The $1,000 SOCAN-sponsored Songwriter of the Year Award was presented to Patrick Watson by singer-songwriter Émilie Proulx on Oct. 4 as part of the 2009 GAMIQ (Gala de l’Alternative Musicale Indépendante du Québec) Awards, which celebrate the best of Quebec’s indie music scene. Watson also received the Artisti-sponsored Artist of the Year Award, the MIMI-sponsored International Career of the Year Award as well as the Show of the Year and Indie-Pop Album of the Year for Wooden Arms. Other honoured SOCAN members included Cœur de Pirate and the groups Malajube, Band de garage and Vulgaires Machins. The 2009 GAMIQ Tribute Award was presented to the veteran author, consultant, French B project member and SOPREF founder Jean-Robert Bisaillon.

The 2009 winners were decided half by a jury of Quebec French- and English-speaking music industry professionals – including newspaper, radio, TV and web journalists, concert and festival programmers, record store managers and music organization representatives – and half by an audience online vote that took place between Aug. 19 and Sept. 19 on www.gamiq2009.com.

The 2009 GAMIQ Awards were presented at Montreal’s Club Soda. Guest performers included Movèzerbe, Dom Lebo, Keith Kouna, Yesterday’s Ring, Random Recipe, Mad’MoiZèle GIRAF, Hollerado, EXTERIO, Bernard Adamus – winner of SOCAN’s 2009 ECHO Songwriting Prize – and La patère rose.