By Andrea Simms-Karp
Ottawa’s vibrant folk music community is getting a big vote of confidence from the rest of the country. The very first Canadian Folk Music Awards are being held at the Canadian Museum of Civilization Dec.10, giving local songwriters, musicians and businesses a chance to shine.
The event is being put together by a group of folk aficionados who have devoted their lives and careers to the genre. They decided to hold their own awards show after the Junos attempted to cut one of the two folk music categories from their roster.
Roddy Campbell is one of the main organizers, as well as an accomplished folk musician and the editor of Penguin Eggs, a magazine dedicated to promoting Canadian folk music.
“The Canadian music industry was built on folk music, and it is treated with such disrespect,” says Campbell.
“I thought enough is enough. It’s time folk music became famous. It’s time we had our own awards show.”
He says trying to fit Canadian folk talent into two small categories each year does not do justice to the genre. Although the Junos decided to keep the two folk categories, the idea of having a separate folk awards show had already taken off.
After a couple of years of planning, the work has paid off. A diverse list of categories and a vast number of nominees are showing Canada’s music scene for what it truly is: a hub for musical talent and innovation.
Campbell says that he is proud that the show will have eclectic mix of nominees and performers. The stereotype of folk music being stuffy could not be further from the truth, he says.
The recognition is no surprise to Arthur McGregor, the owner of the Ottawa Folklore Centre. His store sells music, instruments and operates an entire music school, all under the broad banner of folk.
“The Ottawa folk scene has been the best in Canada for many many years,” he says. “Folk is the only form of music in Ottawa that has its own music store.”
“These awards will certainly bring the spotlight in to all these great performers, and it’s long overdue.”
One of the scheduled performers, Ember Swift, is a poster child for the diversity of Canadian folk. She combines jazz, rock, folk and punk to create one of the most unique sounds to come out of the country, and is known for putting on a stunning live show. She says the folk awards are exactly what the scene needs.
“It lends credibility to the folk community that they don’t often receive,” she says, pointing out that the definition of the genre is left wide open to include alt-country, traditional folk, world music and songwriting.
Grit Laskin, also an organizer, musician and a world-famous guitar maker, says the response for submissions has been overwhelming. He says that while the Junos get around 60 to 80 submissions in their folk and roots categories every year, the Canadian Folk Music Awards got 306. The nominees are chosen by jury.
“It’s a great problem to have, let me tell you,” he says, laughing.
Laskin says the awards have been planned down to the last detail, including the food, top-notch entertainment, and great hosts.
“We’re doing everything we can ahead of time to make this a special night,” he says. “It’s been gratifying.”
Dean Verger, owner of Rasputin’s Folk Café, says he is pleased that a handful of local musicians are involved in the show, including George Sapounidis and Lynn Miles. He says the number of categories alone will help recognize how vast the scene really is, and how respected Canadian folk music is outside of Canada.
“We need an event that says Canadian folk musicians and songwriters are some of the cream of the crop in the world, and to recognize them as such,” he says.