Donny Parenteau nominated for first NAMMYS Award

Prince Albert musician Donny Parenteau has just been nominated for his first ever Native American Music Award for best country recording for his album Bring It On.

The Native American Music Awards, called the NAMMYS, is considered to be like the Grammy Awards.

The awards feature a large number of artists from across North America nominated in 30 categories.

Parenteau said this is not only his first NAMMYS nomination, but his first nomination in the United States.

“It’s humbling; to get recognized under your own merit, with your own name and not riding on the coat tails of someone else’s name, it feels good to be recognized on your own hard work and effort,” he said.

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Parenteau had to submit his album to the NAMMYS board where around 200 members voted to include it in this year’s nominations.

The winners are then chosen through public votes online, something Parenteau is encouraging his fans to do.

“The most important thing is, with this being my first nomination, I’m the only one in Saskatchewan that’s nominated in this category I’m encouraging everyone I can get to vote. It’s a very simple process to vote.”

The NAMMYS will be handed out at on Nov. 14 at the Seneca Allegany Events Center in Salamanca, New York and Parenteau plans to attend.

“[I’m] extremely excited. I owe it to my wife Patty … she’s the one that convinced me to go because originally I had some shows and a school talk scheduled for that day that I had to shuffle in order to make this happen,” he explained.

“When I contacted them and explained why … they said I had to go.”

He said he’s very excited about the nomination and is just asking if you have a few minutes, to vote for him.

An interesting fact about his album Bring It On and it’s song Deep in the Heart of Saskatchewan, it is the only album to be included in a time capsule at the Regina legislative building to be opened in 100 years.

“It’s a special CD to me, and especially to go as far as it did and get nominated for my very first United States nomination.”

After attending the NAMMYS in New York, Parenteau will be headlining a show in Barcelona, Spain on Nov. 29.

This is his second time heading overseas to do a show, he did a concert just outside Paris, France in 2012.

swallace@panow.com

On Twitter:@sarahthesquid