East Coast Music Association
Encyclopedia
The East Coast Music Association is a non-profit association that hosts an annual awards ceremony based in Atlantic Canada
for music appreciation on the East Coast of Canada
. Since its beginning in 1989
when it was launched as the Maritime Music Awards by Halifax music industry promoter Rob Cohn, it has grown from the original five categories (Album of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Video of the Year) to over 25 categories in music and over 10 in music industry as a whole.
bar, the East Coast Music Awards and Conference has grown to become the premier music event in Atlantic Canada, and one of the top events of its kind on the continent.
1991 -- Founder of the Maritime Music Awards, Rob Cohn joins forces with Sheri Jones, Karen Byers, Lee Stanley, Mike Barkhouse, Peter Hendrickson and Tony Kelly to form the East Coast Music Association. The event becomes known as the East Coast Music Awards and now combined the Atlantic provinces. It moves from a Halifax bar to the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium and new awards are added. A showcase by The Rankins helps the band get a manager and, later, an EMI record deal.
With the formation of provincial music industry associations it was decided that the event would move from year to year from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, P.E.I and Nfld and Labrador.
In recent years, the East Coast Music Awards and Conference has showcased the music of Atlantic Canada, bringing it to millions of record buyers in a two-hour national broadcast on CBC Television
. The first Televised broadcast of the event took place in St. John's NFLD, thanks to efforts by the Assiciation and Glen Tilley, A producer at CBC St. John's and head of the nomination committee for NFLD & Labrador during the critical first years transition of the association to a Non Profit status. And the ECMA's have marketed Atlantic Canadian music to the world, by inviting members of the international music industry to the annual conference.
, Prince Edward Island
in 2011 and was hosted within the Delta Prince Edward host hotel. The music, business and networking went virtually around the clock.
, on Cape Breton
. Joel Plaskett
was the night's big winner with six awards, including Sennhesier Entertainer of the Year.
. The hosts for the event were Damhnait Doyle
and Jian Ghomeshi
of CBC Radio One
's 'Q'.
The line-up of artists included Hey Rosetta!
, Jill Barber
, Tara Oram
, Christina Martin
, MIR
, and David Myles
. The ECMA Awards Show also featured the reunion of Rawlins Cross
.
from February 7 through 10. Throughout the event, various venues played host to the East Coast's finest artists. The music awards gala was held at the Aitken Centre
, and Steven Page
from the Barenaked Ladies
hosted the entire event (coining the term, Barenaked East Coast Music). Unlike previous years the event was not televised, and instead, a TV special was broadcast with scenes (venues, award show, various hotel antics).
once again hosted ECMA, a year early, as a result of a request to flip from the Fredericton, New Brunswick
location. The Halifax event, introduced as the East Coast Music Awards, Festival and Conference, measures as a major industry and financial success. An amazing and insightful four-day conference, with record attendance, wonderful venues and things on the technical end (sound and lights), and an ever growing international program with over 50 international music industry delegates. With 500 hotel rooms in two adjoining Delta hotels
, there was a festival atmosphere in the hotels and adjoining malls. The 2007 award show was regarded by many as one of the best ever. The show marks the recent passing of East Coast legends John Allan Cameron
, Dutchie Mason and Denny Doherty
. ECMAfest brought the downtown Halifax to life with many official and partnered stages.
, Prince Edward Island
in 2006. Charlottetown
has been a laboratory from which such experiments as RadioECMA, Soundwaves and the 72 Hour Jam have sprung. For the first time ever, 2006 organizers decided to have a gala dinner industry awards ceremony on Saturday night. The controversial Trailer Park Boys
hosted a great award show at the Civic Centre, proving many skeptics wrong and the organization right on the mark. A major highlight of 2006 was that a festival was created within the Delta Prince Edward host hotel. The music, business and networking went virtually around the clock.
, was a great success and helped to kick off the opening of two new, multi-million dollar facilities in Sydney. For both the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre and the Sydney Marine Terminal, ECMA was the first major event to use their facilities, and offered a great opportunity to introduce them to the community and the international industry delegates attending the conference. The conference was taken to a new level with very popular sessions, a vibrant international program (50+ delegates) and successful partnering with Cape Breton University
. Overall, ECMA is moving towards a master class format, presenting classes this year in songwriting, export readiness and musical scoring for gaming and television. The success of the Soundwaves was built upon with the creation of a brand new program, Sound-off, which involved schools across Cape Breton
to select the best band in their school and advance them to regionals and a final competition.
