2015 CCMA Award Nominees – Early Bird List

 

CCMAAwardslogo.jpg

#CCMAnomday

July 15, 2015, 6:00 a.m. ET (Toronto, ON) – Throughout the morning of Wednesday, July 15, 2015, the Canadian Country Music Association® (CCMA®) will be unveiling the final nominees in 34 award categories for the 2015 CCMA Awards. This 6:00 a.m. ET release is our starting point, and contains 29 CCMA Award categories. See below for details on how the remaining 5 award categories will be unveiled this morning.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

  • Reminder: This is NOT A FINAL LIST. A final list of nominees in the 34 award categories being unveiled today will be distributed in a second release, no later than 12:00 p.m. ET. today
  • The remaining 5 award categories (ARTIST AWARDS) being announced today will be unveiled on GLOBAL MORNING TELEVISION this morning. In chronological order (at approximate times):
    • 6:00 a.m. ET – A listing of 29 CCMA Award categories is unveiled
    • 7:20 a.m. ET/8:20 a.m. ATDEAN BRODY announces the nominees for FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR on the Global Morning News in HALIFAX
    • 8:20 a.m. ET – JESS MOSKALUKE announces the nominees for MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR on The Morning Show in TORONTO
    • 9:10 a.m. ET/7:10 a.m. MTMACKENZIE PORTER announces the nominees for GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR on the Global Morning News in CALGARY
    • 9:10 a.m. ET/7:10 a.m. MTTHE BOOM CHUCKA BOYS announce the nominees for SINGLE OF THE YEAR on the Global Morning News in EDMONTON
    • 11:40 a.m. ET/8:40 a.m. PTHIGH VALLEY announces the nominees for VIDEO OF THE YEAR on the Global Morning News in VANCOUVER
    • 12:00 p.m. ET – The final, official release for 2015 CCMA Award nominations is distributed
  • Note: there are 41 CCMA Award categories in total. The following categories will not be announced today for the reasons given below:
    • On-Air Personality(s) of the Year (Large Market) and (Medium or Small Market), Radio Station of the Year (Large Market) and (Medium or Small Market) – submissions are juried, there are no nominees in these categories
    • Top Selling Album of the Year and Top Selling Canadian Album of the Year – determined by sales, there are no nominees in these categories
    • CCMA Discovery Award – decided by a jury of industry professionals, there are no nominees in this category

Media Contacts for Information and Artist Interviews:
Jess Seguire | jess@penelopepr.com | 613-921-2314
Emily Graham | emily@penelopepr.com | 647-787-7583    

ARTIST AWARDS

FANS’ CHOICE AWARD
Gord Bamford
Paul Brandt
Dean Brody
Johnny Reid
Dallas Smith

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

5:01 - Tim Hicks
County Line - High Valley
Gypsy Road - Dean Brody
Lifted - Dallas Smith
Light Up The Night - Jess Moskaluke

SONGWRITER(S) OF THE YEAR
Before You Drive Me Crazy
(Written By: Wes Mack, Micah Wilshire, Rick Ferrell, Performed By: Wes Mack)
Country Side
(Written By: Jason Blaine, Deric Ruttan, Performed By: Jason Blaine)
Never Didn't Love You
(Written By: Walt Aldridge, Michael Pyle, Bobby Wills, Performed By: Bobby Wills)
Upside Down
(Written By: Dean Brody, Performed By: Dean Brody)
Where A Farm Used To Be
(Written By: Gord Bamford, Buddy Owens, Phil O'Donnell, Performed By: Gord Bamford)

INTERACTIVE ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Leah Daniels
Tim Hicks
High Valley
Brett Kissel
Twin Kennedy

RISING STAR

Jason Benoit
Lindsay Broughton
Leah Daniels
Lindsay Ell
Tristan Horncastle
Jordan McIntosh
Madeline Merlo
Steven Lee Olsen

ROOTS ARTIST OF THE YEAR

The Bros. Landreth
Tim Chaisson
The Lovelocks
Lindi Ortega
The Western Swing Authority

MUSICIAN AWARDS

All Star Band – BASS
Chris Byrne
Scott Cooke
Lisa Dodd
Justin Kudding
Travis Switzer

All Star Band – DRUMS
Ben Bradley
Stephen Broadhurst
Corbett Frasz
Chad Melchert
Ben Shillabeer 
 
All Star Band – FIDDLE
Denis Dufresne
Shane Guse
MacKenzie Porter
Ali Raney
Tyler Vollrath

All Star Band – GUITAR
Jason Barry
Ryan Davidson
Matt McKay
Mitch Merrett
Darren Savard

All Star Band – KEYBOARDS
Scott Galloway
Mike Little
Bart McKay
Carly McKillip 
Dale Wallace

All Star Band - SPECIAL INSTRUMENT
Dave Barber (Banjo)
Shane Chisholm (Gastank Bass)
Shane Guse (Mandolin)
Robin Pelletier (Mandolin)
Tyler Vollrath (Mandolin)

All Star Band – STEEL GUITAR
Darrek Anderson
John Ellis
Smokey Fennell
Doug Johnson
Ed (Peewee Charles) Ringwald

RADIO AWARDS

MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR – LARGE MARKET
Dayna Bourgoin – CKKL - FM, Ottawa, ON
Larry Donohue – CFCW, Edmonton, AB
Pat Dubois – CKBL - FM, Saskatoon, SK
Mark Patric – CJJR - FM, Vancouver, BC
Scott Phillips – CKRY - FM, Calgary, AB/CISN-FM, Edmonton, AB
 
MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR – MEDIUM OR SMALL MARKET
Paul Ferguson – CHCQ - FM, Belleville, ON
Cal Gratton – CJVR - FM/CIXM – FM, Melfort, SK/Whitecourt, AB
Jody Seeley – CFXO - FM, High River, AB
Peter Walker – CJKX – FM, Oshawa, ON
Abbey White – CKGY - FM, Red Deer, AB

INDUSTRY AWARDS

ALBUM DESIGN OF THE YEAR
5:01 (Artist: Tim Hicks)
(Design Team: Mitchell Nevins Photography: Dustin Rabin)
The Fighters (Artist: Chad Brownlee)
(Design Team: Brandon Heard/Sheila Hash (Mediavandals) Photography: John Fucile/SmackDab Media
Gypsy Road (Artist: Dean Brody)
(Design Team: Mitchell Nevins Photography: Margaret Malandruccolo)
MacKenzie Porter (Artist: MacKenzie Porter)
(Design Team: Shan Designs Photography: Kelsey Porter Photography)
Ramble (Artist: The Boom Chucka Boys)
(Design Team: Brandon Heard (Mediavandals) Photography: Ashley Champagne)
 
BOOKING AGENCY OF THE YEAR
The Agency Group
The Feldman Agency
Invictus Entertainment Group
Paquin Entertainment Group
Sakamoto Entertainment

COUNTRY CLUB OF THE YEAR
Boots & Bourbon Saloon – Toronto, ON
Cook County Saloon – Edmonton, AB
Cowboys Dance Hall – Calgary, AB
Ranchman's Cookhouse & Dancehall – Calgary, AB
Rock 'N' Horse - Toronto, ON

COUNTRY FESTIVAL, FAIR, OR EXHIBITION OF THE YEAR
Big Valley Jamboree – Camrose, AB
Boots and Hearts Music Festival – Bowmanville, ON
Calgary Stampede – Calgary, AB
Cavendish Beach Music Festival – Cavendish, PE
Dauphin's Countryfest – Dauphin, MB

COUNTRY MUSIC PROGRAM OR SPECIAL OF THE YEAR
Canadian Country Spotlight - Media BemBem Inc.
The Casey Clarke Country Countdown - Casey Clarke Productions
Chevrolet Top 20 Countdown - CMT
Down East Country with George Canyon – KaromaCS – Media2K
Live At The Edison - CMT

MANAGEMENT COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Cache Entertainment Inc.
Chief Music Management
Invictus Entertainment Group
MDM Recordings Inc.
RGK Entertainment Group Inc.
 
MUSIC PUBLISHING COMPANY OF THE YEAR
CSS Rights Management
ole
Royalty Music Publishing Inc.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Canada
Warner/Chappell Music Canada

RECORD COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Big Star Recordings Inc.
MDM Recordings Inc.
Open Road Recordings Inc.
Royalty Records Inc.
Sony Music Entertainment (Canada) Inc.

RECORD COMPANY PERSON OF THE YEAR
Warren Copnick – Sony Music Entertainment (Canada) Inc.
Mike Denney – MDM Recordings Inc.
Brianne Deslippe – Universal Music Canada
Louis O'Reilly – Big Star Recordings Inc.
Rob Smith – Royalty Records Inc.
 
RECORDING STUDIO OF THE YEAR
Barrytone Studios – St. Clements, ON
Bart McKay Productions – Saskatoon, SK
MCC Recording Studio – Calgary, AB
Noble Street Studios – Toronto, ON
OCL Studios – Chestermere, AB

RECORD PRODUCER(S) OF THE YEAR
Gord Bamford (Album: Ramble, Artist: The Boom Chucka Boys)
Jason Blaine/ Deric Ruttan (Single: Country Side, Artist: Jason Blaine)
Jeff Coplan (Album: 5:01, Artist: Tim Hicks)
Danick Dupelle/ Tebey Ottoh (Album: Two, Artist: Tebey)
Joey Moi (Album: Lifted, Artist: Dallas Smith)

RETAILER OF THE YEAR
HMV Canada Inc.
iTunes Canada
Lammle's Western Wear & Tack
Walmart Canada Corp.

RON SAKAMOTO TALENT BUYER OR PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Paul Biro/Shawn Sakamoto – Sakamoto Entertainment
Jim Cressman/Rob Cyrynowski – Invictus Entertainment Group
Lindsay Ell/Rod Tate – Calgary Stampede
Rob Waloschuk – Performance Promotions Ltd.
Larry Werner – Big Valley Jamboree

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Stephano Barberis
(Video: Undressed, Artist: Bobby Wills; Video: Boat On The Water, Artist: Aaron Pritchett; Video: I Only Smoke When I Drink, Artist: Small Town Pistols)
Harv Glazer
(Video: Where A Farm Used To Be, Artist: Gord Bamford)
Wes Mack
(Video: Before You Drive Me Crazy, Artist: Wes Mack)
Lisa Mann
(Video: Tough People Do, Artist: Brett Kissel)
David Tenniswood
(Video: If You Ask Me To, Artist: MacKenzie Porter)

-30-

About the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA):
Established in 1976, the CCMA is a membership-based, not-for-profit organization committed to the promotion and recognition of Canadian country music. Built upon the foundation to educate, elevate and celebrate Canadian talent, the CCMA progressively heralds the spirit, community and creativity that country music fosters through year-round initiatives, culminating every fall with Country Music Week and the Canadian Country Music Association Awards. Local sponsors of the CCMA Discovery Program – Atlantic Canada include the Province of Nova Scotia, the City of Halifax and the Government of Canada through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

 FACTOR_2.jpg

Sponsors of Country Music Week and the 2015 CCMA Awards include FACTOR, Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters and The Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage’s “Canada Music Fund”, Radio Starmaker Fund, the Province of Nova Scotia, the City of Halifax and Destination Halifax.