Often underappreciated, Canadian country music is honouring its best.
The Canadian Country Music Association Awards will be held in London, Ont., on September 11 to close Canadian Country Music Week, which begins on September 8.
The final nominees for the 2016 CCMA Awards were announced Wednesday, with 42 CCMA award categories in total.
The award category nominees that have been revealed include fans’ choice, female artist of the year, rising star, single of the year and songwriter(s) of the year.
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Other non-singing categories include booking agency of the year, country club of the year, retailer of the year and music publishing company of the year.
The top selling album of the year, top selling Canadian album of the year and top selling Canadian single of the year were not announced because they are determined by sales. As a result, there are no nominees are in these categories.
WATCH ABOVE: Canadian country recording artist Madeline Merlo joins us to help announce the nominees for this year’s CCMA Album of the Year
Fans’ choice: Dean Brody, Brett Kissel, Johnny Reid, Dallas Smith and Yoan.
Female artist of the year: Lindsay Ell, Kira Isabella, Madeline Merlo, Jess Moskaluke and MacKenzie Porter.
Rising star: Alee, Cold Creek County, David James, River Town Saints and The Washboard Union.
Single of the year:
Airwaves — Brett Kissel
Bring Down The House — Dean Brody
Cheap Seats — Dallas Smith
Don’t Let Her Be Gone — Gord Bamford
Wont You Be Mine — Bobby Wills
Songwriter(s) of the Year:
Chad Kroeger, Meghan Patrick for Bow Chicka Wow Wow (performed by: Meghan Patrick)
Dean Brody for Bring Down The House (performed by: Dean Brody)
Deric Ruttan, Craig Wiseman for Came Here To Forget (performed by: Gord Bamford)
Matt Johnson, Michael Pyle, Bobby Wills for Won’t You Be Mine (performed by: Bobby Wills)
WATCH ABOVE: Fresh from his CCMA nomination for album of the year, Chad Brownlee announces the nominees for roots artist of the year. (You can catch Brownlee this Thursday when he plays the Craven Country Jamboree)
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Many nominees often perform at the CCMA Awards night, and the confirmed list of performers will be announced over the coming weeks.
The Canadian Country Music Week’s CCMA Awards show will be held at the Budweiser Gardens in downtown London on Sunday, September 11 at 7 p.m. ET.
Ticket prices vary from $81.50 to $101.50 and are available online at budweisergardens.com.
For more information on the CCMA Awards and Canadian Country Music Week, visit ccma.org, londonmusichall.com, or centennialhall.london.ca.