Awards and more: Saskatoon events during CCMA Country Music Week

While the award show may attract most of the attention, there are plenty of activities to keep country music fans’ boot-clad toes tapping during CCMA Country Music Week in Saskatoon.

Shine up your belt buckles and get ready for several days of events, designed to appeal fans of all aspects of the genre.

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Songwriters Unplugged

Not all of the events are in the evenings. The Songwriters Unplugged Series will be held Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons at the Capitol Music Club. According to the Canadian Country Music Association, the series “shines a spotlight on the heart of the genre, celebrating the craft of original songs and the stories that shape them.”

Scheduled artists include Dean Brody, Tenille Townes, Sully Burrows and Noah Derksen. The full schedule and details can be found online.

Top of the Country Finale

The SiriusXM Top of the Country competition wraps up with a concert on Wednesday night at Coors Event Centre. According to SiriusXM, the competition “is looking for the next name in country.”

The finalists — Blue Ridge Band, Morgan Griffiths, and Shawnee Kish — will perform and compete for the chance to win $25,000 and all finalists will receive “mentorship opportunities, a performance spot at Departure Festival, Lasso Montreal, and at CMA Fest in Nashville.”

CCMA Legends Show

The CCMA bills this show, which is hosted by TCU Place Thursday night, as a cornerstone of Country Music Week and invites fans to “experience the magic as past and present share the spotlight in one of the week’s most beloved events.”

The show will feature performances by Patricia Conroy, George Fox, Brett Kissel, Michelle Wright and others.

The show will be “An unforgettable evening brings together iconic trailblazers, today’s chart-topping stars, and rising talent for powerful, collaborative performances that bridge generations and honour the legacy and future of the genre,” according to TCU Place.

CCMA Country Crawl

This series of shows kicked off last week and continues through Saturday night. The shows are free of charge and will feature 27 artists playing in 13 venues across the city, including Louis’ Pub, the Western Development Museum, High Key Brewing Co., Hillberg & Berk and Sparrow Coffee.

According to the association, the performances will feature “some of Canada’s brightest emerging and established talent.”

CCMA Awards

While there is plenty for country music lovers to do throughout the week in Saskatoon, this event will be the highlight and serve as the grand finale.

There are 13 separate categories for artists, to go along with seven for musicians, two for radio and 16 industry awards.

The Awards are a national celebration, but there will also be a distinct local flavour to the show. Prince Albert’s Josh Stumpf is up for two major awards: Breakthrough Artist or Group of the year and Fan’s Choice.

Jess Moskaluke, from Langenburg, will also be looking to take home some hardware. She is nominated for Female Artist of the Year and Video of the Year for her song “I Ain’t Country.”

The awards show will include a number of performances, including Saskatchewan musicians. Moskaluke will take to the stage, as will Weyburn’s Tenille Arts, Shaunavon’s Hunter Brothers and Hudson Bay’s Kalsey Kulyk.

Dean Brody, Nate Haller, High Valley, James Barker Band, The Reklaws, Owen Riegling, The Strumbellas, Thelma & James and Tenille Townes are also scheduled to perform.

The show will also feature a tribute to the late Dolly Parton.

The Canadian Country Music Association Awards will be presented at SaskTel Centre, Saturday evening at 6 p.m., and tickets are still available.