The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) has just announced the nominees for the 2018 CCMA Awards. The awards this year are in Hamilton, Ontario on Sunday September 9th, 2018 and hosted by Shania Twain. This is a list of the nominees.
Every year, during Country Music Week, the CCMA honours Canadian country artists and industry professionals who have excelled during the past year, with a Canadian Country Music Association Award. The nominees for the awards were determined by industry professionals who are members of the CCMA through a voting process.
We can’t wait to be at the awards this year and find out who all the winners are! We’ll share them with you as soon as find out the winners.
The nominees for the awards were announced on July 11th, 2018 and here they are!
Apple Music Fan’s Choice Award
This award is the only award where you, the fans, have the power to determine who the winner is. This award is a big popularity contest! The winners of this award typically see a big boost in music sales and an increase in audience size, so it’s a very competitive category. There are multiple ways for you to vote on your favourite artist, so make sure you vote for your favourite before Thursday September 9th, 2018.
- Gord Bamford
- Dean Brody
- Chad Brownlee
- Tim Hicks
- High Valley
- James Barker Band
- Brett Kissel
- Jess Moskaluke
- Dallas Smith
- Shania Twain
Ford Album of the Year
- Country Music Made Me Do It – Meghan Patrick
- Past The Past – Jess Moskaluke
- The Project – Lindsay Ell
- We Were That Song – Brett Kissel
- What We’re Made Of – The Washboard Union
Female Artist of the Year
- Lindsay Ell
- Madeline Merlo
- Jess Moskaluke
- Meghan Patrick
- Shania Twain
Male Artist of the Year
- Gord Bamford
- Chad Brownlee
- Brett Kissel
- Dallas Smith
- Bobby Wills
Group or Duo of the Year
- High Valley
- Hunter Brothers
- James Barker Band
- The Reklaws
- The Washboard Union
Roots Artist or Group of the Year
- The Lovelocks
- Jessica Mitchell
- Lindi Ortega
- The Washboard Union
- Donovan Woods
SiriusXM Rising Star Award
- Dan Davidson
- Aaron Goodvin
- Hunter Brothers
- Leaving Thomas
- The Reklaws
Single of the Year
- Chills – James Barker Band
- Country Music Made Me Do It – Meghan Patrick
- Drive Me Away – Jess Moskaluke
- Lonely Drum – Aaron Goodvin
- Side Effects – Dallas Smith
Video of the Year
- The Bad Guy – Meghan Patrick
- Drive Me Away – Jess Moskaluke
- Hometown Kids – The Reklaws
- Sky Stays This Blue – Dallas Smith
- We Were That Song – Brett Kissel
Songwriter(s) of the Year
- Dean Brody, Matt Rovey
Song: 8th Day (Performed By: Dean Brody) - Dan Isbell, Meghan Patrick, Jeremy Stover
Song: Country Music Made Me Do It (Performed By: Meghan Patrick) - Zach Abend, Corey Crowder, Jess Moskaluke
Song: Drive Me Away (Performed By: Jess Moskaluke) - James Barker, Gavin Slate, Travis Wood
Song: It’s Working (Performed By: James Barker Band) - Alexander Black, Aaron Goodvin, Cathy Gravitt
Song: Lonely Drum (Performed By: Aaron Goodvin)
Interactive Artist or Group of the Year
- Tenille Arts
- Hunter Brothers
- Brett Kissel
- Leaving Thomas
- Nice Horse
Bass Player of the Year
- Kirby Barber
- Chris Byrne
- Lisa Dodd
- Justin Kudding
- Travis Switzer
Drummer of the Year
- Matthew Atkins
- Ben Bradley
- Flavio Cirillo
- Rich DaSilva
- Chad Melchert
Fiddle Player of the Year
- Denis Dufresne
- Ali Raney
- Mike Sanyshyn
- Tyler Vollrath
- Mark Whitehead
Guitar Player of the Year
- Derek Caven
- Paul Chapman
- Matt McKay
- Darren Savard
- Geoff Torrn
Keyboard Player of the Year
- Scott Galloway
- Mike Little
- Bart McKay
- Dale Wallace
- Brendan Waters
Specialty Instrument Player of the Year
- David Barber – Banjo
- Denis Dufresne – Banjo
- Shane Guse – Mandolin
- Mitch Jay – Dobro
- Connor Riddell – Banjo
Steel Guitar Player of the Year
- Chris Altmann
- John Ellis
- Mitch Jay
- Doug Johnson
- Mark Whitehead
Music Director of the Year – Large Market
- Larry Donohue – CFCW – Edmonton, AB
- Steph Hansen – CISN-FM/CKRY-FM – Edmonton, AB/Calgary, AB
- Amanda Kingsland – CKBY-FM – Ottawa, ON
- Peter Walker – CJKX-FM/CHKX-FM – Oshawa, ON/Hamilton, ON
** Less than five nominees
Music Director of the Year – Medium or Small Market
- Shilo Bellis – CJXL-FM – Moncton, NB
- Jenn Dalen – CKGY-FM – Red Deer, AB
- Paul Ferguson – CHCQ-FM – Belleville, ON
- Cal Gratton – CJVR-FM – Melfort, SK
- Cory Noel – CKFM-FM – Olds, AB
Booking Agency of the Year
- APA Agency
- The Feldman Agency
- Invictus Entertainment Group
- Sakamoto Agency
- United Talent Agency
Country Club of the Year
- Cook County Saloon – Edmonton, AB
- The Dakota Tavern – Toronto, ON
- Gabby’s Country Cabaret – Langley, BC
- Ranchman’s Cookhouse and Dancehall – Calgary, AB
- The Roxy – Vancouver, BC
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
- Rockin’ River Country Music Fest – Merritt, BC
Country Music Program or Special of the Year
- Canadian Coast To Coast – Fabmar Communications
- The Casey Clarke Country Countdown – Casey Clarke Productions
- The Casey Clarke Show – Casey Clarke Productions
- The Dungarees Christmas Special – Rogers Media and The Dungarees
- Jess Moskaluke – Home Movie – Corus Entertainment
Management Company of the Year
- Big Loud Management LLC.
- Invictus Entertainment Group
- MDM Artist Management Services
- RGK Entertainment Group Inc.
- Starseed Entertainment Inc.
Music Publishing Company of the Year
- 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.
- ole red dot
- Open Road Recordings Inc.
- Universal Music Canada
- Warner Music Canada
Industry Person of the Year
- Steve Coady – Vice President, Radio Promotions – Warner Music Canada
- Jim Cressman – President – Invictus Entertainment Group
- Mike Denney – President – MDM Recordings Inc.
- Shannon McNevan – Director of A&R – Universal Music Canada
- Robert Ott – Chairman, CEO – ole
Creative Director(s) of the Year
- Design Team: Rory Gardiner, Loren Stevenson Photography: Doyle Smith
Interactive Video Brochure, Associate Booklet, Album: Be You (Artist: Rory Gardiner) - Design Team: Jason Graham, Photography: John Gaucher
Album: In Comes The Night (Artist: Bobby Wills) - Design Team: Mitchell Nevins, Photography: Margaret Malandruccolo
Single: Loud (Artist: Tim Hicks) - Design Team: Antoine Moonen (Mediavandals) Photography: Delaney Royer
Album: Past The Past (Artist: Jess Moskaluke) - Design Team: Mitchell Nevins, Photography: Phil Crozier
Album: The Squeeze (Artist: The Road Hammers)
Recording Studio of the Year
- Barrytone Studios – St. Clements, ON
- Bart McKay Productions – Saskatoon, SK
- MCC Recording Studio – Calgary, AB
- OCL Studios – Chestermere, AB
- Revolution Recording – Toronto, ON
Record Producer(s) of the Year
- Gord Bamford, Phil O’Donnell
Album: Neon Smoke (Artist: Gord Bamford) - Spencer Cheyne, Brett Kissel, Justin Kudding, Bart McKay, Matt McKay, Luke Wooten
Album: We Were That Song (Artist: Brett Kissel) - Jeff Dalziel
Album: What We’re Made Of (Artist: The Washboard Union) - Danick Dupelle, Tebey
Album: Love A Girl (Artist: Tebey) - Dan Swinimer
Album: Downtown Kids (Artist: David James)
Retailer of the Year
- Apple Music
- Spotify Canada Inc.
- Sunrise Records
**Less than 5 nominees
Ron Sakamoto Talent Buyer or Promoter of the Year
- Paul Biro – Sakamoto Agency
- Jim Cressman – Invictus Entertainment Group
- Emmanuel Patterson – Live Nation Entertainment
- Julia Rambeau – MRG Group
- Denise Ross – Live Nation Entertainment
Video Director of the Year
- Stephano Barberis
Video: The Bad Guy (Artist: Meghan Patrick), Video: Coming Clean (Artist: Shirley Gnome), Video: Dirt Covered Rhinestone (Artist: Jade Mya), Video: Heart Of A Woman (Artist: Johnny Reid), Video: Hold The Line (Artist: Jesse Mast), Video: Might As Well Be Me (Artist: Chad Brownlee), Video: Neon Smoke (Artist: Gord Bamford), Video: Out Of The Blue (Artist: Chad Brownlee), Video: Sky Stays This Blue (Artist: Dallas Smith), Video: Something To Wrap My Heart Around (Artist: JoJo Mason), Video: What We’re Made Of (Artist: The Washboard Union) - Gavin Michael Booth
Video: Born and Raised (Artist: Hunter Brothers), Video: Slide Over (Artist: Tim Hicks), Video: Sombrero (Artist: Scotty James), Video: Those Were The Nights (Artist: Hunter Brothers), Video: You Get To Me (Artist: River Town Saints) - Ben Knechtel
Video: Chills (Artist: James Barker Band), Video: Drive Me Away (Artist: Jess Moskaluke), Video: Hometown Kids (Artist: The Reklaws) - Travis Nesbitt
Video: Anywhere With You (Artist: The Dungarees), Video: Ring The Bells (Artist: The Dungarees), Video: Say We Did (Artist: Dan Davidson), Video: Shine (Artist: The Washboard Union) - Joel Stewart
Video: All About Her (Artist: Paul Brandt), Video: In Comes The Night (Artist: Bobby Wills), Video: Kill Your Love (Artist: Jess Moskaluke), Video: Past The Past (Artist: Jess Moskaluke)
*On-Air Personality(s) of the Year (Large Market), On-Air Personality(s) of the Year (Medium or Small Market), Radio Station of the Year (Large Market) and Radio Station of the Year (Medium or Small Market) are submission-based awards. The submissions are juried by a nation-wide panel to determine the winner in each category. There are no nominees in these categories. Winners will be announced during Country Music Week in Hamilton this September.
In country music, the Front Porch has long been a place of reflection. A place where you can look at the life you have inside that front door. A place where time almost seems to stand still, where you can get away. It’s also a place where you can go to observe the world as it passes by you. To think about your place out there beyond the driveway.
