CCMA head talks growing country music scene, importance of sharing stories

The country music community is making its way to Saskatoon for this weekend’s Canadian Country Music Awards, according to CCMA president Amy Jeninga.

Speaking on The Evan Bray Show on Thursday, the president said international delegates will be meeting in Saskatchewan to celebrate the past year and plan into the future, calling it a “unique opportunity” to create “fun, fan-facing events” for everyone to enjoy the experience.

Country Music Week has returned to Saskatoon for the first time since 2017, as part of those efforts, culminating in the 2026 CCMA awards night on Saturday at SaskTel Centre.

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When asked what Jeninga expected out of Saskatoon leading up to the awards, the president remarked on how much “really incredible” talent is in Saskatoon, “both from an artist and an industry perspective,” she said.

Saskatchewan artists are set to kick off and perform throughout the city, including artists like Jess Moskaluke, The Hunter Brothers, Kalsey Kulyk and Tenille Arts. A special Saskatchewan moment is also set to start the show on Saturday.

Throughout the city, Jeninga said programs like one called Country Crawl are happening, aiming to discover new artists and industry professionals at performances.

Canada, generally, has always had significant country music talent, Jeninga shared.

“It’s lovely to see it have a light shone on it, internationally,” she said.

“It is absolutely expanding and I think that’s one of the most exciting things about it, right now. At its core, country music is about storytelling and it’s the stories of our lives. And everybody has such a different lived experience.”

Jeninga said sharing stories is important, especially hearing more from different people in different genres. She called it “incredible” to see more of that “exploding” in Canada and internationally.

“We have had more interest in country music than ever before, and we have had more nominees this year that are first-timers,” Jeninga said.

She noted that a special event is being hosted for those new to the event, to welcome new attendees into the fold and cultivate connections.

“Really, what the CCMA is here for is creating a platform to connect people and have them thrive and grow,” she shared.

Over the next half a century, Jeninga remarked that she expects to see quite a lot of change, without ever losing the sense of community and support the country music scene is known for, with those in the industry building and growing together.