The East Coast Music Association has begun trickling out the names of some of the performers for the 2017 Award show. Taking place April 27th at Harbour Station, and hosted by comedian James Mullinger, this will be the first time since 2002 that the event will be held in Saint John, New Brunswick.
The big names from around Atlantic Canada expected to grace the stage for the annual celebration of east coast music and industry this year are: Classified, Ria Mae, David Myles, Les Hôtesses d’Hilaire, Repartee, Reeny Smith, Caroline Savoie, and Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys.
As per the official press release:
Classified is a JUNO Award-winning hit-maker who has long been making waves with his trademark style and sound for over two decades. In 2013, Classified released his career-defining self-titled album, which featured the certifed five-time Platinum smash hit “Inner Ninja.” His latest record, Greatful, has yielded yet another radio hit in “No Pressure.”
Ria Mae has had an exceptional year on the heels of her self-titled album. The lead single, “Clothes Off,” was certified Platinum in Canada and earned the artist a 2016 JUNO Award nomination for Single of the Year. “Ooh Love,” her third single, has been streamed over two million times on Spotify alone.
Somewhere on the spectrum between James Taylor and Justin Timberlake, multi-award winning David Myles has truly forged his own path by embracing modern and vintage folk, pop, and soul music. Myles has earned a stellar reputation as a great showman. His flawless musicianship and unforgettable stories have made him a favourite with fans everywhere.
Les Hôtesses d’Hilaire are larger than life. With three albums released in the last three years, the band has toured extensively throughout Canada, Europe, and the US. The Acadian rock n’ rollers continue to transcend the barriers of language through their live show, capturing the hearts of fans from the Yukon to Louisiana to France.
Repartee are an indie pop quartet from St. John’s, NL that has been doggedly fighting to carve a place for themselves in the music world for the last few years. Having crisscrossed Canada multiple times in recent years, Repartee have shared stages with the likes of Tegan And Sara, Lights, Dragonette and Mother Mother and the band’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed.
Reeny Smith’s silky soulful voice is undeniable. With deep roots in Nova Scotia’s gospel and soul history, she is a sensitive and powerful performer who is quickly becoming a rising R&B/Pop tour de force. She has received several awards from the African Nova Scotia Music Association, and was recently awarded Music Nova Scotia’s African Canadian Artist of the Year Award.
With her warm voice and powerful timbre, Caroline Savoie is a talented songwriter who recently released her first full-length album, produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Jay Newland. She has received a whopping fifteen awards on the heels of Le festival international de la chanson including le Prix SOCAN, le Prix du public Yves-Gagnon, and le Prix de la presse Jacques-Cossette.
Gracing stages around the world with flashes of flair and fancy footwork, and a disregard for predictable stage presence, Prince Edward Island’s Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys are renowned for their high-energy exhilarating live show, jaw-dropping stagecraft and showmanship. The quartet rocks a signature style that infuses their love of traditional bluegrass, folk and old-time roots music together to deliver an eclectic wardrobe of tunes that’s as unique and entertaining as they are.
No word on any Saint John acts performing just yet, but there’s still four months between now and April. Limited early bird tickets are now available online for $35+. For those keen on observing the awards show from the comfort of their own chesterfield Bell Aliant will be televising the event, as well a streaming it online.
For more information visit www.ecma.com