BreakOut West Announces 2015 Western Canadian Music Award Nominees

The Western Canadian Music Alliance is excited to reveal the nominees for the 2015 Western Canadian Music Awards, announced today at a press conference at McPherson Playhouse, in Victoria, BC.

The 13th annual BreakOut West and Western Canadian Music Awards will be hosted in Victoria, BC, September 17-20, 2015. The festival, gala and conference will run concurrent with Rifflandia Festival, bringing together strengths of both events in hosting some of the best in western Canadian talent, increasing opportunities for artists, and networking with industry representatives from many different markets. The Western Canadian Music Alliance, Capital Regional Music Awards Society and the Host Committee are dedicated to making this year's event a memorable and unique occurrence for Vancouver Island, alongside one of the island's premier music festivals.

"Congratulations to the Capital Regional Music Awards Society for a successful bid, proudly supported by the B.C. Government, to bring BreakOut West to Victoria for the first time. BreakOut West 2015 in Victoria will provide a great opportunity for talented musicians from British Columbia to perform for appreciative audiences and impress music industry leaders from across western Canada and beyond." says Coralee Oakes, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. She goes on to say, "Congratulations to all of the artists and industry members nominated for this year's Western Canadian Music Awards."

Music Industry Association member voting opens May 6 at 5:00am PST / 6:00am MST / 7:00am CST and runs through May 20, at 5:00pm PST / 6:00pm MST / 7:00pm CST. All members of the 6 partner Music Industry Associations (Manitoba Music, SaskMusic, Alberta Music, MusicBC, MusicYukon, or MusicNWT) are encouraged to participate and vote for their favorite nominee in each category, by visiting www.BreakOutWest.ca/vote. Winners are determined through a combination of member votes and a juried process.

BreakOut West will have many more exciting announcements in the coming months, including the festival line-up, Hall of Fame inductee, conference information, award show performers and much more!

2015 Western Canadian Music Awards Nominees:

Songwriter(s) of the Year, presented by SOCAN
Daniel Moxon, Joseph Martin, Matt Rhode, Jason Hodgson "Best of You" - Bend Sinister, From The Album Animals (BC)
Craig Moreau "Every Step I Take" From the Album The Daredevil Kid (AB)
Dan Mangan "Vessel" - Dan Mangan + Blacksmith From the Album Club Meds (BC)
Lizzy Hoyt "White Feather" - Lizzy Hoyt From The Album New Lady on the Prairie (AB)
Thomas "Tawgs" Salter, Trevor Guthrie, Josh Byer, Glenn Morrison, Michael Wise "Soundwave" - R3HAB From The Single Soundwave (BC)

2015 Western Canadian Music Awards Industry Nominees:

Agency of the Year
Invictus Entertainment Group (BC)
Magnum Opus Management (YT)
Paquin Artists Agency (MB)
PM GIGS Inc. (AB)
The Feldman Agency (BC)

Album Design of the Year
Hal Schrenk/Hal Schrenk Graphic Design - Daniel Koulack & Karrnnel Sawitsky - Fiddle & Banjo: Tunes from the North, Songs from the South (SK)
Kyra Wittkopf - JPNSGRLS - Circulation (BC)
Neil Dyck/Lee Froese - Jess Reimer - The Nightjar and The Garden (MB)
Roberta Hansen - Steve Bell - Pilgrimage (MB)
Ben Rankel, Brandi Sidoryk, Krista Wodelet, Christina Woerns, Sean Cox, Bjorn Hermannes - Sidney York - <3s (AB)
Josh Mitchinson/Fuel Party - Tim Neufeld (feat. The Glory Boys) - The Joy (BC)

Engineer of the Year, presented by the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology
Ben Kaplan - Flyfantastic Productions - Five Alarm Funk-Album, Hedley (BC)
Colin Stewart - Dan Mangan, Yukon Blonde, Kathryn Calder, Morning Show, Leisure Suit (BC)
Michael Falk - Heartbeat City, Alfa, Tracy Dahl, Ghost Twin, Les Jupes (MB)
Nygel Asselin - CAIRO, Matt Millz, Nate Eiesland, Willhorse (BC)
Ryan Worsley/Echoplant Sound - Dear Rouge, Van Damsel, Greg Drummond, Little India, Derrival, Red Vienna, Windmills (BC)
Sheldon Zaharko/Zed Productions - Tanya Tagaq, Danielle Marie, Plans & Disguises, Jayden Holman (BC)

