The Manitoba Country Music Association would like to thank Bruce Leperre for his countless years of service on the Board of Directors, it has been an asset that will be missed. Bruce, we appreciate everything you have done and continue to do for the Manitoba country industry.
A huge thank you to Chris Gaudry for the past two years of expertise he has provided for the Board.
We are happy to announce that Sean Borton and James Peace will be joining our Board of Directors for 2018. A very warm welcome and congratulations to our 2 new Directors, thanks for joining our team!
2018 MCMA Board of Directors
President – Kerry Kingsland
Vice President – Miles Trach
Site Administrator, Awards Committee – Chris Ising
Director, Program Review Manager – Chris Nakonechny
Director, Awards Committee – Janet Harder
Director – Belinda Gladue
Director – Sarah Cleland
Director – James Peace
Director – Sean Borton
February 28 2018
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2018 CCMA Spotlight Performance Contest
Calling all Manitoba Country Music Artists!
The Manitoba Country Music Association (“MCMA”) and the CCMA are partnering once again for the 2018 CCMA Spotlight Performance Contest
CCMA Country Music Week® 2018, being held this year in Hamilton, Ontario (September 6 - 9, 2018) is just around the corner – and we want to help you get there.
The MCMA is once again running a contest in tandem with the Canadian Country Music Association ® (CCMA®) for your chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play alongside Canada’s brightest country music stars and most cherished legends during the Canadian country music industry’s largest annual event.
How it works:
Participating provinces across the country have been asked to select one country music act/artist (Act) to represent their province in the annual “CCMA Spotlight Performance Contest” (National Contest).
Once all the participating provincial Acts from across Canada are chosen for the National Contest, the selected Acts will be highlighted via an online poll, set to go live on Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. ET. Each province will promote their Act and encourage the public to vote. Each voter can only place one (1) vote for who they would like to see perform during Country Music Week in Hamilton (only one vote per IP address will be accepted).
The National Contest will run for 10 days, and will close on Friday, June 15, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. ET. The Act that receives the most votes on the poll by the time the National Contest closes will win a performance spot at a public, official CCMA-sanctioned event during Country Music Week 2018 in Hamilton. The winner of the CCMA Spotlight Performance Contest will be announced on Friday, June 22, 2018.
Acts that are interested in representing Manitoba on this National Contest are required to email their submission (requirement details below) to the MCMA at manitobacma@gmail.com by MIDNIGHT May 10th,2018
Note: You must be a resident of Manitoba and a MCMA Industry member to be eligible
Submission Requirements (to be emailed to the MCMA - manitobacma@gmail.com)
Two Songs (links to youtube, reverbnation or soundcloud etc.)
Artist Bio (no more than 50 words)
One Promotional Photo (JPEG Print quality)
Social Media Platforms (please include links to social media outlets you use (i.e., link to Facebook artist page, twitter account, website etc)
All Manitoba submissions will be juried by the MCMA, and one successful Act will be selected to move on to the National Contest for their chance to win a performance spot during Country Music Week® in Hamilton, Ontario, at a public, official CCMA-sanctioned event.
What the National Contest winner receives:
There is only one (1) prize awarded, which goes to the National Contest winner. The prize consists of:
One (1) performance spot at a public, official CCMA-sanctioned event during Country Music Week 2018 in Hamilton
One (1) CCMA membership (one-year duration)
One (1) complimentary delegate pass to Country Music Week 2018 in Hamilton (non-transferable)
One (1) hotel room for four (4) nights of accommodation during Country Music Week 2018 in Hamilton (the evenings of September 6-9) at the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel
Transportation (economy class) to and from the winner’s hometown to Hamilton (up to a maximum of $1,000 CDN)
Note: In the case that the winner is a duo or band, the CCMA will review the prize package on a case by case basis
For more information, contact the MCMA at manitobacma@gmail.com
February 26 2018
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2018 AGM
January 24 2018
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Bo Legged Debut's first Single
Winnipeg alt-country outfit Bo Legged release their Debut single, HOPELESS on January 23rd, 2018.
