The 2012 CCMA Awards will be happening in Saskatoon on Sunday, September 9.

When it comes to celebrating the achievements of Canada’s country music industry, the CCMA Awards are the marquee event of the year. With 2012′s awards show pegged to be bigger than ever, the CCMA is ready to show Canada the great year that Canadian country artists have enjoyed from coast to coast.

Brandi Mills is the Manager of Operations at the Canadian Country Music Association. With the 2012 CCMA Awards fast approaching, Mills is ready to give Canadians the best in country music.

“You’re going to see live music like you’ve never seen before. In two hours, you’re going to see 19 different performers,” says Mills. “This show is more music-heavy than ever before. You’re basically attending a concert that has some awards given out at it.”

The 2012 CCMA Awards includes the likes of High Valley, Dean Brody, Paul Brandt, and Johnny Reid. The inclusion of American country stars like Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert, Eric Church and Pistol Annies has added a new level of logistical organization to the award show, but Mills says that everything is part of the process.

Mills‘ responsibilities include everything from marketing and communications to seating the VIPs and CCMA delegates. She also edits press releases and makes sure that artists use the appropriate social media hashtags when promoting the awards show to their networks.

Beginning as an intern during her post-graduate program in public relations, Mills was offered a job at the CCMA one week into her internship. “When I started I was doing membership coordination, then I did communications and marketing, then I did sponsorship and communications. Now, I oversee all of it,” she says.

The 2012 CCMA Awards take place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on Sunday, September 9. CBC will broadcast the awards show live to households across Canada. Follow @CCMAAwards for all the latest awards show news.

On August 26, the CCMA confirmed in an official press release that Taylor Swift will be on hand to accept the inaugural CCMA Generation Award for her success as a global country music artist. 

Social media – interactive internet-based communication like Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram - has given country artists unlimited access to fans around the world. In a handful of years, country music has figured out how to harness the power of artist-to-fan interaction and reap huge rewards.

Kenny Chesney has 987,266 Twitter followers. Zac Brown Band has 4,865,871 Facebook likes. 208,570 users have Taylor Swift in their Google+ circles. Billboard says that 76% of fans at the 2012 CMA Music Festival in Nashville were active on social media during the festivities.

Twitter is the best medium for artists on tour and in the studio. Carrie Underwood reached millions of followers only days after setting up her first Twitter account in 2012. She live-tweeted pictures from the studio. Although Underwood‘s Blown Away has been a disappointing release, Underwood furthered her online brand and her fall tour dates are on track to pull in massive audiences. Underwood‘s use of Twitter flies in the face of comments she made back in 2009.

Twitter works for artists that are personable, down-home and willing to connect directly with fans. Blake Shelton‘s been lambasted in the media for his politically incorrect (but hilarious) tweets, and he currently commands about 1.8 million followers. 

Facebook is a little different. Facebook is where people connect with new friends, colleagues and old high school boyfriends. Artists encourage fans to “Like” pages, but the bad press that has been generated from these kinds of campaigns make Facebook interactions tough to gauge. With the huge liberties Facebook and marketing companies take with the personal information on Facebook, artist-fan connections on Facebook are not necessarily as effective as Twitter.

Mashable entertainment reporter Christine Erickson explained the relationship between Instagram and country artists in her June 1, 2012, column. Erickson points out the success of up-and-coming artist Jana Kramer and her legion of Instagram fans.

If social media is the number way to reach the people who buy country concert tickets, music and merchandise, what’s in it for marketers and labels? Greg Fuson, Country Music Association market research director, claims that a large amount of country’s modern audience is educated, middle-to-upper-middle class and within that 18 to 54 year-old demographic that controls the North American consumer economy.

This means that even as the rest of the music industry runs struggles to deal with changing consumer habits, country music will continue to chug along and be a cash-cow. Considering country has been one of the most popular forms of music in the western world for over 100 years, this should come as no surprise.

Maybe it’s the quality of the music streaming out of Nashville, maybe it’s the mammoth festivals featuring dozens of great artists, maybe it’s the willingness to engage in social media. Whatever it is – country music is once again leading the way for the rest of the music industry.

Editor’s note: This is post is far from definitive. Let’s get a conversation going. Where do you think social media will take country music? Has country music’s popularity reached a peak? Leave a comment or send a tweet to @radiowrangler with your thoughts!

Lindsay Broughton releases her debut EP on August 14, 2012.

Brooklin, Ontario, singer-songwriter Lindsay Broughton is set to release her self-titled, debut EP on August 14. Lead by the success of the single “Restless as the Rain“, Lindsay Broughton is an EP of well-rounded, radio friendly country songs.

