Winners of the 8th Annual CMAOntario Awards Announced

The Country Music Association of Ontario
Announces Winners of the
8th Annual CMAOntario Awards

October 4, 2020 (TORONTO)

The Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAOntario) tonight celebrated the talent and achievements of Ontario’s country music industry across 17 categories. The 8th Annual CMAOntario Awards was the first ever, live drive-in country awards show, and took place on The Raceway at the Western Fair District in London, Ontario.

Meghan Patrick from Bowmanville, Ontario led with three wins, followed by Tim Hicks, James Barker Band, and The Reklaws with two wins each.

These wins mark a historic run for CMAOntario artists:

• Meghan Patrick has won the CMAOntario Female Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year for three consecutive years. She has won Album of the Year for two consecutive years, and has won this category with each of her three studio albums – Wild As Me in 2020, Country Music Made Me Do It in 2019, and Grace and Grit in 2017. Patrick now has a total of 15 CMAOntario Award wins throughout her career.
• Tim Hicks has won CMAOntario Male Artist of the Year for two consecutive years, and the Nielsen Compass Award for three consecutive years (the first was a tie with James Barker Band in 2018). Hicks has won Male Artist of the Year five times, and now has a total of nine CMAOntario Award wins.
• James Barker Band have won CMAOntario Single of the Year for the second time, and scooped Music Video of the Year for the first time. James Barker Band now have a total of six CMAOntario wins.
• The Reklaws have won CMAOntario Group or Duo of the Year for two consecutive years. The duo also won their first CMAOntario Fans’ Choice and now have a total of four CMAOntario wins.

Hosted by Jason McCoy, the 8^th Annual CMAOntario Awards included a drive-in audience of 225 vehicles to see live performances by Tim Hicks, James Barker Band, The Reklaws, The Abrams, Eric Ethridge and Kalsey Kulyk, Genevieve Fisher, Kelsi Mayne, Les Rats d’Swompe, Nicole Rayy, Ryan Langdon, and The Western Swing Authority. For the grand finale, fellow CMAOntario performers joined McCoy onstage for a special rendition of his song “We Are One.”

THE WINNERS OF THE 8TH ANNUAL CMAONTARIO AWARDS ARE:

SINGLE OF THE YEAR sponsored by PURE COUNTRY 106       
“Keep it Simple” – James Barker Band

ALBUM OF THE YEAR sponsored by COUNTRY 106.7
Wild As Me – Meghan Patrick

SONGWRITER(S) OF THE YEAR sponsored by SOCAN
Meghan Patrick, Jordan Rager, Michael Whitworth – “Wild As Me”, Recorded by Meghan Patrick

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR sponsored by Spring Tree Farm
Meghan Patrick

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR sponsored by ECAO/IBEW
Tim Hicks

GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR sponsored by Country 103
The Reklaws

ROOTS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR sponsored by Skelton Truck Lines
The Abrams

FRANCOPHONE ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR sponsored by Desjardins
Les Rats d’Swompe

RISING STAR sponsored by Slaight Music
Aaron Allen

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR sponsored by MNP
“Keep It Simple” – James Barker Band

FANS’ CHOICE sponsored by Ontario Creates   
The Reklaws

RECORD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR sponsored by Metalworks Studios
Jeff Dalziel – Aaron Allen, The Abrams, Dan Davidson, Chris Labelle, Ryan Langdon

INDUSTRY PERSON OF THE YEAR sponsored by Calcul8
Shannon Ella, Pure Country/Complete Country

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (LARGE MARKET) 
CKBY Country 101.1, Ottawa

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (MEDIUM MARKET) sponsored by Lucknow’s Music in the Fields 
CHCQ-FM Cool 100.1 FM, Belleville

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (SMALL MARKET) 
CICX PURE COUNTRY 106, Orillia

NIELSEN COMPASS AWARD
Tim Hicks

The CMAOntario Awards were presented by Slaight Music with support from Ontario Creates.

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

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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 seven annual Awards Shows and six 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
	About Ontario Creates: Ontario Creates (formerly OMDC) is a provincial agency that facilitates economic development, investment and collaboration in Ontario’s creative industries including the music, book, magazine, film, television and interactive digital media sectors. www.ontariocreates.ca Ontario Créatif (anciennement la SODIMO) est un organisme provincial qui encourage le développement économique, les investissements et la collaboration au sein des industries de la création de l’Ontario, notamment dans les secteurs de la musique, de l’édition de livres et de revues, du cinéma et de la télévision, et des produits multimédias interactifs numériques. www.ontariocreates.ca/accueil.htm