Kenny Byrka
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | INDIE | AFM
Music
Press
Not quite the Junos but there was certainly a buzz of excitement in the air as the 2008 B.C. Interior Music Awards were handed out Tuesday night at the Kelowna Community Theatre.
Hosted again by Liz McKinney, it turned out to be the Sleddogs’ night as they made the walk to the stage four times to receive awards.
While awards were being handed out, backstage workers were able to set up behind the curtain for the next band with such excellent timing that there was never a gap, and the video presentation prepared by Christoph Mayer offered an excellent visual and audio clip of each of the nominees.
The stage was dressed with hanging gas flames and illuminated podiums and the live performances ran like clockwork, showcasing some of the great talents nominated, including Cold Driven, who opened the show with music that got some fans up on their feet, swinging their hair wildly around to the beat.
Winners of the awards were Single of the Year—Lack Of Control, Sleddogs; Songwriter of the Year—Kenny Byrka, Sleddogs; Instrumental Group/Artist of the Year—Shawn Stephenson; Hip Hop Group/Artist of the Year—7th Generation; Blues Artist/Group of the Year—Sherman Doucette; Bluegrass Artist/Group of the Year—Blu Hopkins & Silvercreek; Folk Artist/Group of the Year—Ryan Donn; Peoples’ Choice—Paul Filek; Male Performer of the Year—Ari Neufeld; Female Performer of the Year—Melissa Meretsky; Country Group/Artist of the Year—The Cruzeros; Rock or Pop Group/Artist of the Year—Sleddogs; New Group/Artist of the Year—Andrew Allen; Jazz Artist/Group of the Year—Olga Osipova; Engineer of the Year—Steve Todd/Mike Ohman; Producer of the Year—Daryl O’Neill; CD/DVD Design of the Year—Scott Gamble for Velvet and Lace; Metal Artist/Group of the Year—The Murderous; Roots Group/Artist of the Year—The Cruzeros; Gospel Artist/Group of the Year—Greg Sczebel; Album of the Year—a two way tie between Wassabi Collective’s Stories Not Forgotten and Redfish’s De Profundis; Best Venue Supporting Live Music—the Habitat; Group Of The Year—Sleddogs.
There was also a Special Achievement award handed out to Daniel Powter for the huge success he’s had with his hit single Had A Bad Day, which reached the number one spot on charts all over the world.
Special mention has to go out to Shelly Vida and Mark Greenhalgh for pulling together to produce this event.
- Glenna Turnbull
Discography
Pretty Holiday (2009)
Title track 'Pretty Holiday' currently serviced to Canadian Radio
Photos
Bio
After 2 full albums and four years of touring throughout Canada, USA, UK and New Zealand, Sleddogs front man Kenny Byrka has assembled his debut solo project titled Pretty Holiday. Fostered by a desire to bring many of his more personal songs to life and express them on recorded format, ex Odds singer/songwriter and Vancouver based producer Steven Drake was summoned to spearhead Kennys solo effort. This album is more of a reflection of the other side of Kennys musical mind frame and writing style. There are a few road stories and many characterizations that have arisen out of the last four years of touring, the overall mood of the album is further from the classic Rock sounds and the introspective lyrical style of Sleddogs material. There is a definite folk/rock rooted thread coming through on the new record reflecting Kennys musical background where he grew up on the Canadian Prairies just outside of Winnipeg MB. He unconsciously studied his mom and dads record collection the likes of Burton Cummings, CCR, Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young, Simon and Garfunkel, Jim Croce and Neil Diamond. As a child I would drift off each night with the vinyl waves echoing from the living room below where the 70s tank-like Electrahome was parkedI suppose a part of those vocal timbres and chord changes stuck somewhere in the back of my pillow.
There is also a reoccurring feel to the majority of the songs that makes you want to move, groove and shake something whether you are in your teens or on retirement time. The songs are all written from the piano or acoustic guitars retaining that idea through the recording process, which also includes the exceptional drumming grooves of The Tragically Hips Johnny Fay. The ten track album is being recorded in the Warehouse Studios in Vancouver and mixed by Richard Chyckie.( Rush, Pink, Simple Plan)
With a scheduled album release for early 2009, Kenny will be performing throughout clubs and campuses in BC to Atlantic Canada. The first single will be serviced to Canadian radio when the summer ends!
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