More 2014 CCMA Award Winners Announced at Country Music Week Awards Ceremonies

September 7, 2014 (Edmonton, AB) – Tonight, the Canadian Country Music Association® (CCMA®) continued to reveal winners of 2014 CCMA Awards at the CCMA Gala Dinner & Awards and the CCMA All Star Band Awards. These are the second and third of four awards ceremonies taking place over the weekend as part of Country Music Week 2014.

Lindi Ortega and Brett Kissel both won their very first CCMA Awards tonight; Kissel for Interactive Artist, and Ortega for Roots Artist or Group of the Year. Johnny Reid took home the hardware for Top Selling Canadian Album of the Year; and Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington and Deric Ruttan won the CCMA Award for Songwriter(s) of the Year, for their hit song, “Mine Would Be You”.

Poignant awards presentations were made for Slaight Music Humanitarian Award recipient, Beverley Mahood and Hank Smith Award of Excellence recipient, Deane Cameron. Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, Artist inductee, Wendell Ferguson and Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame Stan Klees Builder Award, Builder inductee, Ron Sakamoto, were both honoured for their lifelong commitment to furthering country music in Canada. Gord Bamford received the Global Country Artist Award from the Country Music Association (CMA).

The winner of the CCMA Discovery Award was also unveiled at the event. The Lovelocks, one of six finalists vying for the prize, happily accepted the Award, which is tied to the CCMA Discovery Program an initiative developed by the CCMA to educate and support Canadian country music artists in their pursuit of a career in the industry.

Following the CCMA Gala Dinner & Awards, seven more 2014 CCMA Awards were handed out at the CCMA All Star Band Awards. The event, which honours an array of talented musicians from the Canadian country music industry, included a touching tribute to Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame artist inductee, and the music director of the evening, Wendell Ferguson.

The full list of 2014 CCMA Awards given out this evening at the CCMA Gala Dinner & Awards, and the CCMA All Star Band Awards are as follows:

CCMA Awards of Achievement

2014 Slaight Music Humanitarian Award
Beverley Mahood

Hank Smith Award of Excellence
Deane Cameron

Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame Artist Inductee
Wendell Ferguson

Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame Stan Klees Builder Award – Builder Inductee Ron Sakamoto

2014 Discovery Program Award
The Lovelocks

2014 CCMA Award winners announced at Gala Dinner

Songwriter(s) of the Year
Mine Would Be You (Written By: Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, Deric Ruttan; Performed By: Blake Shelton)

Roots Artist or Group of the Year
Lindi Ortega

Interactive Artist of the Year
Brett Kissel

Top Selling Album of the Year
Here’s to the Good Times by Florida Georgia Line

Top Selling Canadian Album of the Year
A Christmas Gift to You by Johnny Reid

Ron Sakamoto Talent Buyer or Promoter of the Year
Jim Cressman – Invictus Entertainment Group

Music Publishing Company of the Year
ole

Record Company of the Year
Open Road Recordings Inc.

Record Company Person of the Year
Mike Denney – MDM Recordings Inc.

Radio Station of the Year – Major Market
CKRY FM – Country 105; Calgary, AB

Radio Station of the Year – Secondary Market
CJXX FM – Big Country 93.1; Grand Prairie, AB 

2014 CCMA Award winners announced at the All Star Band Awards

BASS
Travis Switzer

DRUMS
Chad Melchert

FIDDLE
Shane Guse

GUITAR
Darren Savard

KEYBOARDS
Bart McKay

SPECIAL INSTRUMENT
Tyler Vollrath (Mandolin)

STEEL GUITAR
Ed (Peewee Charles) Ringwald

MEDIA NOTE: The most up-to-date list of 2014 CCMA Award winners can be found at ccma.org throughout Country Music Week.

Country Music Week 2014 culminates tomorrow night, Sunday, September 7, at the 2014 CCMA Awards Show where the final eight CCMA Awards will be given away, live from Rexall Place. The 2014 CCMA Awards Show, hosted by Jann Arden and Rick Mercer, broadcasts on CBC-TV at 8:00 p.m. local time (8:30 NT) with an encore airing on CMT (Canada) at 10:00 p.m. 

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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 CCMA Award Show. Sponsors of Country Music Week and the 2014 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 Alberta, the City of Edmonton and Edmonton Tourism.

Media Contacts:
Jillian Safian | jillian@penelopepr.com | 289-684-5455
Jess Seguire | jess@penelopepr.com | 613-921-2314