Saturday, 16 September 2017

British Country Music Association Awards 2017: Nominations announced, Voting underway

THE BIGGEST NIGHT FOR COUNTRY MUSIC IN THE UK


 (updated: 19 Sept 2017 The Adelaides not performing)
This year marks the 12th year of the British Country Music Association Awards (BCMA Awards; previously known as British Country Awards BCMAwards).
Nominations for the awards (“British Country Music’s Biggest Night”) have been announced and VOTING is underway!
Leading the British Country Music Association Awards pack are The Shires, Ward Thomas (both record breaking acts on the Official UK Top 100 Album Chart) and Darcy Crawford have each received 4 nominations.

Laura Oakes (Female Vocalist 2015-2016), Gary Quinn (Male Vocalist of the Year 2016), Jess and the Bandits (Entertainer of the Year and Group of the Year 2016) have snagged 3 nominations.

 Photo:
Director Secretary of the British CMA Jeanne Jordan welcomes Crissie Rhodes and Ben Earle ( The Shires ) as Honorary Lifetime Members for their services to UK Country Music.




VOTING for the 2017 BCMA Award nominees began on September 1stt.
SCROLL DOWN for a list of all the nominees
You have to me a member of the British Country Music Association in order to vote.

NOT A MEMBER?
You can join here britishcma.co.uk/join-now/ to cast your vote. It also enables you to attend the Best Of British (pre BCMA Awards showcase) for FREE and you get 10% off the ticket price for British Country Music Association Awards 2017 show on Sunday 22nd October 2017.
Details below on the events and artists appearing.

















Listen to his message from Lee Williams (President of British Country Music Association BCMA & CEO of CMR Nashville “Europe’s No1 Country Station”):
2017 BCMA Awards performer and Horizon Act of The Year Nominee Penny Jayne Black posts:

 Best Of British
When: Saturday 21st Oct 2017 7:30:
Where: The Robin 2, 20-28 Mount Pleasant, WV14 7LJ Bilston
Performing: Raintown (Headliners), Darcy, Megan And The Common Threads, Simon James
Tickets: Members - FREE, Non-Members - £20 britishcma.co.uk

























BCMA Awards 2017 
(The British Country Music Association Awards)
When: Sunday 22nd October 2017 7:00:
Where: Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton
Performing: Laura Oakes, Southern Halo (USA), Journey Home, The Adelaides, Jade Helliwell, Penny Jayne Black, Jenn Bostic & Sarah Darling
Host for BCMA Awards night is Mr Baylen Leonard
BCMA British Country Music Association - Facebook Events

Tickets: Members - £22.50, Non-Members - £25.00, VIP - £50.00 (Includes pre-show reception with "meet and greet" and priority seating) http://britishcma.co.uk/events/

The BCMA are thrilled to announce the launch of their first BCMA Radio show hosted by secretary Jeanne Jordan (editorial team UP Country Magazine) on CMR Nashville. T
his show will showcase the very best in homegrown British artists as well as upcoming stars from across the pond. It will provide updated news on upcoming BCMA events and other news on the Country music scene. The BCMA have welcomed news correspondent Dan Wharton of Your Life in a Song (Blog/ Marketing Website) to the team, who will be providing monthly features on all things Country. In the latest show edition he speaks with reigning BCMA Award Female Vocalist Laura Oakes. Listen to the latest show HERE.

The BCMA Award 2017 nominees are:
* NEW * = New to the Category for 2017 compared to the 2016 nominees 



















The nominations for the 2017 BCMA Awards.

UK Song of the Year
Dreaming - Laura Oakes (released April 2016)
If She Falls - Holloway Road (released 31 March 2017)
Little Too Country? Too Country For You - Darcy (released June 2017)
Body Language - Gary Quinn (released Sept 2016)
Better in Blue Jeans - Laura Oakes (unreleased)

UK Album Of The Year
MY UNIVERSE - The Shires (Released Sept 30, 2016)
CARTWHEELS - Ward Thomas (Released Sept 15, 2016)
HOOKED - Darcy (6 track EP, released June 13, 2017)
SMOKE AND MIRRORS - Jess and the Bandits (To be released Sept 15, 2017)
I REMEMBER - Gary Quinn (5 track EP, released Sept 2, 2016)
COMING BACK TO ME - Carolynne (5 track EP, released April 7, 2017)

