East Coast Music Association Announces 2009 Stompin' Tom Award Recipients
Friday, February 20, 2009
(Corner Brook, NL) - The East Coast Music Association is proud to announce the recipients of the 2009 Stompin' Tom Awards. The awards are given annually to the unsung heroes of the East Coast Music industry and will be presented this year at the Industry Awards Brunch on Sunday, March 1st, at the Pepsi Studio in Corner Brook.
The 2009 recipients are: Mark Hill from New Brunswick, Ray Walsh from Newfoundland & Labrador, Narcisse Gautreau from Prince Edward Island, Joyce Seamone from mainland Nova Scotia, and Donald Angus Beaton from Cape Breton.
"These well-deserving recipients have all made significant contributions to East Coast music and have over the years kept our music industry vibrant and dynamic," says Wade Pinhorn, board chair of the East Coast Music Association. "They have all demonstrated deep-rooted commitments and we are proud to be honouring them."
The Stompin' Tom awards are presented annually to one individual or group from each of the five regions of the East Coast Music Association: New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Prince Edward Island, mainland Nova Scotia and Cape Breton.
The award was conceived in 1993 when Stompin' Tom Connors was presented with the Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement award. Instead of accepting the award, he requested that an award be created to honour musicians who have made long-term contributions to the East Coast music industry and paved the road for many successful East Coast artists today. The East Coast Music Association has recognized more than 75 of these musical pioneers to date. The recipients are chosen by a committee of Atlantic Canadian folklorists in consultation with the ECMA board of directors.
For more information on the recipients of the 2009 Stompin' Tom award, please see the attached backgrounder.
The East Coast Music Awards, Festival & Conference is an annual event organized by the East Coast Music Association. The ECMA is a not-for-profit organization whose mandate it is to foster, promote and celebrate East Coast music locally and globally.
The East Coast Music Awards return to CBC. Fans of East Coast Music can catch the star-studded spectacular live at 8:30pm NT/8pm AT/7pm ET on CBC's digital channel bold or on the internet at cbc.ca/eastcoastmusic. The main CBC Television network will broadcast the East Coast Music Awards at 11pm in all time zones/11:30pm NT.
The Fan's Choice Award is the only East Coast Music Award voted on by the public, and fans have until Friday, February 27th at midnight (AT) to cast their vote. Cast your vote online at cbc.ca/eastcoastmusic or ecma.com. Please note that only one vote per computer will be tabulated.
The 2009 East Coast Music Awards, Festival & Conference has received financial support from the Government of Canada through ACOA and Service Canada, Province of Newfoundland and Labrador through the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, and the City of Corner Brook. The East Coast Music Association would also like to acknowledge the financial support of FACTOR and the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada's private radio broadcasters.
For more information:
Media Contact:
B.J. Grechuk, The Joseph Scott Entertainment Agency
bj@josephscott.ca
2009 Stompin' Tom award recipients
Mark Hill- New Brunswick
The extremely polished quality of music and vivid performances Mark Hill offers his audiences make him one of the best kept secrets in finger style guitar. Talented in a variety of genres of finger picking, and equally skilled with classical, nylon electric, and acoustic guitars, Mark is considered to be one of the top guitarist in the Chet Atkins style of guitar. A true artist, his skillfulness with a guitar deceives the listener into believing what he is doing is so simple, when in reality it is entirely complex.
In addition to the musical gifts he offers his listeners and fans, he is also a very dedicated and influential guitar teacher. A founding member of the Hill Brothers Blues Band Mark's dedication to his students and his style of music has prompted a number of young guitar players to further pursue the art of music through the Humber College Jazz program.
Ray Walsh - Newfoundland & Labrador
A native of Bay-De-Verde, Ray Walsh developed a passion for music at a young age. Born into a family of well known fiddlers, Ray was first showcased in the 1960s on CBC Radio's Saturday Night Jamboree. His rise to stardom continued throughout the 1960s and 1970s as he mastered the piano accordion on CBC's nationally syndicated show "All Around the Circle."
After 11 years as a Newfoundland and Labrador television celebrity, Ray returned to Bay-De-Verde with his wife, Evelyn and their children. There, Ray taught at St. Joseph's Central High School, eventually becoming the school's principal, as well as the town's mayor.
Ray has been sharing his music for nearly 50 years, and his passion has spread to the members of The Ray Walsh Family Band. Performing at various venues and events throughout the province, both Ray Walsh as a solo artist and The Ray Walsh Family Band perform a blend of Newfoundland, Irish and Scottish traditional music.
Narcisse Gautreau - Prince Edward Island
More than 60 years ago, Narcisse Gautreau picked up his first harmonica. Wanting to follow in the footsteps of his fiddle playing father, Narcisse begged his father for a harmonica. He was told that a harmonica costs money, and that first he must be patient, learn a few pieces of music, and above all else, to be tenacious.
Shortly after, Narcisse picked up his first harmonica, borrowed from a neighbour without the knowledge of his father. With much dedication and tenacity, Narcisse taught himself to play the harmonica and a variety of songs.
Finally, the day comes when Narcisse's father presents him with his very own harmonica. He asks his father what song he'd like to hear first. Startled by the request, Narcisse's father asks if he is familiar with the tune, Ste-Anne Reel. Narcisse proceeds to shock his father by not only playing the song, but a few others as well.
Sixty years later, Narcisse is still playing and in 2000, released his debut recording, Narcisse Gautreau Harmonica, a compilation of his life's work.
Joyce Seamone - mainland Nova Scotia
Joyce Seamone became a national music hit when her song "Testing 1-2-3" ranked #1 on the Canadian Country Music charts in 1972. However, her experience on the music scene started during her childhood, playing in school, church and at local venues. She eventually moved onto playing with various bands, all of which culminated with her rise to #1.
A performer, songwriter and story writer, Joyce is a published author, as well an award winning songwriter. She recently wrote and recorded the winning song for Bridgewater N.S.' Centennial celebration, and one of her children's songs was published by a California based company in 2001.
Joyce has worked hard for more than 25 years, promoting herself and her show, and has also been a fervent supporter of the Songwriter's Association of Nova Scotia.
Donald Angus Beaton - Cape Breton
Donald Angus Beaton inherited his father's love for the fiddle at the young age of 7. Performing for the first time at the age of 12, Donald Angus learned to read music and also picked up a large repertoire of traditional songs from his fellow fiddle playing family members, including his uncle Johnny Ronald Beaton.
Proficient in what is referred to as Mabou Coal Mines style of music, Donald Angus passed on his zealous love for traditional music to his nine children and many grand children, one of whom is The Honourable Rodney MacDonald, Premier of Nova Scotia and a Cape Breton fiddler.
Although Donald Angus Beaton had established himself as a highly regarded musician within his community and surrounding area, he worked hard as a blacksmith, taxi driver and mail carrier, in order to support himself and his family. He was also a frequent friendly face at countless dances, weddings and community events.
Mr. Beaton's musical legacy is shared and preserved all over the world by way of the Donald Angus Beaton's Cape Breton Scottish Violin Music, published in 1987, as well as in The Beaton Collection, released in 2000.
