New Award Categories at 2008 CCMAs

The Canadian Country Music Association’s Board of Directors are pleased to announce changes to the Independent Award categories and the creation of the Top Selling Canadian Album award for the 2008 Canadian Country Music Awards.
The Top New Talent Awards, including Top New Female Talent of the Year, Top New Male Talent of the Year and Top New Talent - Group or Duo of the Year, will now replace the Independent Award categories. This new addition to the Canadian Country Music Awards comes from the Board’s desire to evolve the Independent Awards into an equally, if not more, significant recognition of newcomers to the Canadian country music scene.

The addition of the Top New Talent Awards brings exciting modifications to the Rising Star Award. Nominees in this category are now made up of the winners from the three Top New Talent Award categories. The act with the most votes from these three categories will be declared the winner of the Rising Star Award. The Rising Star Award will be presented during the 2008 Canadian Country Music Awards broadcast, taking place on Monday, September 8th, 2008.

“I am thrilled with the CCMA Board of Directors’ decision to implement the Top New Artist Awards for the 2008 Canadian Country Music Awards. They are creating an unprecedented opportunity for new up and coming Canadian country artists to participate on the televised award show,” said Lynne Foster, Chair of the Awards and Balloting committee for the Canadian Country Music Association and Secretary Treasure of the CCMA Board of Directors. “We feel this is an important addition to the awards and is a reflection of the current country music industry.”

The CCMA Board of Directors has also created the Top Selling Canadian Album award to celebrate the success of our homegrown talent. All Canadian recording artists are eligible for this award and the album with the greatest unit sales will be declared the winner.

For the complete Canadian Country Music Awards Rules and Regulations
and details of Country Music Week 2008, visit http://www.ccma.org

About the CCMA and Country Music Week
The CCMA is a non profit trade association dedicated to the growth and development of Canadian country music. For 30 years the CCMA has marked each September with Country Music Week, a four day conference and celebration culminating in the broadcast CCMA Awards (established 1983). Country Music Week is one of the largest music events in Canada with a combination of activities for both community and industry including showcase opportunities for newcomers, educational seminars and an all day FanFest that delivers Canada’s stars to the community.