Bo Legged features members of The Noble Thiefs, The Sturgeons, Jason Kirkness and Rory & the Ruckus.
The 2017 Manitoba Country Music Awards
Presented by the Manitoba Country Music Association (MCMA) and Dauphin's Countryfest
November 10, 2017
The Metropolitan Entertainment Centre by Canad Inns in the heart of Downtown Winnipeg
Hosted by
Leanne Cater of QX104 FM
Voiced by
Jeff Molnar of QX104 FM
Performances by
Past The Peremiter 00:00
Jason Kirkness 17:56
Desiree Dorion 30:21
Quinton Blair with Del Barber 46:52
Kayla Luky 1:16:04
David James 1:30:47
Petric 1:39:07
Kendra Kay 1:53:24
Ryan Keown 2:01:00
Doc Walker 2:15:08
January 20 2018
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President's Letter 2018
To the MCMA Membership:
On behalf of myself and our Board of Directors;
We hope that everyone had a safe and happy holiday season and that 2017 was a great year for everyone both personally and in your musical pursuits.
It is hard to believe we are already almost a month into 2018!
This has been a very difficult start to the year for our Association and the entire Manitoba country music community as we mourn the loss of Janice Starodub. Janice was an important part of our association. She served on the board in a variety of roles for ten years and was instrumental in the work we did in reintroducing our annual Awards Show. To say she will be missed by so many is an understatement and her impact on the country music community will continue.
The MCMA is pleased to announce that we will permanently rename our Manitoba Talent Development Award, which was awarded to Janice at the 2017 Awards Show, to the “Janice Starodub Manitoba Talent Development Award.” Janice’s contribution to the country music community and her passion for helping new artists will live on.
As we look ahead to 2018 we are excited for our members and the entire Manitoba country music community.
On November 10, we held our third annual MCMA Awards Show, presented in partnership with Dauphin’s Countryfest and held again at the beautiful Metropolitan Entertainment Centre by Canad Inns. Once again the show provided outstanding performances, recognized all of the nominees and handed out hardware to some very deserving winners! For the second year in a row it was recorded for television, is being broadcast on Shaw Cable TV and also on our own MCMA YouTube channel.
This year the Awards Show was part of our MCMA Event Series that included our Songwriters Night, as well as the Industry Panels presented in association with Manitoba Music.
The response and involvement from radio, artists, bands, musicians, the industry and of course the fans continues to be outstanding.
It is also a mandate of this board to continue to build and support country music at the grass roots level. Providing opportunities throughout the year to artists and songwriters to showcase their talents as well as provide learning and networking opportunities. All of these events require a great deal of work and support to be able to put on and provide to you, our members.
If you love country music or the entertainment business in general, we would love for you to join us. There are several opportunities, whether it is formally to be a part of the board, to be on the committee for the Awards Show or simply be a volunteer for one of our events. You will meet great people, have fun and maybe even get to spend some time with some of your favourite artists.
We are a province-wide association with current board members from around Manitoba. If you reside outside of Winnipeg don’t let that stop you from getting involved!
On Thursday, February 15, we will hold our Annual General Meeting for 2018. Details will be available on our website and we look forward to seeing you there!
If you cannot make the meeting but are interested in getting involved or have any questions, please send an email to manitobacma@gmail.com
We hope everyone has an amazing 2018.
Kerry Kingsland
President
MCMA
January 19 2018
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FOREVER MY GIRL Screening
Manitoba Country Music Association has teamed up with Elevation Pictures to invite you to an advance screening of their new film FOREVER MY GIRL. The advance screening will be taking place at Scotiabank Theatre Winnipeg (Polo Park Shopping Center, 817 St James St) on Wednesday, January 17th at 7pm. Please see more on the film below, and watch the trailer here. There will be a special performance by Manitoba's own Kendra Kay.
