Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards 2007 Gala Show

Canada – The 9th annual Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards (CAMAs) Gala show is a star-studded night of Canada’s Aboriginal celebrities and top Native musicians, and an entertaining event for everyone interested in Aboriginal music and contemporary musical innovations being made by Native musicians. The 2007 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards can be experienced on Friday November 30, 8pm at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. Tickets are $20 and $35 in advance, $20 and $40 at the doors. Hosting this show this year is father and daughter duo of Ray St. Germain, Manitoban TV host, politician, and classic rock ‘n’ roller, and Cathy St. Germain, successful Vancouver-based vocalist and TV host.The performance lineup for the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards Gala show includes: Arvel Bird: instrumental violinist, nominated in 3 CAMAs categories this year; Cheri Maracle: actor, singer and songwriter nominated for the Best Female Artist CAMA for her jazzy ballads, smokey blues, indie rock and traditional roots sounds; Derek Miller: guitar-fueled scorchin’ blues rock, nominated for 2007 Best Rock Album; Digging Roots: nominated for 3 CAMAs this year for their old-school rebel music blending traditional Indigenous influences with blues, jazz, spoken word, reggae and roots music; Donny Parenteau: 5-award CAMA nominee for his 100% original country music; Leela Gilday: soulful belting and beautifully melodic roots-music interwoven with native musical influences, with nominations for the 2007 Best Album of the Year and Best Song Writer awards; Priscilla’s Revenge: straight-up blues-rock group from Yellowknife, nominated for Best Blues Album and Best Group or Duo; Sandy Scofield: established roots music artist and innovative collborator with three nominations this year: Best Female Artist, Best Folk Album and Best Female Traditional/Cultural Roots Album; Shane Yellowbird: Nominated for 5 CAMAs this year for his country music with a positive message; and Taabik Singers: A northern-style singing group of Anishinaabe men, nominated for the 2007 Best Pow Wow Album Traditional CAMA.

A special appearance will be made by Stevie Salas, Apache funk/rock guitarist, producer, and music director for Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, George Clinton, Bootsie Collins, Terrence Trent D’Arby and many others, currently co-writing with and music directing three recent Idol winners, nominated for CAMAs Best International Album for his 2-CD retrospective. Stevie Salas will appear with his all-star band, including vocalist Bernard Fowler (Rolling Stones), bassist Ron Blair (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Stevie Nicks, Del Shannon), and drummer Steve Ferrone (Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, Duran Duran, Bette Middler, Michael Jackson, Steve Winwood, and many others).

CAMAs Musical Director Donald Quan brings together outstanding Canadian musicians to perform in The Orchestra and provide the backbone of the Awards show as the house band. This year the Orchestra includes Assistant Musical Director Raven Kanatakta (from Digging Roots) on guitar, Rob Thompson on bass, David Maracle on flutes and percussion, Rick Lazar on keyboards, plus additional talented musicians who will appear on vocals and drums.

Winners of Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards in 24 juried categories will be announced at the at the CAMAs Gala show. 

The winners of the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards 2007 will also be honored: Keeper of Traditions in Aboriginal Music Award will be given to Agnes "Axtsikayc" Edgar, the Lifetime Contribution to Aboriginal Music Award goes to Andrea Hansen, and this year’s Music Industry Award winner is Melisa Pash.

Tickets for the CAMAs Gala Awards Show November 30 are $35 in advance and $40 at the door for floor seats, and $20 for grandstand seats, available through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.ca or 416-872-1111, or the local Ticketmaster number in cities across Canada.

A private CAMAs VIP dinner & Awards Night will take place on Thursday November 29 at the Renaissance Hotel, where nominees Tracey Bone and Violet Naytowhow will perform and 10 of the 24 awards will be handed out at the invitation-only event: Best Group or Duo; Best Song Single; Best Producer/Engineer; Best Folk Album; Best Instrumental Album; Best Album Cover Design; Best Song Writer; Best Television Program or Special; Keepers of Traditions in Aboriginal Music and Lifetime Contribution To Aboriginal Music. All CAMAs award winners will be announced at the public gala show on Friday November 30, at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.

The Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards (CAMAs) are part of the Canadian Aboriginal Festival & Pow Wow taking place at the Rogers Centre in Toronto November 30 – December 2, 2007.

A complete list of the nominees is available online at: www.canab.com

The Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards are sponsored by Scotiabank, Newcap Radio, Casino Rama, FACTOR, Radio Starmaker Fund, National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, Canada Council for the Arts, Galaxie Rising Stars of CBC, EMI, Sony/BMG, P.A. Plus, KPMG, Grenville Printing, CityTV, Toronto Star and AMMSA.