Manitoba Artists Earn Canadian Folk Music Award Nods

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Indian City performing for Aboriginal Music Live at The Cube, Sep 20

Manitoba artists have a few chances to hear their names called when the hardware is handed out at the Canadian Folk Music Awards (CFMA) next month. Four homegrown acts landed nominations this year, including two nods for Aboriginal songwriters. The envelopes will be opened at Calgary's University Theatre on November 10 at a gala hosted by CBC's Shelagh Rogers and musician Benoit Bourque.  

Don Amero landed his second CFMA nomination for Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year for his latest recording, Heart On My Sleeve. Amero, who won a CFMA in 2009, picked up an Indian Summer Music Award earlier this month as well as a JUNO Award nod earlier this year. 

Vince Fontaine is also up for Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year for his work on Indian City's Supernation. The outfit, which sometimes features Amero on vocals, has already won at the Western Canadian Music Awards, Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards, and Indian Summer Music Awards in last year. Fontaine also won a CFMA in 2011 for his solo project, Songs for Turtle Island

Singer/songwriter Ruth Moody, also known as one third of two-time JUNO-winning trio The Wailin' Jennys, is up for Contemporary Album of the Year for her latest solo outing, These Wilder Things. Moody has been busy since the album's spring release with showcases at Austin's SXSW, Nashville's Americana Music Festival, and a packed tour schedule, including several opening spots on music legend Mark Knopfler's European tour. Meanwhile, These Wilder Things' producer, Toronto's David Travers-Smith, is up for Producer of the Year.

Francophone children's performer Madame Diva -- aka Jocelyne Baribeau -- is up for Children's Album of the Year for Viva La Diva. A nominee in 2011 for Francophone Album of the Year, Madame Diva recently performed at Montreal's famed Just For Laughs festival. Baribeau's contemporary project, Petits papiers, is up for a 2013 Western Canadian Music Award.

Founded in 2005, the CFMAs recognize Canada’s outstanding writers, producers and performers of folk music, and the artists who are expanding the genre in innovative and exciting ways. For a complete list of CFMA nominees, please visit folkawards.ca.

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