The jazz music of the Josh Langille group created a relaxing vibe in the ballroom of the Rodd Charlottetown Sunday afternoon during the Music P.E.I. Awards Party.
The room was packed with artists, fans, music industry officials, politicians and music supporters, who were eagerly waiting the results.
The music also helped to calm the nerves of the award nominees, whose excitement had been building throughout Credit Union Music P.E.I. Week.
MC Irish Mythen also helped to keep spirits bright with her wit and comic relief. When the height-challenged Irish-born Canadian folk singer-songwriter walked up to the podium and announced that she needed another step so that she could reach the microphone, the audience laughed. And so it became a joke throughout the afternoon between Mythen and Rob Oakie, executive director of Music P.E.I., who made a big deal of removing the step, every time he went to the microphone.
So, it was in this light and laughter-filled setting that the awards were handed out.
The East Pointers led the way with four awards, including Touring Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Roots Contemporary and Group Recording awards. Brent Chaisson accepted the hardware on behalf of band members, who are currently touring in New Zealand. Earlier this month, band member Tim Chaisson sent his regrets: “We’re pretty bummed out that we can’t be here this year…We’re so lucky to have such a supportive and vibrant music scene on P.E.I.”
Ringing in the high notes, Catherine MacLellan, Liam Corcoran and Alicia Toner each won two awards.
“It’s great to be part of the big scene and to be nominated with so many incredible musicians. It was also nice that people responded to it and wanted to hear it,” says MacLellan, who picked up hardware for Album of the Year and Female Solo Recording of the Year for "If It's Alright With You – The Songs of Gene MacLellan” by Catherine MacLellan.
Toner was “surprised” to hear the news.
“I feel so honoured to be recognized by P.E.I. I love it here so much. I’ve been here for the past four years and so (winning the awards) mean the world,” says the singer-songwriter, who received awards for Video of the Year for “I Learned the Hard Way” and SOCAN Songwriter of the Year.
Winning two awards was also a “surprise” for Corcoran.
“It’s been a long time…over the years I’ve received lots of nominations, but not a lot of wins so it was nice to be able to thank everyone who has worked on the record,” says Corcoran, who won Pop Recording of the Year.
The duo of Denis Ellsworth and Kinley Dowling won the Holland
College/Lloyd Doyle New Artist of the Year Award and with it received a $1,000 cash award in Doyle’s memory. He was a co-founder of Music P.E.I. and an artist manager who helped countless P.E.I. artists over the years. He died in 2017.
Credit Union Music P.E.I. Week 2018 wrapped up on Sunday night at Florence Simmons Performance Hall with the Festival Finale show featuring some of the top nominees of the Music P.E.I. Awards. They include Dylan Menzie, Ashley Condon, Alicia Toner, Catherine MacLellan and Liam Corcoran.
Sally Cole, The Guardian’s entertainment reporter, covered Music P.E.I. Week for The Guardian.
