The first round of the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) awards – 21 in total – were presented yesterday (Friday) during a special bunch ceremony in Calgary with some interesting results. Two musicians are now retired from their respective categories, earning their spots in the Musicians’ Hall of Honour – one becoming the first drummer to do so! Multiple band members with Gord Bamford and Brett Kissel also won their respective categories. For the first time in ten years, the industry has a new Video Director of the Year. And in the radio categories, the two Music Directors who won in their categories are from Ontario stations and both happen to be on the CCMA Board of Directors, and both groups of On-Air Personalities are from Alberta stations.

Here are all the winners with some insights:

Musician Awards:

-Lisa Dodd, with Gord Bamford’s band, won her third Bass Player of the Year Award (she last won in 2015);

(Lisa Dodd, Bass Player of the Year)

-Mitch Jay won his first Specialty Instrument Player of the Year Award;

-and Mitch won his third consecutive Steel Guitar Player of the Year Award;

-Bart McKay won his fifth consecutive Keyboard Player of the Year Award (after 5 wins in the same category, musicians are retired from future consideration in that category and earn their spot in the Musicians’ Hall of Honour; Bart becomes the third keyboard player in the hall);

-Matt McKay, with Brett Kissel’s band, won his third consecutive Guitar Player of Year Award;

(Matt McKay, 3x Guitar Player of the Year)

-Chad Melchert won his fifth Drummer of the Year Award (after 5 wins in any category, musicians are retired from future consideration in that category and earn their spot in the Musicians’ Hall of Honour; Chad becomes the first drummer in the hall!);

-Tyler Vollrath, with Brett Kissel’s band, won his third Fiddle Player of the Year Award; (both Matt and Tyler were in London for a Brett Kissel concert and were unable to accept their trophies in person);

Industry Awards:

-The Feldman Agency won their second consecutive Booking Agency of the Year award;

-The Rock ‘N’ Horse Saloon in Toronto won their first Country Club of the Year award;

-The Cavendish Beach Music Festival in P.E.I. won their second consecutive Country Festival, Fair or Exhibition of the Year award;

-Creative Director(s) of the Year, a new award replacing the Album Design award, was presented to the design team of Buckspring Inc. with photography by Andrik Langfield, Tanner Wendell Stewart, Jonathan Taylor Sweet and Paul Tellefsen for the Paul Brandt albums “The Journey YYC Vol. 1,” “The Journey BNA Vol. 2,” and “The Journey YYC-BNA Deluxe Volume,” Paul single “Bittersweet” featuring guest artist Lindsay Ell, and includes tour graphics for Paul’s “The Journey Tour;”

-Invictus Entertainment Group won their fifth consecutive Management Company of the Year award (Jim Cressman, who started the company in 2011 was not in Calgary to accept the award – he was on a plane to London, Ont., to attend one of his clients’ concerts…it was Brett Kissel);

-Revolution Recording in Toronto won their first-ever Recording Studio of the Year award;

-Jeff Dalziel won his second consecutive Producer of the Year award, this year for his work on Dan Davidson’s “Juliet” album;

(Jeff Dalziel, Producer of the Year)

-Apple Music won Retailer of the Year for the second time;

-Ben Knechtel won his first-ever Video Director of the Year award, for his work on videos by such artists as The James Barker Band, Chad Brownlee, Jade Eagleson, Tim Hicks, The Hunter Brothers, Jess Moskaluke and The Reklaws (breaking a record 9-year consecutive winning streak by Stephano Barberis);

Radio/Broadcast Awards:

-Amanda Kingsland, CKBY-FM, Ottawa won Music Director of the Year (Large Market) for the fourth consecutive time (the record for most wins in the category is 5);

-Paul Ferguson, CHCQ-FM, Belleville won Music Director of the Year (Medium or Small Market) for the sixth consecutive time, setting the record for the most wins and most consecutive wins in the category;

-“CISN in the Mornings with Chris, Jack & Matt,” CISN-FM, Edmonton won On-Air Personalities of the Year (Large Market) for the fourth time (Chris Scheetz has now won in this category 5 time, while Jacqueline Sweeney and Matt DeBeurs have won 4 times);

-“The Real Wake Up with Vinnie & Randi,” CKGY-FM, Red Deer won On-Air Personalities of the Year (Medium or Small Market); it’s Vinnie Taylor and Randi Chase’s first wins in this category; and

-“The Girl Power Hour” won Country Music Program or Special of the Year, the first time Rogers Media has won in that category.

Congratulations to all the winners!

Another batch of awards are to be presented tonight during the Gala Dinner with the final eight awards handed out live on the televised awards show on Global TV Sunday night.