As we head into a second summer of creatively planned alternatives to traditional concerts and festivals, the Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAOntario) have announced the nominees for the 9thAnnual CMAOntario Awards, as well as their plans to return to the drive-in stage to celebrate the best of Ontario’s country music on May 31, 2021.
Following the success of their rescheduled 2020 show that took place at the Western Fairgrounds in London, Jason McCoy and Beverley Mahood will host the 2021 edition at the Ancaster Fairgrounds in Hamilton.
Leading the nominations with five nods each are 15-time CMAOntario Award winner Meghan Patrick, 9-time CMAOntario Award winner Tim Hicks, and TikTok star Robyn Ottolini. Fans are encouraged to cast their votes for the Fans’ Choice award between April 19 and May 7, 2021, at www.cmaontario.ca/awards/voting.
Performers, ticket details, and additional events from the CMAOntario Festival & Awards Weekend will be announced in the coming weeks and will be found at www.cmaontario.ca
List of nominees for the 9th Annual CMAOntario Awards
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
“All I Can Do” – Buck Twenty
“F-150” – Robyn Ottolini
“Girls Like Me” – Meghan Patrick
“No Truck Song” – Tim Hicks
“Thank Her For That” – Owen Barney
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
All Woman – Nicole Rayy
Highway Mile – Aaron Allen
Jade Eagleson – Jade Eagleson
Love Wins – Kelly Prescott
The I’m Not Always Hilarious EP – Robyn Ottolini
SONGWRITER(S) OF THE YEAR
Callie McCullough, Scotty Kipfer – “After Midnight” (Recorded by Callie McCullough)
Jamie Appleby, Owen Barney, Alyssa Reid, Dave Thomson, Mike Wise – “Thank Her For That” (Recorded by Owen Barney)
Meghan Patrick, Jobe Fortner, Ryan Nelson – “Girls Like Me” (Recorded by Meghan Patrick)
Robyn Ottolini, Mark Schroor, Erik Fintelman – “F-150” (Recorded by Robyn Ottolini)
Tim Hicks, Bruce Wallace, Jeffrey Coplan – “No Truck Song” (Recorded by Tim Hicks)
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Elyse Saunders
Kelsi Mayne
Meghan Patrick
Robyn Ottolini
Tianna Woods
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Aaron Allen
Andrew Hyatt
Darcy John
David Boyd Janes
Tim Hicks
GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR
Buck Twenty
Jess and Tay
The Abrams
The Reklaws
The Western Swing Authority
FRANCOPHONE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kristine St-Pierre
Les Rats D’Swompe
Melissa Ouimet
Reney Ray
Stef Paquette
RISING STAR OF THE YEAR
Buck Twenty
Callie McCullough
Elyse Saunders
Robyn Ottolini
Sacha
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“All I Can Do” – Buck Twenty
“Broken Boys” – Nicole Rayy
“Girls Like Me” – Meghan Patrick
“No Truck Song” – Tim Hicks
“Where I’m From” – The Reklaws
FANS’ CHOICE
Andrew Hyatt
Jade Eagleson
James Barker Band
Meghan Patrick
Steven Lee Olsen
Tebey
The Reklaws
Tim Hicks
RECORD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Dustin Olyan (Callie McCullough, Twin Kennedy, Mallory Johnson)
Jeff Dalziel (Aaron Allen, David Boyd Janes, River Town Saints)
Mark Schroor, Erik Fintelman (Robyn Ottolini, Alexa Goldie, Cory James Mitchell)
J. Richard Hutt (Jamie Warren, Sean Hogan, Jessie T, Tianna Woods)
Shawn Moore (Ben Hudson, Matt Teed, Emily Clair, Evan Farrell, Emily Kate)
ROOTS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Kelly Prescott
The Abrams
The Good Brothers
The Redhill Valleys
The Western Swing Authority
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (LARGE MARKET)
CHKX KX 94.7, Hamilton
CIKZ COUNTRY 106.7, Kitchener
CJKX KX 96, Oshawa
CKDK COUNTRY 104, Woodstock
CKKL PURE COUNTRY 94, Ottawa
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (MEDIUM MARKET)
CFCO COUNTRY 92.9, Chatham
CHCQ-FM COOL 100.1 FM, Belleville
CJQM COUNTRY 104.3, Sault Ste. Marie
CKQM PURE COUNTRY 105, Peterborough
CKXC COUNTRY 93.5, Kingston
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (SMALL MARKET)
CFDC COUNTRY 105, Shelburne
CHAW COUNTRY 103, Little Current
CHVR PURE COUNTRY 96.7, Pembroke
CICX PURE COUNTRY 106, Orillia
CJDL COUNTRY 107.3, Tillsonburg
CKYY COUNTRY 89, Welland
MUSIC INDUSTRY PERSON OF THE YEAR
Amanda Kingsland, Country 92.3/Rogers Communications
Dave Woods, In The Country
Randy Owen, Radio Host/Personality
Steve Coady, Warner Music Canada
Tommy KW Lam, Reve Music Group Inc.