Voting for the 2008 APCMA Begins

July 9, 2008

Voting for the 2008 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards (APCMA) began on Tuesday, July 8 at 11:00 am and artists from Manitoba are represented in all but two of the 22 categories being adjudicated this year. There are a total of 37 chances for Manitobans to be nominated in 2008 and Manitoban record labels with Aboriginal releases have 23 artists in the running between the four of them- Arbor Records has six, Strongfront Records has two, Sunshine Records has seven and War Pony Records has eight.

A number of Aboriginal Music Performers Camp (AMP Camp) participants are also in the running. Blu, Dallas Arcand, Don Amero, JC Campbell, Kray-Z-Kree, Leanne Goose, Mitch Daigneault, Rayne, The Johnny’s, Tracy Bone and X-Status are possibilities in 14 of the categories.

This first round of voting runs from July 8 to August 15 and fans of Aboriginal music and artists are able to cast their vote online by registering for an account on the APCMA website.

Once all the first round votes have been counted, four nominees will be announced for each of the categories and a second round of online voting will begin on August 20, commencing on October 17.

The winners will be announced and presented with awards at one of the two APCMA shows on Thursday, November 6 and Friday, November 7 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

For more information about the APCMA or to cast your vote, please visit www.aboriginalpeopleschoice.com.

MANITOBANS IN THE RUNNING

Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year
A New Honour
C-Weed
Darren Lavallee (Sunshine Records)
Eagle & Hawk
Fred Moose
JC Campbell (Strongfront Records)
JJ Lavallee
Little Hawk
Ray St. Germain
Team Rezofficial (Arbor Records)
Tracy Bone (Arbor Records)
X-Status (Strongfront Records)

Best Aboriginal Music Radio Station/Program
Metis Hour Times Two

Best Album Cover Design
Darren Lavallee – Backroads Fiddlin’ (Sunshine Records)
Don Amero – Change Your Life
Fred Moose – Once and For All
Fresh IE – Lockjaw
JC Campbell – Lazy James (Strongfront Records)
Julie Marinelli – Water Off A Duck’s Back
Rayne DeLaronde – Forgiveness
Ray St. Germain – Life Aint Hard
Ryan D’Aoust – York Boats and Legends
Sioux Nation – In Memory of Wambdi Had Ska Kaihdgehdga Mani (War Pony Records)
Whitehorse – First Ride (War Pony Records)
X-Status – X-Status (Strongfront Records)

Best Blues CD
JC Campbell – Lazy James (Strongfront Records)
Slidin’ Clyde Roulette Band – Lets Take a Ride

Best Country CD
Fred Moose – Once and For All
Gabby Taylor – Where I Feel Alive
Hank Horton – A World of Many Heartaches
JJ Lavallee – Carry On
Ray St. Germain – Life Aint Hard
Ron Loutit – Mine To Discover (Arbor Records)
Tracy Bone – No Lies (Arbor Records)

Best Duo or Group
A New Honour
Da Skelpa Squad
Eagle & Hawk
Lil Disciples
Team Rezofficial (Arbor Records)
X-Status (Strongfront Records)

Best Fiddle CD
Darren Lavallee – Le Métis (Sunshine Records)
Ivan Spence – Buffalo Gals
Michael Audette – Keeping the Tradition
Ryan D’Aoust – York Boats and Legends

Best Folk/Acoustic CD
Don Amero – Change Your Life
Little Hawk – Home and Native Land
Rayne DeLaronde – Forgiveness

Best Gospel CD
Lil Disciples – The Future Is Now

Best Hand Drum CD
Walking Wolf – Me and My Drum (Sunshine Records)

Best Instrumental CD
Darren Lavallee – Le Métis (Sunshine Records)
Michael Audette – Keeping the Tradition

Best Music Video
Chirsty Neveu – Broke Down Busted
Da Skelpa Squad – Gone
Team Rezofficial – Paper Music (Arbor Records)
Wab Kinew – If This Was Right

