2016 CCMA Award Nominees – Early Bird List

#CCMAawards #CCMAnomday

July 13, 2016, 6:00 a.m. ET (Toronto, ON) – Throughout the morning of Wednesday, July 13, 2016, the Canadian Country Music Association® (CCMA®) will be unveiling the final nominees in 34 award categories for the 2016 CCMA Awards. This 6:00 a.m. ET release is our starting point, and contains 29 CCMA Award categories.

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 11:30 a.m. ET.

Follow us across the country as we announce the following five (5) award categories (ARTIST AWARDS) on GLOBAL MORNING TELEVISION. In chronological order (at approximate times):

• 7:20 a.m. ET/8:20 a.m. AT – MADELINE MERLO announces the nominees for ALBUM OF THE YEAR on Global News Morning in HALIFAX
• 8:25 a.m. ET/7:25 a.m. CT – CHAD BROWNLEE announces the nominees for ROOTS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR on Global News Morning in SASKATOON
• 8:50 a.m. ET – THE LOVELOCKS announce the nominees for MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR on the The Morning Show in TORONTO
• 9:20 a.m. ET/7:20 a.m. MT – BRETT KISSEL announce the nominees for GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR on Global News Morning in CALGARY
• 11:15 a.m. ET/8:15 a.m. PT – THE WASHBOARD UNION announces the nominees for VIDEO OF THE YEAR on the Global News Morning in VANCOUVER
  

At 11:30 a.m. ET the final, official release for 2016 CCMA Awards nominations will be distributed.

• Note: there are 42 CCMA Award categories in total. The following three (3) categories will not be announced today for the reasons given below:
• On-Air Personality(ies) 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, Top Selling Canadian Album of the Year and Top Selling Canadian Single 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

*CLICK HERE to view the rules and regulations for the CCMA Awards Program, which include eligibility criteria for all awards.

Media Contacts for Information and Artist Interviews:

Jess Seguire | jess@penelopepr.com | 613-921-2314
Tiffany Astle | tiffany@penelopepr.com | 416-554-7329 

ARTIST AWARDS

FANS’ CHOICE presented by SiriusXM
Dean Brody
Brett Kissel
Johnny Reid
Dallas Smith
Yoan

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Lindsay Ell
Kira Isabella
Madeline Merlo
Jess Moskaluke
MacKenzie Porter

RISING STAR
Alee
Cold Creek County
David James
River Town Saints
The Washboard Union

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Airwaves – Brett Kissel
Bring Down The House – Dean Brody
Cheap Seats – Dallas Smith
Don’t Let Her Be Gone – Gord Bamford
Won’t You Be Mine – Bobby Wills

SONGWRITER(S) OF THE YEAR – Presented by olé
Chad Kroeger, Meghan Patrick
Song: Bow Chicka Wow Wow (Performed By: Meghan Patrick)
Dean Brody
Song: Bring Down The House (Performed By: Dean Brody)
Deric Ruttan, Craig Wiseman
Song: Came Here To Forget (Performed By: Blake Shelton)
Gord Bamford, Wade Kirby, Phil O’Donnell
Song: Heard You In A Song (Performed By: Gord Bamford)
Matt Johnson, Michael Pyle, Bobby Wills
Song: Won’t You Be Mine (Performed By: Bobby Wills)

INTERACTIVE ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Leah Daniels
Tim Hicks
Brett Kissel
Wes Mack
Jess Moskaluke
Dallas Smith

MUSICIAN AWARDS

BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Luanne Carl
Lisa Dodd
Doug Elash
Justin Kudding
Travis Switzer

DRUMMER OF THE YEAR
Jimmy Boudreau
Ben Bradley
Rich DaSilva
Chad Melchert
Rob Wells

FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Denis Dufresne
Shane Guse
Julie Kennedy
Ali Raney
Tyler Vollrath

GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jason Barry
Ryan Davidson
Matt McKay
Darren Savard
Brennan Wall

KEYBOARD PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Scott Galloway
Darryl Havers
Mike Little
Bart McKay
Carly McKillip

SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Dave Barber – Banjo
Denis Dufresne – Mandolin
Shane Guse – Mandolin
Robin Pelletier – Mandolin
Tyler Vollrath – Mandolin

STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
John Ellis
Smokey Fennell
Mitch Jay
Doug Johnson
Ed “Pee Wee Charles” Ringwald

RADIO AWARDS

MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR – LARGE MARKET
Docc Andrews – CJJR FM – Vancouver, BC
Dayna Bourgoin – CKKL FM – Ottawa, ON
Larry Donohue – CFCW – Edmonton, AB
Amanda Kingsland – CKBY FM – Ottawa, ON
Scott Phillips – CKRY FM/CISN FM – Calgary, AB/Edmonton, AB

MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR – MEDIUM OR SMALL MARKET
Shilo Bellis – CJXL FM – Moncton, NB
Paul Ferguson – CHCQ FM – Belleville, ON
Roo Phelps – CIGV FM – Kelowna, BC
Brendan Seeley – CKGY FM – Red Deer, AB
Jody Seeley – CFXO FM – High River, AB

