Nominations in five categories announced for the Oshawa Music Awards 2020 presented by Spark Centre

Oshawa, ON. – Nominees for the 3rd Annual Oshawa Music Awards presented by Spark Centre were announced today by the organizing committee at a press conference attended by media, music industry dignitaries and VIPs at The Robert McLaughlin Gallery in downtown Oshawa.  The 2020 Oshawa Music Awards will take place on the evening of Friday, April 3 to celebrate the Lifetime Achievement – Hall of Fame recipients at a venue to be announced, and Saturday, April 4 at The Music Hall in Oshawa and will feature musical performance, VIP presenters, awards in 10 categories, and more.

Nominees were revealed in five categories, following two months of submission and adjudication, committee deliberations, and inclusion of MRC Data. The nominees are:

           Artist or Band of the Year
           - Chastity (Whitby)
           - Crown Lands (Oshawa)
           - Robyn Ottolini (Uxbridge)

           Emerging Artist or Band of the Year
           - Hunter Sheridan (Port Perry)
           - Nathan Carr (Ajax)
           - ZAFTIG (Oshawa)

           Single of the Year
           - “Cyanide” - Daniel Caesar, Golden Child Recordings (Oshawa)
           - “Senorita” - Shawn Mendes, Island Records, UMG (Pickering)
           - “The Girls I Know Don’t Think So” - Chastity, Dine Alone Music Inc. (Whitby)

           Album of the Year
           - “Case Study 01” - Daniel Caesar, Golden Child Recordings (Oshawa)
           - “Order in Decline” - Sum 41, Hopeless Records (Ajax)
           - “Skye Wallace” - Skye Wallace (Whitby)

           Music Video of the Year
           - “26 oz” - The Doozies, produced by North Brothers Films (Bowmanville/ Oshawa)
           - “Encore” - Jules McCools, directed by Keegan Doyle (Oshawa)
           - “ToGetHer” - Leah Daniels, directed by Tim Deegan (Uxbridge)

Each of these above categories and nominations will be voted on by the public from Feb 7 at midnight until March 15, 2020. For a complete list and biographies of all nominees and more information on the 2020 Oshawa Music Awards, please click on oshawamusicawards.ca

The Music Industry Leader award presented by the Durham Region Economic Development and Tourism. The Music Industry Leader is recognized for having a substantial impact in the year 2019, through their work and inspiration that helps to strengthen and elevate individuals, their community, and/ or music commerce at large.

The honour is shared by Kevin Simpson and Jayson Callan, managers of Long & McQuade, Oshawa.

The prestigious Lifetime Achievement – Hall of Fame award presented by Durham College Music Business Management recognizes individual(s) and/ or group(s) from the Durham region who, over a prolonged period, have made a substantial impact on the music industry through their work. The individual(s) and/ or group(s) have substantially impacted the Durham Region music community.

Our OMA 2020 recipients are:

-     Bill and David Wilson of Wilson & Lee

-       Mogens Galberg, Greenbank Folk Music Society

-       Members of the bands Reign Ghost, Christmas and Spirit of Christmas

-       The late Mike Kupnicki, musician, recording artist, and owner of Alto Music

There are three more categories accepting submissions: Music Teacher of the Year presented by Kops Records, Songwriter of the Year, and the Durham Song of the Year. The closing date for submissions is February 15, 2020, and nominations will be announced at the beginning of March. Information about these categories at oshawamusicawards.ca

Oshawa Music Awards presented by Spark Centre is an annual ticketed event, recognizing the influence and achievements of local music creators, businesses, and music supporters within the City of Oshawa and the Durham Region. OMA was established in 2018 by Durham College students from the Music Business Management (MBM) program as part of the annual Oshawa Music Week (March 30 to April 4, 2020).  Notable past nominees and winners include multi-platinum award-winning producer Jeff Dalziel, JUNO award- winning indie-pop group Dizzy, and former lead guitarist of The Guess Who, Dale Russell.

In its third year, OMA is a growing cultural enterprise. The organization’s mission is “to celebrate the development of local music talent and culture within the Durham Region. Oshawa Music Awards aims to acknowledge key contributors that aid in the growth of Durham Region’s music business economy; providing a platform that highlights and nurtures its progression.

The Durham Region includes Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, the Township of Uxbridge, Township of Brock, Township of Scugog and the Municipality of Clarington. The 2020 OMAs has also expanded to 10 award categories, and is set to celebrate an incredible array of talent over two nights, Friday, April 3, venue to be announced, and Saturday, April 4 at the Oshawa Music Hall.

The Region's musical heritage is as deep as it is wide; Mars Bonfire of Steppenwolf, (he wrote 'Born to be Wild') was born in Oshawa, Robert J. Stone's label, Stone Records, released the Spencer Davis Group in 1967 and Star Records (store and label) was integral in the development of Canada's punk and alternative music scene. Behind the scene many of Canada's music executives, managers, bookers, promoters, club owners and publicists have roots in the Durham Region.

Oshawa Music Awards presented by the Spark Centre is also sponsored by Durham Region Economic Development and Tourism, Durham College Music Business Management, Exclaim!, Kops Records and VIA Rail Canada.