WARNER MUSIC CANADA CELEBRATES 25 CCMA AWARD NOMINATIONS

WARNER MUSIC CANADA CELEBRATES 25 CCMA AWARD NOMINATIONS

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Warner Music Canada and its family of country music artists are celebrating a total of 25 CCMA Award nominations.  Final nominations for the Canadian Country Music Association Awards were revealed today in a series of announcements from local news outlets across Canada.  Leading all of this year’s nominees is country superstar Brett Kissel with 5 nominations while newcomers The Washboard Union with 4 nominations and Meaghan Patrick scores a coveted Songwriter of the Year nod as her first CCMA nomination. The 2016 CCMA Awards Show takes place at London’s Budweiser Gardens on Sunday, September 11 and will broadcast live on CBC at 8 p.m. (8:30 p.m. NT) with an encore airing on CMT (Canada) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

BRETT KISSEL – Fan’s Choice, Male Artist of the Year, Single of the Year (“Airwaves”), Interactive Artist or Group of the Year, Record producer of the Year (Pick Me Up)

Brett Kissel has now been nominated a total of 19 times in his young career. The country singer from Flat Lake, Alberta, did not fall victim to the sophomore slump with the release of Pick Me Up.  Apple Music Canada named it the best country album of 2015, CBC included it on their list of top Canadian albums and it earned Brett a Juno Award nomination for Country Album of the Year. His latest single, "Cool With That," has become his 8th consecutive Top 10 radio hit – including a No. 1 single with “Airwaves.”

In addition to Brett’s personal nominations, his spectacular band have also received nominations as Bass Player of the Year (Justin Kudding), Drummer of the Year (Ben Bradley), Fiddle Player of the Year (Tyler Vollrath), Guitar Player of the Year (Matt McKay) and Specialty Instrument Player of the Year (Tyler Vollrath).  A nomination for Video Director of the Year goes to Ben Knetchel for Brett’s clip “Airwaves.” Finally, Brett’s album, Pick Me Up has garnered a nomination for Recording Package of the Year for Patrick Duffy and Juan Pont Lezica.

THE WASHBOARD UNION – Group or Duo of the Year, Roots artist of the Year, Rising Star, Video of the Year (“Maybe It’s The Moonshine”)

With the release of their major label debut, In Our Bones, Vancouver’s The Washboard Union served notice that they will be a country music force to be reckoned with.  Led by Chris Duncombe (vocals/banjo/mandolin), Aaron Grain (vocals/guitar) and David Roberts (vocals/washboard/harmonica), their debut spawned the Top Ten hit “Maybe It’s The Moonshine”.  News of these nominations comes while the band is in the midst of a hectic summer touring schedule which has included dates in Europe as well as some of Canada’s most popular country music festivals including the Cavendish Beach Music Fest, CMT Music Fest and Calgary Stampede.  Their current single, “Shot Of Glory” has just been sent to radio in Canada while the video has been added to CMT Canada.

MEAGHAN PATRICK – Songwriter of the Year (“Bow Chicka Wow Wow”)

Having had a hand in writing 12 of the 13 tracks on her debut album Grace & Grit makes it especially gratifying for Meghan Patrick to receive her first CCMA nomination as Songwriter of the Year.  Meghan has quickly made a name for herself since signing to Warner Music Canada.  Working with producers Justin Niebank (Vince Gill, LeAnn Rimes), Vince Gill, Chris Baseford (Nickelback, Avril Lavigne), Carly McKillip, and fellow Canadian Chad Kroeger, who co-wrote and produced her debut single “Bow Chicka Wow Wow”, Grace & Grit is Meghan’s calling card to the world that a new country music star is on the horizon.  2016 has seen Meghan setting out on the road with her band, with dates at Ottawa Bluesfest, Cavendish Beach Music Festival,  CMT Music Fest, and the Calgary Stampede where she will share a stage with Lady Antebellum.

Meghan’s debut album has also garnered a nomination in the category of Record Producer(s) of the Year for Chris Baseford, Vince Gill, Jeff Johnson, Chad Kroeger, Carly McKillip and Justin Niebank.

Warner Music Canada distributed label Road Angel are thrilled that Mackenzie Porter has been nominated for Female Artist of the Year.  Deric Ruttan and Craig Wiseman have been nominated for Songwriter of the Year for the track “Came Here To Forget” recorded by Warner Bros. recording artist Blake Shelton.  Also, congratulations to High Valley for their nomination for Group or Duo of the year.  With their recent signing to Warner Nashville, the Alberta-based group will join the Warner Music Canada family this Fall.

Warner Music Canada have also received music industry nominations in the categories of  Record Company of the Year, Record Company Person of the Year (Steve Coady), while Warner/Chappell Music Canada is nominated as Music Publishing Company of the Year.