CFMA 2010 Award Winners

The Cajun French Music Association (CFMA) presented its 2010 awards Friday, August 20, 2010 at the Cade Community Center in Cade, LA, southeast of Lafayette.  Many of the awards are thanks and congratulations, without any competition.  Here are the winners of the competitive awards:

• Prix De Hors De Nous (best Cajun band from outside Louisiana):  The Cajun Strangers (Madison, WI) (Web site says they won this award in 2007.)
• Female Vocalist of the Year:  Kristi Guillory (Over Christine Balfa Powell and Yvette Landry)
• Accordionist of the Year:  Steve Riley (over Jason Bergeron and Aaron Chesson)
• Fiddler of the Year:  Jamey Bearb (over David Greely and Henry Hample)
• Male Vocalist of the Year:  Jamey Bearb (over Richard Naquin and Courtney Granger)
• Best First CD:  Cadien Vien au Village, Gerald Thibodeaux and Cajun Accent
• Best CD of the Year:  Live from Breaux Bridge, by High Performance
• Band of the Year:  High Performance
• People’s Choice Award:  High Performance Live from Breaux Bridge
• Song of the Year:  J’aimerais sentir comme ca chez moi, written by Kristi Guillory and Courtney Granger (performed by Bonsoir Catin on their 2010 CD Vive L’Amour)

Sheryl Cormier and Clarence “Junior” Martin, Jr. were inducted by members of the CFMA Hall of Fame.  And there was an Appreciation Award given to WWOZ 90.7 FM.  As the program says:  “WWOZ has had hours of Cajun Music programming on Sunday mornings for years.  Their DJ’s have played music which covers from the first recorded songs to the present day. WWOZ has promoted CFMA festivals and events in their programming along with other Cajun music functions.”  That’s us!  Listen Sundays from noon to 2:00 pm Central time.  I accepted the award on behalf of the station. Photos on flickr.

Saturday was a day-long music festival, with Geno Delafose and French Rockin’ Boogie, Chris Miller, Kevin Naquin & the Ossun Playboys, and High Performance.  Powerful!