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Josh Ross was the big winner at Saturday night’s Canadian Country Music Association Awards at Rogers Place.
The Ontario-born singer-songwriter won all five trophies he was nominated for at the 2024 awards, including Male Artist of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, and Single of the Year. Ross made the trek multiple times to the stage to pick up his haul, which also included nods on Friday at the Gala Dinner for Top Selling Canadian Single of the Year and Top Selling Canadian Album of the Year. In between was close to two hours of corny jokes, cowboy hats, music and plenty of glitz.
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Oh, and family, of course.
“This is a family reunion in every sense of the word,” said Brett Kissel backstage after opening the festivities. “Hanging out with friends who are now family. We all grew up together, we all have kids, so now my kids are thrilled to see auntie MacKenzie Porter and auntie Jess Moskaluke.”
Kissel also brought the antics, dragging out Oilers players Leon Draisatl and Corey Perry with shot glasses full of maple syrup for co-hosts Porter and American country superstar Thomas Rhett. It was a good night for Porter; the singer-songwriter wrested Female Artist of the Year from Tenille Townes, who has had a stranglehold on the honour since 2019. She also grabbed Video of the Year as well for Chasing Tornadoes. Kissel, in turn, was recognized with Alternative Country Album of the Year for The Compass Project: West Album.
But these are just the equivalent of sports stats really; business stuff, in many cases more to do with units moved than anything else. The actual artistry was all on the stage during energetic performances by the likes of Dasha (Austin), Dallas Smith (Use Me), The Reklaws and Townes. Slick and personable acts who know how to work a stage, all of them eternally grateful to the fans and the industry sustaining them. You might even say that they consider them to be part of the family.
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More stats: Owen Riegling served notice as an up-and-coming Canadian superstar with Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year Songwriter of the Year. Jade Eagleson picked up the Ford F-150 Album of the Year for Do It Anyway, which also meant that he won the Ford truck sitting down in front of the stage for most of the show. The James Barker Band, who were dapper in (almost) all white, were recognized for Group or Duo of the Year and Fans Choice.
The band, who have family in town, were planning a few celebratory drinks afterwards.
“We’ve learned over the years that you do have to take these moments and soak in them,” said lead singer James Barker. “We’ll probably celebrate right up until our 8:15 a.m. flight tomorrow.”
Hopefully they’ll have time to change out of all that linen, though the sight of haggard musicians piling on a plane with beer-stained clothing might bring a welcome sense of rock ‘n’ roll to the proceedings, which was mostly on the pop-country side of things. Except, of course, for the headliner of the night, k.d. lang. Having slipped between genres for so many years it was a blast to see her unexpectedly coming back to her roots with The Reclines, channelling that Patsy Cline energy once again in full regalia while singing an exuberant Big Boned Gal.
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Lang, who hung out in the nascent local punk rock scene before exploding internationally past the country genre, was typically candid about the evening.
“As you probably know, if you know anything about me, accolades and awards and record sales never mattered to me,” she said after her performance, speaking to her induction into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. “I will say that this one is pretty meaningful. I was born at the Royal Alex, I started my career here. I was a performance artist here before I started the Reclines. So this city means a great deal to me, and coming back full circle to Edmonton wearing these boots and wearing this outfit, it’s all very much rich with sentiment. I‘m filled with absolute joy.”’
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