Sebastien Demrey among winners of the 7th annual Independant Music Awards
Dec 20th, 2007
Montreal based artist Sebastian Demrey is among a diverse group of independent musicians named as winners of the 7th Annual Independent Music Awards. This Canadian Pop singer has enjoyed much success this year with his debut release “Searching” including #1 radio hits across Canada and GMA Covenant Award for Pop Contemporary Album of the Year, along with nominations at the notable Toronto Independent Music Awards. Some of his songs even made it to the top of the Christian charts in France and the UK. The Year 2008 should be a great year for this promising new artist.
All IMA winners were selected by a panel of celebrity and industry judges and will receive year-long marketing support to enhance the campaigns for their current projects and careers. The winners encompass both established and emerging talent including Koko Taylor (Best Blues Album), the legendary, GRAMMY® Award-winning Blues artist; Joan As Policewoman (Best Pop/Rock Album – Tie), who’s debut album is among the critically-acclaimed success stories of 2007; and The Apples In Stereo (Best Pop/Rock Song), a mainstay on Indie & mainstream as well as the touring circuit.
IMA winners will appear in the updated, 10th anniversary edition of The Musician’s Atlas 2008 – the independent musicians’ and entrepreneurs’ definitive guide to the music business, available on December 26, 2007. Developed and coordinated by Music Resource Group, publisher of The Musician’s Atlas, the Independent Music Award program delivers a variety of premiums to Winners including:
· Year-long marketing campaigns, partnerships and distribution alliances, that will place the Winners in front of millions of music fans and industry decision makers around the world.
· Music promotion to college & public radio stations by The Planetary Group, a leading radio promotions company with access to 700 stations throughout the U.S. and Canada.
·An arrangement with eMusic and Pure Volume that makes their IMA Winning tracks available for download to several million consumers.
·Winners in the album and song categories will have a song included on the IMA Winners CD compilation Now Her This which will be distributed to 5,000 music fans and industry movers and shakers at music conferences and festivals such as SXSW, The Warped Tour, Popkomm, Folk Alliance, London Calling and other events throughout the year.
Other notable winners include: Johnny Dowd (Best Alt. Country Album), who’s pastiche of rock, country, blues and jazz is earning a much deserved worldwide audience; Miguel Migs, (Best Dance/Electronica Album) who is already among a handful of pioneers in the DJ community; Ernie Watts (Best Jazz Album), the legendary sax player who, in addition to his own recordings, has worked with The Rolling Stones, Quincy Jones, Frank Zappa, Cannonball Adderly, and other luminaries; Ari Gold (Best R&B Song) a luminary in the R&B community; and Girl In A Coma (Best Punk Song) who recently signed with Joan Jett’s Blackheart Record label.
The IMA Program awarded more than 50 honors in categories that recognize achievements in Music, Design, Music Video and College-run Record Label releases.
The IMA Winners were determined by a celebrity and industry judging panel that included: Snoop Dogg, Susan Tedeschi, Ray Davies, Suzanne Vega, Charlie Musselwhite, Frank Iero, Judy Collins and Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers, among an assortment of other celebrity and industry judges.
Music industry pros that were not part of this year’s judging panel and music fans can cast their vote at the IMA site. Winners of this “Vox Populi” poll will be announced in 2008.
See IMA winners in the album and song categories below:
For a complete list of winners and categories go to:
http://www.independentmusicawards.com/pages/jukebox2008.asp
ALBUM CATEGORIES
ALT. COUNTRY – Johnny Dowd, ‘Cruel Words;’ AMERICANA – Hannah Blaylock & Eden’s Edge, ‘Lights Of Home;’ BLUES – Koko Taylor, ‘Old School;’ CHILDREN’S – Kira Willey, ‘Dance For The Sun;’ CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN – Sebastian Demrey, ‘Searching;’ COUNTRY – Chris Gray, ‘It’s All About Me;’ DANCE & ELECTRONICA – Miguel Migs, ‘Those Things;’ FOLK/ SINGER-SONGWRITER – Drew Pilgram, ‘Magnetic Sideways Pull;’ GOSPEL – The Minister John Butler, ‘The Tribute – Phase II;’ HARD ROCK/ METAL – Ashes Are Nutritious, ‘Frustration +;’ JAM – Jason Seed Elixer Ensemble, ‘Where The Corners Meet;’ JAZZ – Ernie Watts, ‘Analog Man;’ LATIN – Jose Conde & Ola Fresca, ‘Revolucion;’ LIVE PERFORMANCE – Marco Benevento, ‘Live At Tonic;’ NEW AGE – Priscilla Hernandez, ‘Ancient Shadows;’ POP/ROCK (TIE) – Joan As Policewoman, ‘Real Life,’ – and – No More Kings, ‘No More Kings;’ R&B – Aja West & Friends, ‘Total Recall 2012;’ RAP/HIP-HOP – Zeph & Azeem, ‘Rise Up;’ WORLD FUSION – Cholo Soy – Jamie Cuadra, ‘Peruvian Waltz Chillout;’ WORLD TRADITIONAL – Alasdair White, ‘An Clàr Geal’
SONG CATEGORIES
ALT. COUNTRY – Yarn, “No Future Together;” AMERICANA – Boulder Acoustic Society, “Does It Really Matter;” BLUES – Little Miss Higgins, “In The Middle Of Nowhere;” CHILDREN’S – Kira Willey, “Caterpillar, Caterpillar;” CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN – Vincent Joseph Manzo, “Only By Grace;” COUNTRY – Miko Marks, “It Feels Good;” DANCE & ELECTRONICA – Midville, “Wicked;” FILM/TV & MULTIMEDIA – Jennifer Kreisberg, “Have Hope;” FOLK/ SINGER-SONGWRITER – Tannis Slimmon, “Ernest, Charlie & Allan;” GOSPEL – Robbin Thompson, “Move On Down The Line;” HARD ROCK/METAL – Pløk, “I Do Not Live In A Condo;” JAM – The Frequency, “Jim Gordon Part II;” JAZZ – Stanley Maxwell, “Mousetrap;” LATIN – Zoraida Santiago, “Canciones Por Todas Partes;” NEW AGE – Jeff Oster, “Saturn Calling;” POP/ROCK – The Apples In Stereo, “Same Old Drag;” PUNK – Girl In A Coma, “Clumsy Sky;” RAP/HIP-HOP – Animate Objects, “El Dorado;” R&B – Ari Gold, “Love Wasn’t Built In A Day;” SOCIAL ACTION – Kenny White, “How Long;” WORLD FUSION – Luca Mundaca;” WORLD TRADITIONAL – Lionel Loueke, “Kponnon Kpètè.”