International Song of the Year
Blue Ain’t Your Color - Keith Urban (released Aug 8, 2016)
Dirt on My Boots - Jon Pardi (released Sept 19, 2016)
Tenderheart - Sam Outlaw (released April 2017)
Makin’ Me Look Good Again - Drake White (released Aug 19, 2017)
Forever Country - Various Artists (released Sept 16, 2016)
Craving You - Thomas Rhett ft. Maren Morris (released April 3, 2017)

International Album of the Year
THE WEIGHT OF THESE WINGS - Miranda Lambert
RIPCORD - Keith Urban
CALIFORNIA SUNRISE - Jon Pardi
ADIOS - Glen Campbell
WELCOME HOME - Zac Brown Band

Entertainer Of The Year
The Shires
Thorne Hill * NEW * 
Jess and the Bandits
Raintown
Ward Thomas * NEW * 

Musician of the Year
Justin Johnson (Drums, Parr Street Producer)
Tom Wright (Guitar; Thorne Hill) * NEW * 
Donna Marie (Guitar/Keys; Thorne Hill) * NEW * 
Luke Barratt (Drums) * NEW * 
Luke Thomas (Guitar) * NEW * 
Callum Wilson (Bass) * NEW * 

International Act Of The Year (Touring)
Jenn Bostic; Sam Outlaw; Charlie Worsham; Sarah Darling; American Young; Sonia Leigh; Southern Halo

Best Original Music Festival
FSA; Buckle & Boots Country Festival; Nashville Meets London; Summertyne Festival; Midwinterfest

Duo Of The Year
Ward Thomas
Holloway Road
Ashton Lane
Raintown * NEW * 
The Shires
Gaoline & Matches * NEW * 

Horizon Act of The Year
Emma Swindells * NEW * 
Penny Jayne Black * NEW * 
TC Country; Lars Pluto & The Reavers
Simon James * NEW * 
Backwoods Creek * NEW * 
Demi Marriner * NEW * 

Group Of The Year
Jess and the Bandits
The Southern Companion * NEW * 
Journey Home * NEW * 
Outlander * NEW * 
Morganway * NEW * 

Video Of The Year
Darcy - Hooked
Ward Thomas - Guilty Flowers
The Shires - My Universe
Jess and the Bandits - I Am Not Going Home
Emma King - Devil City

Male Vocalist
Ags Connolly * NEW * 
Gary Quinn
Darren Hodson * NEW * 
Kevin McGuire * NEW * 
Darcy Crawford * NEW * 

Female Vocalist Of The Tear
Laura Oakes
Clara Bond * NEW * 
Katy Hurt
Jade Helliwell * NEW * 
Carolynne Poole * NEW * 
Deeanne Dexeter * NEW * 

2017 Inductees into the BCMA Hall of Fame
Previously announced (5 May 2017)
Congratulations to
Gordon Davies DJ Promoter and CEO of Westwood Records
Susan McCann Singer
Ron Jones Singer and Promoter

Our Reaction & Comment

AWARDS CRITERIA
The nominations and voting criteria continues not to mirror the eligibility period and category criteria adopted by the CMA in America. Members of British Country Music Association DO NOT get to have the opportunity to vote in order to determine who the nominees are. They merely have the chance to VOTE on the names presented to them.
Why not have an eligibility period set to submit a body of work or achievement over a year. Then have ballot rounds to determine the nominations?
This year sees the expansion of some categories to 6 nominees with some tightening up compared to 2016 and a lot of new acts receiving nods.

There is still an unnamed industry panel who select the nominations.
As far as we can tell the panel most likely includes: Lee Williams (President of British Country Music Association BCMA), Jeanne Jordan (Secretary and a Director of British Country Music Awards), Wayne Hadlow (FSA Festival) Rob Davis (Publisher & Editor; Up Country and Cross Country magazines), Roger Wild (Secretary of the BCMA/ Broke Spoke Festival/ Copper Kettle Promotions), Les Evans (NAM agency) and Jim Duncan (Wolvestock Promoter/ Curator of the British Country Music Hall of Fame).
Others may include Karl Hancock (Buckle & Boots Festival founder) and Chris Country Radio may be involved with the International choices.
It is unknown just how many people actually determine who draw up the nominations and how many BCMA members will determine the 2017 winners. The non-transparency sadly still exists.
There also appears to be some supportive nods from people who have a direct association some of the acts through management and towards their publishing companies.

