Renowned Musician Jim Payne to Receive MusicNL’s Honorary Denis Parker Industry Builder of the Year Award.
For Immediate Release
News Release
November 29, 2021
For information contact:
Sarah Newell
(709) 754- 2574 Ext. 3
sarah@musicnl.ca
Each year MusicNL’s Board of Directors present a number of honorary awards that acknowledge special achievement in the province’s music industry. This year the “Denis Parker Industry Builder Award” goes to: Jim Payne, singer, songwriter, producer, and industry professional from Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland.
Jim Payne
Nationally and internationally known folk artist Jim Payne is also the owner and president of Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest traditional music label, Singsong Inc., and a major producer of live programming promoting the music and culture of our province.
In 1989, Jim decided to establish a label dedicated to traditional and contemporary music, song, story, and dance that reflect Newfoundland and Labrador. Little could he imagine that it would grow from a handful of cassette recordings to its current catalogue of 50 titles from more than 25 individual artists, plus cd-roms, singles, and downloads, with sales across North America, the UK, Europe, and Australia. Singsong features artists from Northern Labrador to downtown St. John’s, with music spanning tradition bearers Minnie White and Rufus Guinchard to contemporary trad artists such as Rum Ragged and The Freels.
A producer of cultural programming for conferences, conventions, festivals, and celebrations, as well as educational and historical programming, Singsong collaborates with a wide range of organizations and institutions including Memorial University’s Ethnomusicology Division, the NL Federation of Labour, The Rooms, The Museum of Civilization, Wren Music, and the Newfoundland-Devonshire Foundation based in the UK.
Active as he is behind the scenes, Jim continues to have a busy performance, teaching and songwriting career. He is a recipient of NLArts Awards for Arts Education and Outstanding Cultural Achievement; the NL Cultural Tourism Award; the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal; the ECMA Stompin’ Tom Connors Award; and, most recently, the NL Folk Arts Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
“I was surprised to hear it, delighted of course, and appreciative that the Music NL board would even consider me for it. It’s always gratifying to be recognized for what you do, in any line of work, and a great motivation to keep on doing it,” Payne said.
The Denis Parker Industry Builder Award will be presented on Tuesday, November 30 at 5PM at the Industry Awards Reception taking place at the Emera Innovation Exchange.
Check out all Music Celebration Week awards, workshops and events during November 30 to December 5 on our Websiteand Facebook Page.
Full details can be found on MusicNL’s website: musicnl.ca
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