The best of the best flocked into Budweiser Gardens for the CCMA Awards

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: JESSICA THOMPSON
Country music stars arrived on the John Deere green carpet in style and flare before the CCMA Awards Show at Budweiser Gardens

The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) celebrated its 40th anniversary in London for the first time on Sunday, Sept. 11 at the Budweiser Gardens.

The event started off with fans lining the streets to get a glimpse of the stars as they arrived on the John Deere green carpet in style and flare.

A night of glitz and glamour, the event celebrated the best in Canadian country music both past and present and included international special guests Sam Hunt and Kelsea Ballerini. Canadian Olympian Melissa Bishop, and fellow Olympian, as well as a Fanshawe alumnus Damian Warner, were also in attendance, and received a standing ovation from the crowd.

Jessi Cruickshank was the host of the show for the second year in a row.

Cruickhank, who had multiple outfit changes, kept the crowd entertained while making jokes throughout the night.

She made sure to acknowledge the fact that “hottie” Sam Hunt was in the crowd, and also reflected on the rising girl power in country music.

The night was jam packed with a total of eight awards handed out, and a multitude of performances.

Before the show began, the stars spoke with Interrobang on the green carpet.

There was a general consensus from musicians, such as London’s own Jessica Mitchell, Brett Kissel and High Valley, that Sam Hunt was one of the main performances they were looking to see.

Deric Ruttan and American singer, songwriter and producer Kristian Bush were just a few of the many who were also ecstatic to see Brett Kissel take to the stage. Bush said he is a fan of Canadian country music, and had worked with Kissel and Canadian Lindsay Ell.

Wes Mack and Kissel were looking forward to seeing Jess Moskaluke perform.

All the performances were exceptional, with Tim Hicks starting the show with his new song “Stompin’ Ground”.

Legend Terri Clark also rocked the house with a medley of her hits.

This was only the second time Ballerini has been to Canada and first time attending the CCMA Awards.

She said she was looking forward to seeing all the performances, and specifically interested in getting familiar with Canadian music and musicians, since she said she is not too familiar with them.

Legend Terri Clark had some advice for first time attendees [stars], to the CCMA Awards. She said stars should just take it all in, and not let it all rush by.

Clark, Kira Isabella, Hicks, among others, said the CCMA Awards is a great time where musicians, producers and friends can all meet up since they normally do not get to cross paths with their schedules being different.

The night featured a list of big winners, with Jess Moskaluke winning the coveted Female Artist of the Year for the third time in a row.

Moskaluke said she was just as surprised by this third win, just as she was with the first and second time winning.

 

“This year was really cool to see. All of the nominees were kind of a new wave of country, and as much as I admire and respect people like Patricia Conroy, Terri Clark, Michelle Wright and Shania Twain, it’s really, really encouraging to see the new crop of woman that we are raising here in Canada. So this is a huge honour.”

Moskaluke went on to praise the fans, and thanked them for letting her continue to do the job that she loves more than anything in the world.

Brett Kissel was the big winner of the night, winning Male Artist of the Year, Interactive Artist of the Year, and Fan’s Choice Award presented by SiriusXM.

Kissel said his wife Cecilia has taken notice in the way Kissel is now that he’s a parent.

“She’s seen that I work harder and she thinks that I work smarter in the sense that if I’m going to be away from our family, she says ‘you better make it worth it’ in the sense of ‘do all that you can if you’re going to be gone, work as hard as you can’ and I really appreciate that encouragement.”

“I feel that since [our daughter Mila] arrived, I work harder and I work smarter,” Kissel said.

Dean Brody also won big, with CMT Video of the Year presented by Coors Banquet, Songwriter of the Year presented by Ole, and Single of the Year, all for his song “Bring down the House”. The album with the same name was also Top Selling Canadian Single of the Year.

The song, which is a mix of country and EDM flare was something different for Brody.

“It was really huge, we took a risk on that song,” Brody said. “We didn’t even want to show it to our manager and record label.”

However, he said people really resonated with it.

In terms of his wins, Brody said songwriting was a bit more personal for him to win.

“It’s a little bit more close to my heart because I started this journey writing songs [rather than singing].”

He wanted musicians like Blake Shelton and Kenny Chesney to cover his material instead, but no one would take them. With the encouragement of his producer Matt, he started performing his own songs and got a record deal.

Gord Bamford won Album of the Year for Tin Roof, which he said was an album that was sonically different from his previous work.

“Country music has changed so much. I really tried to stick to the grass roots … but [country music] has evolved so much and it’s gotten so different and I think it’s really great,” he said.

“It was a little bit scary for me to venture out and do something a little different, but I think I was able to maintain my roots of what I do and that’s important to me,” he said.

Other winners of the great evening included The Washboard Union for the Rising Star award and Roots Artist of the Year, Eric Ethridge for the CCMA Discovery Award presented by Country 107.3 and High Valley for Group or Duo of the Year. Mike Stevens won the 2016 Slaight Music Humanitarian Award. Murray McLauchlan and Paul Mascioli were inducted into the Canadian country Music Hall of Fame.

Photos courtesy of Jessica Thompson

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet

CCMA Awards Green Carpet