Last night began the announcement of 32 Juno Award winners. This year, the Juno Awards boasted 89 first time nominees. The non-broadcast was attended by more than 1,200 music industry guests and nominees. “Tonight’s winners represent the sensational cross-section of musical talent that Canada has to offer. We are so proud to celebrate Canada’s creative excellence each year at The Juno Awards and to honor the hard work and successes of our artists,” said Melanie Berry, President of CARAS.”

First-time Juno Award nominees, Beast, kicked off the evening with the first performance. Additional performances included Juno Award nominees Elise Estrada, Steve Dawson, The Gryphon Trio, Nikki Yanofsky, and The Trews.

A lot of focus was placed on the importance of getting funds to enhance Canadian music in International markets, as well as to help Canadian talent in general. “It is hard in our music to get the corporate backing other genres get. You have to work harder to market our product. Hopefully I can help open up doors,” stated Humble during a question and answer after receiving his award for Reggae Recording of the Year. “There’s an audience hungry for this music,” he added.

Montreal’s The Stills walked away with two Juno Awards: Alternative Album of the year for Oceans Will Rise, as well as New Group of the Year. “When we started the band six months ago, we never could have imagined this,” singer Tim Fletcher joked about the “new group” status. “This is the first award of our careers and inspires us to keep on making music in the future,” he added.

Buffy Saint-Marie took home Aboriginal Album of the Year. “If we are made in the image of our creator, then we are creative people who should make music. We had such a variety and depth in the aboriginal category and thanks to everyone for giving it the recognition it deserves,” said Saint-Marie.

The Barenaked Ladies took home Children’s Album of the Year, for Snacktime, and did not forget their former member. “I would like to send a shout out to Steven Page who was a really big part of this, too” stated Kevin Hearn. Ed Robertson almost had the media suite on the floor while free styling about winning the Juno award, showing that despite Steven Page’s departure, the BNL are still as great as ever.

Divine Brown’s Love Chronicles won R&B/Soul recording of the year. Brown said that the album is a result of doing what she felt. “It has been a long road of navigating my life based on feel. What felt good at the time is what I did,” Brown said.

Alanis Morisette Flavours of Entanglement won pop album of the year. Sam Roberts’ Love at the End of the World won rock album of the year.

Doc Walker received Country Recording of the Year, telling media that they “practiced the happy for the other person clap face.” “It has been a long road, so to get one of these is the highest honor in Canada. It is a shock” they added.

Serena Ryder won Adult Alternative Album of the Year, which included a $2,000 cheque. Ryder later informed the media that she would be donating the money to MusiCounts. Also, Ryder stated that her awards go right to her manager. “She doesn’t get all this- all the people looking at her, telling her she is doing a great job,” she said.

Sarah McLaughlin was awarded with the 2009 Allan Waters Humanitarian Award, recognizing her outstanding charitable contributions at home and Internationally. Fred Sherratt was the recipient of the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award and is best known for helping build CHUM Limitied to one of Canada’s top music conglomerates.

A complete list of the 2009 Juno Gala Dinner & Awards Winners:

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Dangerous
Kardinal Offishall
Kon Live(*)Universal

INTERNATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Viva La Vida
Coldplay
Capitol(*)EMI

NEW GROUP OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY FACTOR AND CANADA’S PRIVATE
RADIO
BROADCASTERS)
The Stills
Arts & Crafts(*)EMI

COUNTRY RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Beautiful Life
Doc Walker
Open Road(*)Universal

ADULT ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY GALAXIE, RISING
STARS
PROGRAM OF THE CBC)
is it o.k
Serena
Ryder EMI

ALTERNATIVE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Oceans Will Rise
The Stills
Arts & Crafts(*)EMI

POP ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY 91.7 THE BOUNCE)
Flavors of Entanglement
Alanis Morissette
Maverick(*)Warner

ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Love At The End Of The World
Sam Roberts
Universal

VOCAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Lucky
Molly Johnson
A440(*)Universal

CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Embracing Voices
Jane Bunnett
EMI

TRADITIONAL JAZZ ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Second Time Around
Oliver Jones
Justin Time(*)Fusion III

INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Nostomania
DJ Brace presents The Electric Nosehair Orchestra
Balanced Records

FRANCOPHONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Tous les sens
Ariane Moffatt
Audiogram(*)Select

CHILDREN’S ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Snacktime!
Barenaked Ladies
Desperation(*)Warner

CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: SOLO OR CHAMBER ENSEMBLE
Homage
James Ehnes
ONYX(*)SRI

CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: LARGE ENSEMBLE OR SOLOIST(S) WITH
LARGE
ENSEMBLE ACCOMPANIMENT
Beethoven: Ideals Of The French Revolution
Orchestre symphonique de Montréal/Kent Nagano
Analekta(*)Select

CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: VOCAL OR CHORAL PERFORMANCE
Gloria! Vivaldi’s Angels
Ensemble Caprice
Analekta(*)Select

CLASSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR
Flanders Fields Reflections
John Burge FLANDERS FIELDS REFLECTIONS
Marquis(*)EMI

R&B/SOUL RECORDING OF THE YEAR
The Love Chronicles
Divine Brown
WEA(*)Warner

DANCE RECORDING OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY ENERGY 101.5)
Random Album Title
Deadmau5
Ultra(*)EMI

REGGAE RECORDING OF THE YEAR
Everything
Humble
Palm of Gold Records

ABORIGINAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY ABORIGINAL PEOPLES
TELEVISION
NETWORK)
Running For The Drum
Buffy Sainte-Marie
Gypsy Boy(*)EMI

ROOTS & TRADITIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: SOLO
Proof Of Love
Old Man Luedecke
Black Hen(*)Fontana North

ROOTS & TRADITIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: GROUP
Chic Gamine
Chic Gamine
Independent

BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Ramblin’ Son
Julian Fauth
Electro-Fi(*)Outside

CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN/GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Ending Is Beginning
Downhere
Centricity(*)David C. Cook

WORLD MUSIC ALBUM OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE
ARTS)
Africa To Appalachia
Jayme Stone & Mansa Sissoko
Independent(*)Outside

JACK RICHARDSON PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Daniel Lanois
“Here Is What Is” | “Not Fighting Anymore” HERE IS WHAT IS - Daniel
Lanois
Red Floor(*) Fontana North

RECORDING ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Kevin Churko
“Disappearing” | “The Big Bang” U-CATASTROPHE - Simon Collins
Razor & Tie(*)Sony

CD/DVD ARTWORK DESIGN OF THE YEAR
Anouk Pennel (Director/Designer); Stéphane Poirier (Illustrator)
En concert dans la forêt des mal-aimés avec l’Orchestre
Métropolitain du
Grand Montréal PIERRE LAPOINTE
Independent(*)Select

VIDEO OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY VIDEOFACT)
Honey Honey
Anthony Seck FEIST
Arts & Crafts(*)EMI

MUSIC DVD OF THE YEAR
Blue Road
Christopher Mills, Geoff McLean BLUE RODEO
WEA(*)Warner

+Debbie Gebert

Photos: Darcy Fettback