Writing the song that would become the single of her debut EP came easy for Broughton.

“We started messing around on the guitar, and sometimes you just click with people. ‘[Restless as the Rain]‘ is one of those songs that just came out.”

“We had the chord progression and started scatting, and the song gave me goosebumps as I was writing it. I knew it had the possibility to be a single,” says Broughton.

Although, Lindsay Broughton is Broughton‘s debut EP, the singer has been involved with music for years. ”I’ve written poems since I was small. When I got to high school I started playing guitar and I joined this songwriting club. I ended up going to a friend’s basement and recording some demos on MySpace,” says Broughton.

She continues, “All of sudden I was messaged by a few independent labels. I met with them and ended up signing a deal with one of those labels. The rest is history. I didn’t have to do the bar-hopping or anything like that. I was very lucky that way.”"

Broughton‘s experience on an independent label attracted the attention of Sony Music. She released a single called “Holdin’ on to You” in February 2012, and Sony was impressed. “Restless as the Rain” is Broughton‘s way of building on the attention her initial release drew with country fans across Canada.

Broughton performed at the Boots and Hearts Festival in Bowmanville, Ontario, on August 10. She will be appearing at the Port Perry Festival in Port Perry, Ontario, on September 2.

For more information on Lindsay Broughton, visit her official website.

Kylee Epp has been nominated to perform at the 2012 CCMA FanFest on September 6. Voting closes August 14.

British Columbia native Kylee Epp is one of nine artists in the running to perform at the 2012 CCMA FanFest. The winner of the contest will perform at the 2012 CCMA FanFest in Saskatoon on September 8.

Epp‘s been spreading the word of her nomination on Facebook, Twitter and the rest of the social mediasphere. She is competing against a bunch of talent, up-and-coming artists from across Canada.

Her journey began with the British Columbia Country Music Association (BCCMA). “”The BCCMA ran the first contest. I sent in a video, went through a judging process, and then the fans were asked to vote on the final votes. I wound up getting the most votes, which was very cool. It’s a major honour just to have won in B.C. and now the national contest has started,” Epp says.

“The winner gets to play alongside top Canadian artists like Jason Blaine, Chad Brownlee and Deric Ruttan,” says Epp.

To vote in the FanFest poll, like the CCMA page on Facebook. Voting closes August 14, 2012.

The other artists in the 2012 FanFest contest are Mark Cameron, Marshall Dane, the Divorcees, Georges Hamel, Tonya Kennedy, Jason Kirkness, Johnny Oliver Band, Pear, and Wyatt.”

Aside from being involved in the 2012 FanFest contest, Epp is preparing for her new artist showcase during the CCMA festivities on September 6. ”About six or eight new artists get to perform every year. It’s a great opportunity to play in front of the whole industry,” says Epp. Unlike the FanFest, this showcase is for the Canadian country music industry, not so much the fans. Epp is hoping to play FanFest for the fans who attend the 2012 CCMAs.

Epp began her career as a touring vocalist and guitar player for fellow B.C. artist Jessie Farrell. Epp says, “I toured with Jessie for about three years, all across Canada. I really learned the ropes, and now I’m doing it myself. I feel really lucky to have had that experience.”

The video for Epp‘s latest single, “Be Your Girl” will be released in fall 2012.

For more information on Kylee Epp, visit her official website.

Starting in October 2012, Bobby Wills will be promoting his music across Canada.

Calgary-born Bobby Wills is a newcomer to the Canadian country world, but his debut single “Show Some Respect” has been all over Canada in 2012.

“Show Some Respect” was written with Walt Aldridge (Conway Twitty, Travis Tritt, Tim McGraw) and Mike Pyle. Pyle produced Wills‘ forthcoming CD, If it Was That Easy. The song was written during a ski weekend in Vale, Colorado.

“We were talking about college football,” says Wills, “and Auburn and Alabama are big rivals, as you probably know. Now, at Auburn they celebrate all their wins at a place called Toomer’s Corner. There are these 100-year old trees there, and an Alabama fan went over there and poisoned the trees. It completely destroyed a longstanding tradition. There was just no respect. It’s one thing to do goofy things and cheer on your team, but it’s another thing to be disrespectful. That got us talking about respect and that’s how the song got started.”

Drawing on personal experience, Wills worked in verses about the jacked-up pick up trucks of his youth and his grandfather’s pocket knife.

