Big winner Plaskett takes SOCAN songwriter honours at NSMW Awards 2007

Joel Plaskett won six NSMW 2007 Awards, including SOCAN’s songwriter of the year honours. (Photo: Courtesy Pam Samson)

Halifax rock singer-songwriter Joel Plaskett swept all of the award categories in which he was nominated – including the SOCAN-sponsored songwriter of the year – at the 2007 Nova Scotia Music Week (NSMW) Awards, held Nov. 11 at the Astor Theatre in Liverpool, N.S.

Plaskett‘s wins included awards for entertainer and album of the year, for Ashtray Rock, which also picked up pop/rock artist/recording and group recording of the year. His song “Fashionable People” took home the trophy for video of the year.

It was a good night for singer-songwriters, with Jill Barber earning the female artist/recording of the year award for her third album, For All Time. David Myles won for male artist/ recording of the year for his album Things Have Changed, and Rose Cousins won the Galaxie Rising Star Award for her debut recording If You Were For Me. Both Myles and Cousins tied in the folk/roots artist/recording category.

The Sunday night ceremony capped three days of performances and workshops in Liverpool, presented by Music Nova Scotia. As part of the festivities, SOCAN sponsored the opening reception on Friday, Nov. 9, at the Hank Snow Country Music Centre / NS Country Music Hall of Fame.