2023 CMAOntario Awards Nominees Announced

The Country Music Association of Ontario
Announces
2023 CMAOntario Awards Nominees

Josh Ross, Tebey and Robyn Ottolini
Lead In Nominations

March 27, 2023 (TORONTO)

The Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAOntario) is excited to announce the nominees for the 11th Annual CMAOntario Awards, taking place on Sunday, June 4 at Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton, Ontario.

Josh Ross, Tebey, and Robyn Ottolini lead with five nominations apiece, followed by Tim Hicks with four nominations, and Karli June and Nate Haller with three nominations each.

Hosted by Jason McCoy and Shannon Ella from Pure Country Radio, the CMAOntario Awards Show will close out the CMAOntario Festival & Awards Weekend June 2-4, 2023. The CMAOntario Awards, presented by Slaight Music, will acknowledge the talent and achievements of Ontario’s country music industry across 19 categories. Tickets for the CMAOntario Awards Show are on sale now.

The Nominees for the 11th Annual CMAOntario Awards are:

SINGLE OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Pure Country 93
“First Taste Of Gone” – Josh Ross
“Say It” – Robyn Ottolini
“She Don’t Know” – Jade Eagleson
“We Did” – Sacha
“What Was I Drinking” – Tebey

ALBUM OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Country 106.7
Cloud 9 – Kelly Prescott
Diamonds in the Desert – Jason Blaine
Party in the Back – Nate Haller
Talk to Time – Tim Hicks
Where You Come From – Karli June

SONGWRITER(S) OF THE YEAR – sponsored by SOCAN
Deric Ruttan, Tim Hicks, Monty Criswell – Whiskey Does (recorded by Tim Hicks)
Josh Ross, Grady Block, Mason Thornley – On a Different Night (recorded by Josh Ross)
Karli June, Karen Kosowski, Tori Tullier – Makes You Pretty (recorded by Karli June)
Robyn Ottolini, Nate Miles, Emily Falvey – Say It (recorded by Robyn Ottolini)
Steven Lee Olsen, Brandon Day – Nashville or Nothing (recorded by Steven Lee Olsen)

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Elyse Saunders
Genevieve Fisher
Nicole Rayy
Robyn Ottolini
Sacha

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR – sponsored by IBEW Local 353
Andrew Hyatt
Josh Ross
Nate Haller
Tebey
Tim Hicks

GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Country 103
James Barker Band
River Town Saints
Rosewood Ave.
The Reklaws
The Western Swing Authority

ROOTS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Callie McCullough
Julian Taylor
Mackenzie Leigh Meyer
The Abrams
The Western Swing Authority

FRANCOPHONE ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Gabrielle Goulet
Kristine St. Pierre
Les Rats d’Swompe
Reney Ray
Vincent Bishop

RISING STAR AWARD – sponsored by Slaight Music
Amanda Jordan
Graham Scott Fleming
Josh Ross
Karli June
Owen Riegling

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Jim Dunlop Productions
“Busy” – Robyn Ottolini
“Country Like You” – Ryan Langdon
“Genes” – Elyse Saunders
“Sink With The Sun” – Tebey
“Somedays” – Graham Scott Fleming

FANS’ CHOICE – sponsored by Tourism Hamilton
Jade Eagleson
James Barker Band
Josh Ross
Meghan Patrick
Nate Haller
Robyn Ottolini
Steven Lee Olsen
Tebey
The Reklaws
Tim Hicks

RECORD PRODUCER(S) OF THE YEAR
Jeff Dalziel – New Moon Junction
Karen Kosowski – Karli June
Mark Schroor & Erik Fintelman – Robyn Ottolini
Tebey and Danick Dupelle – Tebey
The Agenda – Graham Scott Fleming

MUSIC INDUSTRY PERSON OF THE YEAR – sponsored by Manrkē
Aj Astle, Roadhouse Productions
Dave Woods, In The Country
Jill Snell, Jayward Artist Group
Samantha Pickard, Strut Entertainment
Steve Coady, Warner Music Canada

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (LARGE MARKET) – sponsored by Fielding Estate Winery
Country 104, London
Country 106.7, Kitchener
KX-947, Hamilton
KX96, Oshawa
Pure Country 94, Ottawa

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (MEDIUM MARKET) – sponsored by Lucknow’s Music in the Fields
COOL 100.1, Belleville
Country 92.9, Chatham
Country 93.5, Kingston
Hot Country 93.9, Brantford
Pure Country 105, Peterborough

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (SMALL MARKET)
100.1 FM The Ranch, Listowel
Country 103, Manitoulin
Country 89, Welland
Country 93, Owen Sound
Pure Country 106, Orillia

The CMAOntario Awards Show will also include the Impact Award, which recognizes an artist, group, industry personality or organization that has left an enduring and indelibly positive footprint on the landscape of country music in Ontario.

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 7, 2023 at www.cmaontario.ca/awards/voting. Music fans can cast their votes for the Fans’ Choice award as of April 28.

The CMAOntario Award Show is preceded by a weekend of activities as part of the CMAOntario Festival & Awards Weekend, June 2-4, 2023. The CMAOntario Festival & Awards Weekend will include Songs & Stories: Songwriters in the Round, R2i TuneUp Conference, Street Fair, Bonfire and Tailgate Party. Additional details, including performers, will be announced in the coming weeks.

CMAOntario Awards Show
Sunday, June 4 from 7pm
Theatre Aquarius
190 King William St, Hamilton, ON

Fan VIP Tickets
Regular ticket price – $260
Includes reserved VIP Seating, Exclusive invitation to the pre-show rehearsal, Invitation to the VIP reception, and Ticket to the post-awards party

Regular Reserved Seating
Regular ticket price – $79
Member price – $69

Combo Package For Members
$155 – Conference Pass & Regular Awards Show Ticket

www.cmaontario.ca
Facebook / Twitter / Instagram: @theCMAOntario
#CMAOntario

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Media Contact: Damien Nelson, damien@wantandable.ca

About CMAOntario: In 2007, Rob MacArthur and founding patron Linda Wright together with a number of key industry professionals founded the Country Music Association of Ontario. The Association’s mandate is to foster the growth and development of Ontario’s country music and its industry, provincially, nationally and internationally. The CMAOntario has hosted ten annual Awards Shows and seven two-day Road to Independence educational conferences with the generous assistance of presenting sponsor Slaight Music and support of Ontario Creates. www.cmaontario.ca

About Slaight Music: Slaight Music was started in 2011 with a mandate to support the Canadian music community through a variety of initiatives, and to develop Canadian talent via strategic partnerships with industry peers. We work with artists from across the country and across the musical spectrum, helping to further careers and get great music heard. We’re also invested in the technology sphere, helping Canadian music entrepreneurs develop the next generation of digital platforms and services. And, we support a variety of music-related events, causes and charities. www.slaightmusic.com