“The special part for me is the part about the old case pocket knife. My grandfather used to whistles out of poplar trees. He’d whittle and tell us stories when we were kids. We knew it just had to be in the song. My grandfather was a big part of my life,” says Wills.

Wills‘ next single, “Somebody Will“, came from a conversation with his daughter. A father of three, Wills says, “[My daughter] came out of a dance class and she was disappointed. Somebody in her life told her that dancing is not a real job and that she could enjoy dancing but not to expect to dance for the rest of her life.

“I thought, now wait a minute. Isn’t somebody somewhere a dancer? Broadway’s full of dancers! It requires hard work, dedication, but it’s not a question of can it be done, it’s a question of do you want it enough to make it happen. That’s where the title ‘Somebody Will‘ came from.”

The success of “Show Some Respect” has packed Wills‘ schedule with promotional opportunities and live dates. He says, “The album drops in October, the single ‘Somebody Will‘ is following [the release]. When that single drops we have some radio stuff that’s happening. That’ll happen between October and February.”

For now, Wills will take the rest of the summer to write and prepare for his album release. Stay tuned to his official website for tour dates and release information.

Aaron Pritchett is back with new music, 12,000 Twitter followers and movie projects in the works.

Aaron Pritchett is back with a new single and a social media strategy that is unique to himself.

The British Columbia-based Canadian country artist is currently promoting his new single “Summertime” at radio and live across Canada. Written with Jeff Catto, “Summertime” fits well into Pritchett‘s extensive back catalogue of hit singles like “Hold My Beer” and “Hell Bent for Buffalo.”

“Summertime” came about when Pritchett heard Catto working on a new song. Pritchett says, “I said ‘Do you mind if I take this and, you know, finish it?’ I turned it into what the song is now. So between that, recording the song and releasing it was three weeks. In this industry, that’s usually a process that takes a year-and-a-half to two years. It was a split-second moment, really.”

Pritchett is heavily involved with promoting his brand and his music via his Twitter.

He says that, “My intention is to connect with fans and make them feel like I’m one of them. That’s what I am. I’m a country music fan, I’m a music fan period.”

Pritchett says that he thrives off of the direct connection he can make with fans around the world. He also adds that Twitter has been slow to officially verify his account. Pritchett says, “Twitter doesn’t actually believe it’s me on there. They say I have too many posts for an artist, so we’ll see [when I can get verified].”

“I really do appreciate all the support. I’m pushing 12,000 followers and that’s a big deal. Not a lot of Canadian country artists can claim to have that many followers. “A lot of people don’t think [Twitter] is a necessary medium, but I do. It’s how I promote my music and myself as an artist. I also like to be able to show that I have a personality, that real side of me,” says Pritchett.

After the summer, Pritchett will continue to work on new music. He says that plans for another studio album are up in the air and that a greatest hits package may be hitting stores soon instead. ”I just wrote a song with Dallas Smith. That’s the first time I’ve gotten back into writing for awhile, other than co-writing ‘Summertime‘ with [Jeff Catto]. The song’s called ‘Yesterday is Yesterday,’” says Pritchett.

Aside from music, Pritchett is also beginning to act in various productions. “I’ve started working on some movies and TV shows, nothing’s solid yet but when it is it’ll be all over Twitter! It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” he says.

No matter what, Pritchett maintains that he is thankful for all of his good fortune and that he is very appreciative of his fanbase. “I’m one of those guys who put 10 years in the clubs of Vancouver and Alberta and I didn’t know if my career was going to happen, but then one day it just hit and stuck. Ever since then I’ve been a part of the Canadian country music industry as big you possibly can.”

Aaron Pritchett will be appearing at the Rockin’ River Music Fest in Mission, B.C. on August 9.

Last week, the nominees for the 2012 CCMA Awards were released. In the Single of the Year category, 2012 proves to be another tight race for all the artists involved. radiowrangler has taken the time to look at all five singles singles nominated for the big award and predict who will take home the hardware come September.

5. Dallas Smith – “Somebody Somewhere“

Dallas Smith, formerly of grunge rockers Default, burst into the Canadian country scene this year and picked up a nomination in the Rising Star category. “Somebody Somewhere” is well written and shows off Smith‘s impressive vocal range, but the song lacks the punch of his other singles. Compared the rest of the nominations, “Somebody Somewhere” is a long-shot for Single of the Year.

