By winning four times at the 2006 Prince Edward Island (PEI) Music Awards, singer/songwriter Catherine MacLellan has solidified her position among Eastern Canada’s leading performers.

For the second straight year, Catherine, the daughter of a Juno Award winner, the late songwriter Gene MacLellan, triumphed as female vocalist of the year. In addition, she was named the top songwriter, and her second album, Church Bell Blues, attracted two awards: album of the year and top folk recording.

Despite being Canada’s smallest province, PEI nurtures a growing music industry with thousands of talented musicians among its 135,000 residents.

The PEI Music Awards began in 2001. Voting by industry members and the public, including on the Internet, decides many of the results.

On November 10th, Music PEI, the organizers, handed out the latest prizes in a gala show at the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown, the capital city.

“It was a great show,” said Music PEI president Rob Oakie. “It ran a little long at more than three hours, but no one seemed to mind.”

A reunion performance by the band Haywire, national stars in the 1980s and 1990s, highlighted the show. Led by musicians like Paul MacAusland (vocals), Marvin Birt (vocals, guitar), David Rashed (vocals, keyboard), Ronnie Switzer (bass) and Sean Kilbride (drums), Haywire took home a PEI Music Award for lifetime achievement.

Award nominees Catherine MacLellan, Ian Toms, Fugato, Nathan Condon and Neil Matthews also performed at the show.

“All the performances were top-drawer,” said Oakie. “Haywire was the icing on the cake. They showed the young up-and-comers what it means to be a pro.”

For the third time in four years, Eddy Quinn of the Celtic-flavored band Fiddlers’ Sons became the male vocalist of the year. He collected the same award in 2003 and 2005. Eddy’s first solo album, Outside Sneakers Lounge, also won him the prize for country/bluegrass recording.

The rock band Edge (entertainers of the year, weekend warriors) and guitarist Ian Toms (top blues/jazz recording, instrumental recording) also snared two awards each.

Starring cousins Jason Arsenault (vocals, lead guitar) and Maurice Hashie (vocals, drums) plus their friends Andy Gallant (vocals, bass) and Chris Ahern (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Edge began in 1999.

Toms finetuned his skills while living in Montreal. He routinely excels at the Blues and Jazz Festival in Charlottetown.

The Chucky Danger Band, last year’s entertainers of the year, rebounded with another win, this time for rock recording on the strength of the album Colour.

After just two years together, the Celtic Ladies, starring Sheila MacKenzie (fiddle), Collette Cheverie (vocals, fiddle), Jaime Bell (drums, dance) and Darla Chaisson (keyboard) and accompanied by guitarist Jon Matthews, became the group of the year.

Fugato, a raggae-funk-rock band, won for new-artist recording with the album Grass Radio. The group features Mark Steele (vocals, guitar), Peter MacDonald (bass), Jonathan Holmes (drums), Devin Stevenson (guitar) and Mike MacDougall (percusson).

The album Fate Chance Luck Dance clinched alternative-rock-recording honors for Mars Hill, starring Devin Casario (vocals), Dean Dunsford (guitar), Chris Coupland (keyboard), Dave Weale (drums, saxophone) and Chloe Cork (vocals, trumpet).

Patricia Murray, from Summerside, won the roots/traditional solo prize for her album, Failt’ Eilein A’ Phrionnsa, Welcome to Prince Edward Island.

Eric Broadbent, a 2006 East Coast Music Award nominee, emerged as the leading urban-recording artist for his album titled He Wears His Emotions On His Sleeve.

Lloyd Doyle, the owner of Sandbar Music, PEI’s only record label, received accolades as the leading “music-industry person”.

2006 PEI Music Award Winners

Male Vocalist -- Eddy Quinn

Female Vocalist -- Catherine MacLellan

Group -- Celtic Ladies

Entertainer – Edge

Weekend Warrior – Edge

Songwriter -- Catherine MacLellan, “The Long Way Home”

Album -- Catherine MacLellan, Church Bell Blues

Blues/Jazz Recording -- Ian Toms, Open

Folk Recording -- Catherine MacLellan, Church Bell Blues

New Artist Recording – Fugato, Grass Radio

Roots/Traditional Solo Recording -- Patricia Murray, Failt’ Eilein A’ Phrionnsa, Welcome to Prince Edward Island

Instrumental Recording -- Ian Toms, Open

Spiritual Recording – Revelation, Blessed Are They Who Hear

Alternative Rock Recording -- Mars Hill, Fate Chance Luck Dance

Country/Bluegrass Recording -- Eddy Quinn, Outside Sneakers Lounge

Rock Recording -- Chucky Danger Band, Colour

Urban Recording -- Eric Broadbent, He Wears His Emotions On His Sleeve

Lifetime Achievement Award – Haywire

Industry Person – Lloyd Doyle, Sandbar Music

ARCHIVES

Catherine MacLellan:
a leading voice by Atlantic shores.


Eddy Quinn: three times PEI's top male vocalist.


Award winner: country/bluegrass recording of the year.


Haywire hits heard once again.


Chucky Danger Band returned to the winners' circle.


Jaime Bell's lively in the Celtic Ladies.


Patricia Murray: a winning sound.