On Saturday, May 31 the CMAOntario Festival & Awards Weekend presented the Bonfire concert at The Music Hall featuring Ontario’s hottest new music with rising stars and CMAOntario nominees with an evening concert filled with performances by Sacha, Alexa Goldie, Carson Janik, Dayna Reid, and Drew Taylor.
Jason McCoy of The Road Hammers and Pure Country Radio hosted the 13thAnnual CMAOntario Awards Show, presented by Cowbell Brewing Co., which took place on Sunday, June 1, 2025 at The Music Hall. McCoy has hosted the CMAOntario Awards Show every year since 2014, stewarding the ship of history making award presentations and performances by Ontario’s country music industry with a brand of unbridled enthusiasm and humour only he could provide.
The CMAOntario Awards Show included exciting performances by: Andrew Hyatt nominated for four CMAOntario Awards this year; Sacha, nominated for three CMAOntario Awards; Nate Haller, Robyn Ottolini, and Mackenzie Leigh Meyer, who were nominated for two CMAOntario Awards each; Amanda & James, first time nominees for Group or Duo of the Year; Alexa Goldie, nominated for Breakthrough Artist of the Year; Mitch Jean, first time nominee for Francophone Artist or Group of the Year; and the CMAOntario house band, The Western Swing Authority, who were up for two CMAOntario Awards this year!
Music fans casted their votes for the CMAOntario Fans’ Choice Award,
sponsored by Tourism Hamilton, with the 2025 nominees being Josh Ross,
Owen Riegling, Sacha, Steven Lee Olsen, Tebey, and The Reklaws and the WINNER WAS:
2025 CMAOntario Festival and Awards
presented by Cowbell Brewing Co.
Thurs May 29, 2025 Dave Woods with 'This Rounds on Me' at Stonewalls 730-10 with artists:
Friday May 30 Open Stage Textile Bldg Floor 3 at 10-12
Saturday May 31 R2i Conference Textile Bldg Floor 3 at 9-3pm
Saturday May 31 Harmonia Interactive Songwriter Textile Bld Floor 3 at 3-430pm
Saturday May 31 Bonfire Stage - Music Hall from 7-10pm
Saturday May 31 Open Stage - Music Hall from 10pm -12am
Sunday June 1 R2i Conference at Textile Bldg Floor 3 from 9-230pm
Sunday June 1st Dave Woods and 'This Rounds on Me' Stonwalls from 2-430pm
and
Sunday June 1st 13th Annual CMAO Awards at The Music Hall from 7-930pm
After party June 1st 10pm -12am
CONGRATS to artist, Owen Riegling who took home 5 trophies.
A SPECIAL CONGRATS to Peterborough's Elyse Saunders on her many nominations this year and her win for Video of the Year with her hit 'Never Have I Ever'
and
Kudos to my childhood friend from Bracebridge, Deric Ruttan on being nominated for 3 Ontario Country Music awards - Producer of the Year, Songwriter of the Year on “Still Make Cowgirls” by Karli June, and received a 3rd nomination for Songwriter of the Year co-writing “Quits” by Tim Hicks.
Deric is already a three-time Songwriter of the Year winner having written songs for many other artists like Dierks Bentley, Blake Shelton and Jason Aldean. From the Muskoka Youth Choir, to Bracebridge Muskoka Lakes Secondary School Music Class to Bracebridge Albion Hotel to bands like Bad Moons, to London Fanshawe College for Music to Nashville including the Grand Ole Opry, and the rest they say is MUSIC INDUSTRY HISTORY.....one of the top writers in Country music world-wide. Keep on making your magic DR!
