Ottawa -
Catherine MacLellan, originally from Summerside, was named solo artist of the year and fellow P.E.I. resident Colette Cheverie won traditional singer of the year at the fifth annual Canadian Folk Music Awards on Saturday.
Halifax singer/songwriter Joel Plaskett led a big night for East Coast musicians at the awards. Plaskett was the only multiple award winner at the gala, earning prizes for contemporary album of the year and producer of the year.
Fellow Halifax native Susan Crowe was named English songwriter of the year while ukulele player James Hill - who is originally from Langley, B.C., but is now based in Brookfield, N.S. - won traditional album of the year for his collaboration with Anne Davison.
Ariana Gillis of Vineland, Ont., won young performer of the year over Taylor Mitchell, the 19-year-old songstress who was mauled to death by coyotes while hiking in Nova Scotia last month.
Montreal's Karim Saada won for world solo artist of the year while Quebec City's Mansa Sissoko and Toronto banjo player Jayme Stone took the world group prize.
Montreal's Catherine Durand was named French songwriter of the year.
Toronto's Sultans of String, who had been nominated for three awards, received the trophy for instrumental group of the year, while band member Chris McKhool earned the children's album of the year award for his solo project, "FiddleFire!"
Meanwhile, Saskatchewan's Deep Dark Woods was named ensemble of the year, Winnipeg's Don Amero earned the aboriginal songwriter of the year award and Vancouver bluesman Jim Byrnes took the prize for contemporary singer of the year.
