HALIFAX — George Canyon can add another three pieces of silverware to his already bulging trophy case.

The Nova Scotia country singer was named entertainer of the year for the third consecutive year as the East Coast Music Awards held its annual gala Sunday night at the Halifax Metro Centre.

Canyon, who came out of obscurity by finishing second on 2004's "Nashville Star'' TV talent search, has won more than a dozen awards since, including a Juno in 2005 and the Canadian Country Music Awards fan choice honour.

In addition to his ECMA nod from the fans, the granite-chinned singer from Pictou County also won for video of the year for his song "Drinkin' Thinkin''' and country recording of the year for "Somebody Wrote Love.''

Multi-instrumentalist J.P. Cormier, indie band In-Flight-Safety and rockers Joel Plaskett Emergency also won three awards each.

Jill Barber, an Ontario-born singer-songwriter who moved to Halifax 4½ years ago, won two awards on the strength of her first full-length release "For All Time.''

The album was named FACTOR recording of the year and solo female recording of the year.

"We are so lucky here on the East Coast to have so many wonderful women writing songs and performing,'' Barber said after winning her first of the night in a non-televised portion of awards show.

"I'm very appreciative of this award.''

Barber, who grew up in Toronto before moving to the Maritimes, said she has "embraced'' Halifax as her new home.

"It's nice to be in a place where you feel a lot of support from your friends and colleagues,'' she said later. "That, and a lot of other things, keeps me here.''

Cormier, a Cape Bretoner whose musical career has spanned folk, country bluegrass, rock and Celtic, won for bluegrass recording of the year, folk recording of the year and instrumental recording of the year.

In-Flight Safety, a Halifax-based band that formed while its members were going to Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B., went into the night with four nominations.

Their first full-length release, "The Coast is Clear,'' was named alternative recording of the year, CBC Galaxie rising star recording of the year, and XM Satellite Group recording of the year.

Halifax's Joel Plaskett Emergency won for single of the year for "Nowhere With You,'' and DVD of the year.

Plaskett was also named SOCAN songwriter of the year, also for "Nowhere With You.''

The awards show, broadcast nationally by the CBC, was hosted for the second year in a row by Bubbles, Ricky and Julian of the popular cult TV hit "The Trailer Park Boys.''

The night included performances by Barber, In-Flight Safety, Plaskett and opera singer Measha Bruggergosman.

There were also moving tributes to three Maritime music legends who died in the past year: Denny Doherty of the Mamas and the Papas, Celtic pioneer John Allan Cameron, and bluesman Dutch Mason.