4. Gord Bamford – “Is it Friday Yet?“

Gord Bamford‘s back with one of his best singles. The working week anthem “Is it Friday Yet?” has a great melody, tag line and use of instrumentation, but the song did not connect with listeners like the others on this list. Either way, it’s nice to have Bamford‘s traditional country sound back at the top of the charts. It’s been a long time since the days of “Blame it on That Red Dress” and “Stayed ’til Two.”

3. Jason Blaine – “They Don’t Make ‘Em Like That Anymore“

Jason Blaine‘s “They Don’t Make ‘Em Like That Anymore” makes use of a great story, powerful imagery and great acoustic sounds. If music videos factored into this category, Blaine would win for sure. Blaine should be proud of “They Don’t Make ‘Em Like That Anymore” because it’s the best single he’s released so far. Unfortunately, the heavyweights in this year’s Single of the Year category will make it tough for Blaine to win.

2. Dean Brody – “Canadian Girls“

Dean Brody is Canadian country music’s favourite son. “Canadian Girls” had a great social media campaign and the song has been all over country radio, but there’s no way this song can win Single of the Year at the 2012 CCMAs. Compared to the rest of Brody‘s catalog, “Canadian Girls” does not hold up. The chorus is easy to sing-a-long to, but the verses and overall structure leave much to be desired.

1. Johnny Reid – “Fire it Up“

Johnny Reid‘s “Fire it Up” combines everything that Canadian country fans like in Johnny Reid. The song shows off his vocals, builds to a resounding chorus and has a great overall feel. Reid‘s been an unstoppable commercial force in the Great White North, and the CCMA has to recognize his achievements. Look for “Fire it Up” to take home Single of the Year at the 2012 CCMA Awards.

What are your thoughts on 2012′s Single of the Year nominees? Leave a comment and let your voice be heard!

According to his official biography, Wills says, “”I’m really proud of ['Show Some Respect']. I think of all the songs I’ve ever been a part of, it’s one of the strongest ones.”

The song’s focus is to keep one eye on the future, and one eye on the past. Sure, this is nothing new, but Wills delivers “Show Some Respect” in a style that’s different from the rest. He’s not singing with a fake accent or trying to copy another superstar. Wills is letting his audience see him in his own skin.

It’ll be interesting to see if Wills can maintain his current spike in popularity. Either way, he’s given Canadian country a great song with a great message.

2012′s been an underwhelming year for country in the United States. Tim McGraw‘s battling Curb Records and therefore has two singles out (the excellent “Better Than I Used to Be” and the awful “Truck Yeah“). Alan Jackson racked up another top-seller with Thirty Miles West  and Kenny Chesney‘s on the road promoting Welcome to the Fishbowl. Carrie Underwood‘s new record tanked. Brad Paisley‘s MIA (but he did rock the White House on the 4th of July). Lady Antebellum continues to move away from country and into adult contemporary.

The biggest smashes at radio this summer have been Luke Bryan‘s “Drunk on You” and “Woman Like You” by Lee Brice. Sure, Eric Church‘s “Springsteen“is a great song to hear on a warm evening, but Chief is from 2011. It’s nice to see Kip Moore try to repeat “Somethin’ Bout a Truck” with “Beer Money,” but time will tell if he can escape one-hit-wonder status.

In Canada, Dean Brody‘s April single “Canadian Girls” set up the release of his third album, Dirt. Brody’s pushing a new song, the mediocre “Bob Marley” at radio right now and compared to the magic of “Roll That Barrel Out” or “Little Yellow Blanket,” Brody’s come up short. High Valley‘s new album is a triumphant return to strong harmonies and superb songwriting. Johnny Reid‘s performing with Theo Fleury (yes, the retired hockey star) at the Calgary Stampede next week. Paul Brandt‘s enjoying his position as Canadian country’s next Ian Tyson. North of the 49th, country music is thriving, especially with the 2012 CCMA Festival in Saskatoon shaping up to be the association’s biggest awards gala ever.

With July well underway and the window of opportunity closing for the country world to capitalize on country music’s high season, who knows if Nashville and Canadian country will be able to turn things around. This is shaping up to be the first year without a sure-fire summer anthem from country music.

How do you feel about the state of country music in 2012? Leave your opinion in the box below and make your voice heard!

It’s been almost three months, but radiowrangler.com is back in business. Thanks to all of our readers and subscribers who supported this site during our downtime.

As for what to expect from the revamped radiowrangler, stay tuned for a new look and new content. Yes, this includes video.

So artists, send us your music. Writers, send us your articles. Country music fans, lend us your attention.

Stay tuned to radiowrangler.com for all your Canadian country music news, reviews and editorials.

Thank you,

Spencer Perry

Editor-in-Chief