CCMA Adds Awards Presenters, Honors Johnny Reid

The Canadian Country Music Association’s Country Music Week begins today (Sept. 9) in Hamilton, Ontario, and culminates with the Sept. 12 broadcast of the Canadian Country Music Awards.

The organization just announced the addition of Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough; Toronto Blue Jays JP Arencibia and Brett Lawrie; and Canadian singer/songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk. Additionally, the presenter lineup now includes Canadian country stars Victoria Banks, Hey Romeo, Jason McCoy, Jimmy Rankin and High Valley. They join previously announced presenters Kortney and Dave Wilson, Beverly Mahood, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Charlie Major, Michelle Wright and Nicole Appleton.

Performers on the show include Canadian artists Gord Bamford, Paul Brandt, Dean Brody, George Canyon, Terri Clark, Doc Walker,Emerson Drive, Johnny Reid and Deric Ruttan. Also taking the stage for a one-of-a-kind performance will be 2009 Rising Star winner Tara Oram and 2010 Rising Star winner One More Girl, as well as The Jim Cuddy Band with special guests The Heartbroken, who will share the stage with Luke Bryan and Ronnie Dunn. The red carpet for the event, which takes place at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, begins at 5:15. The Awards will be broadcast live on CBC Television at 8 pm.

CCMA has also chosen to honor multiple award nominee Johnny Reid with a $5000 donation to the McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton. The donation is part of an annual program where the CCMA acknowledges the humanitarian contributions of a Canadian country artist, and among Reid’s charitable causes are the World Vision Foundation, Children’s Aid Foundation and the Make A Wish Foundation. “I hope this small gesture to the McMaster Children’s Hospital will go a long way in helping the little ones who need it the most,” said Johnny Reid, 2011 Slaight Music Humanitarian Award recipient.

Additionally, Gord Bamford started off the weekend by donating $10,000 from his Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation to McMaster. “I regularly visit children’s hospitals, and I love giving back to those who need it most,” said Bamford after performing for the children. “I enjoy connecting with those kids who are so positive, even when faced with such adversity. I am just a guy with a guitar. But I have seen first-hand, the power of music when it comes to healing. I can only hope my donation will make a difference to those children currently at the McMaster Children’s Hospital.”