Juno Awards of 1981


The Juno Awards of 1981, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 5 February 1981 in Toronto at a ceremony hosted by multiple co-presenters at the O'Keefe Centre. The first co-hosts were Andrea Martin and John Candy of SCTV fame, then Frank Mills and Ginette Reno, and finally Ronnie Hawkins and Carroll Baker.
Ceremonies were broadcast nationally on CBC Television from 7pm Eastern Time. More capacity was now available at the O'Keefe Centre and tickets were made available to the public at $15 each. The television show was seen by an estimated 1,880,000 viewers.
Juno awards organiser CARAS announced the major nominees 6 January 1981, with additional nominees in classical, jazz and album graphics announced 20 January 1981.
The Emeralds, previously nominated four times for the Country Group award, were not nominated this year. Controversy ensued when a committee declared to CARAS that the band was a polka band that should not be nominated in a country category. A reported attempt to file their nomination in a folk category was rejected due to a relative lack of sales. The Emeralds then looked to the courts to stop CARAS from issuing ballots that omitted their group. The group's legal challenge was unsuccessful, but the settlement required the Juno awards to mention the band and its previous nominations during the broadcast.
Performers during the broadcast included Frank Mills on piano with Ginette Reno singing "The Poet and I", Ronnie Hawkins and Carrol Baker singing "Hey, Bo Diddley", Graham Shaw singing his hit "Can I Come Near", and single songs each from Diane Tell, Shari Ulrich and the Powder Blues Band.
Although she received four awards, Anne Murray was once again absent from this year's show. Joni Mitchell's entry into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame was introduced by then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. During her acceptance speech, Mitchell quipped that she felt like hockey star Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion for receiving this honour.
The "Single of the Year" award was a tie between Anne Murray and Martha and the Muffins, and is the only time a tie for this award has occurred in the history of the Juno's.

Nominees and winners

Female Vocalist of the Year">Juno Award for Artist of the Year">Female Vocalist of the Year

Winner: Anne Murray
Other nominees:

Male Vocalist of the Year">Juno Award for Artist of the Year">Male Vocalist of the Year

Winner: Bruce Cockburn
Other nominees:

Most Promising Female Vocalist of the Year">Juno Award for New Artist of the Year">Most Promising Female Vocalist of the Year

Winner: Carole Pope
Other nominees:

Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year">Juno Award for New Artist of the Year">Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year

Winner: Graham Shaw
Other nominees:

Group of the Year">Juno Award for Group of the Year">Group of the Year

Winner: Prism
Other nominees:

Most Promising Group of the Year">Juno Award for New Group of the Year">Most Promising Group of the Year

Winner: Powder Blues Band
Other nominees:

Composer of the Year">Juno Award for Songwriter of the Year">Composer of the Year

Winner: Eddie Schwartz, "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" by Pat Benatar
Other nominees:

Country Female Vocalist of the Year">Juno Award for Country Recording of the Year">Country Female Vocalist of the Year

Winner: Anne Murray
Other nominees:

Country Male Vocalist of the Year">Juno Award for Country Recording of the Year">Country Male Vocalist of the Year

Winner: Eddie Eastman
Other nominees:

Country Group or Duo of the Year">Juno Award for Country Recording of the Year">Country Group or Duo of the Year

Winner: The Good Brothers
Other nominees:

Folk Artist of the Year">Juno Award for Folk Artist of the Year">Folk Artist of the Year

Winner: Bruce Cockburn
Other nominees:

Instrumental Artist of the Year">Juno Award for Instrumental Album of the Year">Instrumental Artist of the Year

Winner: Frank Mills
Other nominees:

Producer of the Year">Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award">Producer of the Year

Winner: Gene Martynec, "Tokyo" by Bruce Cockburn and "High School Confidential" by Rough Trade
Other nominees:

Recording Engineer of the Year">Juno Award for Recording Engineer of the Year">Recording Engineer of the Year

Winner: Mike Jones, "Factory" and "We're OK", Instructions
Other nominees:

[Canadian [Music Hall of Fame]]

Winner: Joni Mitchell

Nominated and winning albums

Album of the Year">Juno Award for Album of the Year">Album of the Year

Winner: Greatest Hits, Anne Murray
Other nominees:Permanent Waves, RushUncut, Powder BluesWoman Love, Burton CummingsYoung and Restless, Prism

Best Album Graphics">Juno Award for CD/DVD Artwork Design of the Year">Best Album Graphics

Winner: Jeanette Hanna, We Deliver by Downchild Blues Band
Other nominees:

Best Children's Album">Juno Award for Children's Album of the Year">Best Children's Album

Winner: Singing 'n' Swinging, Sharon, Lois & Bram
Other nominees:

Best Classical Album of the Year">Juno Award for Classical Album of the Year – Solo or Chamber Ensemble">Best Classical Album of the Year

Winner: Stravinsky – Chopin Ballads, Arthur Ozolins
Other nominees:Bach Toccatas, Vol 2, Glenn GouldThe Village Band, Canadian BrassOrford String Quartet, Orford String QuartetFrançois Dompierre, François Dompierre

International Album of the Year">Juno Award for International Album of the Year">International Album of the Year

Winner: The Wall, Pink Floyd
Other nominees:Against the Wind, Bob SegerGlass Houses, Billy JoelGreatest Hits, Kenny RogersThe Game, Queen

Best Jazz Album">Juno Award for Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year">Best Jazz Album

Winner: Present Perfect, Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass
Other nominees:The Book of the Heart, Glen HallCircles, Don ThompsonEntre Amis, Bob StroupLive in Jazz City, Bob StroupTommy Ambrose at Last, Tommy Ambrose with the Doug Riley Band

Nominated and winning releases

Single of the Year">Juno Award for Single of the Year">Single of the Year

Winner :
Other nominees:

International Single of the Year">Juno Award for Best Selling Single">International Single of the Year

Winner: "Another Brick in the Wall ", Pink Floyd
Other nominees: