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SOCAN plays a vital rede in dozens of national and international music-industry events throughout the year, many of them sponsored by SOCAN or funded in part by the SOCAN Foundation. A growing number of them are also incorporating information sessions and performances, often with established singer-songwriters providing useful career tips for up-and-coming colleagues. Here are some highlights from late 2007 and the early months of 2008.
SOCAN @ CFMAs
Dec. 1, 2007
Canadian Museum of Civilization, Gatineau, Que.
www.canadianfollemusicawards.ca
Singer-songwriters Sandy Scofield and Oh Susanna (Susie Ungerleider) each won SOCAN-sponsored songwriter honours at the 2007 Canadian Folk Music Awards. Scofield won as Best Aboriginal Songwriter, Oh Susanna as Best English-Language Songwriter. Among the other award winners was Hugo Fleury of Polémil Bazar, named Best French-Language Songwriter. The Creaking Tree String Quartet won an award for Best Instrumental Group and another for "pushing the boundaries." Violinist Anne Lindsay also captured two awards, as Best Solo Instrumentalist and Producer of the Year (which she shared with Oliver Schroer, who co-produced her album News from Up the Street). The Duhks won Best Contemporary Album for Migrations, while Best Traditional Album honours went to La Part du Quêteux for Paye la traite. Benoit Bourque of Le Vent du Nord and Shelagh Rogers of CBC Radio hosted the event.
SOCAN @ Maple Blues Awards
Jan. 21, 2008
The Mod Club Theatre
www.torontobluessociety.com
Harry Manx won the SOCANsponsored Songwriter of the Year honours at the 2008 edition of the Maple Blues Awards, presented Jan. 21 at the Mod Club in Toronto. Accepting the award for Manx, who was unable to attend, was his agent Darcy Gregoire. Manx and his musical partner, guitarist Kevin Breit also won the award for Acoustic Art of the Year. Other nominees in the Songwriter of the Year category were Martin Alex Aucoin (and his co-writing partner Johnny Max), Danny Brooks, Jim Byrnes and Paul Reddick.
Toronto's Downchild Blues Band was the night's big winner, earning awards in five individual categories: Chuck Jackson received the Male Vocal award, Gary Kendall won...