. Being recognized for that feels good."
While MacLellan was the big winner on the weekend, three other acts were multiple winners.
The Grass Mountain Hobos, Haunted Heart and Tim Chaisson and Morning Fold all chalked up double wins.
For the Grass Mountain Hobos and Tim Chaisson and Morning Fold, both wins came at Saturday night's sold-out awards gala.
The Hobos, who kicked off the show with a rousing performance of Whiskey Night, received the award for entertainer of the year and laid claim to the award for bluegrass/country recording of the year for their second CD, Zoot!
Tim Chaisson and Morning Fold earned nods for group of the year and pop recording of the year.
Haunted Heart notched their second award of the week Saturday, picking up the award for alternative recording of the year for Thank You, Goodnight.
On Thursday night, they'd been named new artist of the year.
All other award recipients Saturday night were single award winners.
Chas Guay, who's distinguished himself in the East Coast music community as a bass player and songwriter, was named male vocalist of the year.
Smothered In Hugs earned honours for rock recording of the year for Healing Power of Injury.
The Dogs Will Hunt won urban recording of the year for Ship to China.
Bass player Remi Arsenault was named musician of the year.
The Fan's Choice Award was presented to Vintage.
Meaghan Blanchard, last year's winner of the Music P.E.I. Award for songwriter of the year, was honoured with the first-ever Lynn Grishko Memorial Bursary, a bursary created by photographer Lorne Miller in memory of his late wife, who had been a huge supporter of P.E.I. artists.
The award for industry person of the year was presented to veteran sound technician John Bulman of House-Front Production Services.
A highlight of the night for a number of people in the audience was the presentation of the association's lifetime achievement award to Angele Arsenault.
Arsenault, whose long and celebrated career has taken her from the parish halls of P.E.I.'s Evangeline region to the concert stages of some of this country's finest theatres and across the ocean, said she was honoured to receive this award. Arsenault, who's released more than 20 albums, expressed appreciation for all of the support she had received during her career.
The winners:
Songwriter of the Year: Catherine MacLellan: Take a Break
New Artist: Haunted Hearts
Male Vocalist: Chas Guay
Female Vocalist: Catherine MacLellan
Group: Tim Chaisson & Morning Fold
Album: Catherine MacLellan - Water in the Ground
Entertainer: Grass Mountain Hobos
Francophone Recording: Vishten - Vishten Live
Alternative Recording: Haunted Hearts - Thank You, Goodnight
Bluegrass/Country Recording: Grass Mountain Hobos - Zoot!
Folk Recording: Catherine MacLellan - Water in the Ground
Jazz Recording: Teresa Doyle - Late Night Parlour
Pop Recording: Tim Chaisson & Morning Fold - Broken Hearted Beat
Rock Recording: Smothered in Hugs - Healing Power of Injury
Roots Traditional Recording: Scott MacAulay - Great Scott!
Urban Recording: The Dogs Will Hunt - Ship to China
Lifetime Achievement: Angele Arsenault
Industry Person: John Bulman
Educator: Todd MacLean
Event: Bootlegger's Ball
Musician: Remi Arsenault
Studio: Big Grey Studio
Venue: Harmony House Theatre
Visual Artist: Ryan Hutchinson
Weekend Warrior: Vintage
Lynn Grishko Memorial Bursary: Meaghan Blanchard