, and film and TV elements were introduced to the conference. A number of East Coast recording artists negotiated contracts for national licensing and distribution deals. The ECMA Songwriter’s Circle was broadcast live across the country on CBC Radio
and across Atlantic Canada
on CBC Television
.
brought the conference back to where it all began 15 years before, and to celebrate this anniversary, the entire city came alive with music and was transformed into a City of Stages, celebrating all genres of music. It was a resounding success, having played host to over 2000 delegates. The Soundwaves Program brought music to over 30,000 young school students throughout the region, and corporate sponsorship and support for ECMA reached new heights. Halifax celebrated Urban Music with an Urban Music Series featuring hip-hop, R&B and the Black Vibes concert. ECMA 2003 brought international bookings to several East Coast artists as European music industry professionals were in attendance.
hosted ECMA 2002. The competitive bid process in New Brunswick
sparked community involvement and led to over 2200 delegates to attend. Saint John
brings new initiatives: the wildly popular Roots Room for acoustic performances, the UniSon bilingual concert, and the bluegrass
stage that attracts an estimated 5,000 fans. In addition to the national CBC Television
broadcast of the awards show, the MuchMusic
ECMA Rock stage got a prime-time special on Much, and CBC radio's Definitely Not The Opera broadcasted live from the main showcase stage.
attracted more than 1,700 delegates and highlighted the diversity of the East Coast Canadian music scene. Emerging and established artists came together in a barrage of new showcases, including the debut of the Jazz/Classical Concert Series. The event fostered renewed interest in the formation of the P.E.I. Music Awards and creates “Soundwaves,” a program that sees musicians visiting schools throughout the province, and hospitals, businesses and churches in Charlottetown
. The Ennis Sisters sign with Warner Music and the ECMA Award Show receives another Gemini Award
for Best Music, Variety Program or Series.
hosted a grassroots event that pushed its organizational and infrastructure capacities to the limit. A economically successful event paved the way for the ECMA to regain a sound financial footing – and it commemorates the influence of Cape Breton’s Celtic Music family, including the late John Morris Rankin. Showcases abound, and events like Radio FreECMA and the Continuous Jam ignite industry attention. The awards show receives a Gemini Award
for Best Music, Variety Program or Series.
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
for music appreciation on the East Coast of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Since its beginning in 1989
1989 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1989.-Events:*January 14 – Paul McCartney releases Снова в СССР exclusively in the USSR...
when it was launched as the Maritime Music Awards by Halifax music industry promoter Rob Cohn, it has grown from the original five categories (Album of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Video of the Year) to over 25 categories in music and over 10 in music industry as a whole.
ECMA History
From humble beginnings many years ago in a HalifaxCity of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
bar, the East Coast Music Awards and Conference has grown to become the premier music event in Atlantic Canada, and one of the top events of its kind on the continent.
1991 -- Founder of the Maritime Music Awards, Rob Cohn joins forces with Sheri Jones, Karen Byers, Lee Stanley, Mike Barkhouse, Peter Hendrickson and Tony Kelly to form the East Coast Music Association. The event becomes known as the East Coast Music Awards and now combined the Atlantic provinces. It moves from a Halifax bar to the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium and new awards are added. A showcase by The Rankins helps the band get a manager and, later, an EMI record deal.
With the formation of provincial music industry associations it was decided that the event would move from year to year from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, P.E.I and Nfld and Labrador.
In recent years, the East Coast Music Awards and Conference has showcased the music of Atlantic Canada, bringing it to millions of record buyers in a two-hour national broadcast on CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
. The first Televised broadcast of the event took place in St. John's NFLD, thanks to efforts by the Assiciation and Glen Tilley, A producer at CBC St. John's and head of the nomination committee for NFLD & Labrador during the critical first years transition of the association to a Non Profit status. And the ECMA's have marketed Atlantic Canadian music to the world, by inviting members of the international music industry to the annual conference.
2011 Gala
ECMA returned to CharlottetownCharlottetown
Charlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
in 2011 and was hosted within the Delta Prince Edward host hotel. The music, business and networking went virtually around the clock.
