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Toronto's Ken Yates Receives 2014 Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award

October 15, 2014


Singer-songwriter Ken Yates is this year’s recipient of the Ontario Arts Council’s (OAC) Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award for his song “The One That Got Away.” The award will be presented on Sunday, October 19, 2014 at Folk Music Ontario’s annual conference.


About Ken Yates

  • Originally from London, Ontario, Ken studied songwriting at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He now resides in Toronto.
  • In December 2011, internationally recognized musician John Mayer praised Ken’s song I Don’t Wanna Fall in Love on his Tumblr, one forty plus.
  • In 2011, Ken was a finalist for SiriusXM’s The Coffee House Songwriter Discovery of the Year award.
  • Ken has shared the stage with such notable acts as Livingston Taylor, Peter Katz, Jadea Kelly, Northcote, Liz Longley, Barnaby Bright and Sister Hazel.
  • Ken released his first full-length album, twenty-three, in 2013, and is currently working on a second album.


Quote

“This is one of those songs I wish I’d written,” remarked one member of the jury. “Heartbreak is always a challenging topic, but Ken Yates’ take on it is unique and brave, both lyrically and instrumentally.” 


About the Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award

  • The Colleen Peterson Songwriting Fund was established in 2003 at the Ontario Arts Council to honour Colleen Peterson’s contribution to Canadian folk and country music.
  • The annual $1,000 award supports and promotes the work of Ontario-resident emerging singer-songwriters in the genres of roots, traditional, folk and country music.
  • Nominations are received from Folk Music Ontario’s “Songs from the Heart” competition. OAC assembles the jury that chooses the award winner.
  • This year’s jury consisted of Lynne Hanson (Ottawa), Chuck Labelle (Monetville) and Whitney Rose (Toronto).
  • Click here for a full list of past recipients.