The Juno Awards of 1981, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 5 February 1981 in Toronto at a ceremony hosted by multiple co-presenters at the O'Keefe Centre. The first co-hosts were Andrea Martin and John Candy of SCTV fame, then Frank Mills and Ginette Reno, and finally Ronnie Hawkins and Carroll Baker.Krewen (2010), p. 47.
Ceremonies were broadcast nationally on CBC Television from 7pm Eastern Time. More capacity was now available at the O'Keefe Centre and tickets were made available to the public at $15 each. The television show was seen by an estimated 1,880,000 viewers .Krewen (2010), p. 52.
Juno awards organiser CARAS announced the major nominees 6 January 1981, with additional nominees in classical, jazz and album graphics announced 20 January 1981.
The Emeralds, previously nominated four times for the Country Group award, were not nominated this year. Controversy ensued when a committee declared to CARAS that the band was a polka band that should not be nominated in a country category. A reported attempt to file their nomination in a folk category was rejected due to a relative lack of sales. The Emeralds then looked to the courts to stop CARAS from issuing ballots that omitted their group. The group's legal challenge was unsuccessful, but the settlement required the Juno awards to mention the band and its previous nominations during the broadcast.
Performers during the broadcast included Frank Mills on piano with Ginette Reno singing "The Poet and I", Ronnie Hawkins and Carrol Baker singing "Hey, Bo Diddley", Graham Shaw singing his hit "Can I Come Near", and single songs each from Diane Tell, Shari Ulrich and the Powder Blues Band.Krewen (2010), pp. 47-48.
Although she received four awards, Anne Murray was once again absent from this year's show.Krewen (2010), p. 43. Joni Mitchell's entry into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame was introduced by then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. During her acceptance speech, Mitchell quipped that she felt like hockey star Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion for receiving this honour.
The "Single of the Year" award was a tie between Anne Murray and Martha and the Muffins, and is the only time a tie for this award has occurred in the history of the Juno's.
Nominees and winners
Female Vocalist of the Year Winner: Anne Murray
Other nominees: Carroll Baker Claudja Barry Susan Jacks Joni Mitchell
Male Vocalist of the Year Winner: Bruce Cockburn
Other nominees: Burton Cummings Gordon Lightfoot Gino Vannelli Neil Young
Most Promising Female Vocalist of the Year Winner: Carole Pope
Other nominees: Dianne Heatherington Michaele Jordana Shari Ulrich Laura Vinson
Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year Winner: Graham Shaw
Other nominees: Bryan Adams Long John Baldry B. B. Gabor Wayne Rostad
Group of the Year Winner: Prism
Other nominees: April Wine Harlequin Max Webster Rush
Most Promising Group of the Year Winner: Powder Blues Band
Other nominees: Loverboy Martha and the Muffins Red Rider Toronto
Composer of the Year Winner: Eddie Schwartz, "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" by Pat Benatar
Other nominees: Doug Bennett, "Too Bad – The Move" by Doug and the Slugs Burton Cummings, "Fine State of Affairs" Mark Gane, "Echo Beach" by Martha and the Muffins Lindsay Mitchell, Allen Harlow, "Young and Restless" by Prism
Country Female Vocalist of the Year Winner: Anne Murray
Other nominees: Carroll Baker Marie Bottrell Iris Larratt Laura Vinson
Country Male Vocalist of the Year Winner: Eddie Eastman
Other nominees: Wilf Carter Dallas Harms Wayne Rostad Hank Snow
Country Group or Duo of the Year Winner: The Good Brothers
Other nominees: Carlton Showband Family Brown R. Harlan Smith and Chris Nielsen 6 Cylinder
Folk Artist of the Year Winner: Bruce Cockburn
Other nominees: Gordon Lightfoot Murray McLauchlan The Rovers Valdy
Instrumental Artist of the Year Winner: Frank Mills
Other nominees: Liona Boyd Hagood Hardy Moe Koffman Claire Lawrence
Producer of the Year Winner: Gene Martynec, "Tokyo" by Bruce Cockburn and "High School Confidential" by Rough Trade
Other nominees: Bruce Fairbairn, "Young & Restless" and "Satellite", Prism Claire Lawrence, "Long Nights" and "Bad, Bad Girl", Shari Ulrich Jack Richardson, "Battle Scar", Max Webster and "Heads Are Gonna Roll", Straight Lines George Semkiw, "Hot Spikes" and "What Am I To Do", Fist
Recording Engineer of the Year Winner: Mike Jones, "Factory" and "We're OK", Instructions
Other nominees: Terry Brown, "Metropolitan Life", B. B. Gabor Gary Gray, "What About the Bond", Bruce Cockburn and "High School Confidential", Carole Pope and Rough Trade David Greene, "Battle Scar", Max Webster Gord Paton, "The Invisible Man" and "Oh No", Zero One
Canadian Music Hall of Fame Winner: Joni Mitchell
Nominated and winning albums
Album of the Year Winner: Greatest Hits, Anne Murray
Other nominees: Permanent Waves, Rush Uncut, Powder Blues Woman Love, Burton Cummings Young and Restless, Prism
Best Album Graphics Winner: Jeanette Hanna, We Deliver by Downchild Blues Band
Other nominees: Doug Bennett, Cognac and Bologna by Doug and the Slugs Dean Motter, Loverboy (self-titled) James O'Mara, Straight Lines (self-titled) Hugh Syme, Michael Gray, Lookin' for Trouble by Toronto
Best Children's Album Winner: Singing 'n' Swinging, Sharon, Lois & Bram
Other nominees: The Cat Came Back, Fred Penner Listen To Me, Jim & Rosalie Merry-Go-Round, The Travellers You've Got To Be A Kid To Get In, The Free Rose Corporation
Best Classical Album of the Year Winner: Stravinsky – Chopin Ballads, Arthur Ozolins
Other nominees: Bach Toccatas, Vol 2, Glenn Gould The Village Band, Canadian Brass Orford String Quartet, Orford String Quartet François Dompierre, François Dompierre
International Album of the Year Winner: The Wall, Pink Floyd
Other nominees: Against the Wind, Bob Seger Glass Houses, Billy Joel Greatest Hits, Kenny Rogers The Game, Queen
Best Jazz Album Winner: Present Perfect, Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass
Other nominees: The Book of the Heart, Glen Hall Circles, Don Thompson Entre Amis, Bob Stroup Live in Jazz City, Bob Stroup Tommy Ambrose at Last, Tommy Ambrose with the Doug Riley Band
Nominated and winning releases
Single of the Year Winner (tie): "Could I Have this Dance", Anne Murray "Echo Beach", Martha and the Muffins
Other nominees: "Fine State of Affairs", Burton Cummings "Too Bad – The Move", Doug and the Slugs "Wasn't That a Party", The Rovers
International Single of the Year Winner: "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)", Pink Floyd
Other nominees: "Another One Bites the Dust", Queen "Funkytown", Lipps Inc. "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me", Billy Joel "Rapper's Delight", Sugar Hill Gang
References
Citations
General
Bibliography Krewen, Nick. (2010). Music from far and wide: Celebrating 40 years of the Juno Awards. Key Porter Books Limited, Toronto.
External links Juno Awards site