SCMA awards come to Yorkton area

Two Yorkton area gals have come away from this year's Saskatchewan Country Music Association awards with major hardware.

Langenburg's Jess Moskaluke took the honours for Female Vocalist of the Year.

"My reaction was, as always, surprise. It always means so much to win an award in your home province. It feels amazing and is a huge confidence booster to know that my peers and province support what I do and work hard at," said Moskaluke.

"I think it's finally starting to sink in today (Sunday). So it actually does mean more to me today."

Moskaluke said she hopes the award opens a few doors to her music.

"I just hope that award can provide some momentum and spread my music around a little bit," she said.

Moskaluke was up against Samara Yung of Yorkton who won the award in 2012.

Yung's single Mardi Gras did capture Song of the Year (Composer) with co-writer Steve Fox.

"Wow I seriously can still not believe it! I have never been able to win two years in a row so I was really not expecting to win at all," Yung told Yorkton This Week.

Yung said the song writing award was very gratifying.

"Being a part of any song writing process is such a rewarding experience," she said. "To watch and help bring something like a song to life is a feeling you will never forget. It`s kind of like one of my little babies. To be recognized by your peers for something like that is a feeling that I can`t even describe. I can honestly not thank Steve Fox enough for being such an outstanding mentor to me. I can only hope that one day I can help others live their dreams the way he has helped me.

"Because I am still quite insecure about the lyrics I put down on paper. I think that confidence in song writing will come with time but the recognition will definitely give me extra initiative to keep working at it."

Mardis Gras was also a finalist for Single of the Year and Video of the Year.

Steve Gibson from Theodore was awarded All Star Band (Guitarist). Murray Yung of Yorkton was also a finalist in the category.

GX94 in Yorkton was named Radio Station of the Year (Secondary Market).

Other award finalists with a local connection include Codie Prevost for Male Vocalist of the Year, and Blake Berglund originally from Kennedy, SK., as Roots Artist of the Year.