The 2014 Aboriginal People's Choice Music Award Nominees

Inez Jasper garnered the most nominations (five!) followed by Indian City and Shy-Anne (four each!) at the 2014 APCMA nominee announcement. With over 25 Indigenous artists nominated over all, this year is looking as exciting as ever

At Portage Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Manito Ahbee Festival announced the 2014 Aboriginal People's Choice Music Award Nominees. Voting is open now until July 19th - get your vote on at aboriginalpeopleschoice.com - and enormous congratulations from RPM to all the nominees, keep making music!

Best Music Video

• A Tribe Called Red - Sisters
• Genevieve Fisher - Bad Enough
• Inez Jasper - Dancin' on the Run
• Keith Secola - Say Your Name
• Supaman - Prayer Loop Song

Best New Artist

• Crystal J
• Ghost Town Orchestra
• Iceis Rain
• Jasmine Netsena
• Leonard Sumner

Best Peyote CD

• Delbert Blackhorse -Friends & Family
• Joe Tohonnie Jr. - Apache Peyote Songs
• Keving Yazzie - Charity
• Meewasin Oma - God Saw it Was
• Utin Machiskinie and Lance Crowe - Life of Happiness

Best Pop CD

• Indian City - Colors
• Inez Japer - Burn Me Down
• JB the First Lady - Indigenous Girl LifeStyle
• Moodie x 2 - Never Alone
• Red Rockerz - Electronic Gangster

Best Pow Wow CD - Contemporary

• Bear Creek - Kaagige - Forever
• Eastern Eagle - Twenty Years of Powwow
• North Bear - #NBallday
• Northern Cree - Loyalty to the Drum
• Northern Voice - Dance of the Moon
• Young Bear - Live

Best Producer/Engineer

• Christa Couture - The Living Record
• Dallas Arcand - Thunderbird Spirit
• Indian City - Colors
• Inez Jasper - Burn Me Down
• Kristi Lane Sinclair- The Sea Alone
• Samantha Crain - Kid Face

Best Rap/Hip Hop CD

• KASP - K.A.S.P. #Livingthegoodlife
• Mike Bone - Rain Dance
• Shawn Bertrand - Livin Like Stars
• Supaman - Gorilla
• Winnipeg Boyz - Ab Initio

Best Rock CD

• Ghost Town Orchestra - Dead Wait
• Iceis Rain - The Queen
• Kickin Krotch - Kickin Krotch
• Kristi Lane Sinclair - The Sea Alone
• When Darkness Falls - The Power

Single of the Year

• Desiree Dorion - Turn to Me
• Elisapie Isaac - Life is What You Make It
• Inez Jasper - Dancin on the Run
• Samantha Crain - Somewhere All the Time
• Shy-Anne - Be Your Girl

Best Television Program of Aboriginal Music

• Live From the Hundred Years Cafe
• The Candy Show
• Wabanaagig

Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year

• Cary Morin
• Dallas Arcand
• Gary Sappier
• Kasp
• Shy-Anne

Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year

• Desiree Dorion - Mama Got a Shotgun
• Donny Parenteau - Sun Shower
• Genevieve Fisher - Bad Enough
• Indian City - Colors
• Janet Panic - Somewhere Warm

Best Album Cover Design

• Indian City - Colors
• Inez Jasper - Burn Me Down
• JB the First Lady - Indigenous Girl LifeStyle
• Shy-Anne - Bones
• Utin Machiskinie and Lance Crowe - Life of Happiness

Best Blues CD

• Cary Morin - Streamline
• Gary Sappier - Who Ya Foolin
• Joel Johnson - Blues Joose Volume II
• Young Medicine - Be Your Own Person

Best Country CD

• Genevieve Fisher - Bad Enough
• Kelly Derrickson - Warriors of Love
• Leanne Goose - This Time
• Nelson Little - The Little Things
• Shy-Anne - Bones

Best Fiddle CD

• Boyd Benjamin - The FLying Gwitch in Fiddler
• Jason Lepine - Drivin' Force
• Midnight Mist - Still Going

Best Folk/Acoustic CD

• Diyet - When You Were King
• Janet Panic - Most of What Follows is True...
• Jasmine Netsena - Take You With Me
• Leonard Sumner - Rez Poetry
• Samantha Crain - Kid Face

Best Group or Duo

• Garry Sappier
• Ohiwisha
• Winnipeg Boyz
• Young Medicine

Best Hand Drum CD

• Cree Confederation - Piciciwin - Cree Round Dance Songs
• Fawn & Dalla - Blessings
• Nitanis 'Kit' Largo - Serenity
• Northern Cree - Ewipihcihk
• Poundmaker - The Way It Used to Be

Best International Indigenous Release

• Adonis Puentes - Sabor a Cafe
• H'Sao - Oria
• Laetitia Zonzambe - Sanza
• Saina & Geo- Songs of Gaia
• The Imbayakunas - Andean Sol

APCMA 2014 Submissions Now Open

Attention all artists! The 2014 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards has opened its doors to submissions. 

The Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards, aka the annual celebration of Aboriginal music and musicians, as voted by the public, will take place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, September 11th and 12th later this year. Now is the time to submit work in consideration for nomination.

The awards honours the best blues, country, gospel, rock, pop and rap albums, as well as single, songwriter, female entertainer and male entertainers of the year, and more, in what amounts to the biggest glitzy musical bash in Indian Country each year. Submit your work now!

The eligibility period is May 1, 2012 to April 30, 2014. Download the submission form and read all the rules at  aboriginalpeopleschoice.com. Deadline April 30, 2014, 5:00 P.M. Central.

Good luck!

APCMA 2012 Award Winners: Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards

The 2012 APCMAs—the 7th annual Aboriginal People's Choice Music Awards—took place November 1st and 2nd in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Two nights of celebrating Indigenous music, one long list of winners! Here is a complete list of the 2012 APCMA award winners.

The Aboriginal People's Choice Music Awards were handed out over the course of two nights this week in Winnipeg, and pop-country singer Shy-Anne Hovorka took home the most trophies, winning in all six categories in which she was nominated, including the prestigious Aboriginal Female Entertainer of the Year award:

Northwestern Ontario’s Shy-Anne Hovorka was the winner of six awards including Aboriginal Female Entertainer of the Year. Shy-Anne was nominated for six awards, and won all six. Three of the awards that Shy-Anne won were on Thursday night and three on Friday night.

Source: NNL

Hometown success, Winnipeg's own Don Amero also won big, taking home Male Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year as his first APCMA award, while Six Nations rocker Derek Miller took home the award for Best Blues CD for his work with the late Stevie Ray Vaughan's band Double Trouble.

Check out the complete list of 2012 winners below.

Complete List of 2012 APCMA Award Winners

Best blues CD Derek Miller,  Derek Miller with Double Trouble

Best country CD Shy-Anne Hovorka, Interwoven Roots

Best hand drum CD Fawn Wood, Iskwewak

Best new artist Bruthers of Different Muthers

Best pow wow CD - traditional Young Bear, Keeping It Old Style 

Best rap/hip hop CD Lightningcloud, LightningCloud

Single of the year Shy-Anne Hovorka, The Glue

Aboriginal songwriter of the year Tracy Bone, Woman of Red

Aboriginal female entertainer of the year Shy-Anne Hovorka

Aboriginal male entertainer of the year Don Amero

Best album cover design Shy-Anne, Interwoven Roots

Best fiddle CD Wesley Hardisty, 12:12 

Best flute CD Dallas Arcand, Sacred Sweetgrass

Best folk/acoustic CD Janet Panic, Samples

Best gospel CD Yvonne St. Germaine, Tennessee Sky 

Best group or duo Northern Cree

Best instrumental CD Gabriel Ayala, Shades of Blue

Best music video Shy-Anne Hovorka, Too Young, Too Late

Best pop CD Indian City, Supernation

Best powwow CD — contemporary Northern Cree, Drum Boy — Mistikwaskink Napesis

Best producer/engineer Shy-Anne Hovorka

Best rock CD Sinuupa, Culture Shock

APCMA 2012 - Best New Artist of the Year

Here it is - the Aboriginal People's Choice Music Awards Nominees for Best New Artist in an RPM Youtube Playlist.

This RPM Youtube Playlist showcases the nominees for the 2012 APCMA nominees for the Best New Artist category. This five video playlist illuminates some fresh new talent and doubles as a list of who to watch out for in the coming years on the Indigenous music culture tip. Consider yourselves informed!

Bruthers of Different Muthrs - Starving Artists (LIVE) Indian City - Supernation (LIVE) JB The First Lady - Get Ready Get Steady Kristi Lane Sinclair - Last Song Lena Recollet - (LIVE)

APCMA Nominees 2012

At a press conference in Winnipeg this morning, the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award nominees were announced. Read the full list of nominees here.

Following a first round of industry votes, the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards (APCMA) announced the official nominees and opened the polls to public voting this morning. To vote for your favourite artists, go to aboriginalpeopleschoice.com. Voting closes September 3rd, and the awards take place November 1st and 2nd in Winnipeg.

