April 11, 2018
The Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAOntario) is pleased to announce this year’s performing artists, CMAOntario Award Nominees and Impact Award Recipient. Performing artists include Impact Award Recipient Michelle Wright, country rock band Cold Creek County, Ontario / Nashville based Meghan Patrick, Canadian country music veteran Jason McCoy, Niagara Falls native Tim Hicks, multi-genre musician Tebey and the country swing ensemble Western Swing Authority. Michelle Wright will receive the 2018 Impact Award sponsored by Canadian Music Week. As the first Canadian‐born artist in the modern era of country music to have a Top Ten hit in America with her Arista Records Nashville release, “Take It Like A Man,” a Number One video on CMT‐USA (also for “Take It Like A Man”) and to win a major U.S. music industry award (the Academy of Country Music […]
April 13, 2017
The fourth edition of the CMAOntario R2I Spring Tune Up Conference will feature a two-day program of learning, networking and showcasing on Saturday, June 10 and Sunday, June 11, 2017, at the Delta London Armouries by Marriott in London, Ontario. Programming will cover artist development, navigating Nashville, songwriting, digital marketing, promotion, funding and more. Attendees will hear first-hand the stories that inspired some of today’s top hits during the perennial favourite Songwriters In The Round session. Registrants will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with industry personnel during the Mentor’s Breakfast on Saturday and the networking lunch on Sunday. Confirmed speakers include: Bruce Good (The Good Brothers); Brian Allen (Amplus Productions); Cathie Faint (Catherine Faint Entertainment); Kathryn Hummel (Royalty Records); Stefanie Purificati (United Talent Agency [UTA]); Ashley Sperling (MusiCounts); Samantha Pickard (Strut Entertainment); Allan Mamaril (M88 Management); Mike Denney (MDM […]
April 12, 2017
The Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAOntario) is pleased to announce the nominees for the fifth annual CMAOntario Awards. Presented by Slaight Music, with support from the Ontario Media Development Corporation, the awards recognize the talent and achievements of Ontario’s country music industry across 16 categories. Meghan Patrick leads the pack with seven nominations while James Barker Band, River Town Saints, Jessica Mitchell, Cold Creek County, Jason Blaine, Tim Hicks and The Abrams are among the multiple nominees being honoured at the ceremony on Sunday, June 11th at Centennial Hall in London, Ontario. See the full nominees listing for the 2017 CMAOntario Awards below. 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. […]
March 9, 2017
Polls are now open for the Second Round of the 2017 CMAOntario Awards. Submit your ballot using the secure online voting system. Ballots are encrypted immediately upon receipt, and your vote will be completely confidential. The voting deadline for the Second Round of Balloting for the 2017 CMAOntario Awards is Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at 11:59 PM ET. Please cast your vote now! From the list of nominees, please vote for ONE AND ONLY ONE nominee in each award category. You may choose not to vote in any particular category. The five (5) contenders receiving the most votes in each category will appear on the Third (Final) Ballot as nominees, providing they meet the eligibility requirements as determined by the CMAOntario Awards & Balloting Committee. PLEASE NOTE: Third Ballot Contenders are […]
March 9, 2017
CMAONTARIO ROADSHOW: LEARNING EXCHANGE & SHOWCASE IN OTTAWA Saturday, March 18, 2017 The Observatory at Algonquin College 1385 Woodroffe Ave., Ottawa, ON The Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAOntario) is pleased to announce the CMAOntario RoadShow: Learning Exchange and Showcase to be held at The Observatory at Algonquin College, on Saturday, March 18, 2017. The event will consist of a daylong program of educational seminars for aspiring industry professionals, artists and songwriters, featuring a truckload of experts, like: Legendary Canadian chart-topping artist and songwriter, Charlie Major Doug Oliver from the award-winning group, Cold Creek County UTA’s ace agent Stefanie Purificati, whose roster includes Alan Doyle, Paul Brandt, Bruce Cockburn and Sam Roberts Award-winning songwriter Tyler Wilkinson (Small Town Pistols, The Wilkinsons) Celebrated singer/songwriter Jeremy Fisher Award-winning songwriter and producer Brian Allen […]
March 9, 2017
The Country Music Association of Ontario is thrilled to reveal Jason Blaine and Cold Creek County as performers for the 2017 CMAOntario Awards. Hosted by renowned musician, entertainer and now radio broadcaster Jason McCoy, the awards show will take place at Centennial Hall in London, Ontario on Sunday, June 11 at 8:00 p.m. Jason Blaine is a multiple CMAOntario Awards winner as well as the recipient of three SOCAN Airplay Awards and a CCMA award. He’s had a string of radio hits including “Back To You” and “Country Side” from his latest album of the same name. Blaine recently completed a stint on the road with Tim Hicks on the Shake These Walls Tour throughout Ontario. Cold Creek County burst onto the scene with the […]
December 21, 2016
The acts selected to open for award winning country artist, Brett Kissel, on the Ontario leg of his upcoming tour have been announced. The winners were selected from close to 100 entries vying to perform with Kissel through the “Kick It With Kissel” contest. Participants were asked to record a video of them performing their favourite original, cover, or Kissel songs and to post it to social media using the “#KickItWithKissel” hashtag. The winners were chosen by a panel comprised of Country Music Association of Ontario board members, Invictus Entertainment, and Kissel himself. “The response to the contest was tremendous,” commented Kissel. “I wish I had room to add more talent.” The winners include: Kansas Stone January 12, 2017 Kiwanis Community Theatre Sault St Marie, […]
December 7, 2016
Sorry for the headline, but I agonized over how to title this, for obvious reasons. Nobody wants to hear about a cost increase and I sure do respect that. So, I lifted some wording that I see regularly included with one of my favourite utility bills (another weak attempt at humour). Whenever I see “changing” I know for sure it doesn’t mean that costs are going down! And so I deliver this news while gritting my teeth, but the fact of the matter is, the CMAO’s costs aren’t going down either. Yes, our main funding sources are via grants and the generosity of Slaight Music, but those applications we fill out are heavily justified specific expenditures that qualify under the funders’ criteria. To keep this […]