2011 Nominees

2011 ArcelorMittal Dofasco
Hamilton Music Awards Nominees

1. Female Artist of the Year
Amberley B. – Paper Dolls
Sarah Blackwood – Wasting Time
Rita Chiarelli – Music From The Big House Soundtrack
Nicole Christian – Run, Rabbit Run
Sharon Musgrave – Outflow

2. Male Artist of the Year
Jeremy Fisher - Flood
James Hoffman – The Union
Brian Melo – The Truth
Matt Paxton – How The Land Lies
Alfie Smith – Sometimes The Rain

3. Local Group of the Year by the People’s Choice

4. New Artist/Group of the Year
Dawn and Marra – Never Ask Me Why
Dinner Belles – West Simcoe County
James Hoffman – The Union
Brandon Pacheco – Broke Up
Riddim Riders – Riddim Riders

5. Pop Recording of the Year
Andrew Victoria – Andrew Victoria
Robin Benedict – Ride Of My Life
Andrea Godin – Andrea
Brian Melo – The Truth
Brandon Pacheco – Broke Up

6. Roots Recording of the Year
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings – Kings and Queens
Jeremy Fisher - Flood
Dave Gould – Truck For Sale
Matt Paxton – How The Land Lies
Whitehorse – Whitehorse

7. Alternative Country Recording of the Year
Dinner Belles – West Simcoe County
Sarah Blackwood – Wasting Time
Rachel Heart – Rachel Heart
JP Riemens & the Barflies – Dirty Sunset
The Vanishers – Hagersville Dance Party

8. Folk Recording of the Year
Amberley B. – Paper Dolls
Dawn and Marra – Never Ask Me Why
James Hoffman – The Union
Brian Meechan – On Blue Water
Scott Orr – Where I Live And What I Lived For

9. World Recording of the Year
Yiannis Kapoulas – Yiannis Kapoulas
Yitka Karlik – Diplomatic Dream
Riddim Riders – Riddim Riders

10. Alternative/Indie Rock Recording of the Year
2x The Mono – Art Rock and Science Fiction
The Creepshow – They All Fall Down
Dark Mean – Dark Mean
Justin Sawicki  – Nothing For No One
Martin Verrall – Spears of Fate

11. ArcelorMittal Dofasco Music Industry Lifetime Achievement Award – Kim Cooke

12. Rock Recording of the Year
Finger 11 – Life Turns Electric
Gruve – Out Of Nowhere
Live How You Live – Blue Collar Love
Monster Truck – The Brown EP
Perennials - Red

13. Loud/Metal Recording of the Year
40 Sons – Madness
Aerith – Bears
Blacken’d Red – Drive
Downboy – Bombed In Steeltown
Sexbeast – Avi Sexbeastis 

14. Punk Recording of the Year
Backbeat Nation – Backbeat Nation
Come On, Let’s Go - Come On, Let’s Go
Gin Rummy - Gin Rummy
Koetta Black – Kick Back
Wiggler and the Tiny Humans – A Kama Sutra of Contrary Positions

15. Blues Recording of the Year
Rita Chiarelli – Music From The Big House Soundtrack
Nicole Christian – Run, Rabbit Run
Famous Framus Band – On Mortal Love
Alfie Smith – Sometimes The Rain
Susan Wylde – In The Light

16. Rap/Hip Hop Recording of the Year
Canadian Winter – Just Wait Till February
The Hi-Cats – Gateway Music
M.I.S.T The Mistry Kid – Quizzes, Tests & Exams: Applications
P.O.E – Something Offensive and Clever
Topicz – Still Dreamin’

17. Electronic Recording of the Year
Allosaurus – Old Solar
Junior Boys – It’s All True
Motem – The Forthcoming Mixtape
Orphx – Radiotherapy
Trifecta3 – Zapp

18. R&B/Soul Recording of the Year
Kojo ‘Easy’ Damptey - Songs
Chris Jackson – Action
Sharon Musgrave – Outflow

19. Religious Recording of the Year
Jamie Barnes – Wilderness
Eagles – Your Kingdom Come
Rosanna Riverso – Let There Be Peace

20. Songwriter of the Year
Jeremy Fisher - Flood
Jeremy Greenspan/Matthew Didemus - Junior Boys – It’s All True
James Hoffman – The Union
Brian Melo – The Truth
Tom Wilson – Blackie and the Rodeo Kings – Kings and Queens

21. Female Vocalist of the Year
Rita Chiarelli – Music From The Big House Soundtrack
Terra Lightfoot – Dinner Belles - West Simcoe County
Melissa McClelland – Whitehorse – Whitehorse
Sharon Musgrave- Outflow
Rosanna Riverso – Let There Be Peace

22. Male Vocalist of the Year
Jon Harvey – Monster Truck – The Brown EP
Brian Melo – The Truth
Mike Rajczak - Riddim Riders – Riddim Riders
Alfie Smith – Sometimes The Rain
Tom Wilson – Blackie and the Rodeo Kings – Kings and Queens

