Canadian Musician contributor Samantha Dotson had her camera out on May 6th, 2016 for iHeartRadio Fest. A highlight of Canadian Music Week 2016, the event featured a stacked lineup with the likes of Jocelyn Alice, Scott Helman, Coleman Hell, Shawn Hook, X Ambassadors, and Tegan & Sara.

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Canadian Musician‘s annual Guitar Feature is out now in the May/June 2016 issue. Regular contributor Levon Ichkhanian wrote the story, and it is dedicated to the memory of his uncle, Maestro Joseph Ichkhanian, who passed away on March 29, 2016.

A Lebanese citizen and of Armenian descent, he began playing the guitar in 1949 with Professor Vruyr Mazmanian and was subsequently offered a scholarship by the Spanish government. He continued his artistic education and music from 1959 to 1962 at the Royal Academy of Music of Madrid.

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Canadian Musician‘s next webinar will see Brooke Morgan of revered boutique imprint Paper Bag Records and Tyler Tasson of the fast-growing powerhouse ole Label Services join Canadian Musician Editor Andrew King with advice on attracting label attention, what they’re looking for from you, sealing the deal, and more. The live, one-hour Sign The Dotted Line – How To Land A Record Deal webinar will be held Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at 7 p.m. ET.

The days of a label A&R rep in a fancy suit showing up to your gig with a suitcase full of money and promises of stardom are long gone. In today’s industry, labels are taking far fewer risks and looking for partners to create mutually beneficial business relationships.

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You can now enter Canadian Musician’s CMAO Sweepstakes! The 2016 Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAO) Conference takes place May 28-29 in Markham, ON.

Enter to win two 2-day passes to the CMAO Conference by going HERE.

Simply enter your info for a chance to win the 2-Day Passes for the CMAO Conference on May 28 and 29.

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Air Miles and Live Nation have teamed up to create the Big Break Detour Contest, which is open to all Canadian musicians. Contest organizers are looking for Canadian musicians of any genres or age post a video of themselves performing an original song set in an unusual location (garden, laundromat, subway wherever). The deadline for submitting videos is May 25, 2016.

The grand prize, valued at $3,700, includes:

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Canada’s Music Incubator (CMI) is now accepting applications for the Artist Entrepreneur Program (CMIAE), which starts on Aug. 9th, 2016.  The program runs full-time (Tues.-Fri) at Coalition Music for 10 weeks.  This program is specifically designed to help emerging artists and bands from all genres build their businesses, careers, and brands.

In addition to working hands-on with Canada’s Music Incubator’s and Coalition Music’s teams of social media, marketing, management, promotion, publicity, funding, touring, producing, engineering, and songwriting experts, artists will get a chance to meet active industry professionals in music law, accounting, publishing, concert booking, music supervision, radio, performing rights organizations, funding bodies, and record labels.  Artist will also have ongoing access to the resources and expertise of Canada’s Music Incubator and Coalition Music post-program.

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Canadian Musician has an extremely busy schedule lined up for the Canadian Music Week Conference over the next three days, from Thursday to Saturday.

Stop by and say ‘Hello!’

We’ll be at the Sheraton Centre in downtown Toronto on May 5-7, 2016 celebrating Canadian Music Week, come by and visit Canadian Musician and Music Books Plus at Booth 211 during the CMW Trade Show. We’ll have complimentary magazines and discounts on books and software on-hand.

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Wayne Neon

The winner of Canadian Musician’s 2016 CMW Sweepstakes have been chosen.

Wayne Neon has won two delegate passes and two seven-day festival passes for Canadian Music Week 2016, while Seán Savage has also won two seven-day CMW festival passes.

Wayne Neon is a member of the Amazing Tubular Orchestra and describes himself as the “illegitimate love child of Bob Dylan and Duke Ellington.”  He is a Toronto-based arranger and bandleader. His music blends folk, jazz, blues, rock, skiffle, country, mariachi, English Beat, Motown, Dixieland, Honky Tonk, shuffle, pop, beach party, and lounge music, which, he says, “gives new meaning to the word eclectic.”

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From the CBC:

After three weeks of watching, sharing, and voting, the results are in and the CBC has announced the regional top 10s in the Searchlight competition.

There are 23 regions listed below, each with the 10 finalists who will move on. In total, there are 230  finalist acts. Nine of the top 10 finalists were chosen by CBC Music judges, and one was chosen by popular vote, as indicated below.

To watch all the top tens, click here and search by either name or region. You can also read them in full below.

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There is only one week left to register for Expo-Scène 2016,which is returning to the Palais des congrès de Montréal from May 2-3, 2016, a month later than last year’s event.

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