Brett Kissel, Tenille Townes, Dallas Smith Share CCMA Glory
Two established Canadian country male stars and a fast-rising female artist each collected three trophies on the weekend. Performances for the TV broadcast were pre-taped at locations in Ontario and Nashville. Pictured: Entertainer of the Year, Dallas Smith.
By FYI Staff
The three big winners at the 2020 Canadian Country Music Association Awards (CCMAs) presented over the weekend were Dallas Smith, Brett Kissel, and Tenille Townes, who picked up three trophies apiece.
Vancouver’s Dallas Smith took home the coveted TD Entertainer of the Year award for the second consecutive year. Smith was also lauded for his accomplishments in 2020 on Saturday night at the CCMA Music Industry Awards where he took home awards in both the Top Selling Canadian Album of the Year presented by Music Canada and Top Selling Canadian Single of the Year categories.
Also celebrating three victories is Alberta’s Brett Kissel, who landed wins in the Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and, for the second year in a row, Fans’ Choice. On Saturday night. Kissel also celebrated a win at the CCMA Music Industry Awards for Creator Director(s) of the Year, for work on his album Now or Never, bringing his career CCMAs tally to 18.
2019’s breakout star Tenille Townes continued her ACM winning streak as she accepted awards in the Female Artist of the Year, Songwriter(s) of the Year presented by SOCAN, and Video of the Year categories.
Another multiple winner was The Washboard Union, who celebrated a third consecutive win in the Group or Duo of the Year category and second consecutive win for Roots Album of the Year.
Rounding out the list of winners were the James Barker Band (Single of the Year), Linday Ell (Interactive Artist or Group of the Year) and Tenille Arts (Rising Star).
The 2020 CCMA Awards presented by TD were broadcast nationally on Global TV last night (Sept. 27). Seven artist-category awards were handed out on Saturday night at the CCMA Music Industry Awards and eight additional awards were handed out last night.
The global pandemic prevented a conventional live awards show, so segments for the broadcast were filmed in two different countries over the course of four days earlier this summer.
Canadian artists filmed performing from the fields of Burl’s Creek Event Grounds, Ontario, home of the Boots & Hearts Music Festival, were Dean Brody, Brett Kissel, The Reklaws, Dallas Smith, JoJo Mason, Don Amero, Tebey & Marie Mae, Jade Eagleson, Jess Moskaluke, and the Hunter Brothers.
Joining them from the rooftop of The Westin Hotel in Nashville was a star-studded lineup of Canadian and American acts, including Tim McGraw, Kane Brown, Sam Hunt & Breland, MacKenzie Porter, Tenille Townes, Meghan Patrick, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, and Lindsay Ell. Performing from both official CCMA Award locations was the James Barker Band, as the four members are currently split between Ontario and Music City.
A clear highlight of the broadcast came when Ell, Townes, Patrick, and Johnson together sang a stirring version of Blue Rodeo's anthemic Lost Together. The phrase "we are lost together" has real resonance in the pandemic age, given the damage being inflicted upon the music business. Other segments of the show featured the artists discussing this topic and the way they are coping with lockdowns.
The country music trivia segments featured on the live-stream could have used a proofreader, given such typos as Tenille Towns, George Straight, Justin Beiber, and Schitt's Creek. A minor quibble about a very professional show put together under trying circumstances.
OFFICIAL 2020 CCMA AWARDS PRESENTED BY TD WINNERS:
TD Entertainer of the Year
Dallas Smith
Album of the Year
Now or Never — Brett Kissel
Fans' Choice
Brett Kissel
Female Artist of the Year
Tenille Townes
Group or Duo of the Year
The Washboard Union
Male Artist of the Year
Brett Kissel
Single of the Year
Keep It Simple — James Barker Band
Rising Star
Tenille Arts
Interactive Artist or Group of the Year
Lindsay Ell
Roots Album of the Year
Everbound — The Washboard Union
Songwriter(s) of the Year presented by SOCAN
Tina Parol, Gordie Sampson, Tenille Townes
Song: Jersey on the Wall (I'm Just Asking) (Performed by Tenille Townes)
Top Selling Album of the Year
What You See Is What You Get — Luke Combs
Top Selling Canadian Album of the Year presented by Music Canada
The Fall — Dallas Smith
Top Selling Canadian Single of the Year
Drop — Dallas Smith
Video of the Year
Jersey on the Wall (I'm Just Asking) — Tenille Townes
For more information regarding the Canadian Country Music Association and the 2020 CCMA Awards presented by TD, visit ccma.org
To view a full list of the 2020 CCMA Awards presented by TD winners, visit ccma.org