UK Album of the Year
Normally an album comprises 7 or more tracks.
HOOKED by Darcy (6 track EP, released June 13, 2017), I REMEMBER by Gary Quinn (5 track EP, released Sept 2, 2016)
Along with COMING BACK TO ME by Carolynne (5 track EP, released April 7, 2017) have only 5 or 6 tracks.
SMOKE AND MIRRORS by Jess and the Bandits had not been released (out released Sept 15, 2017 | Amazon UK) so only the committee had the chance to hear it and voters will not have heard it yet. This is like 2015 when Honey Ryder’s BORN IN A BOTTLE (Amazon) was nominated some 6 months before their crowd funders received it and 8 months before its commercial release in February 2016.

UK Song of the Year
This includes two nominations for the reigning Female Vocalist (2015-2016) Laura Oakes who is a big favourite with FSA’s Festival CEO Wayne Hadlow. In his July 6th interview with BCMAs Jim Duncan (country presenter 101.8 WCR FM “Playing the best for Wolverhampton) Wayne said: “One of the most talented ladies I’ve ever seen perform is a girl called Laura Oakes, she’s a cut above the rest, she is absolutely fantastic”
Of the two songs nominated Dreaming was released in April 2016 and Better in Blue Jeans has yet to released! Only the BCMA panel can of heard it and how can the BCMA members consider something that hasn’t had any commercial output as yet!
With many singles A and B playlisted by BBC Radio 2 one might of expected to see the panel choose a single from The Shires or Ward Thomas but both are omitted from this category.

Darcy (Darcy Crawford) originally hails from Brisbane, Australia and was based at Compstall, Manchester. He is another big favourite with Wayne and Jim (“One of the great new acts”). Speaking about Darcy’s HOOKED EP Wayne said: “My good friend Darcy, he performs wonderfully, the album is fantastic, an amazing album. Nothing out of Nashville is better than it, the writing and material is just great, the songs are great. Anyone that wants a good country album go out and buy it” 
Released on 23 June 2017 Amazon UK) the 6-track Hooked, recorded in Nashville, made a debut at #17 on the UK Country iTunes Chart (#526 overall UK Albums chart), then fell to #28 (#1080 overall and quickly fell off the Top 200.
Originally from Brisbane, Australia (Current Location), Darcy is a Country Rock Recording artist for 4Quarters Records bringing the country scene over to the UK in style.
Introducing Darcy's EP "Hooked":
<iframe width="462" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Tbdh27ZtatU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Watch how Honky Tonk Outlaw Country Rockabilly artist Lars Pluto (Website) reacts to his deferred nomination for Horizon Act of The Year. Hoover over the video, set volume and tap to play:
When you spend years being unabashedly vocal about the sad state of the pop takeover of what they have the audacity to...
Posted by Lars Pluto on Tuesday, 15 August 2017


 Best Of British & BCMA Awards 2017 Performers

The British Country Music Association Awards (BCMA Awards) will take place at the Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton while a Pre-awards show Best Of British will be put on at Bilston's Robin 2.
Set to perform at the Wulfrun Hall show are Laura Oakes, Southern Halo (USA), The Adelaides, Journey Home, Jade Helliwell and Penny Jane Black.
NEWS: The lovely USA singer-songwriters Jenn Bostic & Sarah Darling have been added to the line-up at the BCMA Awards on October 22nd!

Two-time BCMA Female Vocalist 2015-2015 Laura Oakes is a country and pop musician from Liverpool. Laura graduated from Leeds College of Music in 2012 with a first degree in Popular Music. After graduating, she began recording her first single 'Don't Let It Hit Ya', which was released in September 2013 and landed in the Top 20 on the iTunes Country Chart. Her second single 'Snakes & Ladders' followed in 2014 with similar success.

