Every year, the country music community in Ontario gets together to celebrate the best in the province’s country music. The CMA Ontario awards is a weekend filled with country music.
The 2021 CMA Ontario awards took place in Hamilton at the Ancaster Fairgrounds and operated as a drive-in concert. The weekend included the Fresh Faces Showcase, the Legacy Showcase, and of course the CMAOntario Awards. It was a great weekend.
RELATED: The first-ever drive-in awards show took place at the 2020 CMAO Awards in London …
The award show, and other official CMAO shows may have taken place outdoors this year, but it was still a homecoming of sorts for the industry. It was the first time many of these artists were able to see each other in person in almost two years.
The awards took place last year in London, but the restrictions were so stringent that no one was able to get together. This year, while social distancing was still present, the community was able to get together and celebrate together.
Meghan Patrick from Bowmanville, Ontario lead with three wins, followed by Aaron Allen from London, Ontario with two wins.
Hosted by Jason McCoy and Beverly Mahood, the 9th Annual CMAOntario Awards was a drive-in country music awards show that included live performances by Aaron Allen, Susan Aglukark, Buck Twenty, David Boyd Janes, Owen Barney, Reney Ray, Tim Hicks, Robyn Ottolini, Kelly Prescott, Sacha, Elyse Saunders, The Redhill Valleys, and the CMAOntario Awards house band The Western Swing Authority.
Winners From The 2021 CMAOntario Awards
SINGLE OF THE YEAR sponsored by PURE COUNTRY 93
“No Truck Song” – Tim Hicks
RELATED: Learn more about Tim Hicks’ Campfire Troubadour tour …
ALBUM OF THE YEAR sponsored by Country 106.7
Highway Mile – Aaron Allen
SONGWRITER(S) OF THE YEAR sponsored by SOCAN
Owen Barney, Alyssa Reid, Dave Thomson, Mike Wise, Jamie Appleby – “Thank Her For That”, Recorded By Owen Barney
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR sponsored by Countryfest Productions
Meghan Patrick
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR sponsored by Boreal Botanical
Aaron Allen
GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR sponsored by Country 103
Buck Twenty
ROOTS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR sponsored by Skelton Truck Lines
The Abrams
FRANCOPHONE ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR sponsored by Desjardins
Les Rats D’Swompe
RISING STAR sponsored by Slaight Music
Robyn Ottolini
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR sponsored by MNP
“Girls Like Me” – Meghan Patrick
FANS’ CHOICE sponsored by Tourism Hamilton
Meghan Patrick
RECORD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR sponsored by Metalworks Recording Studios
Jeff Dalziel – Aaron Allen, David Boyd Janes, River Town Saints
MUSIC INDUSTRY PERSON OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Calcul8
Randy Owen, Radio Host/Personality
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (LARGE MARKET) sponsored by Fielding Estate Winery
CKDK Country 104, Woodstock
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (MEDIUM MARKET) sponsored by Lucknow’s Music in the Fields
CHCQ-FM Cool 100.1 FM, Belleville
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (SMALL MARKET) sponsored by Niagara Falls Craft Distillers
CICX Pure Country 106, Orillia
MRC DATA COMPASS AWARD
The Reklaws
THE HOLLY & STEVE KASSAY GENEROUS SPIRIT AWARD
Patrice Whiffen
Highlights from the 2021 CMA Ontario Awards in Hamilton
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.