It was the biggest night in Canadian country music on Sunday night, and the greatest artists in the country were honoured.
Co-hosting the 2019 CCMA Awards at Calgary’s Scotiabank Saddledome this year was reigning CCMA Male Artist of the Year Dallas Smith and Billboard’s latest record-smasher, the Old Town Road rocker himself, Billy Ray Cyrus.
The hosts took the stage to open the show with their own individual musical performances before inviting a variety of other acts to the stage to share some of their biggest hits, including Meghan Patrick, Old Dominion and Tebey among many others.
“What better place to celebrate country music than the capital of country, Calgary, Alberta,” said Smith in his opening speech.
WATCH: Country stars walk red carpet at CCMAs in Calgary
Cyrus added that Calgary held fond memories for him as well. “Mine started in Calgary at a bowling alley, called the Silver Dollar Saloon,” he said.”
It was right there at that bowling alley that I got my very first gold record,” he added, referring to 1992’s Some Gave All, which featured Cyrus’ biggest hit, Achy Breaky Heart — which was performed at the beginning of the show.
READ MORE: The Washboard Union wins Best Group/Duo at CCMAs for 2nd year in a row
Between performances, the duo introduced a plethora of special guests to the main stage, who presented the winners of the 12 artist award categories with their respective trophies.
The Washboard Union kicked off the night by winning the Best Group or Duo Award of the Year, while The Reklaws won the Ford CCMA Best Album of the Year with their smash-hit 2018 album, Feels Like That.
WATCH: Billy Ray Cyrus and Dallas Smith play CCMA or CCM-Nay
Among the long list of nominees, Smith was nominated for four individual CCMAs, including Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year. He won two of them: the MNP Male Artist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year awards.
He went up against Paul Brandt and Tim Hicks in the same four categories.
READ MORE: Meghan Patrick says 2019 CCMA performance will be ‘different than anything you’ve seen from me’
Jade Eagleson, from Bailieboro, Ont., also won the Rising Star Award.
Alberta-based singer Brett Kissel led the male nominations with five nods. He took home the Apple Music Fans’ Choice while Tenille Townes and Lindsay Ell tied for most female nominations with four acknowledgements each.
WATCH: The Washboard Union wins Group/Duo of the Year at the 2019 CCMAs
Townes, however, stole the show as she was presented with the most awards of the entire night: An astounding four, including Female Artist of the Year and Single of the Year (for Somebody’s Daughter).
Ell, on the other hand, claimed the award for Interactive Artist or Group of the Year.
READ MORE: Tebey talks new music and songwriting ahead of 2019 CCMA Awards
Find the complete list of major 2019 CCMA Artist Award winners below.
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Group or Duo of the Year
** WINNER ** The Washboard Union
High Valley
Hunter Brothers
James Barker Band
The Reklaws
Rising Star Award
** WINNER ** Jade Eagleson
Shawn Austin
Eric Ethridge
JoJo Mason
Sons of Daughters
MNP Male Artist of the Year
** WINNER ** Dallas Smith
Paul Brandt
Dean Brody
Tim Hicks
Brett Kissel
Female Artist of the Year
** WINNER ** Tenille Townes
Lindsay Ell
Jess Moskaluke
Meghan Patrick
Guylaine Tanguay
Single of the Year
** WINNER ** Somebody’s Daughter — Tenille Townes
Criminal — Lindsay Ell
Dive Bar — Gord Bamford
Good Together — James Barker Band
Walls Come Down — Meghan Patrick
Ford Album of the Year
** WINNER ** Feels Like That — The Reklaws
The Fall — Dallas Smith
The Journey BNA Vol. 2 — Paul Brandt
Love a Girl — Tebey
New Tattoo — Tim Hicks
State of Mind — Hunter Brothers
Apple Music Fans’ Choice
** WINNER ** Brett Kissel
Gord Bamford
Paul Brandt
Dean Brody
Tim Hicks
Hunter Brothers
James Barker Band
The Reklaws
Dallas Smith
Guylaine Tanguay
Entertainer of the Year
** WINNER ** Dallas Smith
Paul Brandt
Dean Brody
Tim Hicks
Brett Kissel
WATCH: CCMA nominees The Washboard Union performs ‘She Gets Me’
Interactive Artist or Group of the Year
** WINNER ** Lindsay Ell
Aaron Goodvin
James Barker Band
Brett Kissel
Nice Horse
Video of the Year
** WINNER ** Somebody’s Daughter — Tenille Townes
Camouflage — Jess Moskaluke
Criminal — Lindsay Ell
Feels Like That — The Reklaws
Walls Come Down — Meghan Patrick
Roots Album of the Year
** WINNER ** Both Ways — Donovan Woods
** WINNER ** What We’re Made of — The Washboard Union
Black Mountain Whiskey Rebellion — Black Mountain Whiskey Rebellion
Heart of Glass — Jessica Mitchell
Juliet — Dan Davidson
Anthem Entertainment Songwriter(s) of the Year
** WINNER ** Barry Dean, Luke Laird, Tenille Townes
Somebody’s Daughter — Tenille Townes
Brett Kissel, Seth Mosley, Brad Rempel
Cecilia — Brett Kissel
Gord Bamford, Bart Butler, Brice Long
Down — Gord Bamford
James Barker Band, Todd Clark, Gavin Slate, Travis Wood
Keep it Simple — James Barker Band
Corey Crowder, Jess Moskaluke, Jared Mullins
Save Some of That Whiskey — Jess Moskaluke
Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame 2019 Inductees
Charlie Major
Anya Wilson
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READ MORE: The Washboard Union talks CCMA nominations, new music and touring abroad
One dollar from each CCMA ticket sold this year was donated to the music education charity MusiCounts in support of its continued musical initiatives.
WATCH: Tebey performs ‘Good Jeans’
The complete list of 2019 CCMA Award winners is available through the official CCMA website.
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Global News is owned by Corus Entertainment.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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