Tomi and Tim hit the right note Pop-rock newcomer Tomi Swick and veteran singer-songwriter Tim Gibbons came away the big winners last night at the Hamilton Music Awards, winning three categories each. Swick, a 26-year-old newcomer to the national music scene, won male artist of the year, best male vocalist and took home The Hamilton Spectator best new artist of the year award. "I haven't seen the heart we have here anywhere else in this country so it's an honour to get this award," an emotional Swick said after receiving male artist of the year. In all, 27 awards were handed out. Tim Gibbons, a fixture on the music scene since the late 1970s won for best songwriter, roots record and special instrumentalist. Gibbons, known best for his work with local rock bands such as The Shakers and The Trouble Boys, has reinvented himself as a blues banjo picker with his CD, Whore's Lament. The awards show was co-hosted by Hamilton's Tom Wilson, whose roots-rock band Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, took home Album of the Year honours for Let's Frolic. Mark Severn, a longtime Hamilton-based musician who died in a car accident earlier this year, was named best guitarist. Pioneering rocker Ronnie Hawkins and the late blues singer Richard Newell (a.k.a. King Biscuit Boy) were each honoured with lifetime achievement awards. Harold Kudlats was honoured with a special business award for his many decades managing bands and promoting concerts. His nephew, Eugene Levy, presented the award. The Hamilton Spectator won an HMA industry award as top print publication and its music website, Jamilton.ca, won for best online publication. Spectator music editor Graham Rockingham also won as media person of the year. The two-hour awards show will be broadcast on CHTV Saturday, Nov. 25, at 7 p.m. |