Nominations for the 2022 Juno Awards were announced this week and among the talented musicians vying for an award on Canada’s biggest night in music is a favorite from the Maritimes.

David Myles’ instrumental debut album ‘That Tall Distance’ is up for Instrumental Album of the Year.

“I grew up with instrumental music. I grew up in a school band. I grew up as a trumpeter. I listened to tons of instrumental music and so, I always dreamed that I would make a record instrumental one day,” says Myles.

When he heard the news of the nomination, Myles says he was shocked and thrilled.

“I’ve been doing this long enough to realize these things, you can’t take them for granted,” he says. “Those are really special times. They don’t happen every year, they don’t happen every album, and you know, there’s a lot of things that you can’t control, but when they happen, you have to celebrate them.”

The album is made with six musical collaborators and was considered a pandemic passion project.

“All these musicians were so excited to play on it and I was happy they were playing on it,” says Myles. “It brought so much joy to otherwise difficult months.”

This Juno-nod is not the first for Myles.

“I once had the chance to win a Juno with Classified and it was an amazing experience,” he says.

Myles won Rap Recording of the Year for his collaboration on Classified’s hit “Inner Ninja.”

This time, Myles says the nomination is special in a different way.

“This one is a little different because it’s my project, it has my name on it,” Myles says. “It’s just kind of a reaffirmation that, okay, there’s another chapter. It wasn’t just an experience that was going to get me to the Junos. Now it’s a completely different thing, a collaboration different with different people, so it’s amazing.”

The Juno Awards are back to an in-person event in Toronto this year — something Myles says he’s been looking forward to.

“Oh yes, I’m going,” he said. “As soon as the nomination came around, I was like, ‘I’m going.’ Maybe before I was maybe on the fence, but now I see those moments as just, you know, they’re special, they’re rare I mean, maybe for some people, they are nominated every year, but not me, so I go.

After a whirlwind few days, Myles says he’s mostly grateful for all the support.

“I feel the love. It’s been a tough two years for musicians,” Myles says. “There are times when you really wonder what you’re doing, what’s the point if you’re not able to go out and do shows. So to get those kinds of moments, your fan-base rallies really behind you. . It’s great. It’s really great.”