Congratulations to all the nominees from RPM! They are:

Best Album Cover Design Chippewa Travellers - Love/Zaagidwin Dallas Arcand - Cedar Flute Electronica: Modern Day Warrior Indian City - Supernation Janet Rogers - Got Your Back Lena Recollet - I Am Woman, Kwe Shy-Anne - Interwoven Roots

Best Blues CD Derek Miller - Derek Miller With Double Trouble Gary Farmer And The Troublemakers - Under The Watertower Joel Johnson - Blues Joose Vol. 1 Murray Porter - Songs Lived & Life Played Priscilla’s Revenge - 3rd Gear

Best Country CD Jerry Sereda - Turn The Country On Ron Loutit - Where I Come From Shy-Anne - Interwoven Roots Terri Clark - Roots And Wings Tracy Bone - Woman Of Red

Best Fiddle CD Blain Constant - Listening From Above Dallas Boyer - Music Metis Fiddler Quartet - North West Voyage Nord Ouest Midnite Mist - A Tribute To Bill Bryant Wesley Hardisty - 12:12

Best Flute CD Dallas Arcand - Sacred Sweetgrass Herman Edward - It’s About Time Tony Duncan - Earth Warrior

Best Folk / Acoustic CD Dark Water Rising - Dark Water Rising Dylan Rysstad - Ghost House Ghostkeeper - Ghostkeeper Janet Panic  - Samples Phyllis Sinclair - Dreams Of The Washerwomen

Best Gospel CD Becky Thomas - Sacred Ground Cheryl Bear - A’ba Dean Powder - Living Proof Yvonne St. Germaine  - Tennessee Sky

Best Group Or Duo Cree Confederation C-Weed Band Indian City Northern Cree Priscilla's Revenge

Best Hand Drum Cd Big River Cree - The Old Way Eastern Eagle - Softer Side Fawn Wood - Iskwewak Indigie Femme - Grandmother Earth, Grandfather Sky Nakoa Heavyrunner & Rocky Morin  - Medicine Line

Best Instrumental Cd Curt Young - Northern Equinox Dallas Arcand - Cedar Flute Electronica: Modern Day Warrior Gabriel Ayala - Shades Of Blue Jeari Czapla - Dear Leonardo Rev Hank - Longhorn

Best International Indigenous Artist Adam James Kiran Ahluwahlia Nrg Rising Steele

Best Music Video Beatrice Love - Dirty Game Donny Parenteau - Fiddleback Cris Derksen  - Pow Wow Wow Shy-Anne - Too Young, Too Late Winnipeg’s Most - Winnipeg Boy

Best New Artist Bruthers Of Different Muthers Indian City Jb The First Lady Kristi Lane Sinclair Lena Recollet

Best Pop Cd Don Amero - The Long Way Home Holly Mcnarland  - Run Body Run Indian City - Supernation Lena Recollet - I Am Woman, Kwe Will Belcourt - Epoch

Best Pow Wow Cd - Contemporary Black Bear - Spring Medicine Cree Confederation - Horse Dance - Mistatim Simoowin Northern Cree - Drum Boy - Mistikwaskink Napesis River Cree - River Cree Young Spirit - Live In Hinckley 2011

Best Pow Wow Cd - Traditional Chippewa Travellers - Love/Zaagidwin High Noon - Live In Brandon Mandaree Singers  - Mandaree Revisited Wild Band Of Comanches  - Wild Band Of Comanches Young Bear - Keeping It Old Style

Best Producer/Engineer Donny Parenteau Indian City Leanne Goose Shy-Anne Vince Fontaine

Best Rap / Hip Hop Cd Blu - No Way No How Lightning Cloud - Lightning Cloud Rellik - Mighty Mouth Tha Link - Tha Link Vibez - On My Way

Best Rock Cd Charles “Chucky” Keelan - Chucky ? Federal Lights - Carbon Quinton Moody - Worldwide Services Sinuupa - Culture Shock Tonemah - Mulligan

Single Of The Year Don Amero - Turn These Grey Skies Blue Indian City - Supernation Iskwe - Wandering Murray Porter - Rez Bluez Shy-Anne - The Glue

Aboriginal Songwriter Of The Year Bruthers Of Different Muthers - Speakers Of Tomorrow Donny Parenteau - Play On Holly Mcnarland - Alone’s Just Fine Indian City - Supernation Murray Porter - Is Sorry Enough? Tracy Bone - Woman Of Red

Aboriginal Female Entertainer Of The Year Phyllis Sinclair Shy-Anne Tagaq Terri Clark Tracy Bone

Aboriginal Male Entertainer Of The Year Dallas Boyer Don Amero Jerry Sereda Kasp Murray Porter

Vote now at aboriginalpeopleschoice.com!

