David Myles and Classified co-wrote the triple platinum single “Inner Ninja” and on Saturday, April 21 they received the Juno Award for rap recording of the year. You can watch their live performance at the Juno Award show, here:

Yesterday, I left Halifax to travel to Vegas for the wedding of my beloved stepson, Michael. When I left Halifax and how I planned the trip was complicated by the fact that David Myles, who I adore, was nominated for his first Juno. The decision became increasingly difficult as David and Classified were added first to the prestigious Juno Songwriter Circle and then later, to the actual awards show. David is truly one of my favourite people on earth – a lovely guy and a real pleasure to work with – so it was not an easy decision by any means, to miss the Junos in favour of being in Vegas for all of the wedding festivities, in particular, a mother/son lunch that Michael and I had been planning for weeks.

I was lucky because dear friends like Kim Stockwood, knowing my dilemma, sent me photos and texts from the Junos at every opportunity. David, of course, made it very easy for me by understanding and supporting my decision to make my son my priority for the weekend. Still, it was with some regret, (but knowing that I was doing the right thing) that I left Halifax for Vegas on Sunday morning. David and Classified won their award, kicked ass at the songwriter circle, and by all accounts, were one of the highlights of the Juno weekend. I am so proud. I have just had the wonderful lunch with Michael that we have been planning for months, so all is good on that front. But all of this has made me realize that, while I will be present and available for whatever Michael needs me for (which isn’t much because he’s a highly organized individual – another point for nurture versus natureJ), I am still obsessed this week by David’s record release, Mo’s upcoming UK tour, Joel’s studio opening, Dylan and Gordie’s work with Songcamp, Mary Jane & Wendy’s summer tour plans, Molly’s new record, and on and on and on.

In short, there is no division between family and work for me. The wonderful, talented and understanding people that I work with, are very much a part of my family. All of which makes me a very lucky lady – by normal standards – sadly, it doesn’t count so much at the poker machines in Vegas !

Well, I’ve had two or three relatively uneventful trips so, happily, I have had nothing to blog about. Today, however, the unpredictability of travel reared its ugly head again.

We were up at 6AM so we could arrive early at the Nashville airport for our trip to Toronto – you could tell that Gordie and Helen (ALWAYS last minute people) thought we’d lost our minds when we were bailing out of the house at 7AM for a 10:25 flight – but we’re now on week four of conferences and meetings so we’re well past the point of having the brainpower or energy to rush anywhere. A good thing as it turns out. Upon check in with Air Canada, the airline attendant confirmed with Wayne that he was flying through to Halifax. He’d since changed his ticket to accommodate Mo’s tour with Ron Sexsmith, so I questioned whether he’d be able to pull his bags off in Toronto. He snapped “I know what I’m doing” — at the same time, I realized he’d have to pick up his bags in Toronto for customs, so all was good. Good until the attendant couldn’t find his reservation and he realized that his ticket was actually for yesterday! And, to make matters worse, today’s Air Canada direct flights were all full to Toronto.

After much rushing around – including going through the process to book another ticket on Expedia only to be told at the very end that it was too late to book on Expedia, trips to two airline counters with very long line ups and racing around to two bank machines – both of which were out of order, he finally re-booked his flight to arrive in Toronto via Chicago. (Actually, I raced around in a panic, he just stood in one place.) At this point, knowing he was at least getting on a plane today and that there was no longer any danger that his head would explode, I could wait no longer – I had to mention how very funny his “I know what I’m doing” comment had turned out to be. It did cost $800 for that moment of satisfaction but you take what you can get out of life.

We’re now sitting at my gate, waiting for my flight, and the announcement has just come on that my flight has been delayed by three hours. Now Wayne will arrive in Toronto before I do. You just never know these days. Used to be, it was unusual to not get where you were going when you were supposed to. Now it’s more unusual if you do.

On the bright side, the $5 I paid to access the smoking lounge is now looking like money well spent!

On to CMW – I hope!

Sheri

It is with great excitement and anticipation that we get to share our list of our Jones & Co. artist showcases at ECMA 2013. Whether you’re a delegate, an artist or a fan, we hope to see you at these shows!

David Myles
2013 ECMA Nominations:
Fan’s Choice Entertainer of the Year
Fan’s Choice Video of the Year – “Long Dark Night”
Folk Recording of the Year – Into The Sun
Showcases:
Sunday 10th / 1:00-3:30 PM – SOCAN Songwriter’s Circle, Casino – Schooner
Sunday 10th / 8:00-11:00 PM – East Coast Music Awards Gala, Cunard Centre

Dylan Guthro
Showcases:
Friday 8th / 8:00-8:20 PM – Rising Star Showcase, Casino – Schooner
Saturday 9th / 9:30-10:00 PM – Music Nova Scotia Stage, Seahorse Tavern

Mo Kenney
2013 ECMA Nominations:
Rising Star Recording of the Year – Mo Kenney
Showcases:
Thursday 7th / 10:00-10:30 PM – Songwriters at The Company House
Friday 8th / 9:30-10:00 PM – Music Nova Scotia Stage, Seahorse Tavern
Saturday 9th / 6:25-7:30 PM – Bluebird North Showcase, Casino – Compass

Mary Jane Lamond & Wendy MacIsaac
2013 ECMA Nominations:
Roots/Traditional Group Recording of the Year – Seinn
Showcases:
Thursday 7th / 8:30-8:50 PM – Roots Room, Casino – Schooner
Friday 8th / 9:40-10:10 PM – Cape Breton Embassy, Marquee Club

Molly Thomason
Showcases:
Thursday 7th / 11:35-11:55 PM – Pop/Rock Stage, The Palace

Kim Stockwood
Showcases:
Sunday 10th / 1:00-3:30 PM – SOCAN Songwriter’s Circle, Casino – Schooner

Steven MacDougall
Showcases Solo:
Saturday 9th / 9:20-9:50PM – Songwriters at The Company House
Slowcoaster:
Thursday 7th / 12:40AM – 1:10AM – Cape Breton Embassy Stage, Marquee Club
Thursday 7th / 1:30-2:00AM – Late Night Stage, Delta – Baronet
Saturday 9th / 11:30PM-12:00AM – Rock Stage, Casino – Schooner