Matt wins Children's Artist of the Year!

WOW! I won Children’s Artist of the Year! I attended the Nova Scotia Music Awards this weekend in Truro and had a fantastic time. I met many musicians and industry professionals, performed a showcase at the Colchester-East Hants Public Library, took in some great local music and attended the awards ceremony where I was presented with an award!

I am so grateful to have received this. All my life I have wanted to perform music professionally. For as far back as I can remember I was making up songs in my head. I never imagined that I would be doing children's music but after becoming a father, children's music seemed to make more sense than the other genres I was playing. It started with an album, then some school shows, then another album, more shows, some music videos, my first nomination (where I didn't win), an EP, more shows, and here I am today, Nova Scotia's Children's Artist of the Year.

This milestone feels like the end of a journey I have been working on for basically my whole life, while at the same time, feels like the beginning of a new one.

I want to send a very special THANK YOU to Music Nova Scotia. I greatly appreciate the fact that you keep the Children's Music category in your awards. It's a genre that has slipped away in some other organizations so I appreciate that you still see its value. In some ways it feels quite distant from the other genres, but I feel that it's an important one and I'm grateful to be a part of it.

THANK YOU to my wife Loralee for your awesome support. There were many late nights at the recording studio, many days on the road and I spent a lot of my time (and money!) on music related projects. You have always been there encouraging me and providing me valuable advice. I could not have done this without you.

THANK YOU to my children, Kyle and Heidi. You are the reason I started this musical journey. You are smart, strong and wonderful in so many ways.

THANK YOU to Carey Langille, my recording engineer from Ocean Sound Productions, who has seen me through three recording projects and has encouraged me in a number of ways over the years.

THANK YOU to my parents and my extended family and friends who have always been behind me.

THANK YOU to all the principals and event organizers that have booked me over the years.

THANK YOU to all the parents who brought their kids to my shows or showed my music to them.

And most of all, THANK YOU to all the KIDS! You are the main ones who encourage me. Remember that music is supposed to make you feel good! Keep listening and singing and don't forget that you are awesome! You are special and you can be just about whatever you want to be if you try your best!

And finally, I want to send a congratulations to the other nominated musicians in the children's category, Dr. G and Astronomical Unit and Bingly and the Rogues!

Hope to see you soon!

Your friend,

Matt the Music Man