Northern B.C. and the city of P.G. are in the Juno mix for the 2017 glitzy night of music appreciation.
The Juno is the national pinnacle of the music industry. Each year it is the highlight of a week of music engorgement, culminating in the nationally broadcast glamour-fest where some of the world's greatest performers are honoured for their Canadian efforts.
This year the Juno host city is Ottawa and a trio of nominations have local implications.
Leading the way is former Prince George resident Dave Rosin who, as a member of the rock band Hedley, has added another in his long list of past Juno nods. Hedley has taken home two of the coveted trophies in the past, and amassed 29 other nominations, many of them in the biggest and hottest contested categories.
This year Rosin and Hedley are in the running for one of the loftiest categories of all: the Juno Fan Choice Award.
There are 10 in this category, including some household names around the world.
This year's challengers include Justin Bieber, Drake, Shawn Mendes, Alessia Cara, Belly, Ruth B, The Weeknd, Tory Lanez and The Strumbellas.
Another former resident born and raised in Prince George has a nomination this year.
Jonathan Crow is now the concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The TSO, working in collaboration with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and Sir Andrew Davis on a performance recording of Handel's Messiah, earned a 2017 nomination for Classical Album of the Year: Vocal or Choral Performance.
While he is not from Prince George, Aaron Pritchett is no stranger to this city, being a Highway 16 West boy. He was born in Terrace, grew up in Kitimat, and has a lot of P.G. performance notches on his country music belt.
His latest release The Score is up for County Album of the Year, the third time in his career his name has been shortlisted in that category.
"It is an incredible honour to once again be nominated for a Juno Award," said Pritchett. "This album is so incredibly meaningful to me, and I am really looking forward to celebrating all the incredible Canadian talent in Ottawa this year."
Pritchett is up against fellow British Columbians Chad Brownlee and Dallas Smith in his category, plus Gord Bamford and Jess Moskaluke.
This year's overall nominees' list has major attention on big-time pop acts like Drake, A Tribe Called Red, Shawn Mendes, Alessia Cara and The Weeknd, plus some veteran spotlight on the likes of The Tragically Hip and their singer Gord Downie, and the late legend Leonard Cohen.
The Canadian Music Hall of Fame will induct Sarah McLachlan for her years of international superstardom, the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award will be presented to multitalented and outspoken Buffy Sainte-Marie, and heavy-hitting industry executive Randy Lennox (one of the door-openers for Hedley's career) will receive the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award.
If any other Prince George talent is a part of the many ensembles involved in the 2017 Juno Awards, please contact The Citizen via email ([email protected]).
The Juno Awards grand showcase happens April 2.
