The Hamilton Music Awards turned into a love-in for punk pioneers Teenage Head and a tribute to the band's lead singer, Frank Kerr, who died last month of cancer.

Last night the band's most recent album, Teenage Head With Marky Ramone, won for record of the year and best punk album; while Kerr, a.k.a. Frankie Venom, was named top male vocalist.

Teenage Head was also honoured with a lifetime achievement award during a sold-out awards show at Hamilton Place Studio theatre, which ended with an emotional performance of some of the band's best loved songs, including Let's Shake, Something On My Mind and Picture My Face.

The band's surviving members were joined on stage by other local rockers including Tom Wilson, Tim Gibbons and Dave Rave to help out on vocals.

Other big winners at last night's show included singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards, who took home four "Hammies" for female artist of the year, best songwriter, best female vocalist and top adult alternative album (Asking For Flowers).

Daniel Lanois, who reached international stardom producing albums for U2, Peter Gabriel and Bob Dylan, won for best rock album, best guitarist and top male artist.

A surprise multiple winner was veteran Hamilton session drummer Danny Lockwood. He won over more established artists such as David Braid and Chantal Chamberland in the jazz category, for his album A Few Of My Favourite Grooves. Lockwood also took top drummer honours, while band member Paul Inston won for bassist of the year.

The HMA judges weren't kind to Brian Melo, the Hamilton rock singer who won Canadian Idol last year. Melo was shut out in five categories, but came away a winner for Canadian recording of the year (people's choice), which was voted by the public via the Internet.

Local artist and music promoter Bill Powell was honoured with a music business lifetime achievement award.

Through his two coffee houses - the Ebony Knight and Knight II - Powell was instrumental in the development of the 1970s Ontario folk scene. In 1976, Powell established the popular Festival Of Friends, which has run every year since at Hamilton's Gage Park.

Last night's show was co-hosted by comedian Patrick McKenna (Red Green Show) and rocker Tom Wilson (Junkhouse, Blackie And The Rodeo Kings) and featured live performances by Melo, John Ellison, Queen Cee, Steve Strongman, Rita Chiarelli and The Evelyn Dicks. The show capped the four-day HMA festival, which started Thursday with a concert by Melo.

Throughout the weekend, the city's clubs and pubs saw a revolving door of musical acts.

The highlight was a three-hour tribute to Teenage Head at Hamilton Place Friday night, with the city's top rockers lining up to play with the band (Gord Lewis, Steve Mahon and Jack Pedler).

With life-sized pictures of Frankie Venom framing the stage, the microphone was taken by a succession of singers including Wilson, Gibbons, Rave, Edgar Breau, Chris Houston, Adam Castelli and Mickey de Sadist.

"Teenage Head, ladies and gentlemen, is the reason Hamilton became cool," de Sadist shouted from the stage.

Other winners included Queen Cee (R&B/soul), Fred Eaglesmith (roots), Derek Miller (blues), Cursed (loud/metal), Young Rival (alternative/indie rock), Sydney (emo/screamo), Nikki T (rap/hip hop), Doyle Domberry (country), Rita Chiarelli (folk/traditional), Scotty Campbell And His Wardenaires (alternative country), Cowlick (new artist), Lo-Fi (rock), Afternoons In Stereo (instrumental), Braid (piano/keyboard), and Dean Lickyer (local group by peoples' choice).

grockingham@thespec.com

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