It's "Reigning" JUNOS in St. John's, NL

32 JUNO AWARD STATUETTES WERE PRESENTED TO CANADA'S TOP MUSICAL ARTISTS AT THE 2010 JUNO GALA DINNER & AWARDS

ST. JOHN'S, April 17 /CNW/ - It was a night of high fashion, high notes, and high praises at the 2010 JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) honoured 32 new JUNO Award winners during its gala event held this evening at the St. John's Convention Centre where more than 1,000 music industry guests and JUNO Award nominees gathered to celebrate the best of Canadian music.

The night shined with musical performances by 2010 JUNO Award nominees Alex Cuba, Carly Rae Jepsen and newly minted JUNO Award winners Amelia Curran who won for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year: Solo, and Arkells, who not only kicked off the show with a spectacular performance, but also took home the JUNO Award for New Group of the Year (sponsored by FACTOR and Canada's Private Radio Broadcasters).

Following a hugely successful year with the international hit song "Wavin' Flag," K'NAAN garnered the JUNO Award for Artist of the Year; while Michael Bublé, who has six nominations, received a win for Pop Album of the Year for the chart-topping triumph, CRAZY LOVE.

Multiplatinum-selling rockers Billy Talent collected their sixth JUNO Award to-date winning for Rock Album of the Year; and jacksoul came out on top again with the group's third JUNO Award win in the category of R&B/Soul Recording of the Year. Accepting on behalf of the late Haydain Neale was his wife Michaela Neale and bandmate Ron Lopata who were greeted on the stage by a thunderous applause from the audience.

Artists who walked away with their first JUNO Award statuette this year include celebrated singer-songwriter Johnny Reid (Country Album of the Year); multitalented East Coast artist Joel Plaskett (Adult Alternative Album of the Year, sponsored by Galaxie, Your Musical Universe); acclaimed new wave band Metric (Alternative Album of the Year); and renowned chanteuse Ranee Lee who won for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year.

Among the night's highlights at the JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards was a special presentation of the 2010 Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award by Blue Rodeo's charismatic Jim Cuddy to music industry veteran and former Universal Music Canada President and Chairman, Ross Reynolds.

For the complete list of 2010 JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards winners, go to www.junoawards.ca.

The JUNO Gala is the prelude to CTV's nationally televised broadcast of THE 2010 JUNO AWARDS at Mile One Centre, where seven remaining JUNO Awards category winners will be announced.

JUNO Week takes place April 12-18, 2010, in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, culminating in the live broadcast of THE 2010 JUNO AWARDS, Sunday, April 18 on CTV.

Sponsors of the 2010 JUNO Awards include FACTOR, Canada's Private Radio Broadcasters and the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage's "Canada Music Fund," with commitments from The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the City of St. John's and Radio Starmaker Fund.

Sponsors of THE 2010 JUNO AWARDS broadcast on CTV include Chevrolet, Garnier, Pepsi and Rogers.

    
    Web Links:
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    Official JUNO Awards website: www.junoawards.ca
    CTV's JUNO Awards website: www.junos.ctv.ca
    St. John's Host Committee: www.ruckusontheedge.com
    CARAS website: www.carasonline.ca
    CTV website: www.ctv.ca
    

For further information: Media Contacts: For more information on the 2010 JUNO Awards, contact: Chris McDowall, Holmes Creative Communications, [phone], [email protected]; Tiffany Astle, Holmes Creative Communications, [phone], [email protected]; www.holmescreativecommunications.com