Tuesday,
September 13, 2005
The Halifax Herald Limited
Canyon dominates country music awards
Pictou County singer picks up four trophies, including fans
choice
George
Canyon accepts the Male Artist of the Year award at the Canadian
Country Music Awards in Calgary on Monday. Canyon won four
awards at the annual event including the Fan's Choice Award.
(CP)
George
Canyon won four Canadian Country Music Awards on Monday, including
songwriter of the year with Gordie Sampson, male artist, single
of the year and the Fans' Choice award. (CP File)
CALGARY - It's not likely country music fans will forget George
Canyon's name anytime soon.
The
Nova Scotia-born singer stole the show at the Canadian Country
Music Awards on Monday, winning four awards including the
fans" choice as entertainer of the year.
Canyon,
who catapulted to fame 18 months ago as runner-up on the American
country talent show Nashville Star, also won top male artist,
single and songwriter for My Name, co-written with Cape Breton's
Gordie Sampson. The emotional ballad, written to help friends
cope with the pain of a miscarriage, struck a chord with parents
across North America and as far away as Australia who have
sent thousands of e-mails to Canyon.
"This
song was never written to be recorded," Canyon told The
Canadian Press last week. "My Name is not your typical
country sound. I was really shocked that radio embraced it."
Prior
to the awards, Canyon suggested his chances of picking up
anything were zero and added he felt the top entertainer award
should be renamed for the exuberant Terri Clark, who has won
it the last four years.
Clark
didn't go home empty-handed: the native of Medicine Hat.,
Alta., was named female artist of the year despite releasing
only a greatest hits package in 2004.
Calgary-based
host Paul Brandt took home album and video of the year, while
the truck driving country rock of Jason McCoy's Road Hammers
earned best group honours.
Amanda
Wilkinson, who won an armful of CCMAs and other awards while
fronting the family trio the Wilkinsons with her father and
brother, won the rising star award for her solo work.
The
Corb Lund Band, the Edmonton-based roots rockers, won top
roots group and independent group of the year.
Shania
Twain's Greatest Hits was the top selling album in Canada.
The
awards show, with an unprecedented six stages for a whirlwind
of live performances, was broadcast on CBC from the Pengrowth
Saddledome across Canada and tape delayed on CMT. It was also
being shown to audiences in the U.S. and Australia.
Brandt
led a tribute set to Alberta's centennial that included a
performance by the province's legendary singing cowboy, Ian
Tyson.
Singer-songwriter
Gary Fjellgaard was inducted into the Country Music Hall of
Fame for a lifetime of songs that celebrated the independent
cowboy spirit while capturing images of the windswept prairies.
Singer-songwriter
Carolyn Dawn Johnson of Deadwood, Alta., who opened the show
with Simple Life and had four nominations, went home empty
handed.
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