Canada’s biggest music awards, the Junos, were presented in Edmonton, both in a televised gala Monday night and an ‘opening night’ event on the weekend, and a handful of Manitobans took home top honours.
Winnipeg roots duo The Bros. Landreth got the nod in the Contemporary Roots Album of the Year category for their acclaimed Come Morning album.
The win gives them an impressive 2-2 record at the Junos, with their only other nomination — for 2015’s Let It Lie — also resulting in an award.
The duo, comprised of brothers Joey and Dave Landreth, were already riding high on a shoutout from blues legend Bonnie Raitt, who won for her rendition of one of their songs at this year’s Grammy Awards.
Christian artist Jordan St. Cyr, who was born in Niverville, was a first-time nominee, winning the Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year award for his self-titled album.
A Winnipeg music teacher also won big at the Junos.
Jewel Casselman at Lakewood School, in the St. James-Assiniboia School Division, was this year’s recipient of the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award, which comes with $10,000 in music funding for the winner’s school.
A number of other Manitoba artists were nominated for awards but fell just short of the prize, including Carman pop star Faouzia, Brandon violist James Ehnes, Fisher River Cree Nation composer Andrew Balfour, and Winnipeg folk-rockers Indian City.
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