Juno Awards of 1996


The Juno Awards of 1996, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 10 March 1996 in Hamilton, Ontario at a ceremony in the Copps Coliseum. Anne Murray was the host for the ceremonies, which were broadcast on CBC Television.
Quebec-based independent classical label Analekta Records boycotted the Junos after failing to receive a Juno nomination after attempts for five years. Analekta claimed its sales were twice that of CBC Records.
Several record stores such as CD Plus, HMV, Sunrise and Music World also intended to boycott the Junos because competing music retailer Columbia House had signed on as a Juno advertiser.
Nominations were announced 31 January 1996. Prominent nominees were Alanis Morissette and Shania Twain who had recent internationally successful albums who both won Grammy Awards on 28 February 1996. Alanis Morissette won in five Juno categories, becoming this year's major winner.

Nominees and winners

Levi's Entertainer of the Year

Presented by David Clayton-Thomas, Denny Doherty, John Kay, Domenic Troiano and Zal Yanovsky, this award was chosen by a national poll rather than by Juno organisers CARAS.
Winner: Shania Twain
Other Nominees:

Best Female Vocalist

Presented by Russell DeCarle and Buffy Sainte-Marie.
Winner: Alanis Morissette
Other Nominees:

Best Male Vocalist

Presented by Susan Aglukark and Kim Mitchell.
Winner: Colin James
Other Nominees:

Best New Solo Artist

Winner: Ashley MacIsaac
Other Nominees:

Group of the Year

This award was presented by Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees The Diamonds and The Crew Cuts
Winner: Blue Rodeo
Other Nominees:

Best New Group

Winner: Philosopher Kings
Other Nominees:

Songwriter of the Year

Winner: Alanis Morissette
Other Nominees:

Best Country Female Vocalist

Presented by George Fox and Charlie Major, this award was accepted on Twain's behalf by her sister Carrie-Anne because she was too sick to attend.
Winner: Shania Twain
Other Nominees:

Best Country Male Vocalist

Winner: Charlie Major
Other Nominees:

Best Country Group or Duo

Winner: Prairie Oyster
Other Nominees:

Best Instrumental Artist

Winner: Liona Boyd
Other Nominees:

Best Producer

Winner: Michael Phillip Wojewoda, "End of the World" by The Waltons; "Beaton's Delight" by Ashley MacIsaac
Other Nominees:

Best Recording Engineer

Winner: Chad Irschick, "O Siem" by Susan Aglukark
Other Nominees:

Canadian Music Hall of Fame

Winners: David Clayton-Thomas, Denny Doherty, John Kay, Domenic Troiano, Zal Yanovsky

Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award

Winner: Ronnie Hawkins

Nominated and winning albums

Best Album

Presented by Deborah Cox and Robbie Robertson.
Winner: Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette
Other Nominees:D'eux, Celine DionRagged Ass Road, Tom CochraneThe Woman in Me, Shania TwainThis Child, Susan Aglukark

Best Children's Album

Winner: Celery Stalks At Midnight, Al Simmons
Other Nominees:Hallelujah Handel!, Susan Hammond, Classical KidsThe Keeper, Will MillarPhilharmonic Fool, Rick ScottRaffi Radio, Raffi

Best Classical Album (Solo or Chamber Ensemble)

Winner: Alkan: Grande Sonate/Sonatine/ Le Festin d'Esope, piano Marc-Andre Hamelin
Other Nominees:Bach: Violin Concertos, Jeanne Lamon, TafelmusikDebussy: Preludes, Livres 1 and 2, piano Francine KayQuartet for the End of Time, Amici Ensemble with violin Shmuel AskenasiSuite hébraïque, violin Jacques Israelievitch, piano John Greer

Best Classical Album (Large Ensemble)

Winner: Shostakovich: Symphonies 5 & 9, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, conductor Charles Dutoit
Other Nominees:Debussy: Children's Corner, Montreal Symphony OrchestraMendelssohn: Symphonies 1 and 5, Hebrides Overture, Calgary Philharmonic OrchestraPurcell: Ayres for the Theatre, TafelmusikTchaikovsky and Sibelius: Violin Concertos, Leila Josefowicz, The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields

Best Classical Album (Vocal or Choral Performance)

