Names of three young Maple Ridge women and one very talented father keep popping up again and again on the shortlist of finalists for this year’s BC Country Music Association Awards.
Carly and Britt McKillip, along with their father and industry legend Tom McKillip, were revealed as finalists on Friday, when the BCCMA shortlist was made public.
The Maple Ridge siblings, who make up the group One More Girl, are up for album, duo, songwriters, website, and video of the year.
As well, independently, Carly is a finalist in the keyboard category, while Dad is up for producer and country music personality of the year. His company, McKiller Music, is also up for recording studio of the year.
But these are not the only local names on the BCCMA shortlist.
Roosters Cabaret in Pitt Meadows is once again up for country club of the year, while Chris Rolin of Rolin Sound is also in the running for recording studio of the year.
And in the country music person of the year, Hammond's own Geoff Dueck is in the running, along with the senior member of the McKillip family.
And in the drum category, Pitt Meadows resident Jerry Adolphe is a finalist.
Last, but definitely not least, up-and-comer Madeline Merlo of Maple Ridge has burst onto the country music scene in a big way in the past year and a half, garnering numerous BCCMA nominations as well.
Merlo, who’s performing a few hometown concerts in the next few weeks, is up for three awards, including female vocalist, and songwriter of the year, as well as the Ray McAuley Horizon Award that is given to the best newcomer on the provincial country music scene.
"I'm really honoured to be nominated and can't wait to go," Merlo told The TIMES, noting she's off to Nashville after the BCCMAs to do a little more writing and recording in anticipation of releasing her first full-length album in January or February.
"It's kind of like they're welcoming me into the BCCMA family, and the country music industry in this province. It's amazing," she added.
The BCCMA winners will be announced at a special awards show at Hard Rock Casino in Coquitlam on Oct. 19 [tickets available at 604-533-5088].
In the meantime, Merlo said she's still shaking her head in disbelief at how much her life has changed.
Earlier this month, she was in Edmonton, performing at a number of industry award events during the Canadian Country Music Awards, and she was at London Drugs in Abbotsford and Coquitlam in the past week performing to help celebrate the release of her debut, self-titled EP.
This weekend she's performing a free and intimate concert followed by a meet-and-greet on Saturday, Sept. 20, from 2 to 3 p.m. at the London Drugs in Valley Fair Mall.
And, she will also be performing at home again on Oct. 4, at 9:30 p.m. in The Well pub at Chances Maple Ridge (the new gaming centre) at Lougheed Highway and 227th Street.
"This year has been really amazing for me," Merlo explained, comparing it to a whirlwind. "Every day, I remind myself how incredibly lucky I am. I wanted, since I was a young girl, to pursue music. It always seemed like an impossible dream, but now it's becoming a reality."
Finalists list revealed
The BC Country Music Association is proud to announce its final nominees, in no particular order:
• Album of the Year
Chad Brownlee – The Fighters (Langley)
Dallas Smith – Tippin’ Point (Langley)
Karen Lee Batten – Cause A Scene (Langley)
Me & Mae – Off The Rails (Langley)
One More Girl – The Hard Way (Maple Ridge)
• Country Club Act of the Year
Appaloosa (Chilliwack)
Chris Buck Band (Burnaby)
Me & Mae (Langley)
Smith & Jones (Langley/White Rock)
Whiskey Jane (Vancouver)
• Country Club of the Year
Cactus Annies – Merritt
Cactus Jacks – Kamloops
OK Corral – Kelowna
Roosters – Maple Ridge
• Country Music Person of the Year
Curtis Pope (Abbotsford)
Geoff Dueck (Maple Ridge)
Jim Cressman (Penticton)
Linda Corscadden (West Kelowna – Langley for 40 years)
Tom McKillip (Maple Ridge)
• Country On-Air Personality (Area Code 250)
Roo Phelps/Casey Clark – Country 100.7 Penticton
Howie Reimer – Country 103.1 Kamloops
Louis McIvor – Country 103.1 Kamloops
Tim Tyler – Country 103.1 Kamloops
• Country On-Air Personality (Area Code 604)
Barbara Beam – Country 93.7 Vancouver
Chris Coburn – Country 107.1 Abbotsford
Curtis Pope – Country 107.1 Abbotsford