Best New Artist
A New Honour
Christy Neveu
Darren Lavallee (Sunshine Records)
Don Amero
Gabby Taylor
Julie Marinelli
Vibez
X-Status (Strongfront Records)

Best Pow Wow CD Traditional
Whitehorse – First Ride (War Pony Records)

Best Pow Wow CD Contemporary
Red Shadow Singers – Manito Api
Sioux Nation – In Memory of Wambdi Had Ska Kaihdgehdga Mani (War Pony Records)

Best Producer/Engineer
Darren Lavallee – Backroads Fiddlin’ (Sunshine Records)
Da Skelpa Squad – A New Beginning
Don Amero – Change Your Life
Fred Moose – Once and For All
Fresh IE – Lockjaw
Hank Horton – A World of Many Heartaches
JC Campbell – Lazy James (Strongfront Records)
Little Hawk – Home and Native Land
Rayne DeLaronde – Forgiveness
Ray St. Germain – Life Aint Hard
Team Rezofficial – The World and Everything In It (Arbor Records)
Tracy Bone – No Lies (Arbor Records)
X-Status – X-Status (Strongfront Records)

Best Rap/Hip Hop CD
Fresh IE – Lockjaw
Vibez – The Man of the Evening

Best Rock CD
A New Honour – The Untitled Truce
Christy Neveu – Pink Noise
Eagle & Hawk – Red Road Stories
X-Status – X-Status (Strongfront Records)
Yoza – Family Tree

Best Songwriter
A New Honour
Christy Neveu
C-Weed (Strongfront Records)
Don Amero
Eagle & Hawk
Fred Moose
Gabby Taylor
Hank Horton
JC Campbell (Strongfront Records)
JJ Lavallee
Julie Marinelli
Little Hawk
Rayne DeLaronde
Ray St. Germain
Ron Loutit (Arbor Records)
Tracy Bone (Arbor Records)
X-Status (Strongfront Records)

Single of the Year
Alyssa Nepinak – “The Lucky One”
A New Honour – “Magdeline”
Christy Neveu – “So Sorry to Complain”
C-Weed – “Redemption”
Darren Lavallee – “Lucky Trappers” (Sunshine Records)
Don Amero – “Freight Train”
Eagle & Hawk – “Siren Song”
Fred Moose – “Come On In”
Fresh IE – “Native American”
Gabby Taylor – “You’re The One”
Hank Horton – “If Only They Knew”
JC Campbell – “Keep On Tryin’” (Strongfront Records)
Jerry Sereda – “Time”
JJ Lavallee – “Métis boy”
Julie Marinelli – “Campfire Eyes”
Little Hawk – “The Bottle Drinks From You”
Michael Audette – “Northern Lights”
Rayne DeLaronde – “Forgiveness”
Ray St. Germain – “Daddy”
Richard McKay – “My Awakening”
Sierra Noble – “Possibility”
Team Rezofficial – “Paper Music” (Arbor Records)
Tracy Bone – “Soldier of Love” (Arbor Records)
Walking Wolf – “The Real Day” (Sunshine Records)
Wambdi Chante Hanska – “When Eagles Speak”
Yoza – “Thunderbird Sings”

ABORIGINAL MUSIC PEFORMERS CAMP (AMP Camp)

Blu – Rez Life
Best New Artist, Best Rap/Hip Hop CD, Best Songwriter, Single of the Year

Dallas Arcand – Picking Sweetgrass
Best Flute CD, Best Instrumental CD, Best New Artist

Don Amero – Change Your Life
Single of the Year, Best Songwriter, Best New Artist, Best Folk/Acoustic CD, Best Producer/Engineer, Best Album Cover Design

JC Campbell – Lazy James (Stongfront Records)
Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year, Best Album Cover Design, Best Blues CD, Best Producer/Engineer, Best Songwriter, Single of the Year

