Junos co-chair tees up March music awards show

With just over a month to go until the 2020 Junos are set to hit Saskatoon, a co-chair of the Canadian music awards show is giving a preview of what fans and artists can expect.

Scott Ford said it’s the place to be for people looking to network.

“Canada’s music industry will be converging into Saskatoon, basically from March 9th through to the 15th,” he said while speaking on the Greg Morgan Morning Show.

“All the artists are here. Their agents and managers are here. The publicists are here. You get the record labels come into Saskatoon and all the promoters.”

The awards night is slated for March 15, with Alessia Cara to host the evening.

Ford also touted the many events that are to lead up to the awards show, starting on March 12.

“Our kickoff concert, The Sheepdogs, are performing that night. The Juno Cup is at our new Merlis Belsher Arena where the (University of Saskatchewan) Huskies play. That’s when basically the NHL alumni players play the artists in a fun hockey game. All the money from the hockey game goes to (Canadian music charity) MusiCounts.”

Festivities will also include artist meet-and-greets, a collaborative songwriters’ circle involving multiple artists, and JunoFest — a schedule of Canadian artists performing shows throughout the city on March 13 and 14.

Ford also said he expects economic spinoffs from the awards to benefit the city’s hotels and restaurants.

There are five nominees from Saskatchewan who could win a Juno Award.

Shaunvon’s Hunter Brothers are nominated for breakthrough group of the year and country album of the year; The Dead South are nominated for traditional roots album of the year; Regina’s Foxwarren is up for alternative album of the year; and Terry Fidelak is nominated as part of a group for album artwork of the year, along with Cary Shaw.