DOWNLOAD: Ron Loutit - "Why Don't You Call"

Métis Ron Loutit isn't as widely known as his country music chops, knowing voice and clever and charming lyrics should have him, but that almost makes his old school songs even better, because we're the lucky ones to hear them.

His bio says his songs "based on love, drinking and heartbreak." This chipper ditty, replete with a plucky banjo part, delivers on all three. You might find yourself toe-tapping and singing along before you realize you're chiming in on the bittersweet "sitting here along again, drinking with the moon again." And that's a good thing. I like a song that isn't what you might think it is, first time around.

From his APCMA nominated album Where I Come From, download and enjoy Why Don't You Call.

DOWNLOAD: Ron Loutit - "Why Don't  You Call"

DOWNLOAD: Will Belcourt - "Obliterate"

While Will Belcourt's latest album Epoch garnered "Best Rock Album" nominations at both the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards and the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards, his music reaches beyond that genre into blues, jazz and country, all with a base of electronic beats.

From Marlboro, Alberta, Belcourt bills himself as a singer/songwriter/guitar player/performer/recording artist/music producer/writer/director/producer - ie, a one man show and reconnaissance kind of guy. His deep, rough around the edges voice calls to us to "forget about tomorrow" and "scream along" and it's hard to resist - download this track to get out of your seat and raise the roof.

DOWNLOAD: Will Belcourt - "Obliterate"

Artist Call: APCMA Now Accepting Submissions

The Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards (APCMA) are now accepting submissions for the artist and industry categories.

The Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards celebrates the best in Aboriginal music from across Turtle Island and around the world. The yearly event is one of the biggest music parties in Indian Country to be sure, and this year the APCMAs have established a new voting process for selecting nominees.

• Round 1 of all APCMA categories will be juried by industry professionals. Each category jury will select up to five nominee.
• The general public will select the winners in each category by voting on the aboriginalpeopleschoice.com website in Round 2.

Applications are now open!  Apply by Friday, June 29, 2012 at 5:00PM (CST).

Download the APCMA Entry Form here: http://aboriginalpeopleschoice.com/umedia/2012_APCMA_Official_Entry_Form.pdf

The artistic/genre categories are:

• Best Blues CD
• Best Country CD
• Best Fiddle CD
• Best Flute CD
• Best Folk/Acoustic CD
• Best Francophone CD
• Best Gospel CD
• Best Hand Drum CD
• Best Instrumental CD
• Best Inuit CD
• Best Peyote CD
• Best Pop CD
• Best Pow Wow CD – Traditional
• Best Pow Wow CD –Contemporary
• Best Rap/Hip Hop CD
• Best Rock CD

The specialty categories are:

• Aboriginal Female Entertainer of the Year
• Aboriginal Male Entertainer of the Year
• Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year
• Best Aboriginal Music Radio Station/Program
• Best Album Cover Design
• Best Duo or Group
• Best International Indigenous Artist(This category for Indigenous Artists from  outside of North America)
• Best Music Video
• Best New Artist
• Best Producer/Engineer
• Best Television Program/ Promotion of Aboriginal Music
• Single of the Year

Mail submissions to: Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards 509 Century Street Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3B 2J2

For more information: aboriginalpeopleschoice.com Jacquie Black or Sandy Fox Toll Free: 1-866-449-0251 Email: info@aboriginalpeopleschoice.com

2011 APCMA Nominees - Best Music Video

In this week's breakdown we have the nominees for Best Music Video in the 2011 Aboriginal People's Choice Awards.

This year's running for the prize of Best Music Video in the 2011 APCMA's, gives us a wide variety of nominees from different genres. Here we present to you a YouTube playlist of the 2011 APCMA nominees and the videos they have in the race.

Billy Joe Green - Honey Girl Don Amero - Right Where I Wanna Be J.C. Campbell - The Floor Shane Yellowbird - Bare Feet On The Blacktop Winnipeg's Most - All That I Know

APCMA 2011: Application Deadline June 30th

The Aboriginal People's Choice Music Awards is the peak of Aboriginal Music Week each year in Winnipeg. Televised on APTN, Artists receive one of the greatest awards possible - the vote of listeners across the world. Applications are currently being accepted for this year's awards. If you released a CD between June 30, 2009 and June 30, 2011 you are eligible. The deadline is Friday June 30, 5:00pm - download the entry here.