If you would like tickets, please click this link http://www.gofobo.com/JXBfD13662. Kindly note the screening is first come, first serve, so please arrive early. We both welcome and encourage social media
shoutouts, mentions and hashtags.
Synopsis: Forever My Girl tells the story of country music super-star Liam Page (Alex Roe) who left his bride, Josie (Jessica Rothe), at the altar choosing fame and fortune instead. However, Liam never got over Josie, his one true love, nor did he ever forget his Southern roots in the small community where he was born and raised. When he unexpectedly returns to his hometown for the funeral of his high school best friend, Liam is suddenly faced with the consequences of all that he left behind.
January 14 2018
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Janice Starodub
It is with heavy hearts that the Manitoba Country Music community says goodbye to Janice Starodub. Janice came onto the music scene full force and never slowed down. Since joining the Manitoba Country Music Association (MCMA) in 2010 she played a pivotal role in many of the MCMA endeavors and helped shine a light on Manitoba made country music. As a member of MCMA she worked tirelessly behind the scenes and on the front lines helping a great many artists, songwriters and musicians navigate their way through this crazy music business. Janice, you will be greatly missed and remembered always. Rest in Peace and Love.
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The Manitoba country music industry has suffered the devastating loss of artist manager Janice Starodub on New Year’s Eve at the age of 49. Janice Anne Starodub passed away peacefully at the Selkirk Regional Health Centre surrounded by her family, husband Phil and three children, after a yearlong battle with cancer.
Janice began her career as a teacher whose creativity led her to songwriting, which in turn took her to Nashville, where networking introduced her to connections within the publishing community. It was also the place where she discovered where she fit in with the music industry. Her teaching experience, can-do attitude and patience made her an ideal fit to fill the much- needed role of advising and developing young artists, initiating imaging and media training sessions, working on grants and arranging successful songwriting trips and showcases in LA, Nashville, and domestically.
Janice formed her company JanSTAR Entertainment in November 2011 and worked alongside renowned-Manitoban songwriter, manager and producer, Chris Burke Gaffney. She also worked as a day-to-day manager for Bryce Pallister, a young singer/songwriter on Mike Denney’s MDM Recordings Inc. label.
Says Denney, “I met Janice in the very early days of MDM Recordings. She was extremely passionate, organized, focused and left no stone unturned for the artists she worked with and represented. The Manitoba country music scene has lost a huge supporter of the genre and she will be very difficult to replace. She was a delight to work with.”
In 2012, Janice began managing Transcona native Jason Petric, who eventually, with his brother Tom as vocalist, created the band PETRIC. In 2014, at a Canadian Country Music Association event in Edmonton, Janice arranged the introduction between the duo and Dallas Smith, Scott Cooke and Alex Seif, who had recently partnered in the creation of a brand new label, SteelHead Music. The meeting resulted in a dialogue that led to the label’s first signing and PETRIC became SteelHead’s flagship artist. Although Janice handed over the reins of management to the label, she still remained connected, working closely with SteelHead on funding and advice regarding the act.
States Cooke, “Janice had a passion and drive that you rarely see today. If you asked Janice for help, you got all the help you needed and then some! Dallas, Alex and myself will be forever grateful to her and all the support she provided SteelHead, PETRIC and the music industry as a whole. She will be missed dearly by us and everyone that knew her.”
A major achievement for Janice was her instrumental role in the creation of the Manitoba Country Music Awards. Impressed by the recently formed Country Music Association of Ontario Awards, and recognizing that a similar event in Manitoba would give a much-needed boost to the infrastructure there, Janice was determined to be involved in the creation and design of such a show. A member of the association since 2010, she worked tenaciously on this project alongside other board directors to produce the debut awards show in November 2015, which was a roaring success and has continued to flourish as an annual event.
“I had the pleasure of being able to call Janice a true friend for the past eight years and she was always one to help anyone involved in the music business whether it was with advice or putting them in touch with the right contact.” Says MCMA board member, Chris Ising. “Janice earned her nickname ‘the hurricane’ through her love of the music business, and the fact that she would work tirelessly to help further the careers of her clients or complete the project she was working. She truly did it for the love of the music.”
