Staff Report
BRANT NEWS

Brantford’s Missy Bauman and Hey Brother were big winners at the 2012 Hamilton Music Awards, held at Mohawk College’s McIntyre Theatre in Hamilton on Sunday.

Bauman was honoured with the prize for best new artist and also took home first place during the HMA Rising Star Search, held on Friday.

The 17-year-old Brantford student got her big break when she was plucked from a Pauline Johnson Collegiate music event and asked to perform alongside veteran musicians Feist, Emmylou Harris, Daniel Lanois, Gord Downie and Sarah Harmer during the 2012 Greenbelt Harvest Picnic.

Brantford rockers Hey Brother beat out four other bands to be voted people’s choice for local group of the year.

The band has had a big year, winning the Hamilton Spring Music Festival’s Last Band Standing competition, releasing its first music video and a new EP.

“We felt this award was well earned with everything we were able to achieve this year,” said Sean Boyle, the band’s drummer.