2010 Gala
The 2010 event took place in Sydney, Nova ScotiaSydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
, on Cape Breton
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
. Joel Plaskett
Joel Plaskett
Joel Plaskett is a Canadian rock musician originally from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. He grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia and now resides across the harbour in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia...
was the night's big winner with six awards, including Sennhesier Entertainer of the Year.
2009 Gala
The 2009 ECMA Awards Conference and Awards Gala took place in the city of Corner Brook, Newfoundland and LabradorNewfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
. The hosts for the event were Damhnait Doyle
Damhnait Doyle
Damhnait Doyle [DAV-net] is a Canadian pop singer. The phonetic spelling of her first name also serves as the title of her 2003 album. Her most recent album, Lights Down Low, is a collection of covers...
and Jian Ghomeshi
Jian Ghomeshi
Jian Ghomeshi is a Canadian broadcaster, writer, musician and producer of Iranian descent who was raised in Thornhill, Ontario. Now based in Toronto, he is the host of the national daily cultural affairs talk program, Q, on CBC Radio One and Bold TV...
of CBC Radio One
CBC Radio One
CBC Radio One is the English language news and information radio network of the publicly-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial free and offers both local and national programming...
's 'Q'.
The line-up of artists included Hey Rosetta!
Hey Rosetta!
Hey Rosetta! is a six-piece Canadian indie rock band from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Known for its energized live shows, the band creates a massive, layered sound by incorporating piano, violin and cello into the traditional four-piece garage rock sound.-History:Their influences include...
, Jill Barber
Jill Barber
Jill Barber is a Canadian singer-songwriter formerly based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, now based in Vancouver, British Columbia.-Biography:Born and raised in Toronto, she is sister to singer-songwriter Matthew Barber...
, Tara Oram
Tara Oram
Tara Oram is a Canadian country music recording artist and a top six finalist on the fifth season of Canadian Idol in 2007. In March 2009 Oram received an ECMA for Country Recording of the Year Award.-Early life:Oram was born in Gander, Newfoundland but moved frequently during her early years...
, Christina Martin
Christina Martin
Christina Martin is a British comedian, actor and writer.She came third in the 2006 Funny Women Awards. She was a feature writer for Viz Comic between 2006 and 2009 and wrote for New Humanist magazine between 2007 and 2009...
, MIR
Mir (band)
Mir is a band based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Their projects have been released in Canada and Europe, and their 2006 itinerary includes 4 tours in Germany.Asif Illyas is the band's lead vocalist, guitarist and pianist...
, and David Myles
David Myles (singer-songwriter)
David Myles is a Canadian songwriter / performer/ recording artist originally from Fredericton, New Brunswick. Myles lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 2008, he and Nina Corfu were married. His parents are Carmel and Jim Myles.-Education:...
. The ECMA Awards Show also featured the reunion of Rawlins Cross
Rawlins Cross
Rawlins Cross is a Canadian Celtic band. With members from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Ontario, the band took its name from an intersection in St. John's, Newfoundland.-Formation and early history:Rawlins Cross was formed in St...
.
2008 Gala
ECMA 2008 was held in Fredericton, New BrunswickNew Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
from February 7 through 10. Throughout the event, various venues played host to the East Coast's finest artists. The music awards gala was held at the Aitken Centre
Aitken Centre
The Aitken Centre is located on the campus of the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, New Brunswick.Constructed in 1976, it is the home of the UNB Varsity Reds hockey and has hosted UNB basketball games when a larger venue was required until the building of UNB's brand new Richard J Curry...
, and Steven Page
Steven Page
Steven Jay Page , is a Canadian musician. Along with Ed Robertson, he was a founding member, lead singer, guitarist, and a primary songwriter of the music group Barenaked Ladies ; he left the band in 2009 to pursue a solo career....
from the Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies is a Canadian alternative rock band. The band is currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, and Tyler Stewart. Barenaked Ladies formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario, then a suburban municipality outside the City of Toronto...
hosted the entire event (coining the term, Barenaked East Coast Music). Unlike previous years the event was not televised, and instead, a TV special was broadcast with scenes (venues, award show, various hotel antics).
