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It was a FANTASTIC 2003 for The Cottars: 3 more awards, 7 more trips to the USA, appearances at large Celtic festivals, performances in Denmark and Japan, national radio & TV appearances, fundraisers & telethons, a Gemini Award nomination, and much, much more. Here are a few of the highlights: The year began in Halifax with The East Coast Music Awards. During the national CBC broadcast, The Cottars earned a standing ovation for a “live” performance of “The Briar & The Rose” and, minutes later, were presented with an ECMA (and a cheque for $5000) as winners in the “Best New Artist” category. Then it was off to Winnipeg for the wonderful Festival du Voyageur. During “Canadian Music Week” in Toronto, the band played at the famous El Mocambo, and then opened for Bruce Cockburn at The Crystal Awards. Next, following an Eastern US tour, the quartet spent St. Patrick’s Week in Savannah (GA), Colorado Springs, and Denver. In April, it was off to Louisiana where speaking French and eating alligator were the order of the day. “Idea City” in Toronto in June was another highlight, as the band rubbed elbows with TV stars, astronauts, and famed entrepreneurs from all over North America. In June, it was down to Memphis (TN) and St. Louis (MO). On July 1st, the band played before a crowd of a hundred-thousand during the CBC-TV national broadcast from Parliament Hill, Ottawa. Following this concert, The Cottars met the Prime Minister, the Governor-General, The Guess Who, and then attended a reception in the Parliament Buildings. July and August featured appearances in Ontario, Alberta, BC, and the Eastern US. At festivals in Calgary, Edmonton, and Milwaukee, The Cottars shared the bill with Ricky Skaggs, Nora Jones, Elvis Costello, Daniel Lanois, Tommy Makem, Dervish, Jane Siberry, and many other internationally-known stars.
On August 5th, the
four young Celts played the prestigious Kennedy Center in
Washington, DC. Then it was back to the US for concerts in Tennessee, New York, Massachusetts, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. October brought two M.I.A.N.S. Awards, as well as a hugely successful Maritime tour, where The Cottars sold out the region’s top seven concert halls.
November found the
quartet in Japan, for its first of several planned tours. When not
performing, Ciarán, Rosie, Fiona & Jimmy sampled traditional
Japanese cuisine, including delicacies such as raw tuna and octopus.
JVC provided royal treatment, and The Cottars fell in love with
Tokyo and its citizens. Besides performing, The Cottars had the opportunity to do major sightseeing: Graceland (TN), the Sun Record Studios (TN), the Martin Luther King Museum (TN), the famed St. Louis Zoo (MO), The Smithsonian — Space & Flight Exhibit (DC), The White House (DC), Legoland (Denmark), The Viking Museum (Denmark), the Anne Frank Exhibit (Amsterdam), the Lund Cathedral (Sweden), the Parliament Buildings (ON), Disneyland (CA), Hollywood and Beverly Hills (CA), San Francisco (CA), Salt Lake City (UT), Reno (NV), the Louis Riel gravesite (MB), Seattle (WA), The Rockies, the Mission of San Juan, Capistrano (CA), the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame (CO), the West Edmonton Mall (AB), the Asakusa Shrine (Tokyo), assorted concerts and major-league baseball games, and too much more to mention. • For making 2003 an unforgetable year, The Cottars would like to thank: family, friends and fans, McDermott Entertainment, Bob Jensen, Pat Garrett, Warner Canada, and the media
November 10, 2003
The Cottars have
just returned from their first of several planned visits to Japan.
Guests of JVC-Victor, the Celtic foursome (and McDermott
Entertainment representative Ed Kenney) were given star treatment in
Tokyo during the first week of November. Foremost on the agenda was
the promotion of the Japanese release of the Cd MADE IN CAPE BRETON
and, in the process, the quartet completed a busy schedule of radio,
TV and newspaper interviews, and played to a full house at The
Canadian Embassy concert hall. The band members also managed to
sample lots of authentic Japanese cuisine, and spent an incredible
afternoon at the shrine at Asakusa, a definite trip highlight.
October 6, 2003 The Cottars were presented with two Music Industry trophies during this years' MIANS Awards presentation, which was held in Halifax last night (Sunday, October 6/03). The band brought home hardware in both the Folk/Roots and the Best Group categories. Guitarist Jimmy MacKenzie accepted on behalf of his fellow band members.
September 14, 2003 The Cottars of Cape Breton have been nominated for three MIANS MUSIC AWARDS for the year 2003. The band is a nominee in the following categories: GROUP OF THE YEAR, ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR, FOLK/ROOTS ARTIST OF THE YEAR
September 10, 2003 Cape Breton's latest Celtic music sensation, The Cottars, are up for a Gemini Award for their spine-tinkling performance at this year's East Coast Music Awards. Siblings Ciarán & Fiona MacGillivray of Mira, and Jimmy & Roseanne MacKenzie of Baddeck brought down the house at Halifax's Metro Centre with Fiona's breathtaking rendition of the Tom Waits song 'The Briar & The Rose'. The group was nominated in the 'Best Performance In A Variety Program or Series' category for the awards, which will be handed out on October 20.
Since forming in
the fall of 2000, the young quartet has been on the fast track for
stardom. Their debut album, 'Made In Cape Breton', has received
critical praise, while the group has shared festival stages with
veteran stars like Bob Dylan, Danu, Bruce Cockburn, The Barra
MacNeils, and Natalie MacMaster.
February 19, 2003 THE COTTARS WIN BEST NEW ARTIST AT 2003 EAST COAST MUSIC AWARDS Dateline: TORONTO, Feb. 17, 2003 — Cape Breton Island’s Celtic sensations, THE COTTARS, walked away with the Best New Artist award at last night’s East Coast Music Awards show. Other nominees sharing this category were Charlie A’Court, Denise Djokic, Mark Bragg and Nathan Wiley. The youthful band also performed their current single, "The Briar And The Rose", and received a standing ovation from the large audience at The Metro Centre in Halifax. The group has gained much praise for their debut CD, "Made in Cape Breton", released in 2002. With fiddle, piano, tinwhistles, and haunting vocals, the foursome is truly the next generation of performers taking great pride in their Gaelic lineage. The Cottars will perform on CTV’s "Canada AM" on February 28th and will be on tour throughout February. During Canadian Music Week they will appear at the El Mocambo on February 27th.
February 17, 2003 The Cottars were one of the big "buzz acts" at 2003's ECMA's in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The lively Celtic quartet appeared at two showcases (The Sneak Peek and The Roots Room), causing a great stir on both occasions. The young band also earned several standing ovations during a concert at The Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, where the foursome shared the bill with Lennie Gallant and John Gracie. The Cottars were honoured to have Canadian singing legend, Catherine McKinnon, in attendance at this performance.
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