Richardsons allot kudos from classics to country
April 4, 2005
With dozens of London musicians performing or taking home the hardware -- or both -- the first-ever Jack Richardson Music Awards gala was held last night at Club Phoenix. Fan voting determined honourees in 17 categories, announced as part of the gala. Thousands of fans voted awards to London musicians ranging from Orchestra London (classical, group) to million-selling Byron-based Kittie, who claimed the metal category.
Performers who hit the stage last night and learned they had also collected awards included Shelly Rastin (pop, singer/songwriter) and Staylefish (world, Celtic).
The free gala attracted 450 fans to the downtown London club.
The awards take their name from Richardson, a legendary Canadian record producer, Fanshawe faculty member and longtime London resident. Richardson was honoured last night with his induction into the London music hall of fame, a yet-to-be-established, long-term vision of the awards' organizers and others. Previous inductees include punk band the Demics, blues singer Georgette Fry and Guy Lombardo and other members of the Lombardo family and dance band.
Richardson's induction was handled by the organizers. So was the naming of the late Mark (Louie) de Roux, a bassist with such bands as NFG and Sheep Look Up, as the recipient of the Dennis Brown award for lifetime achievement. Members of de Roux's family and friends joined in honouring his life and music. De Roux died of cancer last year.
Among the other winners were Jeff Christmas (classical, soloist or individual), the Rizdales (country/bluegrass), Chris Chown (blues), Sirens (folk/roots), the Matadors (rock), Ruth's Hat (punk/hardcore) and After Four and More (jazz).
Anti-Iraq war satirist Scott Walmsley was first in the electronic artists category. Zoltan was the voters' choice as live DJ and Soul Sausage took the rap/R&B category. Sweet Leaf Garrett took the tribute/cover band category.
Youth category winners Let's Get Steve had received their award at an earlier Richardson awards show at the Embassy on Saturday night. Last night, the youth award was given away officially by Brandon Eedy, of SummerCamp Productions, who was voted to victory in the contributor category.
The Jack Richardson awards are a not-for-profit, grassroots organization celebrating London's musical excellence. The London Music Awards, a separate project spearheaded by Scene Magazine, had announced its winners earlier this year.
Fan voting was conducted online or using ballots printed in The Free Press. Results, except for the names of the first-place finishers in each category, were confidential.
Organizers said more than 4,500 fans participated, casting more than 16,000 votes counting categories marked on each ballot.
Last night's gala concluded a five-night run of live music associated with the awards at five different London venues.
The weekend's awards-related activities included a series of workshops on the music business at the London Music Club on Saturday. Richardson and his son, B.C.-based producer Garth Richardson, were among the panellists who donated their time and expertise to the free workshops.
Another panellist, Bob Reid, frontman of London band and rock-category nominee Bobnoxious, provided London music career advice. "If you can't rock in your hometown, pack it in," Reid said.