2012 Nominees

1. Female Artist of the Year
All About Maggie – Now Hear Me Out
Chantal Chamberland – Chantal Chamberland No. 5
Ariana Gillis – Forget Me Not
Terra Lightfoot – Terra Lightfoot
Diana Panton – To Brazil With Love

Winner: Terra Lightfoot – Terra Lightfoot

2. Male Artist of the Year
Edgar Breau – Patches Of Blue
Wax Mannequin – No Safe Home
Lee Reed – Emergency Broadcast
CA Smith – Someone You Love
Tomi Swick – Tomi Swick

Winner: Lee Reed – Emergency Broadcast

3. Local Group of the Year by the Peoples Choice
Dawn Before Descent
Hachey the MouthPEACE
Hey Brother
Illusion Avenue
Still Life

Winner: Hey Brother

4. New Artist/Group of the Year
Missy Bauman – Missy Bauman
Hachey the Mouth Peace – Outside The Box
The Human Orchestra – Lip Service
Illusion Avenue – Illusion Avenue
Weekend Riot Club – Rubber Bullets

Winner: Missy Bauman – Missy Bauman

5. Jazz Recording of the Year
Ralf Buschmeyer – JazzSpeak
Chantal Chamberland – Chantal Chamerland No. 5
Diana Panton – To Brazil With Love
Skip Prokop - Smoothside
Trio Arjento – Love Lets Go

Winner: Skip Prokop - Smoothside

6. Roots Recording of the Year
Sarah Beatty – Black Grammophone
Edgar Breau – Patches Of Blue
Ben Caplan & the Casual Smokers – In The Time Of The Great Remembering
Fred J. Eaglesmith – 6 Volts
Wax Mannequin – No Safe Home

Winner: Ben Caplan & the Casual Smokers – In The Time Of The Great Remembering

7. Alternative/Indie Rock Recording of the Year
Motem – Psychos
The Rest – Seesaw
San Sebastian – Relations
CA Smith – Someone You Love
Still Life – Page One

Winner: CA Smith – Someone You Love

8. Folk/Traditional Recording of the Year
Drew Smith – The Secret Languages
The Blazing Fiddles – Through The Roof
Jeremy Fisher – Mint Juleps
The Rogues – 3 Lbs. Of Rage
S.G Sinnicks – The Last Irishman In Corktown

Winner: S.G Sinnicks – The Last Irishman In Corktown

9. ArcelorMittal Dofasco Industry Lifetime Achievement Award

Recipient: Gordie Tapp

10. Rock Recording of the Year
Arkells – Michigan Left
Fat Cats – Shine Box
Illusion Avenue – Illusion Avenue
Radio Free Universe – Six
The Zilis – Sketches

Winner: Arkells – Michigan Left

11. Loud/Metal Recording of the Year
Aerith – T'wards The Sun's Rising
Dawn Before Descent – Dawn Before Descent
Skynet – Skynet
That Boy Ain’t Right – That Boy Ain’t Right
Threat Signal – Threat Signal

Winner: Dawn Before Descent – Dawn Before Descent

12. Punk Recording of the Year
The Dirty Nil – Little Metal Baby Fists
The Responsibles - XXX
Rifkin - Deadbeats
TV Freaks – TV Freaks
Thought Beneath Film – Detours

Winner: The Dirty Nil – Little Metal Baby Fists

13. Adult Alternative Recording of the Year
Matthew de Zoete – Colour Film
Christine Leakey – Tapping Trees In The Trinket Box Of Treasure
Dave Gould – ADAD
Dan Griffin – Leave Your Love
Whitehorse – The Fate Of The World Depends On This Kiss

Winner: Whitehorse – The Fate Of The World Depends On This Kiss

14. Blues Recording of the Year

Andre Bisson – Till The Real Thing Comes Along
Corey Lueck + The Smokewagon Blues Band – It Ain’t Easy
Guitar Mikey & The Real Thing – Out Of The Box
Harrison Kennedy – Shame The Devil
Steve Strongman – A Natural Fact

