Nickelback, Chantal Kreviazuk, Raine Maida, Nelly Furtado and Walter Ostanek were among those honoured last night at the 18th annual SOCAN Awards in Toronto.
The awards, held by the Society of Composers Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) seeks to recognize the best songwriters, composers, lyricists and music publishers in Canada.
The lifetime achievement award was given to multiple-Grammy Award-winner Walter Ostanek. The much-heralded Polka King can add this latest honour to his star on Canada's Walk of Fame and his Order of Canada. Meanwhile, rockabilly legend Ronnie Hawkins received the special achievement award for his contributions to Canada's music industry. The international achievement award, for bringing world recognition to Canada through music, went to Alberta hard-rockers Nickelback. And the national achievement award went to the late folk singer Stan Rogers.
Numerous awards were also handed out to songwriters whose work achieved the greatest number of performances on domestic radio during 2006.
Winners in the pop music category included Chantal Kreviazuk and husband Raine Maida for the song Walk Away, which was recorded by Kelly Clarkson; Jesse Dryfhout and Christopher Moerman won for the tune Flawed Design, performed by Vancouver band Stabilo; and Tomi Swick, this year's winner of the Juno for best new artist, won for his song A Night Like This.
Country songs honoured included Carrie Underwood's Jesus, Take the Wheel, The Road Hammers' track Nashville Bound and Aaron Pritchett's Big Wheel. Quebec electronic act Champion scored the dance music award for club favourite No Heaven. Savin' Me, by Nickelback, was honoured with the rock music award and Nelly Furtado's mega-single Promiscuous snagged the urban music award.
Winners of the SOCAN classic award, which honours songs that cross the 100,000 airplay mark on domestic radio, included Try Walkin' Away by Murray McLauchlan, Loreena McKennitt's Mummer's Dance, four Bryan Adams songs (including Cuts Like A Knife), three Loverboy songs (including Working for the Weekend), two Sky songs (including Some Kinda Wonderful) and two Amanda Marshall songs (including Dark Horse).
A full list of winners can be found on the SOCAN Web site,www.socan.ca.