Canadian Country Music Awards Nominees Released

COUNTRY STAR AND NEWCOMER IMPACT BALLOT

Toronto, ON (August 1, 2007) – The Canadian Country Music Association today announced the nominees for the 2007 CCMA Awards, at press conferences held in Regina, SK and Toronto, ON. The Awards will take place Monday, September 10 at Brandt Centre, in Regina.

Well-known country performer George Canyon, originally from Nova Scotia, and firsttime nominee Shane Yellowbird led the ballot with their multiple nominations, representing a year of tremendous achievement from both current country stars – and stars on the rise. Canyon garnered five nominations in major categories, including Single and Album of the Year, and the coveted Fans’ Choice Award. Yellowbird, from Hobbema, Alberta, received five major nominations including Chevy Rising Star and Independent Male Artist. Yellowbird’s single “Pickup Truck” (written by Joni Delaurier and Troy Kokol) also picked up a nomination for SOCAN Songwriter(s) of the Year.It was also a multi-nomination celebration for Paul Brandt, Doc Walker, Emerson Drive, Brad Johner, and Carolyn Dawn Johnson, all making an impact as nominees in major categories with a total of four nominations each.

A few days earlier, the CCMA announced the nominees for the Kraft Cheez Whiz Fans’ Choice Award and the opening of online voting for fans, at www.cmt.ca. The 2007 nominees are: Paul Brandt, George Canyon, Terri Clark, Doc Walker and Carolyn Dawn Johnson.

The 2007 CCMA Awards broadcast will air across Canada on September 10 at 8PM (9pm AST & 9:30pm NF) on CBC TV, with encore airings on CMT Canada, in the U.S. on television network Great American Country (GAC), and in Australia on Country Music Channel (CMC).

Tickets to the CCMA Awards can be purchased through www.ticketmaster.ca or by calling toll free to 1-800-970-7328 or 306-543-7800.

A complete list of all CCMA Awards and Industry Awards nominees is available online at www.ccma.org

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Contact: Aimée Hill, 2007 CCMA Publicist
(780) 289-6395 or aimeehill@shaw.ca

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KRAFT CHEEZ WHIZ FANS’ CHOICE AWARD
Paul Brandt
George Canyon
Terri Clark
Doc Walker
Carolyn Dawn Johnson

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Driving With The Brakes On –– Doc Walker
I Want You To Live –– George Canyon
I’d Rather Be Lucky –– Brad Johner
Moments –– Emerson Drive
Pickup Truck –– Shane Yellowbird

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Countrified –– Emerson Drive
Doc Walker –– Doc Walker
Life Is Calling My Name –– Shane Yellowbird
Love & Negotiation –– Carolyn Dawn Johnson
Somebody Wrote Love –– George Canyon

SOCAN SONGWRITER(S) OF THE YEAR
Didn’t Even See The Dust (written by Paul Brandt / Steve Rosen; recorded by Paul Brandt)

Hold My Beer (written by Mitch Merrett / Aaron Pritchett / Deric Ruttan; recorded by Aaron Pritchett)

Pickup Truck (written by Joni Delaurier / Troy Kokol; recorded by Shane Yellowbird)

Pull Me Through (written by Jim Cuddy; recorded by Jim Cuddy)

Taking Back My Brave (written by Carolyn Dawn Johnson / Sunny Russ; recorded by Carolyn Dawn Johnson)

CMT VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Didn’t Even See The Dust –– Paul Brandt
I Want You To Live –– George Canyon
I’d Rather Be Lucky –– Brad Johner
Moments –– Emerson Drive
Pickup Truck –– Shane Yellowbird

TOP SELLING ALBUM
(This is a non-voting category)
Like Red On A Rose –– Alan Jackson
Me And My Gang –– Rascal Flatts
Some Hearts –– Carrie Underwood
Taking The Long Way –– Dixie Chicks
White Trash With Money –– Toby Keith

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Lisa Brokop
Terri Clark
Patricia Conroy
Jessie Farrell
Carolyn Dawn Johnson

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Paul Brandt
George Canyon
Brad Johner
Aaron Pritchett
Johnny Reid

GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR
Ambush
Doc Walker
Emerson Drive
The Road Hammers
The Wilkinsons

ROOTS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
The Cruzeros
Sean Hogan
Corb Lund
Prairie Oyster
Jimmy Rankin

CHEVY RISING STAR AWARD
Jason Blaine
Jessie Farrell
Jo Hikk
Brett Kissel
Donny Parenteau
Shane Yellowbird

2007 CCMA Independent Award Nominees

INDEPENDENT MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Gord Bamford
Brad Johner
Corb Lund
Johnny Reid
Shane Yellowbird

INDEPENDENT FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Lisa Brokop
Diane Chase
Patricia Conroy
Lisa Hewitt
Beverley Mahood

INDEPENDENT GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR
Ambush
The Cruzeros
The Poverty Plainsmen
Prairie Oyster
The Wilkinsons

2007 CCMA Industry Award Nominees

MANAGEMENT COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Big Ride Management
Martineau Consulting
O’Reilly International Entertainment Management
RGK Entertainment Group Inc.
The Woody Bowles Company

BOOKING AGENCY OF THE YEAR
The Agency Group
Cressman Sakamoto Agency
Laurie-Ann Entertainment Agency
LiveTourArtists
Paquin Entertainment

TALENT BUYER OR PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Kelly Berehulka (Casinos of Winnipeg)
Jan Campbell (Calgary Stampede)
Ron Sakamoto (Gold & Gold Productions Ltd.)
Ron Sparling (Laurie–Ann Entertainment Agency)
Larry Werner (Panhandle Productions Ltd.)

COUNTRY CLUB OF THE YEAR
Cook County Saloon –– Edmonton, AB
Jackhammers –– Brantford, ON
The Pump Roadhouse –– Regina, SK
Ranchman’s Cookhouse and Dancehall –– Calgary, AB
Random Ranch –– Barrie, ON

ALBUM DESIGN OF THE YEAR
Craig Medwyduk / Dustin Leader / Horst Herget, Design Team – Doc Walker (Doc Walker)
Richard Beland / Brianne Farquhar / Brandon Oursler / Tracey Wilder, Design Team – Kicking Stones (Johnny Reid)
Greg Hargarten / Ricasso Ink, Design Team – Life Is Calling My Name (Shane Yellowbird)
Susan Michalek / David McClister / Jill Snell, Design Team – Love & Negotiation (Carolyn Dawn Johnson)
Patrick Duffy / Mandy Inglis, Design Team – Shadows And Light (Charlie Major)

WEBSITE OF THE YEAR
Deb Dilworth, Webmaster –– corblund.com (Corb Lund)
Dana Bissett / Mike Ulch, Webmasters –– docwalker.ca (Doc Walker)
Wendy Gilmour, Webmaster –– georgecanyon.com (George Canyon)
Dale Manning, Webmaster –– paulbrandt.com (Paul Brandt)
Wendy Gilmour, Webmaster –– wilkinsonsonline.net (The Wilkinsons)

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Joel Stewart, Director –– Didn’t Even See The Dust (Paul Brandt)
Margaret Malandruccolo, Director –– Driving With The Brakes On (Doc Walker)
Warren Sonoda, Director –– I Want You To Live (George Canyon)
Warren Sonoda, Director –– Kicking Stones (Johnny Reid)
Stephano Barberis, Director –– Pickup Truck (Shane Yellowbird)

MUSIC PUBLISHING COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Corner Club Publishing Inc.
ole
Universal Music Publishing Group

RECORD PRODUCER(S) OF THE YEAR
Tom McKillip / Mitch Merrett, Producers –– Big Wheel (Aaron Pritchett)
Dann Huff / Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Producers –– Love & Negotiation (Carolyn Dawn Johnson)
Bart McKay, Producer –– Life Is Calling My Name (Shane Yellowbird)
Prairie Oyster, Producers –– One Kiss (Prairie Oyster)
George Canyon / Scott Sherrod, Producers –– Somebody Wrote Love (George Canyon)

