P.E.I.'s Ten Strings and a Goat Skin, The East Pointers earn Juno noms

Two P.E.I. bands are nominated for a Juno for Canada's best Traditional Roots Album of the Year — Ten Strings and a Goat Skin and The East Pointers.

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Ten Strings and a Goat Skin, the bilingual acoustic trio of Jesse Périard, Caleb Gallant and Rowen Gallant — all from Rustico, P.E.I., — is nominated for its album Auprès du Poêle, which translates to "Around the Woodstove." 

The East Pointers, who are currently working with Gordie Sampson on a new album in Nashville, Tenn., earned the nod for their album Secret Victory. The band features Tim Chaisson on fiddle, Jake Charron on guitar and Koady Chaisson on banjo.

'So honoured'

"Wow! So honoured to be nominated for @TheJUNOAwards this year. Congrats @StringsAndGoat too!" the East Pointers tweeted when the announcement was made Tuesday afternoon. 

"We are in complete shock, it really is a dream come true to be recognized by the Juno Awards!" the band wrote in a message to CBC News. 

"Can't believe it! We got a Juno Nomination!! In good company with @TheEastPointers," Ten Strings and a Goat Skin posted to Twitter.

"We're still in shock about this nomination," the band wrote CBC News via Facebook. "It really is such an honour."

"We and our producer, Leonard Podolak, often joked about it, but now that it's actually happened we're not sure if we can laugh about it anymore."

Catherine MacLellan of P.E.I. took home a Juno in 2015 for roots and traditional solo album of the year for Raven's Sun. P.E.I.-raised roots darling Rose Cousins also won in the same category in 2013 for We Have Made a Spark.

The Juno Awards will be broadcast from Ottawa April 2. Neither band is sure they will be able to attend — The East Pointers will be on tour in Australia at the time. 

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