Throughout her challenging year of constant chemotherapy treatments, Janice never slowed down and she continued to work with her artist and friend, Nicole Rayy, on numerous showcases, concert dates in China, new recordings, and social media strategies including an upcoming trip to Nashville around CRS.
On the November 10th weekend in Winnipeg, she contributed enthusiastically to music industry seminars sponsored by Manitoba Music, and at the 2017 MCMA Awards was rewarded for her many talents and her huge contribution to the music industry with the Manitoba Talent Development Award, delivering the longest acceptance speech ever (15 minutes), and we all loved it! THAT was Janice!
A service for Janice will be held at Gilbart Funeral Home, Selkirk, Manitoba https://www.gilbartfuneralhome.com/notices/Janice-Starodub on Thursday, January 11, 2018, at 1 pm CST. A celebration of her life will be held in Nashville, TN, during CRS week for her many friends there.
Anya Wilson Promotion & Publicity
January 01 2018
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2018 MCMA Awards - Overview
2018 MANITOBA COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS
On November 10, 2018, the Manitoba Country Music Awards, presented by the Manitoba Country Music Association (MCMA) and Dauphin’s Countryfest, will be held at The Metropolitan Entertainment Centre by Canad Inns in the heart of Downtown Winnipeg. This is an evening not to be missed as we bring the province’s largest country music community together. Several of Manitoba’s top country acts will entertain guests as the prestigious awards are handed out to the highest-voted artists.
ABOUT MEMBERSHIP VOTING
With the exception of twoawards that are voted on and determined by the MCMA Board of Directors, the MCMA Awards will go through a two-stage ballot process. MCMA membership is split in to two factions: Associate (Fan Only) members and Industry members. All MCMA members will be eligible to participate in the First Ballot (Nominate). Only MCMA Industry members will be eligible to participate in the Second Ballot and must be registered with the MCMA as an Industry member by September 28, 2018. Fans’ Choice will appear on the Second Ballot as well as an Online Public Voting Ballot. The public and MCMA Industry member vote tallies will be combined for a total number of votes to determine the winner of the Fans’ Choice Award. Click here to learn more about MCMA memberships and to register as a member of the MCMA.
We strongly encourage fans and industry members to spread the word and vote as we celebrate Manitoba’s country music talent.
All final nominees are required to be Industry members of the MCMA as of September 1, 2018, in order to be eligible to participate in the Second Ballot. See the 2018 MCMA Awards Rules and Regulations for further details.
The MCMA is looking for sponsors and supporters of the event. If you are interested, or know of any individual, group or businesses that maybe interested, please email the MCMA at manitobacma@gmail.com.
KEY DATES
First Ballot opens – July 1, 2018
First Ballot closes – August 14, 2018
TOP SIX (6) NOMINEES ANNOUNCED – September 1, 2018
Second Ballot opens – September 1, 2018
Second Ballot closes – September 28, 2018
WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT AWARDS SHOW – November 10, 2018
AWARDS CATEGORIES Voted by Membership
Female Artist of the Year
Male Artist of the Year
Group or Duo of the Year
NCI FM Aboriginal Country Music Award
Song of the Year (Songwriters)
Roots Artist, Duo or Group of the Year
Emerging Artist
All Star Band of the Year – Guitar
All Star Band of the Year – Bass
All Star Band of the Year – Drums
All Star Band of the Year – Specialty (Banjo, Fiddle, Mandolin, Keys, Steel)
Music Video of the Year
Single of the Year
Album of the Year
Radio Station of the Year
Radio On-Air Personality or Team of the Year
Festival or Event of the Year
Venue of the Year
Voted by Membership and Online Public Voting
Fans’ Choice
Selected by the MCMA Board
Impact Award
Janice Starodub Manitoba Development Award
Hall of Fame Inductee
