The Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award is an annual Canadian award, presented to the year's best song by an emerging singer-songwriter from Ontario in the genres of roots, traditional, folk and country music."Performers band together in name of Colleen Peterson". Toronto Star, October 3, 2002. The award, created in memory of Canadian country singer Colleen Peterson, is sponsored by the Ontario Arts Council and the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals (OCFF), and is presented to a songwriter selected from 15 nominations put forward by the OCFF's Songs from the Heart songwriting competition,"Folk festival accepting entries for awards". Waterloo Chronicle, May 7, 2008. excluding overall winners of the Galaxie Rising Stars Awards. The award was initially funded in part by royalties from the sale of Postcards from California, a posthumous album collecting some of Peterson's unreleased demo recordings."Music of Canadian country legend found and released years after her death". Lindsay This Week, October 5, 2004.
The award was presented for the first time in 2003.
Winners
2003 – Evalyn Parry, "The Stone and the Bumblebee""First Peterson songwriting award to evalyn parry". Peterborough Examiner, October 10, 2003. 2004 – David Gillis, "A Mouse's Crumb""Peterson Award goes to Vineland musician". Peterborough Examiner, October 21, 2004. 2005 – Lori Cullen and Brian MacMillan, "Away So Long" 2006 – Andy Sheppard, "Until Next Time""Night of the guitar returns". Cowichan News Leader, February 13, 2008. 2007 – Brooke Miller, "Two Soldiers""Roots welcomes Wilson to the stage". Vernon Morning Star, September 26, 2008. 2008 – Chris MacLean, "Feet Be Still" 2009 – Kyrie Kristmanson, "Song X""Ottawa singer wins songwriting award". Ottawa Citizen, October 17, 2009. 2010 – Lynne Hanson, "Rest of My Days""Folk artist Lynne Hanson performs at Old Church on Saturday". Quinte EMC, January 19, 2017. 2011 – Alise Marlane, "L'aurore boréale" 2012 – Ariana Gillis, "Dream Street""'Music is it for me'". Niagara This Week, October 14, 2012. 2013 – Leila Goldberger, "Sisters""Local singer Leila Goldberger wins Colleen Peterson Songwriting award" . Metro, October 21, 2013. 2014 – Ken Yates, "The One That Got Away""Toronto's Ken Yates Receives 2014 Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award". Ontario Arts Council, October 15, 2014. 2015 – Graydon James, "Couldn't Be Any Worse""Toronto roots-rock band shakes it up on new album". Times & Transcript, May 2, 2015. 2016 – Abigail Lapell, "Jordan""Abigail Lapell and the power of melody". Waterloo Region Record, January 13, 2017. 2017 – Noosa Al-Sarraj, "Pincushion Soldier""Music News Digest, Oct. 20, 2017". FYI Music News, October 20, 2017. 2018 – Lora Bidner, "3,000 Volts" 2019 - Suzanne Jarvie, "All in Place" 2020 - Danielle Knibbe, "Footnote" 2021 - Julie Title, "Ghost" 2022 - Camie, "Winter" 2023 - Just Prince, "Kamli" 2024 - Leah Holtom, "Face of the Day"
Ariana Gillis, the winner of the award in 2012, is the daughter of 2004 winner David Gillis.
References
External links Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award