Feist and Blue Rodeo are Double-Winners at the 2008 JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards

CALGARY, April 5 – Thirty-two JUNO statuettes were given out earlier this evening to some of Canada’s brightest stars of the music industry during the 2008 JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards held at the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre. The gala event was attended by more than 1,300 music industry guests and nominees. For a complete list of 2008 JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards including biographies and images, go to www.junoawards.ca.

Seven remaining JUNO Awards categories will be announced at The 2008 JUNO Awards at the Pengrowth Saddledome on Sunday, April 6, broadcast live on CTV starting at 6 p.m. (MST).

One of the double-winners of the night is indie rock poster girl turned international superstar, Feist, winning Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year for songs off her hugely successful album, The Reminder. Feist is up for three more categories at The 2008 JUNO Awards in addition to performing at the show.

Also taking home two JUNO Awards at the Gala is Blue Rodeo, whose hit album Small Miracles won for Adult Alternative Album of the Year, and smash video “C’mon” garnered both the band and director Christopher Mills the award for Video of the Year, sponsored by VideoFact. Blue Rodeo hopes to take home another win for Group of the Year at tomorrow’s broadcast.

The evening’s host, Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman, received her first JUNO Award win for Classical Album of the Year: Vocal or Choral Performance.

Also joining the group of first-time JUNO Award winners are Alex Cuba (World Music Album of the Year) sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts; Belly (Rap Recording of the Year) sponsored by 91.7 The Bounce; Finger Eleven (Rock Album of the Year); Jully Black (R&B/Soul Recording of the Year) sponsored by SIRIUS Satellite Radio; Serena Ryder (New Artist of the Year) sponsored by FACTOR and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters; Sophie Milman (Vocal Jazz Album of the Year); among others.

Other wins of the evening include: Arcade Fire (Alternative Album of the Year); Daniel Bélanger (Francophone Album of the Year); David Francey (Roots & Traditional Album of the Year); Derek Miller (Aboriginal Recording of the Year); and Joni Mitchell (Jack Richardson Producer of the Year).

Alongside the Awards and a stellar line-up of collaborative performances by more than a dozen JUNO Award nominees, two distinctive honours were also bestowed.

Esteemed music and media executive Denise Donlon presented the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award to television trailblazer Moses Znaimer; also, country JUNO nominee Paul Brandt was there to accept the inaugural Allan Waters Humanitarian Award for his support of both community and international organizations. A special appearance was made by Laureen Harper, wife of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who presented Brandt with the award.

Sponsors of the 2008 JUNO Awards include FACTOR, Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters and the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage’s “Canada Music Fund”, The Government of Alberta, The City of Calgary, Tourism Calgary, Calgary Arts Development and Radio Starmaker Fund. Broadcast sponsors for The 2008 JUNO Awards are Pontiac, Doritos, TD Canada Trust and Rogers.

About CARAS:
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The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences/L’academie canadienne des arts et des sciences de l’enregistrement (CARAS) is a not-for-profit organization created to preserve and enhance the Canadian music and recording industries and to contribute toward higher artistic and industry standards. The main focus of CARAS is the exploration and development of opportunities to showcase and promote Canadian artists and music through television vehicles such as The JUNO Awards. For more information on the 37th Annual JUNO Awards, visit the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences’ (CARAS) website at www.junoawards.ca.

For further information: about CARAS and the 2008 JUNO Awards, contact: Tiffany Astle, Holmes Creative Communications, (416) 554-7329 or tastle@hccink.com; Chris McDowall, Holmes Creative Communications, (416) 648-5651 or cmcdowall@hccink.com