INDUSTRY AWARDS

BOOKING AGENCY OF THE YEAR
The Feldman Agency
Invictus Entertainment Group
Paquin Artists Agency
Sakamoto Agency
United Talent Agency

COUNTRY CLUB OF THE YEAR
Boots & Bourbon Saloon – Toronto, ON
Cook County Saloon – Edmonton, AB
Cowboys Dance Hall – Calgary, AB
The Crazy Horse Stonegrill Steakhouse & Saloon – Ottawa, ON
Ranchman’s Cookhouse and Dancehall – Calgary, AB

COUNTRY FESTIVAL, FAIR OR EXHIBITION OF THE YEAR
Big Valley Jamboree – Camrose, AB
Boots and Hearts Music Festival – Oro-Medonte, 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 Coast to Coast – CJVR FM
Canadian Country Spotlight – Media BemBem Inc.
Chevy Top 20 Countdown – CMT
Coors Banquet One Horse Town – CMT
The Drop: Gord Bamford – 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
CCS Rights Management/Little Red Bungalow
ole
Royalty Music Publishing Inc.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Canada
Universal Music Publishing Canada
Warner/Chappell Music Canada

RECORD COMPANY OF THE YEAR
MDM Recordings Inc.
Open Road Recordings Inc.
Sony Music Entertainment (Canada) Inc.
Universal Music Canada
Warner Music Canada

RECORD COMPANY PERSON OF THE YEAR
Steve Coady – Warner Music Canada
Warren Copnick – Sony Music Entertainment (Canada) Inc.
Jim Cressman – Big Star Recordings Inc.
Mike Denney – MDM Recordings Inc.
Brianne Deslippe – Universal Music Canada
Ron Kitchener – Open Road Recordings Inc.

RECORDING PACKAGE OF THE YEAR
Edge Of The Storm
Design Team: Kyle Bottoms [Four-Age Productions], Simon Paul; Photography: Phil Crozier, Andy Hines [Tray Photo] (Artist: Wes Mack)
Hearts On Fire
Design Team: Antoine Moonen; Photography: Carmen Choney (Artist: Chad Brownlee)
Pick Me Up
Design Team: Patrick Duffy [Attention]; Photography: Juan Pont Lezica (Artist: Brett Kissel)
Songs About A Girl
Design Team: Sheila Hash, Brandon Heard; Photography: MacKenzie Jean (Artist: David James)
Turnin’ Up A Sundown
Design Team: Bronwin Parks [Feisty Creative]; Photography: Mark Maryanovich (Artist: Tristan Horncastle)

RECORDING STUDIO OF THE YEAR – Presented by Fanshawe College
Barrytone Studios – St. Clements, ON
Bart McKay Productions – Saskatoon, SK
MCC Recording Studio – Calgary, AB
OCL Studios – Chestermere, AB
Revolution Recordings – Toronto, ON

RECORD PRODUCER(S) OF THE YEAR
Chris Baseford, Vince Gill, Jeff Johnson, Chad Kroeger, Carly McKillip, Justin Niebank
Album: Grace & Grit (Artist: Meghan Patrick)
Jason Blaine, Phil O’Donnell, Deric Ruttan
Album: Country Side (Artist: Jason Blaine)
George Canyon, Jeff Johnson, Johnny Reid
Album: I Got This (Artist: George Canyon)
Mickey Jack Cones, Brett Kissel, Bart McKay
Album: Pick Me Up (Artist: Brett Kissel)
Bob Ezrin
Album: What Love Is All About (Artist: Johnny Reid)

RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Google Play
HMV Canada Inc.
iTunes Canada
Lammle’s Western Wear & Tack
Walmart Canada

RON SAKAMOTO TALENT BUYER OR PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Paul Biro – Sakamoto Agency
Jim Cressman – Invictus Entertainment Group
Alex Vyskocil – Live Nation Entertainment
Rob Waloschuk – Performance Promotions Ltd.
Lindsay Weryshko – Calgary Stampede

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Stephano Barberis
Video: Cheap Seats (Artist: Dallas Smith), Video: Don’t Let Her Be Gone (Artist: Gord Bamford), Video: Hearts On Fire (Artist: Chad Brownlee), Video: So Much For Taking It Slow (Artist: Bobby Wills)
Andy Hines
Video: The Way You Let Me Down (Artist: Wes Mack)
Ben Knechtel
Video: Airwaves (Artist: Brett Kissel)
Colin Minihan
Video: Bring Down The House (Artist: Dean Brody)
David Tenniswood
Video: Kiss Me Quiet (Artist: Jess Moskaluke)

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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. Sponsors of Country Music Week and the 2016 CCMA Awards Show 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 Ontario, the City of London and Tourism London.

 

We acknowledge the financial support of FACTOR, the Government of Canada
and of Canada’s private radio broadcasters.
 
Nous reconnaissons l’appui financier de FACTOR, du gouvernement du Canada,
et des radio diffuseurs privés du Canada.