St. John's NFLD. and Labrador event best-ever
CTV co-host Kim Stockwood declares!
By Patrick Healey
AtlanticSeabreeze.com Maritime correspondent
St. John's, Nfld. and Lab. - Nickelback got their nickel back and Diana Krall took home three awards at the Juno Awards Sunday Evening in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
The grunge rock band, who won Best Rock Band at an invitation-only combined dinner/awards Saturday on day one of the two-night awards extravaganza, walked away with Best Single and Best Group awards at the Sunday show before 7,000 fans at Mile One Stadium.
None of the East Coast artists nominated, other then the Ennis Sisters who picked up Best New Country group at the dinner/awards show April 13, were winners.
The Barenaked Ladies started the event off with an opening set at the first away host for the 31st Junos. Other performances came from Shaggy, Amanda Marshall who plays the Rebecca Cohn in Halifax April 15-16 before heading to Moncton and Charlottetown, Alanis Morrisette, Great Big Sea and I'm Like A Bird singer Nelly Furtado, and Krall to name a few..
Nickelbacks' If you Remind Me won the group Best single at the beginning of the show, much to the pleasure of the fans who were ecstatic and you almost knew that was the way it was going to be all night long. Since we've thanked everyone (last night) I have to reiterate none of this would have been possible without you the fans, the group's lead singer said on the TV broadcast, televised on CTV.
A stunned David Usher was unexpectedly not prepared to win the Best Pop Album, as he said he believe fellow nominee Leonard Cohen, snubbed at the Saturday awards in the songwriting category which Jann Arden won, was going to win..
The word is out that this year's awards is the best Juno Awards ever, CTV Red Carpet interviewer Kim Stockwood said before giving way to performer Diana Krall.
R&B soulman Glenn Lewis, who recently appeared on tour with Grammy-winning Alicia Keys, picked up the Juno for Best R&B Soul Recording for Don't You Forget It. He returns to the Keys tour in late May.
Other awards went to Nelly Furtado's concert openers Swollen Members (Best Rap Recording) and Default as Best New Group.
Then after a great performance by SUM 41, the Best Group award was handed out. Nickelback picked that award up, bringing their two-day total to three. The lead singer said on the show they were going to share the award with SUM 41.
Shaggy won the Best Selling Album, Foreign or Domestic over other International acts like Backstreet Boys and Destiny's Child for his hot release HotShot. This is for every reggae artist out there struggling, the singer said in his acceptance speech.
Then Krall stole the show taking the final two awards for The Look of Love CD, walking to the round stage to take Best Artist.
Just a few minutes later, Olympic Pair Gold Medallists Jamie Sale and David Pelletier called Krall's name for the Best Album Juno. The two skaters had the crowd standing in awe of them as they were announced as the next presenters.
I'm so honoured, Krall said.