After last week’s announcement from the Country Music Association of Ontario of their final nominees for this year’s Ontario Country Music Awards, here’s a look at another category and a bit of its history. This time it’s Group or Duo of the Year.

First, congratulations to this year’s nominees: The Abrams; James Barker Band; Jess and Tay; The Reklaws and Western Swing Authority. This is the first time Jess and Tay have been nominated for this award. Of this year’s finalists, only the reigning Group or Duo, The Reklaws, and Western Swing Authority have previously won.

Previous winners include The Stellas (2013), Autumn Hill (2014), Western Swing Authority (2015), Cold Creek County (2016-2018), and The Reklaws (2019). The records for most wins and most consecutive wins belongs to Cold Creek Creek, who won the title for three years straight, from 2016 to 2018. In fact, they are the only act to have won this award more than once. And of the Duos who have won, Autumn Hill is the only act that wasn’t related to each other.

Good luck to this year’s nominees!

The CMAOntario awards are scheduled for Oct. 4 in London.