Rock band Crush are kings for a day at East Coast Music Awards
ST. JOHN’S, Nfld. (CP) – The Newfoundland duo Crush did just that to the competition at the East Coast Music Awards on Sunday, winning all five categories in which they were nominated.
Cory Tetford and Paul Lamb, the two creators of the pop-rock band, won group of the year and rock recording of the year for their second CD Face in the Crowd. The band won songwriter of the year and best single for King for a Day and they were also chosen entertainers of the year.
The group said they were most thrilled with entertainer of the year – the only award decided by the public.
“We’ve always said entertainer of the year is the one because it’s voted on by the fans,” Lamb said.
Tetford, the son of a Pentecostal minister, and Lamb, who was playing in Newfoundland bands by the time he was 17, met in 1994. But it wasn’t until 2000 that the two formed the group, releasing their first CD to critical acclaim in 2002. They now live in Halifax.
Newfoundland singers Ron Hynes and Damhnait Doyle each visited the podium twice Sunday night.
Hynes picked up pewter trophies for FACTOR best album and country recording of the year for his latest, Get Back Change, his first album in several years.
“I really didn’t expect this,” Hynes said after accepting his second of the night. “It’s nice to get one. It’s really nice to get two.”
Doyle, now a member of the group Shaye, was awarded female artist of the year and best pop recording for her CD “Dav-net.”
The Newfoundland songstress recently returned from Afghanistan and dedicated one of her awards to the family of Cpl. Jamie Murphy, the Newfoundland soldier killed by a suicide bomber in the Middle East country.
The band Forever, winners of the aboriginal recording of the year, had the sell-out crowd at Mile One Stadium cheering with their parody of Janet Jackson’s Superbowl strip down.
Band mates whisked Peter Christmas off the stage during the pre-show after tearing his t-shirt open to expose a flat, nipple-ring-free right breast.
Newfoundland comedian Shawn Majumder later promised a clean show, while his co-host Mark Critch warned Prime Minister Paul Martin, seated near the front, that there would be no pierced nipples allowed.
Nova Scotia’s Jimmy Rankin took male artist and solo recording of the year with his CD Handmade.
And Dutch Robinson was the only other multiple award winner, taking home honours for African-Canadian recording of the year for I Took the Long Way Home and best urban single track recording.
Other winners included Buck 65 for alternative recording of the year, the Birchmountain Bluegrass Band for best bluegrass recording and Matt Minglewood for best blues.
The Ennis Sisters were named roots recording of the year and Sloan took the honour for the best video of the year.
†
Meanwhile, Jeff Goodspeed and Jorge Chicoy with HavanaFax won the jazz recording category; Richard Wood won the instrumental category, and classical artist Jasper Wood received an award for his recording of violin and piano works by Stravinsky.
During the awards some of Atlantic Canada’s best-known musicians performed, including Crush, Great Big Sea and Jimmy Rankin.
Newcomer Matt Mays, who was named best new artist of the year, performed with his band El Torpedo, along with Melanie Doane, A Crowd of Bold Sharemen, Shaye and The Trews.
Mays, whose award came with a $5,000 cheque, said he was “freaking out” as he accepted his award.
Backstage the young Nova Scotian said the band will buy more gear with his winnings.
Over the past 16 years the East Coast Music Awards have outgrown the tiny Halifax club where they began, bringing the East Coast’s musical stylings to the rest of Canada and beyond.
The Newfoundland group Ryan’s Fancy, whose television shows in the 70s and 80s helped revitalize the region’s traditional Celtic sound, received a lifetime achievement award at the gala, which was to be broadcast live on TV.
Group member Dennis Ryan said they had no idea at the time that they would influence so many future musicians.
“We were just doing something that we totally loved,” Ryan said backstage.
The show ended with a performance by Crush.
Here are the winners:
Aboriginal recording:- Forever, Welcome to Forever
African-Canadian recording:- Dutch Robinson, Only Me
FACTOR Album of the year:- Ron Hynes, Get Back Change
Alternative Recording of the year:- Buck 65, Talkin’ Honky Blues
Bluegrass recording:- Birchmountain Bluegrass Band, The Shores of Nova Scotia
Blues recording:- Matt Minglewood, Live at Last
Children’s recording:- Donna & Andy, Computer Cat
Classical recording:- Jasper Wood, Stravinsky: Works for Violin and Piano
Country recording:- Ron Hynes, Get Back Change
Female artist:- Damhnait Doyle
Francophone recording:- Blou, Blou Blanc Rouge
Gospel recording:- The Burkes, A Burke Family Christmas
Group of the year:- Crush
Instrumental recording:- Richard Wood, Infectious
Jazz recording:- Jeff Goodspeed & Jorge Chicoy, HavanaFax Live
Male artist:- Jimmy Rankin
New artist/group of the year:- Matt Mays
Pop recording:- Damhnait Doyle
NewCap rock recording:- Crush, Face in the Crowd
Roots/traditional group recording:- Ennis Sisters, Can’t be the same
Roots/traditional solo recording:- Jimmy Rankin, Handmade
Single of the year:- Crush, King for a Day
SOCAN songwriter:- Cory Tetford and Gordie Sampson, Crush’s King for a Day
Urban single track recording:- Dutch Robinson, I Took the Long Way Home.
Video of the year:- Sloan, The Rest of My Life
Entertainer of the Year:- Crush
Categories