The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced that Quebec superstar and doubleplatinum recording artist Gregory Charles will host the JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards, the non-televised, private ticketed event where many of this year's JUNO Award nominees, honoured guests and music industry leaders will gather to dine and celebrate an amazing year in Canadian music.

The exclusive music industry event will feature an incredible line-up of  performances by some of Canada's top artists, JUNO Award nominees, in  addition to 32 JUNO Awards being given out on Saturday, March 31st from  4:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. (CT) at TCU Place in Saskatoon, SK. The JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards will be preceded by a Gala Reception sponsored by FACTOR.

"I'm a fan of Canadian music and Canadian musicianship. I'm thrilled to be a nominee and even more ecstatic about hosting the Juno Gala Dinner & Awards, helping to celebrate and underscore the originality and quality of fellow musicians and artisans," said Gregory Charles, who is a triple JUNO Award nominee for JUNO(tm) Fan Choice (presented by Doritos), Album of the Year (sponsored by CRIA) and Artist of the Year.

32 of 39 coveted JUNO Awards will be presented, including special presentations of the Humanitarian Award to accomplished musician, actor and philanthropist, Tom Jackson, as well as the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award to legendary music entertainment promoter and producer, Donald Tarlton.

This year's JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards will feature stellar performances from more than a dozen of Canada's brightest music stars and JUNO Award nominees who will gather on stage in various ensembles.

Throughout the evening, each performance will highlight nominated songs from a multitude of categories and genres including blues, jazz, country, rock, and aboriginal. Additional performer announcements will be made next week.

JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards Performances

Colin Linden, David Gogo and Jim Byrnes will perform their nominated songs from the Blues Album of the Year category with Kyle Riabko.

Richard Underhill along with Elizabeth Shepherd, Kellylee Evans and Lori Cullen will perform a song from the Songwriter of the Year category.

There will be a country music performance by Doc Walker, Carolyn Dawn Johnson and George Canyon who are all nominated for Country Recording of the Year (sponsored by SIRIUS Satellite Radio).

Digging Roots, Jason Burnstick, Leela Gilday, Northern Cree and Susan Aglukark will perform excerpts from their JUNO Award nominated recordings in the Aboriginal Recording of the Year category.

Members of Neverending White Lights, Evans Blue, Jets Overhead and Mobile will perform hit songs celebrating the New Artist of the Year and New Group of the Year category (both sponsored by FACTOR and Canada's Private Radio Broadcasters).