Newsletter

We hope that you are getting as excited as we are! We’ve been working hard over the last while to put together the first annual CMAO Awards for our members, which will be happening on May 27th, 2013, at Markham Theatre in Markham, Ontario. As a new organization we are constantly striving to provide strong benefits to our members and feel there is no better way to celebrate the individual accomplishments and diverse pool of talent that our members bring to the country music genre in our region and abroad, than with an awards show! The 1st CMAO Awards will be a special evening featuring live performances, special guests and the presentation of our inaugural awards. We have selected our nine nomination categories and eligibility […]

As we all know, luck is when “Preparation meets opportunity”. And our new addition to the board, Cadence Grace is a gal that makes her own luck. After working with us for only two months, we on the board feel that she’s destined for great things. She’s shown us her ability in web-site design, writing, poster and flyer production and a myriad of computer and graphic design skills. Plus she’s very adept at social media and event planning. But did we mention that as a youngster she was raised on and influenced by music of all kinds, and got into acting and musical theatre, doing a full run of Joseph at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto? Or that she was signed to a Management/Development deal […]

We in the country world, all know about Brad and Marylynne Stella from their CMT show, “The Stellas” and from hearing them on the radio with their hits, ‘In This House’ and ‘Riding In the Backseat’ and seeing them at the CCMA Awards this past September. Now their daughters, “The Stella Sisters” are heading toward stardom as well. Lennon and Maisy Stella (13 and 8 respectively) are portraying the daughters of a fading country star on ABC’s “Nashville” (airing in Canada on CTV). This hot hit show stars Connie Britton as Rayna, a country star who’s career is on the wane. Britton can also be seen on the show American Horror Story. The Stella family moved down to the capitol of country music back in 2009 […]

Want to kick start your career in the country music business? If you’re a singer, a songwriter, a performer, a musician or involved in making and marketing music this event will be of interest of you. On Sunday November 25th the CMAO (Country Music Association of Ontario) along with Y101 and The University of Ottawa, School of Music are presenting a 3 part Seminar/Demo-rama. Our previous seminar panel discussions have covered, “Getting Your Foot In the Music Industry Door, Building Your Career Independently, Getting Noticed, Playing in the Big Sandbox” and More! Our full list of speakers is below, and the panel topics are: How To Turn On The Radio! starting at 10:00AM followed by, Getting Your Career Off the Ground! at 11:45AM. Each panel […]

“The views expressed here are those of Bill Harts’ and do not necessarily reflect those of the CMAO.” As you know, (or maybe you didn’t) I’m part of the Jenn & Big Country show on KIX 106 in Kitchener-Waterloo. We have a lot of fun; we don’t hide the fact that we love our beer, our country music, & pull NO punches! Whatever’s on our minds, we say it, and we want our listeners to know they have the same luxury. So when we heard that flats are becoming the fashionable thing and heels may be on their way out, we asked; what invention could you live without? Amongst the responses on our Facebook page was this; In all fairness I could live without Canadian […]

The BEST advice I could give for this upcoming holiday season? GO SEE JASON MCCOY’S  ‘THE PERFECT GIFT’ CHRISTMAS TOUR! Got a chance to check Jason’s performance at our recent Songs & Stories event for Kids Ability with Terri Clark (my girlfriend, go ahead ask her), Gord Bamford and Jamie Warren. I had no idea just how funny this guy was. Unscripted and off the cuff, he made the radio announcer in me jealous with the quick-on-the-draw comments. If this is a sign of what to expect in December, then I look forward to donning my gay apparel’! You know what I mean! http://www.reverbnation.com/jasonmccoy#!/artist/artist_shows/320468?class=next&page=2

Country Music Association of Ontario members The Sadies, have begun a cross Canada tour with legends Neil Young and Crazy Horse. Their association with Young goes back to 2010 when they recorded a cut with him on a tribute album to The Band produced by Garth Hudson. They play the Air Canada Center on Nov. 19th with added guests Los Lobos. The Sadies consist of twins Dallas and Travis Good on guitars, Mike Beltsky on drums and Sean Dean on upright bass.

It starts with an idea, and in this case a big heart too! “Warm Christmas” was created by Elyse Saunders, in her quest of raising awareness as well as warm coats, through the national single release of “Warm Christmas” and the benefit concert “Warm Coats Warm Hearts Country Concert” at The Orbit Room in Toronto on Dec 8th. As we go into the winter season, there are many children and adults who need a winter coat but cannot afford one. Please join Elyse & this wonderful campaign by coming to the concert and bringing your warm coats with you that are only keeping the closet warm! You can also find “Warm Christmas” on itunes with proceeds going to the One Warm Coat Foundation (www.onewarmcoat.org) and their agents in […]

Dear CMAO Members: I am proud and honoured to be serving as the new CMAO president. Following in the footsteps of all the work done by Heather Ostertag will be a tough task. I am pleased that she will be staying on in the role of Past President. She has so much valuable information that will assist the organization. I am truly humbled by the calibre of people that we currently have serving on the Board of the Directors. Volunteer Boards are always challenged with the number of hours in a day, their day jobs and their commitments to community service. I know that we are all prepared to step up to the plate and ensure that the CMAO continues to offer more support and […]