…Carolyn Dawn Johnson leads CCMAs
EDMONTON — Alberta girl Carolyn Dawn Johnson will come home in style at this year’s Canadian Country Music Association awards as the singer-songwriter leads all others with seven nominations.
On the strength of her second album, Dress Rehearsal, Johnson will be up in nearly every award category she’s eligible for during the Sept. 13 ceremony in Edmonton.
Johnson, 34, is on the short list for female artist of the year, single of the year, album of the year, song of the year, video of the year and, with Dann Huff, producer of the year. The native of Westlock, Alta., is also nominated for the fans’ choice award.
The nominations were released Wednesday in Edmonton except for the fans’ choice award. Those nominees were released in May.
The Manitoba band Doc Walker had the second-highest number of nominations with five. The band, whose single The Show Is Free from the 2003 album Everyone Aboard zoomed up the country charts, will be crossing its fingers in the fans’ choice, single, album, song and group of the year categories.
Jason McCoy of Minesing, Ont., tied with Doc Walker for number of nominations. The 34-year-old McCoy with his 2003 album Sins, Lies and Angels is on the list for fans’ choice, album, song, video and male artist.
Longtime favourite Terri Clark, also of Alberta, received four nominations, including two single nods for Girls Lie Too and I Wanna Do It All. She’s up for fans’ choice and female artist as well.
Two other artists also got four nominations: Ontario’s Beverley Mahood and Aaron Pritchett, a rising star from British Columbia.
International stars Paul Brandt and Shania Twain each have three nominations, as does Edmonton singer-songwriter Corb Lund.
“It’s good because a lot of people who’ve never heard the band before are becoming aware of us,” said Lund, who was on hand for the nominations announcement.
“It really gets my stuff out to a whole bunch more people.”
Lund said the exposure before international music industry representatives could help his band break into foreign markets from the United States to Australia.
“It’s a good networking thing. I’m hoping to parlay it into some U.S. interest, finally.”
The Good Brothers, who played their first show in 1974, are nominated for group of the year and roots group of the year. But the Richmond Hill, Ont., perennials will probably remember the 2004 ceremonies as the one in which they were inducted into the Canadian Country Music Association Hall of Fame.
Hosted by Brandt — up for song, video and male vocalist of the year — the awards show will air live on CBC-TV and will also be broadcast in the U.S. on Country Music Television.
The show will culminate five days of activity for country music lovers, including jam sessions, showcase performances, a gospel concert and chances to meet (and even golf with) the musicians.
Organizers will piggyback on a CFL football match between the Calgary Stampeders and the Edmonton Eskimos, with Brandt singing O Canada and the band Emerson Drive providing the halftime show.
Tickets for the awards show at Rexall Place are reported nearly sold out.
Music lovers can vote for the fans’ choice award at www.cmtcanada.com
Other awards are voted on by members of the Canadian Country Music Association, with the exception of the top-selling album category.
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