Well, the Canadian Country Music Association Awards are over for another year. I had the privilege of being on the Green Carpet and had the chance to ask several artists one question. Here's what I asked and their responses.....
What do the CCMA 's mean to you?
Jess Moskaluke - Female Artist of the Year
"The CCMA's are really incredible because it's a group of your peers and your friends. So the CCMA Awards are really just a big family reunion and it's just a really great time for everybody to come together and celebrate everybody's successes."
High Valley - Group of Duo of the Year
Brad Rempel "I think it means a celebration of everybody's success. I don't think it's a competition as much as it is a celebration. So, it's a good time to actually acknowledge people's success and there have been some great stories. I mean, Dallas Smith has been a great story in Canada this year. Paul Brandt and Dean Brody getting out on tour together is a great story. It's a good time to celebrate!"
Diane Leigh - 2015 Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee
"Without the CCMA's we wouldn't have any of the fans, we wouldn't have all the excitement and the music...Everything! It's a culmination of all the entertainers and the country music industry. Without it, where would we be?"
Madeline Merlo - Rising Star
"The CCMA's are so amazing and so important. I think it is such a prestigious family to be a part of and, this year in particular, I really feel like I've kind of been invited in. Especially since being nominated. I was completely floored for Rising Star! It's the Industry saying you're doing a good job, you're on the right track, keep going. It's a hard business and it's nice to hear sometimes. It means a lot!"
Raquel Cole - CCMA Discovery Award
"I think this is our family gathering, you know. It's like at Thanksgiving you get together with your family. The CCMA's is the same thing. It's were get can get together and celebrate each other, the arts and our music."
Dean Brody - Video of the Year - Upside Down
"They are kind of like a reunion. All of us artists get together once a year, in one spot. This job we have is kind of unique, right! Maybe a lot of people don't understand it but, people here in the industry know and understand how unique this musical lifestyle is. So, it is really cool to connect with people. We really do become like a big family. That's what I look forward to the most."
Brett Kissel - Interactive Artist or Group of the Year
"CCMA's mean everything! In one word, it's everything because this is what we all work towards. This is what we all, as artists, look forward to. Getting to celebrate each other's success, but also, to what we do behind the scenes which is get together, hang out, party and have a few drinks."
Thanks to all the artists who took the time to answer this question for me. I may not be an award winning Canadian Country Music Artist but, this was my 5th CCMA Awards celebration. I can't imagine missing a year now. For me, the CCMA's are a fantastic opportunity to network with fellow industry people, get together with old friends and meet new ones. The Canadian Country Music Industry is the best in the world! We are family, and this is a reunion of the best talent in the business. It takes the artists, the management, the producers, the agents, the retailers, the radio people, the fans and all the behind the scenes people to make country music what it is in this beautiful country of ours. For five days once a year, we gather and celebrate who we are and what we do.