SINGLE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Pure Country
Blinding Lights (Country Version): Tebey
Finding Firsts: Andrew Hyatt'
Hey Mom I Made It: Sacha
Moonshines: Owen Riegling
Never Have I Ever: Elyse Saunders
Race To The Bottom: Nate Haller
ALBUM/EP OF THE YEAR sponsored by Country 106.7
Break Up Rules: Paige Rutledge
Bruce County: - From the Beginning - Owen Riegling
Golden Child: Meghan Patrick
Growing up to Do: Robyn Ottolini
L Is For: Andrew Hyatt
Pathways: Julian Taylor
SONGWRITER(S) OF THE YEAR
Chrystal Oudijk, Douglas Romanow, Nicole Rayy: Guilty
Elyse Saunders, Jason Blaine: Never Have I Ever
Karli June, Deric Ruttan: Still Make Cowgirls
Owen Riegling, Daryl Scott, Jesse Slack: Moonshines
Tebey, G. Palmer, S. Walker, D. Dupelle: Hangover at My Place
Tim Hicks, Deric Ruttan, Monty Criswell: Quits
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR sponsored by IBEW Local 353
Dayna Reid
Elyse Saunders
Jessie T
Karli June
Robyn Ottolini
Sacha
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR sponsored by IBEW Local 353
Andrew Hyatt
Brian John Harwood
Nate Haller
Owen Riegling
Ryan Langdon
Tim Hicks
GROUP OR DUO OF THE YEAR sponsored by CHAW Country 103
Amanda and James
New Moon Junction
River Town Saints
Rosewood Ave
The Redhill Valleys
The Western Swing Authority
RECORD PRODUCER(S) OF THE YEAR
Adam Newcomb: Sacha, Elyse Saunders, Riley Taylor
Deric Ruttan: Karli June – Still Make Cowgirls
Douglas Romanow: Nicole Rayy – Guilty
Matthew Koebel: Jessie T, Paige Rutledge, Jessica Sole
Shawn Moore: Spencer Burns, Bradley Hale, Brothers Wilde, Tim Albertson
The Agenda: Angelica Appelman, David Madras, Kasey Nugent, Patrick James Clark, Peter Peres
ROOTS ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Callie McCullough
Emily Clair
Julian Taylor
Mackenzie Leigh Meyer
The Redhill Valleys
The Western Swing Authority
BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST OF THE YEAR sponsored by C to C Music Insider
Alexa Goldie
Dayna Reid
Olivia Mae Graham
Paige Rutledge
Spencer Burns
Sully Burrows
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR sponsored by Jim Dunlop Productions
Blinding Lights (Country Version): Tebey
Finding Firsts: Andrew Hyatt
Guilty: Nicole Rayy
Moonshines: Owen Riegling
Never Have I Ever: Elyse Saunders
Still Make Cowgirls: Karli June
INDUSTRY PERSON OF THE YEAR sponsored by Manrkē
AJ Astle, Roadhouse Productions
Christine Wiley & Christine Stevens, C to C Music Insider
Dave Woods, In the Country
Elliott Deseure & Nick Marinac, Adaptive Media
Samantha Pickard, Strut Entertainment
Sam Davs, Cosmic Alchemy Designs
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR sponsored by Cithara Guitars
Adrian Juras (Karli June and Ryan Langdon)
Jeff Brown (Kelsi Mayne, Washboard Union, Jason Blaine)
Joey DePaiva (Mackenzie Leigh Meyer, Spencer Burns, Nicole Rayy)
Jordan Honsinger (Tebey)
Mackenzie Leigh Meyer (Robyn Ottolini)
Ryan Cassar (Elyse Saunders, Kelsi Mayne, Paige Rutledge)
ARTISTE OU GROUPE FRANCOPHONE DE L’ANNÉE
FRANCOPHONE ARTIST OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Kristine St-Pierre
Les Rats D’Swompe
Mitch Jean
Reney Ray
Sugar Crush
Vincent Bishop
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (LARGE MARKET) sponsored by Fielding Estate Winery
Country 104 (CKDK-FM, London)
Country 106.7 (CIKZ-FM, Kitchener)
KX94.7 (CHKX-FM, Hamilton)
KX96 (CJKX-FM, Ajax)
Pure Country 93 (CJBX-FM, London)
Pure Country 94 (CKKL-FM, Ottawa)
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (MEDIUM MARKET) sponsored by Lucknow’s Music in the Fields
Cool 100.1 (CHCQ-FM, Belleville)
Country 104.3 (CJQM-FM, Sault Ste. Marie)
Country 105 (CKTG-FM, Thunder Bay)
Country 92.9 (CFCO-FM, Chatham)
HOT COUNTRY 88.5 (CKDX-FM, Newmarket)
Hot Country 93.9 (CFWC-FM, Brantford)
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR (SMALL MARKET)
Country 103 (CHAW-FM, Little Current)
Country 89 (CKYY-FM, Welland)
Country 93 (CKYC-FM, Owen Sound)
K Country 93.7 (CKOU-FM, Georgina)
Pure Country 106 (CICX-FM, Orillia)
The Ranch 100.1 (CHLP-FM, Listowel)
FANS’ CHOICE sponsored by Tourism Hamilton
Josh Ross
Owen Riegling
Sacha
Steven Lee Olsen
Tebey
The Reklaws
COMPASS AWARDS - JOSH ROSS
The Real McCoy Award Sposored by Slaight Music went to Jason McCoy
The evening was also a heartfelt send-off for Jason McCoy, who hosted the show for the final time after 12 memorable years. To honour his incredible contributions to Ontario’s country music scene, the CMAOntario introduced a brand new accolade: The Real McCoy Award, presented by Slaight Music. This award recognizes someone who embodies compassion, integrity, and a deep love for the music—and it’s only fitting that McCoy was the first to receive it.
Music Video of The Year - our very own, Elyse Saunders for her 'Never Have I Ever'
Elyse Saunders receiving her awards. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DsqofLPhX/
SPECIAL SHOUT OUT
goes out to Peterborough's own, Ty Wilson on his recognition as a pre nominee just like our previous Peterborough songbird, Tami J Wilde was in 2013.
Nice to see that Peterborough artists are getting recognized for their extreme talents.
Keep up the fantastic music!
