Arkells, Bahamas, Kiesza, Lights, Magic! and The Weeknd among winners at the 2015 JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards

35 JUNO AWARDS PRESENTED TO MUSIC INDUSTRY'S TOP TALENT

— Rush honoured with the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award —

 — Music executive Ray Danniels recipient of the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award —

HAMILTON, ON, March 15, 2015 /CNW/ - Canada's music elite gathered to toast 35 JUNO Award winners at the 2015 JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards presented by SiriusXM Canada last night in Hamilton. Hosted by Jessi Cruickshank at the Hamilton Convention Centre, the evening's festivities featured performances by a spectacular lineup of 2015 JUNO Award nominees and winners, as well as unforgettable tributes to some of the most influential names in Canadian music.

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF WINNERS AT THE 2015 JUNO GALA DINNER & AWARDS, INCLUDING BIOGRAPHIES AND IMAGES, GO TO WWW.JUNOAWARDS.CA.

Multiple Award winners at the Gala included alternative singer-songwriter Bahamas, who won honours for both Songwriter of the Year* and Adult Alternative Album of the Year; and electro-dance sensation Kiesza, who earned Dance Recording of the Year and Video of the Year*. Kiesza will also be making her JUNO Award performance debut during the Sunday night Broadcast on CTV from Hamilton's FirstOntario Centre.

Four other JUNO Awards Broadcast performers also took home statuettes last night, including Hamilton's own Arkells for Group of the Year; Magic! for Breakthrough Group of the Year*; Lights for Pop Album of the Year* and The Weeknd for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year.

The night's special award winners included Rush, who received the 2015 Allan Waters Humanitarian Award (sponsored by Bell Media), and music executive Ray Danniels, who was honoured with the 2015 Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award.

Guests at the performance-packed Gala enjoyed numbers by 2015 JUNO Award winner Dallas Smith, nominees Alvvays, Daniel Lanois, and Matt Andersen, as well as a special Blues Jam featuring Crystal Shawanda, JW-Jones, Steve Hill**, Steve Strongman, and The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer.

The 2015 JUNO Awards Broadcast will air Sunday, March 15 live on CTV from Hamilton's FirstOntario Centre at 8 p.m. CT / 9 p.m. ET. JUNO TV will be live streaming interviews backstage on Sunday night at 9 p.m. ET on www.junotv.ca (sponsored by FACTOR and The Bell Fund) and will capture all the excitement from Sunday's pre-show red carpet. All 2015 JUNO Award performances will be posted afterwards to JUNO TV.

*Award Sponsors for THE 2015 JUNO AWARDS listed above include Songwriter of the Year (sponsored by SiriusXM Canada), Video of the Year (sponsored by MuchFACT, exclusively funded by Bell Media), Breakthrough Group of the Year (sponsored FACTOR, the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada's Private Radio Broadcasters and Radio Starmaker Fund), Pop Album of the Year (sponsored by TD).

**Winner of the 2015 JUNO Award for Blues Album of the Year (Sponsored by Stingray Music).

Sponsors of the 2015 JUNO Awards include FACTOR, the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada's Private Radio Broadcasters, Radio Starmaker Fund, Province of Ontario, Ontario Media Development Corporation, the City of Hamilton, and TD Bank Group.

For more information on the 2015 JUNO Awards or JUNO TV please visit www.junoawards.ca.

About CARAS
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences/L'académie canadienne des arts et des sciences de l'enregistrement (CARAS) is a not-for-profit organization created to preserve and enhance the Canadian music industry and to contribute toward higher artistic and industry standards. The main focus of CARAS is the exploration and development of ongoing opportunities to showcase and promote Canadian artists and music through vehicles such as The JUNO Awards and other year-round initiatives. For more information on the 44^th Annual JUNO Awards or The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) please visit www.junoawards.ca or www.carasonline.ca.

Web Links:
JUNO TV: www.junotv.ca
Official JUNO Awards website: www.junoawards.ca
CTV's JUNO Awards website: www.junos.ctv.ca
CARAS website: www.carasonline.ca
CTV website: www.ctv.ca

The JUNO Awards Twitter handle: @TheJUNOAwards

SOURCE 2015 JUNO Awards

For more information on CARAS and the 2015 JUNO Awards, contact: Vanessa Andres, 416-628-5612, [email protected], Adrienne Kakoullis, 416-628-5610, [email protected]