 Hotdisc chart toppers Cleveland, Mississippi US all-girl trio Southern Halo (Natalia, Hannah and Christina Morris) announced on Twitter they would be joining the lineup at the 2017 BCMA.
In March they played a short UK Tour starting on Sat 18th March 2017(London), then Nottingham (Bodega), Manchester (Gullivers), Glasgow (Hug & Pint) and Newcastle (Jumpin’ Jacks). You can watch highlights of their Newcastle show online in HD at https://vimeo.com/225351927 (Cameras: Stuart Cameron and Ronald Yule; A StuMedia TV Prouction. It was broadcast on Keep It Country TV (Sky/ Freesat/Freeview)
They have added some more UK dates
Sunday October 22, 2017 - Wolverhampton - BCMA Awards - The Wolfrun Hall, 7 p.m.
Monday Oct 23-25 / Radio visits, interviews, television
Thursday October 26, 2017 - Elgin, Scotland - Ex-Services Club, 8 p.m.-12 midnight 
Friday October 27, 2017 - Dundee, Scotland - No1s, 9 p.m.
Saturday October 28, 2017 - Aberdeen, Scotland - Barra Castle Inverurie, 9 p.m. - 12 midnight
Southern Halo - Shows

 Journey Home (previously called Acoustic Journey) are an all-male four-piece band performing rock and country.

Singer/songwriter Jade Helliwell will also play the awards. She won the prestigious Yamaha Hoedown competition in February this year - securing her a slot at the UK’s biggest Country Music festival, Country 2 Country (C2C 2017) at the O2 in London.
An impromptu “Hallelujah” duet with busker Dawid Osial went VIRAL with over 16 million views! This resulted in Helliwell’s FORGET THE NIGHT (EP) climbing to #1 on the UK Country Album iTunes Chart and #8 on the overall UK iTunes chart
Jade’s Facebook Page Likes increase by 856,000%!! She now has over 65K Facebook Followers. She wants to be the UK's Taylor Swift!' She has signed up with RAW Management in London.
She was also nominated for the UKCountryRadio.com’s UK Country Music Awards for UK Country Artist Of The Year.
BLOG Post: Batley country singer Jade Helliwell's spontaneous duet with a busker goes viral

Joining the rest will be Penny Jayne Black, who has been nominated for 'Horizon Act Of The Year' by The BCMA Awards 2017. She hails from West Sussex, but now lives in Hampshire.

BEST OF BRITISH PRE-AWARD SHOW
Playing the Best Of British pre-award show at Bilston, meanwhile, will be Glaswegian multi award winning Raintown who have won just about every top award on the British Country scene including BCMA Entertainer of The Year. They have bagged 16 awards in four years and just won Duo Of The Year for a second time at the UK Country Music Awards (presented by UKCountryRadio.com) on September 1st

Darcy is a country rock act who originally hails from Brisbane, Australia.
Megan & The Common Threads, are led by Americana-playing Irish singer-songwriter and CMR Nashville radio presenter  Megan O'Neill, who was described by The Irish Times as 'The Irish Carrie Underwood'. In February 2017, Megan was selected as one of the top eight Americana songwriters in the UK and performed at the Americana Music Awards in London. She also performed at the all-star line-up HARVEST 2017, a new Country Music Festival, which took place in 2 different locations on Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 August 2017 at Westport House, County Mayo and Enniskillen, County Fermanagh.


She performed in Nashville, TN on September 2nd at The Bluebird Café! She is also on the line up for the Country Music Week events and will be playing The Borderline with Sonia Leigh on Fri Oct 6, 2017.

Simon James has been writing songs for 25 years and hails from the North West. His style is described as country rock.
Published on Mar 22, 2017 (133 Views)
Video for Simon's first single, Broken Too Long. Filmed by Paradigm Photography.



MISSION
The British Country Music Association (BCMA) is committed to supporting the very best in UK and International Country music artists.
Working closely with our friends, industry partners and the Country music community in the UK, we are here to heighten the awareness of Country Music and support its on-going growth by recognizing excellence in the genre. The BCMA will be a place to have fun and celebrate success.

CONNECT with British Country Music Association:
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