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FYI

ON Country Music Awards Schedule Announced

The sixth edition of the annual CMA Ontario festival and awards weekend will feature a power-packed lineup of talent comprising both established Canadian country stars and promising newcomers onstage in London.

ON Country Music Awards Schedule Announced

By FYI Staff

The Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAO) has announced the programming for this year’s CMA Ontario Festival & Awards weekend, taking place June 1-3 in London, Ontario. Anchored by perennial favourite the CMA Ontario Awards on June 3 at Centennial Hall, weekend festivities also include the newly added Songs and Stories, New Faces Showcase and Concert, Legacy Revival, Charity Softball Challenge and the 2-day R2I TuneUp Conference. The annual events will take place at various venue spaces throughout the city and offer both free open to the public activities as well as ticketed events.


The New Faces Showcase and Concert takes place on Sat. June 2, from 7-11pm. The free event at Market Square features sets by Meghan Patrick and The Reklaws, plus emerging Ontario artists Brad Battle, Johnson Crook, Kelsi Mayne, Joshua David, and The Redhill Valleys.

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On June 3 (2-4 pm) the Legacy Revival, at Bishop Cronyn Memorial Place, stars Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Michelle Wright, country music star Aaron Pritchett, The Good Brothers and songwriting maven and country queen Patricia Conroy along with special guests Randy Owen and Bob Funk. Tickets for this killer lineup here.

Sure to be a favourite is Songs and Stories, a songwriters circle style evening at Run Rummers on June 1 (7-9 pm). Hosted by Wendall Ferguson, it will feature performances and commentary by Jason Blaine, Ryan Langdon and Dan Davidson.

The week's activities are capped with the CMA Ontario Awards Show on June 3 at Centennial Hall in London. Hosted by Jason McCoy, the awards show will feature performances by major Canadian country acts and emerging artists. Andrew Hyatt, Dan Davidson, Jason Blaine, River Town Saints and The Reklaws, join previously announced artists Meghan Patrick, Michelle Wright, Tebey, Tim Hicks, Cold Creek County and Western Swing Authority for the festivities.

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The sixth annual CMA Ontario Awards, presented by Slaight Music, with support from the Ontario Media Development Corporation, acknowledge the talent and achievements of Ontario's country music industry across 16 categories. Ticket info here

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Val Blavatnik
Courtesy WMG

Val Blavatnik

Business News

Val Blavatnik to Oversee Warner Music Canada in New Role at Warner Music Group

Blavatnik will oversee Warner Music Canada as managing director of Warner Music North America, U.K. and Corporate Development at WMG. As part of a slew of executive announcements, Simon Robson will be leaving the company, while Alejandro Duque takes the top international role.

Val Blavatnik, the 28-year-old son of Warner Music Group majority owner and vice chairman Len Blavatnik, has been named managing director of Warner Music North America, U.K. and Corporate Development at the Warner Music Group, the company announced Friday (Sept. 25). In his new role the younger Blavatnik, who has held several roles at the company in recent years, and has been a board member since 2023, expects to “unify and drive business and operational strategy across these markets while guiding the company’s investment strategy to support growth,” according to a press release.

The Blavatnik announcement is part of a flurry of new executive announcements that CEO Robert Kyncl made this morning. In addition, Atlantic Music Group chairman/CEO Elliot Grainge will take on ADA in the U.S. as its new chairman, while Alejandro Duque, who has held the dual roles of president of Warner Latin and president of ADA since last July, has been named president of Warner Music International, adding Asia-Pacific and Europe, the Middle East and Africa under his oversight. (Duque will continue to oversee ADA outside the U.S.) Zach Friedman, currently COO at Atlantic Music Group, will add the title of vice chair of ADA U.S. to his resume.

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