Kray-Z-Kree – REZalationzzz…
Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year, Best Rap/Hip Hop CD, Best Songwriter, Single of the Year

Leanne Goose – Anywhere
Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year, Best Album Cover Design, Best New Artist, Best Producer/Engineer, Best Rock CD, Best Songwriter, Single of the Year

Mitch Daigneault – Driving All Night
Best Country CD, Best Songwriter, Best Producer/Engineer, Single of the Year

Rayne DeLaronde – Forgiveness
Best Album Cover Design, Best Folk/Acoustic CD, Best Producer/Engineer, Best Songwriter, Single of the Year

The Johnnys – I Like It Alot
Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year, Best Duo or Group, Best New Artist, Best Producer/Engineer, Best Rock CD, Best Songwriter, Single of the Year

Tracy Bone – No Lies (Arbor Records)
Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year, Best Country CD, Best Producer/Engineer, Best Songwriter, Single of the Year

X-Status – X-Status (Stongfront Records)
Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year, Best Album Cover Design, Best Duo or Group, Best New Artist, Best Producer/Engineer, Best Rock CD, Best Songwriter

MANITOBA RECORD LABELS WITH RELEASES FROM ABORIGINAL ARTISTS

ARBOR RECORDS

Derek Miller – The Dirty Looks
Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year, Best Album Cover Design, Best Music Video, Best Producer/Engineer, Best Songwriter, Single of the Year

Northern Wind – Northern Winds
Best Album Cover Design, Best Pow Wow CD – Traditional

Ron Loutit – Mine To Discover
Best Country CD, Best Songwriter

Sandy Scofield – Nikawiy Askiy
Best Folk/Acoustic CD, Single of the Year

Stevie Salas – Be What It Is
Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year, Best Album Cover Design, Best Producer/Engineer, Best Rock CD, Best Songwriter, Single of the Year

Tracy Bone – No Lies (Arbor Records)
Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year, Best Country CD, Best Producer/Engineer, Best Songwriter, Single of the Year

STRONGFRONT RECORDS

JC Campbell – Lazy James
Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year, Best Album Cover Design, Best Blues CD, Best Producer/Engineer, Best Songwriter, Single of the Year

X-Status – X-Status
Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year, Best Album Cover Design, Best Duo or Group, Best New Artist, Best Producer/Engineer, Best Rock CD, Best Songwriter

SUNSHINE RECORDS

Brown Eagle – Ojibway Songs From The Heart
Best Pow Wow CD – Contemporary

Chi-Geezis – Neeshtahnaw
Best Pow Wow CD – Traditional

Darren Lavallee – Backroads Fiddlin’
Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year, Single of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Producer/Engineer, Best Album Cover Design

Darren Lavallee – Le Métis
Best Fiddle CD, Best Instrumental CD

Diiva Miinwaa Davis – Gospel Songs
Best Group or Duo, Best Gospel CD

Sakoieta Widrick – Sacred Songs Sacred Words
Best Flute CD

Walking Wolf – Me and My Drum
Best Hand Drum CD, Single of the Year

WAR PONY RECORDS

Chiniki Lake – Resurrected: A New Beginning
Best Pow Wow CD Contemporary

Cree Society – Don’t Get Mad
Best Hand Drum CD

Cree Spirit – For the Old Man
Best Pow Wow CD – Contemporary

Kingbird – Bringing It Back
Best Pow Wow CD Traditional, Best Album Cover Design

Lynx Clan – Grandmothers Original Jingle Dress Songs
Best Pow Wow CD Traditional, Best Album Cover Design

Sioux Nation – In Memory of Wambdi Had Ska Kaihdgehdga Mani
Best Pow Wow CD Contemporary, Best Album Cover Design

Whitehorse – First Ride
Best Pow Wow CD Traditional, Best Album Cover Design

Young Kingbird – On The Warpath
Best Pow Wow CD Traditional, Best Album Cover Design