Docc Andrews – Country 93.7 Vancouver
Jaxon Hawks – Country 93.7 Vancouver
• Entertainer of the Year
Aaron Pritchett (Langley)
Chad Brownlee (Langley)
Dallas Smith (Langley)
Karen Lee Batten (Langley)
Kenny Hess (Mission)
The Matinee (Coquitlam)
• Fans Choice Award
Aaron Pritchett
Chad Brownlee
Dallas Smith
Karen Lee Batten
Todd Richard (Harrison Hot Springs)
• Female Vocalist of the Year
AJ Woodworth (Vancouver)
Hayley (West Vancouver)
Karen Lee Batten
Mackenzie Porter (Vancouver)
Madeline Merlo (Maple Ridge)
• Gaylord Wood Traditional Country Award
High Bar Gang (Vancouver)
Jackson Hollow (Surrey)
Kenny Hess (Mission)
Mike Sanyshyn (Surrey)
Trevor Murray (Langley)
• Group Duo of the Year
Austin Belle (Mission/Delta)
GB Roots ( N Vancouver)
Me & Mae (Langley)
One More Girl (Maple Ridge)
The Matinee (Coquitlam)
• Male Vocalist of the Year
Aaron Pritchett
Chad Brownlee
Dallas Smith
Gord Maxwell (Port Coquitlam)
Kenny Hess (Mission)
Todd Richard (Harrison)
• Mike Norman All Star Band – Bass
Craig Alan Mack (Coquitlam)
Dennis Marcenko (Vancouver)
Kirby Barber (N Vancouver)
Rob Becker (Vancouver)
Scott Cooke (Aldergrove)
• Mike Norman All Star Band – Drums
Geoff Hicks (Vancouver)
Jerry Adolphe (Pitt Meadows)
Pat Steward (Vancouver)
Ryan Vikedal
Tobi Duquette (N Vancouver)
• Mike Norman All Star Band – Guitar
Darren Savard
David Barber
Hayley
Jay Buettner (Port Coquitlam)
Mitch Merrett (Surrey)
• Mike Norman All Star Band – Keyboard
Carly McKillip (Maple Ridge)
Daryl Havers (Burnaby)
John Dean (Surrey)
Marc Gladstone (Richmond)
Simon Kendall (Vancouver)
• Mike Norman All Star Band – Special Instrument
Eric Reed – Mandolin/Banjo (N Vancouver)
Jeremy Breaks – Banjo (Vancouver)
Julie Kennedy – Fiddle (Victoria)
John Ellis – Steel Guitar (Vancouver)
Matt Rose – Mandolin/Banjo (Coquitlam)
Scott Smith – Steel Guitar (Vancouver)
• Producer of the Year
Jay Buettner (Port Coquitlam)
John Ellis (Vancouver)
Mitch Merrett (Surrey)
Paul Shatto (Vancouver)
Scott Cooke (Aldergrove)
Tom McKillip (Maple Ridge)
• Radio Station of the Year
Country 107.1 – Abbotsford
Country 103.1 – Kamloops
Country 100.7 – Penticton
Country 93.7 – Vancouver
• Ray McAuley Horizon Award
GB Roots (N Vancouver)
Lisa Nicole (Surrey)
Mackenzie Porter (Vancouver)
Madeline Merlo (Maple Ridge)
Me and Mae (Langley)
Wes Mack (Vancouver)
* Recording Studio of the Year
Armoury Studios (Vancouver)
Blue Frog Studios (White Rock)
McKiller Music (Maple Ridge)
Rolin Sound (Maple Ridge)
Studio Downe Under (Abbotsford)
• Roots Canadiana of the Year Award
Angela Harris (N Vancouver)
Carli & Julie Kennedy (Victoria)
GB Roots (N Vancouver)
The Matinee (Coquitlam)
Washboard Union (Vancouver)
• Single of the Year Award
Boat on the Water – Aaron Pritchett
Cause a Scene – Karen Lee Batten
Fallin’ Over You – Chad Brownlee
If You Ask Me – Mackenzie Porter
Tippin’ Point – Dallas Smith
Why Baby Why – AJ Woodworth/The Matinee
• Socan Songwriter of the Year Award
AJ Woodworth/The Matinee – Why Baby Why (Louise Burns & Dave Wilson)
Amanda Thate – Hit & Run (Britt & Carly McKillip, Kathleen Higgins)
Austin Belle – Just Drive (Stacey McKitrick, Jesse Wainwright & Jeff Johnson)
Chad Brownlee – Just Because (Chad Brownlee, Mitch Merrett, Brian White & Phil Barton)
Madeline Merlo – Sinking Like a Stone (Dan Swinimer & Jeff Johnson)
Me and Mae – Watcha’ Wearin (Shawn Meehan)
• Video Director of the Year Award
Cliff Hokanson (van)
David Tenniswood (Van)
Gene Greenwood (surrey)
Stephano Barberis (surrey)
Wes Mack (Vancouver)
• Video of the Year Award
Aaron Pritchett – Boat on the Water
AJ Woodworth/The Matinee – Why Baby Why
Chad Brownlee – Fallin’ Over You
Dallas Smith – Tippin’ Point
Karen Lee Batten – Cause A Scene
One More Girl – Love Like Mine
• Website of the Year Award
Chris Buck Band – Chris Smolko www.chrisbuckband.com
Karen Lee Batten – Ali Adab www.karenleebatten.com
Mike Sanyshyn – Robert White/Tianna Lefebvre Sanyshyn www.mikesanyshyn.com
One More Girl – Andrew Lorimer www.onemoregirl.com
The Matinee – Noel Planet www.thematineemusic.com
• Humanitarian of the Year Award
Chad Brownlee – Tim Hortons
Kenny Hess – Kids Forever
Linda Corscadden – Journey On Cancer Foundation/FCK Cancer
Todd Richard – Run for the Cure
- See more at: http://www.mrtimes.com/entertainment/updated-maple-ridge-singers-in-running-for-bling-1.1379540#sthash.PXx4bzTv.dpuf