2007 Gala
Halifax, Nova ScotiaNova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
once again hosted ECMA, a year early, as a result of a request to flip from the Fredericton, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
location. The Halifax event, introduced as the East Coast Music Awards, Festival and Conference, measures as a major industry and financial success. An amazing and insightful four-day conference, with record attendance, wonderful venues and things on the technical end (sound and lights), and an ever growing international program with over 50 international music industry delegates. With 500 hotel rooms in two adjoining Delta hotels
Delta Hotels
Delta Hotels is a chain of 45 hotels and resorts across Canada, primarily in the 4 star range of standard. Delta once had a hotel in the United States, the Delta Court of Flags Hotel, located in Orlando, Florida, however, it was closed sometime after 1996 and has subsequently been demolished...
, there was a festival atmosphere in the hotels and adjoining malls. The 2007 award show was regarded by many as one of the best ever. The show marks the recent passing of East Coast legends John Allan Cameron
John Allan Cameron
John Allan Cameron, was a Canadian folk singer, "The Godfather of Celtic Music" in Canada. Noted for performing traditional music on his twelve string guitar, he released his first album in 1968. He released 10 albums during his lifetime and was featured on national television...
, Dutchie Mason and Denny Doherty
Denny Doherty
Dennis Gerrard Stephen Doherty was a Canadian singer and songwriter. He was most widely known as a founding member of the 1960s musical group The Mamas & the Papas.-Early career:...
. ECMAfest brought the downtown Halifax to life with many official and partnered stages.
2006 Gala
ECMA returned to CharlottetownCharlottetown
Charlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
in 2006. Charlottetown
Charlottetown
Charlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
has been a laboratory from which such experiments as RadioECMA, Soundwaves and the 72 Hour Jam have sprung. For the first time ever, 2006 organizers decided to have a gala dinner industry awards ceremony on Saturday night. The controversial Trailer Park Boys
Trailer Park Boys
Trailer Park Boys is a Canadian comedy mockumentary television series created and directed by Mike Clattenburg that focuses on the misadventures of a group of trailer park residents, some of whom are ex-convicts, living in the fictional Sunnyvale Trailer Park in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The...
hosted a great award show at the Civic Centre, proving many skeptics wrong and the organization right on the mark. A major highlight of 2006 was that a festival was created within the Delta Prince Edward host hotel. The music, business and networking went virtually around the clock.
2005 Gala
ECMA 2005 in Sydney, Nova ScotiaSydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
, was a great success and helped to kick off the opening of two new, multi-million dollar facilities in Sydney. For both the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre and the Sydney Marine Terminal, ECMA was the first major event to use their facilities, and offered a great opportunity to introduce them to the community and the international industry delegates attending the conference. The conference was taken to a new level with very popular sessions, a vibrant international program (50+ delegates) and successful partnering with Cape Breton University
Cape Breton University
Cape Breton University , formerly the "University College of Cape Breton" , is a Canadian university in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
. Overall, ECMA is moving towards a master class format, presenting classes this year in songwriting, export readiness and musical scoring for gaming and television. The success of the Soundwaves was built upon with the creation of a brand new program, Sound-off, which involved schools across Cape Breton
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
to select the best band in their school and advance them to regionals and a final competition.
2004 Gala
ECMA 2004 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador saw international delegates. A strategic partnership was developed with the Atlantic Film FestivalAtlantic Film Festival
The Atlantic Film Festival is an international film festival held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.Held annually, the ten-day celebration of film and video from Atlantic Canada and around the world is committed to screening an inspiring and engaging collection of films and videos from Canada and the...
, and film and TV elements were introduced to the conference. A number of East Coast recording artists negotiated contracts for national licensing and distribution deals. The ECMA Songwriter’s Circle was broadcast live across the country on CBC Radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
and across Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
on CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
.
2003 Gala
ECMA 2003 in Halifax, NSMetropolitan Halifax
Metropolitan Halifax , often referred to as Metro Halifax, or Halifax, is the urban part of the Halifax Regional Municipality, a regional municipality that covers a large area of Nova Scotia, including rural areas...
brought the conference back to where it all began 15 years before, and to celebrate this anniversary, the entire city came alive with music and was transformed into a City of Stages, celebrating all genres of music. It was a resounding success, having played host to over 2000 delegates. The Soundwaves Program brought music to over 30,000 young school students throughout the region, and corporate sponsorship and support for ECMA reached new heights. Halifax celebrated Urban Music with an Urban Music Series featuring hip-hop, R&B and the Black Vibes concert. ECMA 2003 brought international bookings to several East Coast artists as European music industry professionals were in attendance.