Winner: Ben Heppner Sings Richard Strauss, tenor Ben Heppner, The Toronto Symphony Orchestra, conductor Andrew Davis
Other Nominees:Great Tenor Arias, Ben Heppner, Munich Radio OrchestraHealey Willan: An Apostrophe to the Heavenly Hosts, Vancouver Chamber ChoirJ.S. Bach: Secular Cantatas, Vol. 1, Dorothea Röschmann, Hugues Saint-Gelais, Kevin McMillan, Les Violons du RoyRavel: L'enfant et les sortileges, Sheherazade, Montreal Symphony Orchestra and Choir

Best Album Design

Winner: Tom Wilson and Alex Wittholz, Birthday Boy
Other Nominees:

Best Selling Album (Foreign or Domestic)

Winner: No Need to Argue, The Cranberries
Other Nominees:D'eux, Celine DionDangerous MindsHell Freezes Over, EaglesThe Woman in Me, Shania Twain

Best Blues/Gospel Album

Winner: That River, Jim Byrnes
Other Nominees:Big City Blues, Sue FoleyRites of Passage, Georgette FryUrban Blues re: Newell, King Biscuit BoyWhen the Sun Goes Down, The Sidemen

Best Mainstream Jazz Album

Winner: Vernal Fields, Ingrid Jensen
Other Nominees:A Timeless Place, Jeri BrownBasso Continuo, Normand Guilbeault EnsembleFrom Lush to Lively, Oliver JonesPeace Song, D.D. Jackson

Best Contemporary Jazz Album

Winner: NOJO, Neufeld-Occhipinti Jazz Orchestra
Other Nominees:Frontier Tunes, The Merlin FactorLucky to be Me, Carol WelsmanRendez-vous Brazil Cuba, Jane BunnettTouch, Rich Shadrach Lazar and Montuno Police

Best Selling Francophone Album

Winner: D'eux, Celine Dion
Other Nominees:Beau dommage, Beau DommageBohemienne, MarjoCarpe diem, Lara FabianC'est la vie, Mario Pelchat

Rock Album of the Year

Presented by Burton Cummings and Alannah Myles.
Winner: Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette
Other Nominees:The Edges of Twilight, The Tea PartyGood Weird Feeling, OddsMirror Ball, Neil YoungTeeth and Tissue, Headstones

Best Roots or Traditional Album - Group

Winner: Gypsies & Lovers, The Irish Descendants
Other Nominees:Inside the Dreaming, The Wyrd SistersLate As Usual, The PaperboysNight Visions, OrealisUp, Great Big Sea

Best Roots or Traditional Album - Solo

Winner: Ashley MacIsaac, Hi™ How Are You Today?
Other Nominees:

Best Alternative Album

Winner: What Fresh Hell is This?, Art Bergmann
Other Nominees:Fluke, RustyKombinator, The InbredsMock Up, Scale Down, The Super FriendzSomebody Spoke, Hardship Post

Nominated and winning releases

Single of the Year

Winner: "You Oughta Know", Alanis Morissette
Other Nominees:

Best Classical Composition

Winner: Concerto For Violin And Orchestra, Andrew P. MacDonald, David Stewart, Manitoba Chamber Orchestra
Other Nominees:

Best Music of Aboriginal Canada Recording

Winner: ETSI Shon "Grandfather Song", Jerry Alfred and the Medicine Beat
Other Nominees:Dancing Around the World, Red BullMessage, WapistanSacred Ground, Jess LeeThis Child, Susan Aglukark

Best Rap Recording

Winner: "E-Z On Tha Motion", Ghetto Concept
Other Nominees:

Best R&B/Soul Recording

Presented by Ronnie Hawkins and Colin James.
Winner: Deborah Cox, Deborah Cox
Other Nominees:Absolute, jacksoulFeel the Good Times, Charlene SmithMemories of the SoulShack Survivors, Bass is BasePhilosopher Kings, Philosopher Kings

Best Reggae Recording

Winner: "Now and Forever", Sattalites
Other Nominees:
  • "Real Personal", Tanya Mullings
  • "Si Wi Dem Nuh Know We", Snow
  • "Something Real", Lazo
  • "Waking Up the Dream", Errol Blackwood

Best Global Album

Winner: Music From Africa, Takadja
Other Nominees:Alegria, Cirque du SoleilJmpn For Joy, Punjabi by NatureVamo a Pambicha, Papo Ross and Orquesta PambicheWhen Ahab Met Moishe, The Angstones

Best Dance Recording

Winner: "A Deeper Shade Of Love ", Camille
Other Nominees:

Best Video

Presented by Amanda Marshall and The Odds.
Winner: Jeth Weinrich, "Good Mother" by Jann Arden
Other Nominees: