HAMILTON, CANADA (November 9, 2011): September Seventh Entertainment Limited and ArcelorMittal Dofasco announced today final details regarding the 2011 Hamilton Music Awards Festival and Conference. Performers at this year's Hamilton Music Award ceremony include Monster Truck, Dawn and Marra, James Hoffman, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Dinner Belles, Jeremy Fisher, Brandon Pacheco, Jay Hachey and 2011 Lifetime Achievement Recipient Ian Thomas. The show will be hosted by comedienne Shelley Marshall and musician Tom Wilson and is being filmed for television broadcast on CHCH at 7PM on December 10th.

Hamilton Music Awards Director, Jean-Paul Gauthier also announced the first-ever United Way Hamilton Music Award ticket drive. "This partnership provides people with unique opportunity to give back to the community in celebration of local music." The United Way of Burlington and Greater Hamilton is selling limited number of event tickets and packages with a portion of proceeds being donated to the United Way. Packages include tickets to Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Hamilton Music Awards and the Rising Star Search. The package offers all three shows for $70(regular $80). Tickets and packages are available at the United Way of Burlington and Greater Hamilton office.

The 2011 Industry Awards were released today (see nominees below). This year's show will be held in the McIntyre Theatre at Mohawk College at 6PM on Saturday November 19th and includes 123 nominations in 31 categories. Multiple nominees include: CFMU (6), INDI 101(6), Y108 (4), The Hamilton Spectator (3), Jeremy Fisher (3), The Creepshow (2), Finger Eleven (2), Brian Melo (2), Hamilton Magazine (2), Monster Truck (2), KLITE FM (2), and VIEW (2). The Industry Awards will also be hosted by Marshall and Wilson.

2011 marks the biggest year yet for the Careers In Music Conference which takes place from 9AM-3PM on Thursday November 17th and features a full day of workshops, panels and guest speakers from the music industry. Gauthier stated, "This year's conference provides an exceptional opportunity for students and artists to engage the music industry that has never been provided before". Confirmed speakers include George Petit (Monster Truck/Alexisonfire), Ian Thomas (Songwriter), Nick Blagona (producer), Dave DeRocco(K-LITE FM/Astral), Paul Morris(97.7HTZ FM), Brandon Bliss(Monster Truck, Dinner Belles), Emm Gryner (artist), Bob Mersereau (CBC/author), Christopher Ward(The Next Star), Barbara Sedun, (EMI Music Publishing), Victor Mijares (Warner Music Canada) and more.

Kim Cooke of Pheromone Recordings is the recipient of the 2011 Music Industry Lifetime Achievement Award. Four decades on, Kim can definitely be called a veteran of the music industry. He started off in retail with Sam The Record Man in Hamilton in the mid-seventies before finding his major label holy grail, WEA Canada (later Warner Music Canada) in 1978 as Atlantic/Elektra Marketing Manager. In this post, he was recognized in 1987 with a Grammy nomination for Best Historical Album for his work on The Otis Redding Story.

Kim spent 24 years with Warner later holding the posts of Vice-President, National Promotion and Vice-President, A & R. In the latter position he was responsible for signing Sarah Slean, Great Big Sea, Paul Brandt, Odds, Big Wreck, Colin James, Natalie MacMaster and more.

In February 2002, joined Universal-distributed indie MapleMusic Recordings helping sign and develop the careers of Sam Roberts, Kathleen Edwards, Pilate, The Dears, Joel Plaskett, Martha Wainwright and more.

In 2008, Kim launched his own label, Pheromone Recordings, in partnership with his old friends at Maplecore. In early 2009, one of Pheromone's first signings, Montreal-based multi-genre mashup known as Beast became the label's first gold album. Kim is a past board member of CARAS and is still its Co-chair, Nominating and Voting. He also sits on the board of the Polaris Music Prize.

Songwriter, Ian Thomas, who is best known for writing hits Painted Ladies, Right Before Your Eyes, Hold On and Pilot will be receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's ceremony as previously announced.

The 2011 edition of the Hamilton Music Awards Festival takes place over two nights and features close to 50 performers in venues in the downtown core and Mohawk College. The festival kicks off on Friday November 18th with the Rising Star Search at 8:00PM at the McIntyre Theatre featuring twelve up and coming artists. Orcana Studios and Other Songs Music will be hosting showcases at the Corktown with performances by Dinner Belles, Rachael Heart, Scott Orr, James Hoffman and more. Blackie and the Rodeo Kings perform a much anticipated show at 8PM at the McIntyre Theatre on Saturday November 19th. Other festival performers include Tim Gibbons, Trouble Boys, The Diodes, Alfie Smith, Jeremy Fisher, LiveHowYouLive, Aerith, Tiny Bill Cody and more.

Music fans are being reminded to cast their votes in seven People's Choice categories through an online voting process. Music fans have until this Friday November 11th at 11:59PM to cast their votes by clicking here. The People's Choice categories include Elementary/Secondary Music Teacher of the Year, Post-Secondary Music Teacher of the Year and Independent Music Teacher of the Year, Musical Event of the Year, Canadian Recording of the Year (Sales over 10,000 units) and Local Group of the Year.

The 2011 ArcelorMittal Dofasco Hamilton Music Awards, Festival and Conference take place over four days from November 17-20, at Mohawk College, Fennell Campus, in Hamilton, as well as venues in the downtown core.

Tickets for all Hamilton Music Awards events are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.ca, all Ticketmaster outlets or by calling 1-855-872-5000. Tickets can also be purchased at Picks and Sticks, located at 140 Locke Street South in Hamilton. Tickets will also be available at the McIntyre Theatre at Mohawk College on show day only (subject to availability). Full event details are available on this website. Tickets and packages can also be purchased through the United Way Burlington and Greater Hamilton office by calling (905) 527-4576 ext. 250 or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

ArcelorMittal Dofasco is Title sponsor of the 2011 HMA's. Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology is Presenting sponsor and host venue. The Hamilton Spectator, CHCH, Y108 and AM900CHML are Presenting media sponsors. Additional generous sponsors include Earth to Table Bread Bar, Tourism Hamilton, Astral Radio/K-Lite FM, Burgeonvest Bick Securities, BMO Bank of Montreal, Hamilton Film & Television Office, The Corktown Pub, Grant Avenue Studio, Loveless Media, Long & McQuade Musical Instruments, Judy Marsales Real Estate, Kyle Weir Photography, PV Labs, Blue Line Taxi, MJM Productions, Picks and Sticks and Studio 410. Community Partners include United Way and an Instrument for Every Child.

For information regarding volunteer opportunities and other event details, please browse this website. Other important details regarding the Hamilton Music Awards including festival schedule and Industry Award nominees will be announced later this week.

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For more information please contact:
Jean-Paul Gauthier
(905) 383-4005
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