23. ArcelorMittal Dofasco Lifetime Achievement Award - Ian Thomas

24. Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year
Brandon Bliss – Monster Truck– The Brown EP
Greg Brisco – Dinner Belles - West Simcoe County
Amy King – Alfie Smith, Dawn and Marra,
Jesse O’Brien – Johnny Max Band, Justin Sawicki
Christabel Pinto – Rosanna Riverso

25. Special Instrumentalist of the Year
Loretta Hale – Justin Sawicki
Yiannis Kapoulas - Yiannis Kapoulas
Randell Neudorf – 2x the Mono
Melanie Pothier – Dinner Belles - West Simcoe County
Clint Rice – Martin Verrall – Spears of Fate

26. Guitarist of the Year
Luke Doucet – Whitehorse – Whitehorse
Brian Griffith - JP Riemens and the Barflies, Sharon Musgrave
Yiannis Kapoulas - Yiannis Kapoulas
Alfie Smith – Sometimes The Rain
Jeremy Widerman – Monster Truck – The Brown EP

27. Drummer of the Year
Dave Gould – Nicole Christian, Famous Framus
Peter Grimmer – Sharon Musgrave
Steve Kiely – Monster Truck – The Brown EP
Danny Lockwood – JP Riemens and the Barflies
Chris Sindrey – Aerith - Bears

28. Bassist of the Year
Carrie Ashworth – JP Riemens and the Barflies – Dirty Sunset
Richard Dailey – Riddim Riders – Riddim Riders
Jon Harvey – Monster Truck – The Brown EP
Sean McNab – The Creepshow – They All Fall Down
Mike Williams – Martin Verrall – Spears of Fate

29. Canadian Recording of the Year by People’s Choice (Sales over 10,000 units)

30. Record of the Year
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings – Kings and Queens
Dinner Belles – West Simcoe County
Finger 11 – Life Turns Electric
Jeremy Fisher – Flood
Junior Boys – It’s All True

General Information

General Information

Hamilton Music Awards and Gala Reception (Sunday November 20, 2011):

The 2011 Hamilton Music Awards will be held at the McIntyre Theatre at Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology. The annual Awards ceremony is hosted by local and national celebrities and features musical performances, award presentations, tributes to lifetime achievers and special guest presenters. Last year’s show was completely sold out! The Awards ceremony is the highlight of the 4-day long event.

Past Award show performers include: The Arkells, Derek Miller, John Ellison, Shawn Brush, Brian Melo, Melissa McClelland, Daniel Lanois, Garth Hudson (The Band), Jackie Washington, Tomi Swick, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Ariana Gillis, Teenage Head, Saint Alvia, Simply Saucer and more. Past presenters include Eugene Levy (American Pie, SCTV), Patrick McKenna (Red Green, Traders), Stuart McLean (The Vinyl Café), Bob Mersereau (Author: The Top 100 Canadian Albums) and many more.

The Hamilton Music Awards After Party (Sunday November 20, 2011):

The Awards After-Party is the celebration after the celebration and brings together fans, artists and industry. The After Party has been a hit for the past two years and features performances by local acts and special guests.

2011 Music Lifetime Achievement Award

Ian Thomas 
Music LifetimeAchievement Award Recipient

Ian first hit internationally in 1973 with "Painted Ladies". With a Juno award, four SOCAN classic awards for Painted Ladies, Right Before Your Eyes, Hold On and Pilot, a UNICEF Danny Kaye Humanitarian award, multiple Juno and Gemini nominations, 15 albums and nearly as many top twenty records later, Ian has now added author to the mix with two novels, Bequest (Manor House 2006) and his latest The Lost Chord (Manor House 2008).

Ian's lyrics have been utilized in English textbooks while his songs have found international success with many artists such as Santana, America, Manfred Man, Chicago, Bette Midler and Anne Murray. He also records and tours the country regularly with good friends Murray McLauchlan, Marc Jordan, and Cindy Church in a band called Lunch At Allen's. Thomas coordinated a variety show which led to the formation of Lunch at Allens at the 2002 Hamilton Music Scene Festival. The group consisted of Rik Emmett, Murray McLauchlan, David Wilcox and Thomas.

From 1990 to 2000, Ian wrote & recorded four albums and toured with his band "The Boomers" comprised of some of the Canada's finest musicians - Peter Cardinali, Rick Gratton and Bill Dillon. Thomas' has scored music for over twenty movies, played the role of Dougie Franklin on the Red Green Show and has been involved in the production of over 1,000 commercials voicing many familiar characters including Clive Firkin of Firkin Pubs and Snap the Rice Crispie.

Over the past decade, Thomas has toured as a solo artist and with Lunch At Allen's. He recently scored music for the animated series The Adventures Of Bob and Doug McKenzie as well as two Hallmark Movies, The National Tree and Fairfield Road. For more information on Ian Thomas, please visit www.ianthomas.ca.