Monday 11 September 2017

WARNER MUSIC CANADA CELEBRATES MULTIPLE WINS AT THE CCMAS


Meghan Patrick, Brett Kissel and The Washboard Union take home trophies
Paul Brandt is inducted in to the CCMA Hall of Fame
Warner Music Canada Named Record Label of the Year


Press Release via Warner Music Canada – Monday, September 11, 2017

Wow!  What a weekend for Warner Music Canada and its artists at the Canadian Country Music Association Awards in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.  Brett Kissel added three more awards to his trophy case, Meghan Patrick won her very first and second CCMA awards, The Washboard Union repeated as Roots Group of the Year and an old friend and, now, newest signing Paul Brandt was inducted in to the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.  To top it all off, Warner Music Canada was named Record Company of the Year!

“This was truly an outstanding weekend,” said Warner Music Canada President Steve Kane.  “It’s an honour  that the artists on our label entrust us with the privilege of bringing their music to the world.  These awards are a testament to their art and the hard work our staff puts in to making sure that their songs are heard.”

The festivities started at the Saturday night gala dinner and awards where Brett Kissel won the award for Interactive Artist of the Year.  Coming off consecutive Top 10 singles, The Washboard Union repeated as Roots Group of the Year.  A little while later Warner Music Canada’s name was called as Record Company of the Year.  It was the first time since the late 80’s that the label had won the award and the first major label named since the early 90’s.

The gala evening ended on an emotional tribute to Paul Brandt who was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.  Brandt was originally signed to Warner in the mid-90’s where he scored major hot singles right off the bat with “I Do” and “my Heart Has A History” which has the distinction of being the most played Canadian country song ever. Paul spent the first decade and a half of the 21st century as a successful independent artist but has since resigned with Warner Music Canada.  His recently released single “The Journey” is a prelude to his new album coming in 2018.

On the nationally broadcast CCMA Awards on Sunday night, Brett Kissel won the evening’s for award as Male Artist of the Year.  Later in the show Brett was called to the stage one more time as the winner of Video of the Year for the emotional “I Didn’t Fall In Love With Your Hair.”  Brett Kissel and his band took to the stage for an electrifying debut performance of his latest single “We Were That Song.”

In an announcement that seemed to delight the audience almost as much as it did the artist, Meghan Patrick was named Female Artist of the Year. This was the first CCMA Award for the singer from Bomanville, Ontario but it wouldn’t be the last.  Meghan also won the prestigious Rising Star Award.  Earlier in the show, Meghan and her band performed a breathtaking version of her hit “Be Country With Me.”

Other Warner Music Canada performers on the broadcast included High Valley who opened the show with the #1 hit “I Be U Be.”  The Washboard Union got the crowd on its feet with a sparkling performance of their latest hit “Shine” and Blake Shelton gave Canadians the world premiere live performance of his new single “I’ll Name The Dogs.”

The Warner celebration didn’t end with the CCMA’s closing credits either.  At an after-show reception, Warner Music Canada President Steve Kane presented Aaron Goodvin his first gold record for the infectious single “Lonely Drum.”  High Valley were presented with a plaque commemorating the fact they are the Canadian country group to have a #1 single in the Nielsen BDS era.  Blake Shelton was handed a gold award for his the 2016 album If I’m Honest and another commemorating 14 consecutive #1 singles at country radio, a feat that is without equal at any format in Canadian radio during the Nielsen BDS era (since 1995). Nielsen BDS creates its charts from monitored radio airplay.