Independent Record Label of the Year
Black Hen Music (BC)
Flemish Eye (AB)
Light Organ Records (BC)
Mint Records (BC)
Stony Plain Records (AB)

Live Music Venue of the Year, presented by Music Canada Live
Amigos Cantina (SK)
MacEwan Hall (AB)
The Artery (AB)
The Park Theatre Cafe (MB)
West End Cultural Centre (MB)

Manager of the Year
Eli Wener - Hoax Artist Management (BC)
Gilles Paquin - Paquin Entertainment Group (MB)
Kate Wattie - Tonic Records (BC)
Stu Anderson - Mighty Cypress Talent (MB)
Tim Jones - Pipe & Hat (MB)

Producer of the Year
Ben Kaplan - Flyfantastic Productions - Five Alarm Funk-Album, Hedley (BC)
Colin Stewart - Dan Mangan, Yukon Blonde, Kathryn Calder, Morning Show, Leisure Suit (BC)
George Canyon - Twin Kennedy (BC)
Jesse Zubot - Tanya Tagaq - The Sands (BC)
Ryan Worsley/Echoplant Sound - Dear Rouge, Van Damsel, Greg Drummond, Little India, Derrival, Red Vienna, Windmills (BC)

Talent Buyer of the Year
Atomique Productions Ltd. (BC)
Jason Hooper - The West End Cultural Centre (MB)
Josh Boser - Union Events (AB)
Julien Desaulniers - Festival du Voyageur (MB)
Patrick McGannon - PM GIGS Inc. (AB)

Video of the Year
Chad VanGaalen - "Monster" From the album Shrink Dust by Chad VanGaalen (AB)
David McDonald/bsharp Productions - "Dark Side Of The Moon" from The album Eclectricity by Matt Brevner (BC)
Mike Southworth/Collide Entertainment - "A Real Fine Noise" From The Album A Real Fine Mess by The Harpoonist And The Axe Murderer (BC)
Nathan Boey - "Heads" From the Album Flux by Close Talker (BC)
Sage McBride and Dylan Siggers - "Sing to the Night Album" From The Album Sing to the Night By Shred Kelly (BC)

2015 Heritage Builder Award:

John Shields

John Shields has always been passionate about supporting and helping in the development of local and Canadian talent, through his long standing career in radio. Currently the Senior Program Manager for 100.3 The Q and The Zone @ 91-3 in Victoria BC, Mr. Shields started his radio career in 1973 in Ft. McMurray, Alberta, before moving to Victoria in 1989. He won Major Market Music Director of the Year in both 1997 and 1998 at the CCMA's. Supporting local talent local talent with initiatives such as The Q's former Rocktoria program, and The Zone's Band of the Month program, John continues to oversee the programming of 100.3 The Q and The Zone @ 91-3, the oldest Modern format radio station west of Toronto.

2015 Kevin Walters Industry Builder Award:

Nettwerk Music Group - Terry McBride, Mark Jowett, Ric Arboit and Dan Fraser

Built on over 25 years of tenacity and ingenuity, Nettwerk Music Group is a worldwide organization, providing comprehensive service and support to their clients, as an umbrella company for Nettwerk Records, Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Producer Management and Nettwerk One Publishing. Established in 1984, the Vancouver-based company was originally created by principles Terry McBride, Mark Jowett, Ric Arboit and Dan Fraser, as a record label for the band Moev, but it quickly expanded to become one of the largest and most influential independent record labels in the world. Nettwerk has released over 400 albums that have amassed worldwide sales in excess of 100 million albums, and today, is an organization with offices in Vancouver, Los Angeles, New York City, Boston, London and Hamburg.

About BreakOut West:

BreakOut West is an annual gathering to celebrate, develop and support the best of western Canadian music. Western Canadian artists are developing sustainable careers of national and international scope, and BreakOut West is an integral component of this development. Through the annual conference and festival, industry from around the world and western Canadian artists are given the opportunity to discover, educate, network and grow. The weekend culminates in the Western Canadian Music Awards, showcasing and honoring the talent contained in the "left half" of Canada.

For more information about BreakOut West visit breakoutwest.ca.