RECORDING STUDIO OF THE YEAR
Bart McKay Productions –– Saskatoon, SK
Cedartree Recording Studio –– Kitchener, ON
Louis Sedmak Productions –– Edmonton, AB
MCC Recording Studio –– Calgary, AB
Touchwood Recording Studios –– Regina, SK

RECORD COMPANY OF THE YEAR
306 Records
Open Road Recordings
Royalty Records Inc.
Stony Plain Recording Co. Ltd.
Universal Music Canada

RECORD COMPANY PERSON OF THE YEAR
Warren Copnick (Sony BMG Music (Canada) Inc.)
Ron Kitchener (Open Road Recordings)
Donna Lidster (Universal Music Canada)
Louis O’Reilly (306 Records)
Jill Snell (Angeline Entertainment)

COUNTRY FESTIVAL, FAIR, OR EXHIBITION OF THE YEAR
Big Valley Jamboree –– Camrose, AB
Calgary Stampede –– Calgary, AB
Craven Country Jamboree –– Craven, SK
Dauphin’s Countryfest –– Dauphin, MB
MountainFest – Merritt, BC

RETAILER OF THE YEAR
CD Plus
HMV Canada Inc.
Play Entertainment
Wal-Mart Canada Corp.

2007 CCMA Broadcast Award Nominees

COUNTRY MUSIC PROGRAM OR SPECIAL OF THE YEAR
Canadian Coast to Coast (CJVR – FM)
Corb Lund: Live At Revival (CMT)
Doc Walker – Back To You (CMT)
Plucked (CMT)
The Wilkinsons (CMT)

Major Market
Dayna Bourgoin (CING-FM) –– Toronto, ON
Larry Donohue (CFCW/CKRA-FM) –– Edmonton, AB
Scott Phillips (CKRY-FM) –– Calgary, AB
Mike McGuire / Ian Sterling (CISN-FM) –– Edmonton, AB
Dawn Woroniuk (CJWW/CFQC-FM) –– Saskatoon, SK

MUSIC DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Secondary Market
David Baker (CJVR–FM) –– Melfort, SK
Tim Day (CKGY) –– Red Deer, AB
Bruce Leperre (CKDM) –– Dauphin, MB
Mark Philbin (CHCQ-FM) –– Belleville, ON
Ted Roop (KICX-FM) –– Midland, ON

2007 CCMA All-Star Band Award Nominees

DRUMS
Ron Briggs (Aaron Pritchett)
Corbett Frasz (The Road Hammers)
Brad Johnson (The Poverty Plainsmen)
Mike Melancon (Emerson Drive)
Brady Valgardson (Corb Lund)

BASS
Patrick Bourque (Emerson Drive)
Chris Byrne (The Road Hammers)
Shane Chisholm (Gil Grand)
Kurt Ciesla (Corb Lund)
John Dymond
(Blackie & The Rodeo Kings, Amanda Wilkinson)

GUITAR
Jason Barry (Aaron Lines)
Danick Dupelle (Emerson Drive)
Murray Pulver (Doc Walker)
Grant Siemens (Corb Lund)
Craig Young (Terri Clark)

KEYBOARDS
Dave Cohen (Johnny Reid)
Mike Little (George Canyon, The Road Hammers)
Bart McKay (Brad Johner)
Mike Norman (Aaron Pritchett)
Dale Wallace (Emerson Drive)

FIDDLE
Cory Churko (Shania Twain)
Shane Guse (Jason Blaine, George Canyon)
David Pichette (Emerson Drive)
Ben Rutz (Johnny Reid)
Mike Sanyshyn (Aaron Pritchett)

STEEL GUITAR
Jeff Bradshaw (Adam Gregory)
Dennis Delorme (Prairie Oyster)
Kenny Greer (The Road Hammers)
Charlie Hase (Tim Hus)

SPECIAL INSTRUMENT
Larry Good –– Banjo (The Good Brothers)
Anthony Kelly –– Mandolin (Shifty Morgan)
Terry-Joe Rodrigues –– Banjo (Desert Heat)
Curtis Tulman –– Harmonica (The Cruzeros)