Three performers with Nanaimo roots got a nomination nod for the 45th Annual Juno Awards.
David Gogo’s latest album Vicksburg Call was nominated for Blues Album of the Year. Bobs and LoLo consisting of Robyn Hardy and Lorraine Pond, were nominated for Children’s Album of the Year for their album Dirty Feet. And Diana Krall was nominated for Adult Contemporary Album of the Year for her latest album Wallflower.
“I’m really proud of the album and I really had my fingers crossed,” said Gogo, about his nomination. “It wasn’t the usual suspects this year.”
Gogo said he put more work into the pre-production of this album, such as creating the demos for the band members.
“It was more of a collaborative effort than in the past. I was really pleased with it,” he said. “I’m just excited. This kind of gives it a little bit of a rebirth.”
Vicksburg Call has been getting a lot of airtime on independent and commercial radio stations across the country, said Gogo.
He is currently arranging to have a performance with his band in Nanaimo at the end of April so he can “play for the home crowd.” He performs a solo acoustic show at the Dinghy Dock Pub on Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Pond said it’s the fourth time the singer-songwriters have been nominated for a Juno, but they haven’t taken an award home yet.
“We’re obviously very excited. It’s amazing, really rewarding to get recognition from the industry,” said Pond.
Dirty Feet was Bobs and LoLo’s first full original album as moms.
Inspiration for the album came from both performers’ experiences with motherhood.
Dirty Feet is “nostalgic,” Pond said, and looks at all the activities the two performers enjoyed as kids such as lying in the grass in the sun or spinning in circles.
“It’s just kind of celebrating those simple joys in life,” said Pond.
Bobs and LoLo is coming to Nanaimo to perform March 19 during the Pregnancy to Pre-K Expo being held at the Beban Park social centre March 19-20.
arts@nanaimobulletin.com