Canadian Folk Music Awards recipients announced in Edmonton

The recipients of this year's Canadian Folk Music Awards were announced Sunday evening during a gala at Edmonton's Citadel Theatre.

Newfoundland's Amelia Curran took home Contemporary Singer and English Songwriter of the Year for her album They Promised You Mercy.

PEI's Catherine MacLellan won Contemporary Album and Solo Artist of the Year for her album The Raven's Sun. while Edmonton local Rebecca Lappa brought home the Young Performer of the Year award for her album Tattered Rose.

Ontario's Kiran Ahluwalia was awarded World Solo Artist of the Year for Sanata: Stillness, and Ontario fiddler Adrianna Ciccone won Instrumental Solo Artist of the Year for her album The Back of Winter.

Ensemble of the Year went to Comox Valley, BC's Big Little Lions for A Little Frayed, A Little Torn, and the Vocal Group of the Year award was claimed by St.John's based Fortunate Ones for The Bliss.

Husband and wife duos

Quebec husband and wife duo Raven Kanatakta and ShoShona Kish from Long Point First Nation in Winneway, who perform as Digging Roots, won Aboriginal Songwriter for their album For The Light.

Nova Scotia's husband and wife fiddle duo Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy won the Instrumental Group of the Year award for their album ONE.

Newfoundland's Matthew Byrne was awarded Traditional Album of the Year for Hearts & Heroes and Quebec's Michael Jerome Browne won Traditional Singer of the Year for his 1920's blues-inspired album Sliding Delta.

The New/Emerging Artist of the Year went to Ontario's The Young Novelists, while The Lemon Bucket Orkestra was named World Group of the Year.

Children's Album of the Year went to The Swinging Belles, for More Sheep, Less Sleep.

Louis-Jean Cormier was honoured with the French Songwriter of the Year award his second solo album Les grandes arteres.

Renowned Ontario guitarist Kevin Breit won the Pushing the Boundaries award for his album Ernesto & Delilah.

Producer of the Year went to Nova Scotia's Daniel Ledwell for his work on Compostela by Jenn Grant.

And Ottawa's Arthur McGregor was honoured as this year's Unsung Hero, a special category award that highlights the exceptional contributions of an individual, group, or organization to the Canadian folk music scene.