Victoria’s Caramah and Steve Bays are nominated for 2019 Western Canadian Music Awards. The Western canadian Music Alliance announced the awards nominees Tuesday. Other Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands based nominees include David Gogo, Raffi and Ms. PANIK.

Carmanah is nominated for Roots Duo/Group of The Year. Their singles ‘Roots’ and ‘Nightmare’ off their 2018 ‘Speak in Rhythms’ album both reached number one on a CBC Music’s Top 20.

Steve Bays is up for two awards. The Hot Hot Heat and Mounties frontman is up for Producer of The Year and Audio Engineer Award.

Nanaimo blues-rock guitarist David Gogo is up for Blus Artist of The Year. This is Gogo’s fourth nomination for a WCMA. He won Blues Recording of the Year in 2012 for his album ‘Soul-Bender’.

Salt Spring Island’s Raffi is nominated for Children’s Artist of The Year. He was last nominated for the award in 2016.

Ms. PANIK, a Haida loop poet and MC now based in Tofino, is nominated for Spiritial Artist of The Year.

Winners will be announced during BreakOut West in Whithorse October 2 – 6, 2019.

BreakOut West is an annual conference to celebrate, develop and support the best of western Canadian music from BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and the three northern territories. More information about the conference and the WCMAs can be found at their website.



2019 Western Canadian Music Awards Artistic Nominees

Blues Artist of the Year
Brandon Isaak – BC
David Gogo – BC
Jack Semple – SK
James Buddy Rogers – BC
Ndidi O – BC

BreakOut Artist of the Year
Dan Mangan – BC
Foxwarren – SK
Nuela Charles – AB
Snotty Nose Rez Kids – BC
Striker – AB

Children’s Artist of the Year
Ginalina – BC
Raffi – BC
Rattle and Strum – AB
Seanster and the Monsters – MB
The Oot n’ Oots – BC

Classical Artist / Ensemble of the Year
Land’s End Ensemble – AB
Turning Point Ensemble – BC
Manitoba Chamber Orchestra – MB
Vancouver Chamber Choir – BC
Carmen Braden – NT

Classical Composer of the Year
Allan Gordon Bell – AB
Carmen Braden – NT
Farshid Samandari – BC
Laurie Radford – AB
Owen Underhill – BC

Country Artist of the Year
Aaron Pritchett – BC
Brett Kissel – AB
Dan Davidson – AB
George Canyon – AB
Hunter Brothers – SK

Electronic / Dance Artist of the Year
Dirty Radio – BC
Humans – BC
I M U R – BC
Soulier – AB
Talltale – AB

Francophone Artist of the Year
Alpha Toshineza – MB
Ponteix – SK
Rayannah – MB
Shawn Jobin – SK
Vaero – SK

Indigenous Artist of the Year
Carsen Gray – BC
Digawolf – NT
Diyet & the Love Soldiers – YT
Hellnback – MB
Northern Haze – NV

Instrumental Artist of the Year
Apollo Suns – MB
Five Alarm Funk – BC
Gordon Grdina’s The Marrow – BC
Signs & Letters – AB
West of Mabou – SK

Jazz Artist of the Year
Al Muirhead – SK
BC Double Quartet – BC
Hard Rubber Orchestra – BC
Jodi Proznick – BC
Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra – MB

Metal / Hard Music Artist of the Year
Hunting Giants – BC
Neck of the Woods – BC
Shooting Guns – SK
Striker – AB
tunic – MB

Pop Artist of the Year
Begonia – MB
Jill Barber – BC
Madison Olds – BC
Royal Canoe – MB
Sarah MacDougall – YT

Producer of the Year
Ben Kaplan, Fader Mountain Sound – BC
Madeleine Roger & Lloyd Peterson – MB
Rayannah & Mario Lepage – MB / SK
Ryan Worsley, Echoplant Sound – BC
Steve Bays – BC

Rap / Hip Hop Artist of the Year
Alpha Toshineza – MB
Bdice – BC
Merkules – BC
Snak the Ripper – BC
Vials – BC

Recording of the Year
Dan Mangan – BC
Foxwarren – SK
Jill Barber – BC
Pharis & Jason Romero – BC
Sarah MacDougall – YT

Rock Artist of the Year
Dan Mangan – BC
Foxwarren – SK
Digawolf – NT
Said The Whale – BC
The Sheepdogs – SK

Roots Duo / Group of the Year
Carmanah – BC
GhostBoy – AB
Pharis & Jason Romero – BC
Rosie & the Riveters – SK
Tri-Continental – AB / BC

Roots Solo Artist of the Year
Belle Plaine – SK
Joe Nolan – AB
John Wort Hannam – AB
Mariel Buckley – AB
Micah Erenberg – MB

Songwriter(s) of the Year
Dan Mangan, Cold In The Summer – BC
Jill Barber and Ryan Guldemond. Girl’s Gotta Do – BC
Mariel Buckley, Rose Coloured Frames – AB
Pharis Romero – Pharis & Jason Romero, Sweet Old Religion – BC
Roman Clarke, Waiting – MB

Spiritual Artist of the Year
Chelsea Amber – BC
Kyle Church – AB
Ms.PANIK – BC
Warren Dean Flandez – BC
West of Here – AB

Urban Artist of the Year
Hooper Turnt Sanger – BC
LOA – SK
Samurai Champs – SK
SHEA – MB
Tiny Havoc – BC

Video Director of the Year
Danie Easton – Madison Olds, Thank You – BC
Eric Peterson – Yes We Mystic, Young Evil – MB
Johnny Jansen – Said The Whale, UnAmerican – BC
Peter Ricq – Humans, Breakfast With Liz – BC
Travis Nesbitt – The Dungarees, Don’t Hold Back – AB

Visual Media Composer of the Year
Brett Elliot – Church of Zombie, Welcome to the Church – YT
Burnett/Schmidt, Reawaken (Movements I-V) – AB
Jared Robinson, Canadian Mental Health Association 100 Year Anniversary – SK
Jeffery Straker, The Storm Orchestral – SK
Tim Brown, Run for Your Life – AB

World Artist of the Year
Buckman Coe – BC
Montuno West – AB
Portiia – BC
Ryan Timoffee – AB
TANGA – BC

2019 Western Canadian Music Awards Industry Nominees

Audio Engineering Award
Ben Kaplan, Fader Mountain Sound – BC
Scott Franchuk, Riverdale Recorders – AB
Sheldon Zaharko, Zed Productions – BC
Spencer Cheyne, OCL Studios – AB
Steve Bays – BC

Community Excellence Award
National Music Centre – AB
The Dungarees – 24 Hour Gigathon – AB
The Park Show – BC
The Village Idiots – MB
West End Cultural Centre – MB

Excellence in Visual Design
Bronwin Parks – Feisty Creative – BC
Chris Morin – SK
Jadyn Klassen – MB
Roberta Landreth – MB
Shalom Toy – Cosmic Cavern Design – AB

Impact in Artistic Development
Dan Mangan, Arts & Crafts Productions – BC
Jessica Marsh, JAM Music Mgmt – AB
National Music Centre – AB
Paquin Artists Agency – MB
The Feldman Agency – BC

Impact in Live Music
Adam Oppenheim – Stampede Entertainment Inc. – AB
Dan Mangan – Arts & Crafts Productions – BC
Paquin Artists Agency – MB
West End Cultural Centre – MB
Winnipeg Folk Festival – MB

Impact in Music Marketing
Matt Olah – Calgary Folk Fest / Soaring Eagle Records – AB
National Music Centre – AB
The Village Idiots – MB
West End Cultural Centre – MB
Winnipeg Folk Festival – MB