Somewhere, Ken Smith is smiling — Bry Webb is on the Polaris Music Prize long list.
Ken was a (seemingly) crusty Free Press photographer & ace gardening correspondent . . . & just about the world’s No. 1 Constantines’ fan. In part because his grandson, Bry Webb, was the lead singer & guitarist. That is how I came to know him & realize how passionate & caring he was about life & joy.
Now, Ken is gone — he died last October. He’s happy, though & cheering, I bet. Bry Webb’s solo album Provider was just announced as being on the Polaris long list. It’s a great list this year (same as every year). Best album in Canada TBD.
Right now, I am smiling for Bry & Ken & all those love them. Great news. Best wishes.
Here is the official Polaris announcement, thanks to ace media person and Fanshawe MIA grad Beth Cavanaugh:
VANCOUVER, BC – Thursday, June 14, 2012.
The 2012 Polaris Long List was announced today at The Waldorf Hotel in Vancouver, BC. The Long List is sponsored this year by the Musicians’ Rights Organization Canada (MROC). Broadcast live on SiriusXM Canada and CBC Radio3, previous Polaris nominees Veda Hille, Dan Mangan and Hannah Georgas and jury member Francois Marchand (Vancouver Sun) were on hand to reveal the list. Vancouver music industry and media were in attendance for the late morning event.
“The year’s list deliciously illustrates the burgeoning sense of community in our jury. Almost half of the selections on this list were the direct result of passionate recommendations made by individual members to their peers. We hope the ultimate result of this dialogue will likewise inform the taste of adventurous music lovers from Canada and the world,” said Steve Jordan, Founder and Executive Director of the Prize.
Now in its seventh year, The Polaris Music Prize awards $30,000 to the artist who creates the Canadian Album of the Year. It is judged solely on artistic merit, without consideration of genre or record sales. Past winners have been Arcade Fire, Karkwa, Fucked Up, Patrick Watson, Caribou and Final Fantasy. The eligibility period for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize runs from June 1, 2011 to May 31, 2012.
The 2012 Polaris Music Prize Long List is (in alphabetical order):
A Tribe Called Red – A Tribe Called Red
Marie-Pierre Arthur – Aux alentours
Rich Aucoin – We’re All Dying To Live
Avec pas d’casque – Astronomie
Azari & III – Azari & III
Bahamas – Barchords
The Barr Brothers – The Barr Brothers
Blackie And The Rodeo Kings – Kings And Queens
Cadence Weapon – Hope In Dirt City
Kathryn Calder – Bright And Vivid
Cannon Bros – Firecracker / Cloudglow
Coeur de pirate – Blonde
Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas
Cold Specks – I Predict A Graceful Expulsion
Rose Cousins – We Have Made A Spark
Mark Davis – Eliminate The Toxins
Drake – Take Care
Kathleen Edwards – Voyageur
Feist – Metals
Fucked Up – David Comes To Life
Great Lake Swimmers – New Wild Everywhere
Grimes – Visions
Handsome Furs – Sound Kapital
Japandroids – Celebration Rock
Dan Mangan – Oh Fortune
Mares Of Thrace – The Pilgrimage
Ariane Moffatt – MA
Lindi Ortega – Little Red Boots
Parlovr – Kook Soul
Sandro Perri – Impossible Spaces
Joel Plaskett Emergency – Scrappy Happiness
PS I Love You – Death Dreams
John K. Samson – Provincial
Shooting Guns – Born To Deal In Magic: 1952-1976
The Slakadeliqs – The Other Side of Tomorrow
Patrick Watson – Adventures In Your Own Backyard
Bry Webb – Provider
The Weeknd – Echoes of Silence
Yamantaka // Sonic Titan – YT//ST
Yukon Blonde – Tiger Talk
Categories: General
London
Thanks James. Yes, I am sure Ken is smiling. We are so proud of our son. Thanks for the mention, Lynne