Toronto, ON. (Canadian Country
Music Association)--The Board of Directors of the Canadian Country
Music Association (CCMA) announced today that former American Idol runner-up
Kellie Pickler and multiple CCMA Award nominees
Paul Brandt and Gord Bamford will join the already star studded lineup of performers for the Canadian Country
Music Awards in Winnipeg, Manitoba on
September 8, 2008.
Multiple CCMA Award winner Michelle Wright, W. Brett Wilson and Jim Treliving for CBC's hit show Dragons' Den and hitmaker country artist/songwriter Bill Anderson ("Whiskey Lullabye" and "Give It Away") have also been added as presenters.
Kellie Picker's debut album Small Town Girl was released in 2006 and has earned the singer three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Charts. Her self-titled sophomore album is scheduled to be released September 30, 2008.
Five time 2008 CCMA nominee and most awarded male in Canadian country music history Paul Brandt's latest CD Risk was released last year. He recently took home the Juno for Country Recording of the Year.
Four time 2008 CCMA nominee Gord Bamford's latest album Heartaches and Honkytonks was released in 2007 and has earned the singer/songwriter three hit singles and a Juno nomination for Country Recording of the Year.
Previously announced performer Dierks Bentley will perform "Sweet & Wild" off his greatest hits album with special guest Sarah Buxton on background vocals.
The 2008 CCMA Awards will be broadcast nationally on CBC Television at 8pm with encore broadcasts on CMT in Canada. Terri Clark will host the show, which will feature previously announced performers Dierks Bentley, George Canyon, Doc Walker, Emerson Drive, Jessie Farrell and Johnny Reid. Tickets for the CCMA Awards are on sale now and range in price from $39.50 - $79.50. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ca, by phone at 204.780.3333 or at any Ticketmaster location.
A complete list of all CCMA Award nominees are available online at www.ccma.org.