Nunavut singer Wins Big!

Nunavut singer captures three
Aboriginal Music awards




Last Updated Sun, 27 Nov 2005 09:25:36 EST
CBC Arts
Nunavut singer
Tanya Tagaq Gillis was a big winner at the
Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards
garnering best female artist as well as two other awards.
Her producer, Juan Hernandez, got the nod for his work on her album, Sinaa
and the CD also won for best album design. The throat singer has gained some
international recognition after being featured on Bjork's last album Medulla.
There were a trio of double winners including Winnipeg's Little Hawk
– a.k.a. Troy Westwood – for best folk album and album of the year for
1492-1975, while fiddler Ryan D'Aoust of Manitoba captured best fiddle
album for Southside of the Strings. The 16-year-old was also handed the
Galaxie Rising Stars Award, sponsored by CBC.
The ceremonies in Toronto on Friday night also honoured Cape Breton's
Forever for best rock album and best music video. And the 11-member
ensemble of Burnt captured best group for its blending of blues, jazz,
funk and First Nations sounds on its CD Hometown.
Northern Quebec's Beatrice Deer received the Best Inuit Cultural Album
Award for Just Bea. It's the first year for the award.
Other winners include:
Diga, a Tlicho of Fort Rae, N.W.T., as best male artist.
Alberta's Carl Quinn was named best songwriter for the title song on his
CD Ni Ototem.
Blackstone, from the Sweetgrass First Nation in Saskatchewan, was
honoured with Best Pow Wow Album – Contemporary Award for Back
in the Day.
Another Saskatchewan artist, Eekwol, was handed the best rap award for
her CD Apprentice to the Mystery.
Honky Tonk Heartache Blues earned Hank Horton the Best Country
Album Award.
Best international album went to Joanne Shenandoah, a member of the
Iroquois Confederacy in Oneida, New York.
The seventh annual awards also honoured Willie Dunn with its Lifetime
Contribution to Aboriginal Music Award. Dunn, who lives in Ottawa, is a
singer/songwriter, playwright, director and award-winning filmmaker.