Manitoba Country Music Awards Celebrate Local Music Community

The Manitoba Country Music Association celebrates the hard work and talent of Manitoba's country music community again this month. Presented with Daupin's Countryest, the second annual Manitoba Country Music Awards gala is set for November 10 at the Metropolitan Entertainment Centre.

Hosted by QX104's Leanne Carter, the event will hand out the hardware and feature performances by several local acts and nominees, including Doc Walker, David Pestrak, Don Amero, Kayla Luky, Kendra Kay, Petric, Quinton Blair, Renee Lamoureux, Ryan Keown, and more.

The MCMA is a non-profit organization, dedicated to the promotion, development, and enhancement of all aspects of Manitoba country music at the local, national, and international level. The MCMA endeavors to create venues for the promotion of Manitoba country artists through sponsorship of its own events and involvement in other organization's events. 

Check out this year's nominees...

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ashley Robertson 
Elsie Morden 
Frannie Klein 
Heather Longstaffe 
Katie Lynn 
Kayla Luky 
Kendra Kay 
Kimberley Dawn 
Leanne Pearson 
Lindsay Rae 
Renee Lamoureux 

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR 
Aaron Star 
Chris Ising 
Country Steve 
David James 
David Pestrak 
Ed Wayne 
Quinton Blair 
Ray St. Germain 
Ryan Keown 

GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR
4 Mile Road 
Ball & Chain 
Doc Walker 
Foster Martin Band 
Keith and Renee 
The Madtrappers 
Past the Perimeter 
Petric 
Poets & Lies 

ABORIGINAL COUNTRY MUSIC AWARD 
Aaron Starr 
Ashley Robertson 
Dan Scramstad 
Don Amero 
Frannie Klein 
Kimberley Dawn 
Ray St. Germain 
Renee Lamoureux 
Richard Inman 
Tracy Bone 
William Prince 

SONG OF THE YEAR (Songwriters)
Band Of Brothers - Jason Petric, Tom Petric, Chris Burke Gafney, Carolyn Dawn Johnson
Beneath The Stars - Lindsay Rae
Everything I Needed - Leanne Pearson, Kris Bergnes
Following Him Around - Quinton Blair, Del Barber, Blake Berglund
I Take My Country - Kendra Kay,Jack Williams, Josh Shada
I’m A Fighter - Renee Lamoureux
I'm Not Ready To Let Go - Chris Ising
Jack Daniels - Heather Longstaffe
That's What I'm Talkin' About - David Pestrak, David Borys

ROOTS ARTIST, DUO, OR GROUP OF THE YEAR 
Ashley Robertson 
Ball & Chain 
Del Barber 
Kayla Luky 
Keith and Renee 
Lindsay Rae 
Poets & Lies 
Quinton Blair 
Renee Lamoureux 

EMERGING ARTIST AWARD 
Aaron Star 
Ashley Robertson 
Country Steve 
David Pestrak 
Elsie Morden 
Frannie Klein 
Katie Lynn 
Kayla Luky 
Poets & Lies 
Renee Lamoureux 
Ryan Keown 

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Chris Ising - And When I'm Dead
David James - Some Hearts
Heather Longstaffe - Easier For You
Katie Lynn - Running On Empty
Kendra Kay - I Take My Country
Petric - All She Wrote
Poets & Lies - Crowning The Turtles
Renee Lamoureux - I'm A Fighter
Ryan Keown - AMEN

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Ball & Chain - Chasing That Sunset
Chris Ising - I'm Not Ready To Let Go
David James - Lonely Girl
David Pestrak - That's What I'm Talkin' About
Kendra Kay - I Take My Country
Leanne Pearson- Everything I Needed
Lindsay Rae - Beneath The Stars
Petric - All She Wrote
Quinton Blair - Following Him Around
Renee Lamoureux - I'm A Fighter

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
David James - Songs About A Girl
Del Barber - The Puck Drops Here
Don Amero - Refined (Acoustic Version)
Petric - It Girl
Renee Lamoureux - Dare To Be You
William Prince - Earthly Days

RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (Secondary Market)
730 CKDM (Dauphin) 
Country 88.9 FM (Winkler) 
Country 107 FM (Steinbach) 
NCI FM (Winnipeg) 
CKLQ 880 (Brandon) 
101.1 FM The Farm (Brandon) 

RADIO ON-AIR PERSONALITY OR TEAM OF THE YEAR
Al Gaines 
Alex DeVries 
Brian Cook 
Brody and Samantha 
Bruce Leperre 
Karen Black 
Leanne Cater 
Leanne Doty 
Pamela Roz 
Ty Hildebrand 

FESTIVAL OR EVENT OF THE YEAR
Dauphin's Countryfest 
Festival du Voyageur 
Morden Corn & Apple Festival 
Niverville Olde Tyme County Fair 
Red River Ex 
Rossburn DUKE Fest 
Steinbach Summer In The City 
Stonewall Quarry Days 
Winkler Harvest Festival 

VENUE OF THE YEAR
Cowboys Roadhouse 
The Handsome Daughter 
Nashville's Winnipeg 
The 40 - Brandon 
King's Head Pub and Eatery 
The Park Theatre 
The Royal George 
Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club 
Watson Art Centre 
Wee Johnny's 

FANS' CHOICE
Aaron Star 
Austin Mitchells 
David James 
David Pestrak 
Doc Walker 
Kendra Kay 
Leanne Pearson 
Lindsay Rae 
Petric 
Renee Lamoureux 
Ryan Keown