As Mr. Beer said....there are so many really fine performers/writers, outside the mainstream. You have to look for them, or stumble across them at a festival or local show.
April Vertch, Pierre Schryer, Kelli Trottier, (Ottawa Valley fiddlers)... Red River fiddle master, Calvin Volrath, plus Dennis Lakusta, Laura Langstaff (all Metis).... lots of talent coming from the Prairies and Yukon... The East Coast has it's own music awards, as does Quebec.. it goes on and on... This is the common language and sound that respects regions more than recognizing borders. A most important part of our national DNA, whether or not the governments and their agencies understand. Here's to all the folks who still choose to work things out with songs, revealing something special in the process..