Langley country artists scoop up awards

Walnut Grove’s Shawn Meehan is making room in his home for the bling his band Me and Mae picked up at this past weekend’s BC Country Music Awards.

“It was such a surprise, and an honour to receive the Ray McCauley Horizon award,” Meehan told the Langley Advance.

“The B.C. country community has spoken, and thinks we are the next rising star. That’s so cool and humbling,” he said.

Meehan and his relatively new band were among several Langley people acknowledged during Sunday’s celebration at the Hard Rock Casino in Coquitlam.

While several Langleyites walked home with awards this weekend, it was 36-year-old Dallas Smith who cleaned up.

Among his accolades, he won entertainer and male vocalist of the year, as well as single and album of the year for Tippin’ Point.

Also on the winners’ list from Langley was singer and songwriter Aaron Pritchett, who earned the fan choice award, as well as the video of the year for Boat on the Water.

Karen Lee Batten, who also performed her title track from her second album, Cause a Scene, brought home the female vocalist of the year award – a title she’s earned at least three times in past.

Preparing to release her third single early next year, she said was “honoured” by the award.

In addition to Batten’s win, video director Stephano Barberis – the man behind her videos for Cause a Scene and Life Worth Living, won BCCMA’s director of the year. In addition, he directed the Boat on the Water video for Pritchett, which won video of the year.

Langley’s own Chad Brownlee and Mitch Merrett shared glory as recipients of the Socan Songwriter of the Year award for the song performed by Brownlee, Just Because.

"The songwriter of the year award means a lot to me because it's something I put a lot of time into,” Brownlee told the Langley Advance.

“Most of that time is spent writing songs nobody will ever hear, which is sometimes a good thing, because it takes a lot of songs before you write that one that you are confident enough to put on a record for your fans to hear,” he said.

Brownlee added: “Creativity is such an allusive thing and you never know when it is going to strike. I have been blessed with getting to know so many great writers both in Canada and the U.S. that I have learned so much from. I feel this is just the beginning of my songwriting career!"

In addition to always writing, Brownlee is also planning an upcoming tour, When The Lights Go Down, which begins in Prince Edward Island next March and will hit the Commodore in Vancouver April 2.

The one-month journey will feature Canadian Country Music Association’s female vocalist of the year Jess Moskoluke and 2013 rising star Bobby Willis.

He shared the win with Merrett, a music producer, promoter, and acclaimed guitarist.

'The BCCMA's has always been something I look forward to each year,” said Merrett, who has won several Socan awards, as well as producer, songwriter, and guitar awards.

“I've been very fortunate to win a few over the years, but honestly the best part for me is catching up with friends and checking out the talent, and B.C. has a lot of great talent,” he concluded.

And last, but not least, long-time Langley resident Linda Corscadden (who just recently moved to Kelowna) earned the humanitarian of the year award for her work founding the Journey On Cancer Foundation and raising money for the care and comforts of cancer patients at the Surrey Cancer Clinic.

The cancer survivor, who has been on the BCCMA board for more than a decade, was also crowned the country music person of the year awards.

“The talent we have in B.C. is outstanding and makes me proud to be a part of this industry, which I call ‘family,” Corscadden said the next day.

 â€œI’m on cloud nine right now, very humbled with my awards and appreciate the support from everyone.  Congrats to all of the nominees and winners,” she added.

 Corscadden has been on the BCCMA board of directors for 10 years, where she heads up the membership department, social media marketing (Facebook group page, Twitter, website), awards ticket sales and seating, artist communications, and the day-to-day operations of the association.

In fact, she produced the 37th annual BCCMA Awards event that occurred Sunday, and is co-producing the Hall of Fame Show on Nov 9, at the Clarke Theatre in Mission.

She is also on the Rockin’ River Music festival board, and in August people will find her out at the festival taking care of all of the artists merchandise needs beside main stage, as well as conducting 50/50 draws and a guitar draw to raise funds for various local charities.

She was also lauded this weekend for all her work on the cancer front, earning the humanitarian award.

Since being diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in 2008, Corscadden has been actively involved in charitable events throughout the year and has already raised more than $30,000 for the Journey On Cancer Foundation.

This year, she was awarded two plaques from the BC Cancer Foundation for her fundraising efforts and they will be displayed at the Surrey Memorial Hospital and the Abbotsford General Hospital cancer wards.

“All money raised does not go to research, but it buys new wigs, blankets, chemo chairs, supplies, as well as covering travel costs and counselling for the patients and their family,” she said.

Reflecting back on Sunday’s event, Corscadden was elated with the results, saying more than 650 – possibly the biggest crowd on record – attended.

“The show was amazing,” she said. “I’ve had nothing but positive feedback and many compliments on how it went. It was almost a sell out, this year was probably one of the best line ups we’ve had performing at our awards.”

She credited continued support of BCCMA members, fans, sponsors, and volunteers – not to mention the association’s directors – for making the group and the show possible.

“We couldn’t do it without them,” Corscadden concluded.

The full list of winners:

• Album of the Year

Dallas Smith – Tippin’ Point

• Country Club Act of the Year

Chris Buck Band

• Country Club of the Year

Roosters Country Cabaret

• Country Music Person of the Year

Linda Corscadden

• Country On Air Personality Area Code 250

Roo Phelps/Casey Clarke– Country 100.7 Penticton

• Country On Air Personality Area Code 604

Curtis Pope – Country 107.1 Abbotsford

• Entertainer of the Year

Dallas Smith

• Fans Choice Award

Aaron Pritchett

• Female Vocalist of the Year

Karen Lee Batten

• Gaylord Wood Traditional Country Award

Mike Sanyshyn

• Group Duo of the Year

One More Girl

• Male Vocalist of the Year

Dallas Smith

• Mike Norman All Star Band – Bass

Kirby Barber

• Mike Norman All Star Band – Drums

Pat Steward

• Mike Norman All Star Band – Guitar

Darren Savard

• Mike Norman All Star Band – Keyboard

Carly McKillip

• Mike Norman All Star Band – Special Instrument

John Ellis – Steel Guitar

• Producer of the Year

Tom McKillip

• Radio Station of the Year

Country 107.1 – Abbotsford

• Ray McAuley Horizon Award

Me and Mae

• Recording Studio of the Year

Studio Downe Under

• Roots Canadiana of the Year Award

The Matinee

• Single of the Year Award

Tippin’ Point – Dallas Smith

• Socan Songwriter of the Year Award

Chad Brownlee – Just Because (Chad Brownlee, Mitch Merrett, Brian White & Phil Barton)

• Video Director of the Year Award

Stephano Barberis

• Video of the Year Award

Aaron Pritchett – Boat on the Water

• Website of the Year Award

Mike Sanyshyn – Robert White/Tianna Lefebvre-Sanyshyn www.mikesanyshyn.com

• Humanitarian of the Year Award

Linda Corscadden – Journey On Cancer Foundation/FCK Cancer

• Presidents Citation Award

David Wills

• Lifetime Achievement Award

Ken McCoy – Male Vocalist

• Lifetime Achievement Award

Jake Stolz – Guitar Player

• Volunteer of the Year Award

Charlene McMorris