A Message from the President (April 2018)

Our timing is a little off, as the Juno’s were held back in March, but I know that we all want to Congratulate CARAS, CBC and all the many people that produced and performed in probably one of the best Juno shows thus far. Congratulations to double nominees James Barker Band for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and winners of Country Album of the Year. Dreams do come true! Congrats James, Connor, Taylor and Bobby. Also, nice to see all the BNL members back on stage – great night!

If you are not already aware, Tracy Martin is now officially President of the Canadian Country Music Association and brings huge credentials with her. As a CCMA director for two years, she managed the CMT Canada and CCMA Awards broadcast relationship for the last three years. Tracy carries 17 years of experience in marketing, production and TV programming; and digital, artist and event management. We echo CCMA Board Chair Ted Ellis’s comment: “We’re thrilled to have her at the helm.”

We are so looking forward to the 2018 CMAOntario Award Show (June 3, Centennial Hall, London) and conference weekend at the Delta Armouries Hotel, London, June 1-3. Conference passes and prime seats are selling steadily, so secure your view at https://centennialhall.london.ca/london-event-listings.html We have a great weekend lined up! Following are some comments from our Board Members:

Steve Kassay – 1^st Vice-President – “The annual Softball Challenge returns June 1, 2018! This year both teams will be comprised of artists likely turning the game into less about the baseball and more about good fun. Join us for baseball, artist meet & greets, autographs, artist merchandise sales, and more…”

Brian Allen – Governance Chair – “I actually enjoy the minutiae of our Bylaws, policy and procedure… which makes me akin to an alien on the Board. With that in mind, I urge all members to attend what I think is the most exciting event of the weekend – our ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING!!! Here is where we will recap the past year, outline the initiatives we’re working toward for the coming year, and most importantly, members will exercise their right to elect the Board of Directors; and… (wait for it) receive the ever-popular Financial Statements!!

Seriously though, alternating each year, the Board offers approximately half of our seats to election, giving each Director a two year term. All the benefits you have come to know via CMAOntario have been steered by the Board’s volunteer Directors, and to keep this train running, we always need energetic and responsible Candidates. If you feel you can help, and would like to run in the upcoming election, please advise our Executive Director Verle Mobbs at verle@cmaontario.ca Join us for the AGM in London at the Delta Armouries Hotel on Saturday, June 2^nd at 12:30PM – lunch included… or I will hunt you down!”

Kim Stoneburg – Membership Chair – “I am extremely excited and looking forward to this year’s CMAOntario weekend. We are so very proud of all the support from our members and we look forward to seeing you at the conference, baseball game, outdoor concert and of course on stage. If you would like to volunteer for the weekend, night or afternoon, please reach out to us at tourmanagerap@gmail.com”

Kathyn Hummell – Conference and Roadshow Chair – “Our conference weekend is shaping up to be 3 full days packed with topics covering such as, publishing, songwriting, best business practices and navigating the current digital landscape, which will provide attendees with the tools and knowledge to build their music brand. This year part of our focus is to create more networking opportunities, which will include  kicking off the weekend with a networking round table session, offering unique opportunities for learning and professional exchange. Get direct access to funders, agents, managers, labels, producers, talent buyers and festivals. Come prepared to engage in in-depth discussions, give and receive targeted feedback, meet colleagues with similar interests, and learn from the questions and experiences of your peers.  Get your questions ready and sign up for CMA Ontario R2I Conference & Festival/Awards weekend.”

Michelle Carpenter – Sponsorship Chair – “I would like to thank all of our amazing sponsors for this year’s event; in particular, our returning presenting sponsor for the Awards show and Conference, Slaight Music, as well as the Ontario Music Fund through OMDC. Without the support of these two organizations, we wouldn’t be able to make this weekend happen. We look forward to working alongside all our new and returning partners for what will be a momentous celebration of country music in Ontario. It is not too late to get involved in one of the most exciting weekends in country music. We still have a limited number of opportunities available for sponsorship for either an award category or one of our many events throughout the weekend. We would love to partner with you!”

The Legacy Revival Show featuring; Michelle Wright, Aaron Pritchett, The Good Brothers and Patricia Conroy will be held at The Bishop Cronyn Memorial Place, downtown London on Sunday June 3, 2018 from 2pm-4pm. Tickets on sale April 16, 2018 at Aeolian Box Office www.aeolianhall.ca

I know that many of you are wondering about names – this year’s panelists, showcasing artists and performers on the Awards show. All those details are in the last stages of completion, so watch your inbox for announcements and don’t forget to check for new info at www.cmaontario.ca

As always, we would love to know what you are up to, so please submit any industry-relevant info to verle@cmaontaro.ca with the subject line “FOR INCLUSION IN CMAOntario NEWSLETTER.”

Cheers!

Catherine Faint
President