Winner: Harrison Kennedy – Shame The Devil

15. Alt/Country Recording of the Year
Blind Mule – Blind Mule
The Good Hunters – Love You Baby
Terra Lightfoot – Terra Lightfoot
Neil W. Young – What Difference Does It Make

Winner: Terra Lightfoot – Terra Lightfoot

16. Rap/Hip Hop Recording of the Year
Hachey the Mouth Peace – Outside The Box
P.O.E. (Poetically Organized Entity) – P.O.Evilution
Redlight King – Something For The Pain
Lee Reed – Emergency Broadcast
Slur – Pills & Spilled Beer

Winner: Redlight King – Something For The Pain

17. Pop Recording of the Year
All About Maggie – Now Hear Me Out
Aitch – Eleven:Eleven
Ariana Gillis – Forget Me Not
Ashley Sloggett – Between Sleep And Summer
Tomi Swick – Tomi Swick

Winner: Tomi Swick – Tomi Swick

18. Religious Recording of the Year
Eric Brandon – Stories
Neeraj Prem & Bruce Harding – A Black & White Christmas
Skip Prokop – Smoothside
Peter Tigchelaar – More Like Lightning

Winner: Neeraj Prem & Bruce Harding – A Black & White Christmas

19. ArcelorMittal Dofasco Artist Lifetime Achievement Award

Recipient: Crowbar

20. Instrumental Recording of the Year
Andre Bisson – Till The Real Thing Comes Along
The Blazing Fiddles – Through The Roof
Ralf Buschmeyer – JazzSpeak
Sandi Stirling – Before It All Fades Away

Winner: Ralf Buschmeyer – JazzSpeak

21. Songwriter of the Year
Arkells – Michigan Left
Edgar Breau – Patches of Blue
CA Smith – Someone You Love
Tomi Swick – Tomi Swick
Whitehorse – The Fate Of The World Depends On This Kiss

Winner: Arkells – Michigan Left

22. Female Vocalist of the Year
All About Maggie – Now Hear Me Out
Missy Bauman – Missy Bauman
Terra Lightfoot – Terra Lightfoot
Melissa McClelland – Whitehorse
Diana Panton – To Brazil With Love

Winner: Terra Lightfoot – Terra Lightfoot

23. Male Vocalist of the Year
Drew Smith – The Secret Languages
Harrison Kennedy – Shame The Devil
Max Kerman – Arkells – Michigan Left
Steve Strongman – A Natural Fact
Tomi Swick – Tomi Swick

Winner: Harrison Kennedy – Shame The Devil

24. Canadian Recording of the Year by Peoples Choice
Arkells – Michigan Left
Justin Bieber – Believe
Michael Buble – Christmas
Feist – Metals
Monster Truck – The Brown E. P.

Winner: Monster Truck – The Brown E. P.

25. Record of the Year
Arkells – Michigan Left
Lee Reed – Emergency Broadcast
The Rest – Seesaw
Tomi Swick – Tomi Swick
Whitehorse – The Fate Of The World Depends On This Kiss

Winner: The Rest – Seesaw

General Information

The 2012 Hamilton Music Awards will be held at the McIntyre Theatre at Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology. The annual Awards ceremony is hosted by local and national celebrities and features musical performances, award presentations, tributes to lifetime achievers and special guest presenters. The Awards ceremony is the highlight of the 4-day long event.

Past Award show performers include: The Arkells, Derek Miller, John Ellison, Shawn Brush, Brian Melo, Melissa McClelland, Daniel Lanois, Garth Hudson (The Band), Jackie Washington, Tomi Swick, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Ariana Gillis, Teenage Head, Saint Alvia, Simply Saucer and more. Past presenters include Eugene Levy (American Pie, SCTV), Patrick McKenna (Red Green, Traders), Stuart McLean (The Vinyl Café), Bob Mersereau (Author: The Top 100 Canadian Albums) and many more.

The Hamilton Music Awards After Party

The Awards After-Party is the celebration after the celebration and brings together fans, artists and industry. The After Party has been a hit for the past two years and features performances by local acts and special guests.