2018 CMAOntario Award Nominees Announced April 11, 2018 NEWS The Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAOntario) is pleased to announce this year’s performing artists, CMAOntario Award Nominees and Impact Award Recipient. Performing artists include two-time CMAOntario Fan’s Choice award winner and Impact Award Recipient Michelle Wright, country rock band Cold Creek County, Ontario / Nashville based Meghan Patrick, Canadian country music veteran Jason McCoy, Niagara Falls native Tim Hicks, multi-genre musician Tebey and the country swing ensemble Western Swing Authority. Michelle Wright will receive the 2018 Impact Award sponsored by Canadian Music Week. As the first Canadian‐born artist in the modern era of country music to have a Top Ten hit in America with her Arista Records Nashville release, “Take It Like A Man,” a Number One video on CMT‐USA (also for “Take It Like A Man”) and to win a major U.S. music industry award (the Academy of Country Music Top New Female Artist award in 1993), and a career that includes twenty‐five Top Ten radio hits, millions of records sold, more than forty major awards (including her 2011 induction into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame) and a new label home, Michelle is poised for the next phase of what has already been a stellar musical career. The CMAOntario Impact Award recognizes an artist, group, industry personality or company/organization that has left an enduring and indelibly positive footprint on the landscape of country music in Ontario. Previous recipients include Blue Rodeo, Prairie Oyster, Paula Chopik and Ed Leslie (producers of Havelock Country Jamboree) and Gordon Lightfoot The sixth annual CMAOntario Awards, presented by Slaight Music, with support from the Ontario Media Development Corporation, will be hosted by Jason McCoy on Sunday, June 3 at Centennial Hall in London, ON. The awards acknowledge the talent and achievements of Ontario’s country music industry across 16 categories. Voting for the awards is restricted to CMAOntario members, with the exception of the Fans’ Choice award, which is open to both public and membership voting. Eligible members will have the opportunity to vote on the final ballot as of today up until April 25th. Music fans can cast their votes for the Fans’ Choice award up until April 21 www.cmaontario.ca/awards/voting. For tickets visit here. Full list of nominees below. CMAONTARIO FINAL NOMINEES – 2018 SINGLE OF THE YEAR sponsored by KICX 106 Born To Love – Jason Blaine Chills – James Barker Band Country Music Made Me Do It – Meghan Patrick Slide Over – Tim Hicks You Me We – Genevieve Fisher ALBUM OF THE YEAR sponsored by Freedom Music & Creative Game On – James Barker Band Homemade – Cold Creek County Iron and Ashes – Andrew Hyatt River Town Saints – River Town Saints The Squeeze – The Road Hammers SONGWRITER(S) OF THE YEAR sponsored by SOCAN Clayton Bellamy, Chris Byrne, Jason McCoy – Crazy About You, Recorded by The Road Hammers Dan Isbell, Meghan Patrick, Jeremy Stover – Country Music Made Me Do It, Recorded by Meghan Patrick James Barker, Gavin Slate, Travis Wood, Donovan Woods – Chills, Recorded by James Barker Band Jessica Mitchell, Matthew Tishler – Don’t Love Me, Recorded by Jessica Mitchell Kelly Archer, Adam Hambrick, Tebey Ottoh – Somebody Else Will, Recorded by Justin Moore FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR sponsored by Spring Tree Farm Dani Strong Genevieve Fisher Jessica Mitchell Meghan Patrick Tianna Woods MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR sponsored by ECAO/IBEW Andrew Hyatt Anthony Tullo Jason Blaine Tebey Tim Hicks GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR sponsored by Country 103 Blue Rodeo Cold Creek County James Barker Band Runaway Angel The Lovelocks The Reklaws ROOTS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR sponsored by Skelton Truck Lines Jessica Mitchell Lindi Ortega The Abrams The Lovelocks The Western Swing Authority RISING STAR sponsored by Slaight Music Andrew Hyatt Eric Ethridge Nicole Rayy Shae Dupuy The Reklaws MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR Chills – James Barker Band Country Music Made Me Do It – Meghan Patrick Haulin’ Ass – The Road Hammers Homemade – Cold Creek County Slide Over – Tim Hicks Woke Up Like This – River Town Saints FANS’ CHOICE sponsored by OMDC James Barker Band Meghan Patrick River Town Saints The Road Hammers Tim Hicks RECORD PRODUCER(S) OF THE YEAR David “Dwave” Thomson, Jason Blaine – Jason Blaine, Born to Love Jason Barry – Runaway Angel, Zero; Western Swing Authority, I’m Sending You My Heart This Christmas; Dean Brody, Beautiful Freakshow Jeff Dalziel – The Washboard Union, Shine; Dan Davidson, Barn Burner; River Town Saints Karen Kosowski – Jessica Mitchell, Don’t Love Me; Madeline Merlo, Motel Flamingo Scott Cooke, Doug Oliver – Cold Creek County, Homemade The Agenda – Justine Chantale, Fly INDUSTRY PERSON OF THE YEAR sponsored by Seeds & Co. Amanda Kingsland, Country 101.1 Anya Wilson, Anya Wilson Promotion & Publicity Mike Denney, MDM Recordings Ron Kitchener, RGK Entertainment Steve Coady, Warner Music Canada RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (LARGE MARKET) CHKX KX 94.7, Hamilton CJBX BX 93, London CJKX KX96, Oshawa CKBY County 101.1, Ottawa CKDK NEW Country 104, Woodstock RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (MEDIUM MARKET) sponsored by Lucknow’s Music in the Fields CFCO Country 92.9, Chatham CHCQ-FM Cool 100.1 FM, Belleville CICS KICX 91.7, Sudbury CKQM Country 105, Peterborough CKXC Country 93.5, Kingston RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (SMALL MARKET) CHAW Country 103, Little Current CICX KICX 106, Orillia CJDL-FM Country 107.3, Tillsonburg CKAT, Country 600, North Bay CKYC Country 93, Owen Sound CKYY Country 89, Welland