2002 Gala
Saint John, New BrunswickSaint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
hosted ECMA 2002. The competitive bid process in New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
sparked community involvement and led to over 2200 delegates to attend. Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
brings new initiatives: the wildly popular Roots Room for acoustic performances, the UniSon bilingual concert, and the bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
stage that attracts an estimated 5,000 fans. In addition to the national CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
broadcast of the awards show, the MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
ECMA Rock stage got a prime-time special on Much, and CBC radio's Definitely Not The Opera broadcasted live from the main showcase stage.
2001 Gala
CharlottetownCharlottetown
Charlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
attracted more than 1,700 delegates and highlighted the diversity of the East Coast Canadian music scene. Emerging and established artists came together in a barrage of new showcases, including the debut of the Jazz/Classical Concert Series. The event fostered renewed interest in the formation of the P.E.I. Music Awards and creates “Soundwaves,” a program that sees musicians visiting schools throughout the province, and hospitals, businesses and churches in Charlottetown
Charlottetown
Charlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
. The Ennis Sisters sign with Warner Music and the ECMA Award Show receives another Gemini Award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
for Best Music, Variety Program or Series.
2000 Gala
Sydney, Nova ScotiaSydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
hosted a grassroots event that pushed its organizational and infrastructure capacities to the limit. A economically successful event paved the way for the ECMA to regain a sound financial footing – and it commemorates the influence of Cape Breton’s Celtic Music family, including the late John Morris Rankin. Showcases abound, and events like Radio FreECMA and the Continuous Jam ignite industry attention. The awards show receives a Gemini Award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
for Best Music, Variety Program or Series.
Awards and nominations
The Awards have been dominated by several groups/artists over the years. The top ten by wins and then nominations are as follows:- Great Big SeaGreat Big SeaGreat Big Sea is a Canadian folk-rock band from Newfoundland and Labrador, best known for performing energetic rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs including sea shanties, which draw from the island's 500-year-old Irish, English, and French heritage...
- 20 wins, 32 nominations - Lennie GallantLennie GallantLennie Gallant, CM is a Canadian singer-songwriter. His music crosses into the folk, Celtic, rock and country music genres...
- 15 wins, 37 nominations - Natalie MacMasterNatalie MacMasterNatalie MacMaster, CM is an award-winning fiddler from the rural community of Troy in Inverness County, Nova Scotia, Canada who plays Cape Breton fiddle music....
- 15 wins, 35 nominations - Gordie SampsonGordie SampsonGordie Sampson is a singer-songwriter and producer from Big Pond, Nova Scotia, Canada.He has written songs for Carrie Underwood , Martina McBride , LeAnn Rimes , and George Canyon and produced and sound engineered...
- 12 wins, 23 nominations - The Rankin FamilyThe Rankin FamilyThe Rankin Family is a Canadian musical family group from Mabou, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. The group has won many Canadian music awards, including 15 East Coast Music Awards, six Juno Awards, four SOCAN Awards, three Canadian Country Music Awards and two Big Country Music Awards.- Career...
- 10 wins, 29 nominations - Rita MacNeilRita MacNeilRita MacNeil, CM, ONS is a Canadian country and folk singer from the community of Big Pond on Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island. Her biggest hit, "Flying On Your Own", was a crossover Top 40 hit in 1987 and was covered by Anne Murray the following year, although she has had hits on the country...
- 10 wins, 26 nominations - Bruce GuthroBruce GuthroBruce Guthro is a Canadian singer / songwriter, from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Guthro has recorded as a solo artist, and in 1998 also joined Scottish folk rock band Runrig, whilst still pursuing his solo career...
- 9 wins, 19 nominations - J. P. CormierJ. P. CormierJ.P. Cormier is a Canadian bluegrass/Folk/Celtic singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was born in London, Ontario in 1969 and began playing guitar around age five. As a child he displayed an unusual ability to play a variety of instruments by ear and won a guitar contest at age nine.Mr...
- 9 wins, 19 nominations - George CanyonGeorge CanyonGeorge Canyon is a Canadian country music singer. He was runner up Nashville Star 2 in 2004. He grew up in Fox Brook, Pictou County, Nova Scotia and later lived in Hopewell, Nova Scotia before he moved west. He currently lives in High River, Alberta...
- 8 wins, 15 nominations - Crush - 7 wins, 12 nominations