Voting for the 2020 Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize has opened.
Heritage Prize balloting was officially opened on Monday, October 19 during the 2020 Polaris Music Prize Celebration, a special cinematic broadcast event where Backxwash’s God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It album won the 2020 Polaris Music Music Prize.
The companion award to the Polaris Music Prize, winners and nominees for the Heritage Prize are also Canadian albums of the artistic distinction, without regard to sales, genre or affiliation. This is our version of a hall of fame where we try to honour the wonderful Canadian albums that pre-date when Polaris began in 2006.
This year there are 12 nominated albums up for consideration:
Robert Charlebois & Louise Forestier – Lindberg
Deborah Cox – One Wish
Beverly Glenn-Copeland – Keyboard Fantasies
Great Speckled Bird – Great Speckled Bird
Jean Leloup – Le Dôme
Maestro Fresh Wes – Symphony In Effect
Main Source – Breaking Atoms
Jackie Mittoo – Wishbone
Pagliaro – Pagliaro
Buffy Sainte-Marie – It’s My Way
Jackie Shane – Live
Thrush Hermit – Clayton Park
Two of these albums will receive Heritage Prize designation this year. One album will be chosen by public vote and a second will be determined by a Heritage Prize jury made up of music media and music historians.
This year’s Heritage list features six returning nominees (Robert Charlebois & Louise Forestier, Maestro Fresh Wes, Main Source, Jackie Mittoo, Buffy Sainte-Marie, and Jackie Shane) and six first-time contenders (Deborah Cox, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Great Speckled Bird, Jean Leloup, Pagliaro, and Thrush Hermit).
The Heritage Prize is also supported by Re:Sound.
Go HERE to vote.
Voters will be able to submit ballots once per day. Voting closes Monday, November 9 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. The new Heritage Prize designates will be revealed Monday, November 16.
Heritage Prize winners are commemorated with limited-edition artwork commissioned and inspired by the music on these designated albums. Examples of past winners’ works, including those honouring the likes of last year’s winners D.O.A. and the Oscar Peterson Trio can be found HERE.
