Alberta tops nominee list

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Alberta musical artists have been particularly blessed with nominations for the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards to be presented in Toronto on Nov. 26.

Among the nominees is Mike Gouchie, nominated in the best male artist category, as well as for best songwriter, best song single and best country album. Gouchie, named International Country Male Vocalist of the Year by the North American Country Music Association, will perform at the awards ceremony, as will Alberta's hip hop sensation ReddNation, nominated in the best rap or hip hop album category for their CD Unstoppable.

Other Alberta Aboriginal artists nominated include Northern Cree and Red Bull, both in the best powwow album category. Northern Cree & Friends are also nominated in the best hand drum album category.

Winston Wuttunee is nominated in the best male artist category with Gouchie, Wayne Lavallee and Murray Porter.

JigBand was nominated for best fiddle album for their CD Jigfest.

Wendy Walker from Edmonton is nominated in the best female artist category.

Walker's CD is called One Light, and springs from a journey she was asked to make by the Elders to visit the white buffaloes in the United States to pray for the youth in Edmonton, because of trouble experienced there with gangs.

"Everything that I do, including on this album One Light, especially on One Light, is based in tradition, is based in culture, for me. And it's based in my spiritual practices as a Native women," Walker told Alberta Sweetgrass.

Because she was willing to make this journey, said Walker, the Elders told her she would be gifted with new music.

On the journey she experienced much goodwill and the music started flowing.

"It was like ... Creator said 'Wendy, put everything else down and get your guitar.' And so I did that, and I sang 'We are one light; we are shining through and we are reaching up' and so I sang the song ... It was there, like whole."

Walker works as a stage manager for the awards night, so she'll be on hand if her name is called, but she's up against some stiff competition. Debbie Michelin from Ottawa is nominated, as is Inuk artist Susan Aglukark, who is also scheduled to perform.

Also in the evening's performance line-up are Burnt, Eagle & Hawk, Santee Smith and Wayne Lavallee.