Calgary to host 2019 Canadian Country Music Awards

Calgary star Paul Brandt unveiled his Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame plaque at a special ceremony Monday at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, where he also announced the 2019 Canadian Country Music Awards will be held in his home city.

Brandt was announced as an inductee in 2017, along with CCMA executive Harvey Gold. 

Organizers say the nationally broadcast CCMA show will land in Canada's country music capital on Sept. 8, 2019.

It's the ninth time the city has played CCMA host in the show's 41-year history.

Alberta has a longstanding relationship with the CCMAs. Organizers have chosen the province 15 times as its stomping ground.

This year, Hamilton is front and centre for the festivities on Sept. 9, with Shania Twain lined up to host. Country singer Terri Clark will be inducted into the hall of fame during the show.

Following Monday's ceremony, The Paul Brandt Legacy Collection: YYC to BNA, was unveiled at Studio Bell, which will open the exhibit to the public on Friday.

This is the first of two exhibitions introducing the Paul Brandt Legacy Collection.

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Brandt loaned the archive of his career as part of his tenure as Storyteller in Residence at MRU between 2016 and 2018.

The Brandt exhibition at Studio Bell — in partnership with Mount Royal University — will feature a selection of 1600-plus objects, including letters, awards, gold records and more from the most awarded male Canadian country music artist.

Since opening in 2016, the National Music Centre in Calgary has been the home of three Canadian Music Halls of Fame: the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame Collection.

Previous inductees include the Barenaked Ladies, Bruce Cockburn, Sarah McLachlan, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Tom Cochrane, Burton Cummings, Bob Ezrin, Randy Bachman and The Tragically Hip.

Brandt placed his name plaque on the wall of Studio Bell — which has become tradition — before putting on a short performance.

Having released 11 albums throughout his career, Brandt has created a number of hit singles and has won multiple album of the year awards. He has several gold, platinum and multi-platinum selling records.

According to Nielsen BDS, Brandt has six of the top 25 Canadian country music songs, and his tune, My Heart Has a History, is the most played Canadian Country song since the chart began.

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