Winners Announced for the 2026 CCMA Awards

2026 CCMA Songwriters of the Year. Photo by Ry Ones

The Canadian Country Music Association handed out 31 awards at the 2026 CCMA Music Industry Gala Dinner & Awards on September 18, and 10 awards at the 44th annual CCMA Awards on September 19, all in Saskatoon.

Although he was unable to attend, Nanaimo's Cameron Whitcomb was the big winner of the weekend, taking home Entertainer of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Top Selling Canadian Album of the Year.

The 2026 Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductions included The Wilkinsons and Ron Kitchener; Brett Kissel and W. Brett Wilson were honoured as the 2026 Gary Slaight Humanitarian Award co-recipients, and Natalie Waller was recognized with the 2026 Leonard T. Rambeau International Award.

This year marked the inaugural presentation of the International Industry Person of the Year Award which went to Big Loud’s Seth England. Shannon Ella from iHeartRadio/PURE Country was named Country Personality(ies) of the Year, and Karen Kosowski made history as the first solo female to win for Record Producer(s) of the Year.

The 2026 CCMA Award Winners included:

Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year
Sully Burrows

Video of the Year
Parking Lot Prayers - Thelma & James

Album of the Year
The Hard Way - Cameron Whitcomb

Male Artist of the Year
Cameron Whitcomb

Female Artist of the Year
Meghan Patrick

Musical Collaboration of the Year
Backfire - Nate Haller x Tenille Townes

Single of the Year
Hate How You Look - Josh Ross

Fans’ Choice
James Barker Band

Group or Duo of the Year
James Barker Band

Entertainer of the Year
Cameron Whitcomb

Francophone Artist of the Year
Fred Dionne

Innovative Campaign of the Year
Hailey Benedict, Big Loud, Local Hay - “Carl Dean” Campaign

Creative Team or Designer of the Year
Design Team: Logan Dane Morrison, Shaina Stein
Album “The Hard Way” Artwork (Artist: Cameron Whitcomb)

Steel Guitar Player of the Year
Matt McKay

Specialty Instrument Player of the Year
Tyler Vollrath

Fiddle Player of the Year
Tyler Beckett

Keyboard Player of the Year
Amber Bauer

Bass Player of the Year (Tie)
Lisa Jacobs
Ben Miller

Drummer of the Year
Rich DaSilva

Guitar Player of the Year
Chris Bray

Country Music Program, Special, or Digital Feature of the Year
Pure Country Top 50 Countdown with Lainey Wilson, Russell Dickerson, And Shannon Ella (iHeartRadio Canada)

Country Club of the Year
Horseshoe Tavern (Toronto, ON)

Country Festival, Fair, or Exhibition of the Year
Boots and Hearts Music Festival (Oro-Medonte, ON)

Alternative Country Album of the Year
Starting Over - Thelma & James

Top Selling Canadian Single of the Year
Hate How You Look - Josh Ross

Top Selling Canadian Album of the Year
The Hard Way - Cameron Whitcomb

Recording Studio of the Year
80A Studios (Toronto, ON)

Record Producer(s) of the Year
Karen Kosowski - Single: Iron Man (Acoustic), Single: Safe Place To Break, Single: Jessica Jezebel (Artist: Meghan Patrick)

Record Company of the Year
Big Loud Records

Country Personality(ies) of the Year
Shannon Ella (Pure Country Radio National Midday)

Radio Station of the Year (Medium or Small Market)
CHCQ-FM (Belleville, ON)

Radio Station of the Year (Large Market)
CFCW (Edmonton, AB)

Retailer or Commercial Platform of the Year
Apple Music

Songwriter(s) of the Year
Backfire – Michael August, Nate Hall, James Adam Shelley, Tenille Townes, Stuart Walker (Artist: Nate Haller x Tenille Townes)

Music Publishing Company of the Year
Big Loud Publishing

Booking Agency of the Year
The Feldman Agency

Ron Sakamoto Talent Buyer or Promoter of the Year
Denise Ross (Live Nation Entertainment)

Management Company of the Year
The Core Entertainment

International Industry Person of the Year
Seth England

Industry Person of the Year
Lindsay Hyslop (BMG Canada)