Core Country Builders and Founders Named to Canadian Country Music Hall

The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) has announced the 2007 Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees to be honored this September during Canadian Country Music Week. The Association also unveiled a virtual Hall of Fame at www.ccma.org/hof. For the first time, industry, media and country fans, will have access to a single source detailing the background of all country music inductees since the process began.

The 2007 inductees to the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame are: Artist John Allan Cameron, past CCMA Executive Director Sheila Hamilton in the Builder category, and Broadcaster Cliff Dumas.

All of the inductions, and additional presentations of Awards of Achievement, will take place during Canadian Country Music Week September 7 - 10 in Regina, Saskatchewan.

The launching of the Canadian Country Music Association’s Country Music Hall of Fame website, fulfills a long time development plan by the Association. The site provides historical backgrounders, biographies and visuals for each CCMA inducted Hall of Fame member. For the first time, the history of these inductees will not only be instantly accessible to Canadian industry and fans, but to the world.

Country Music Week’s four day conference in September will close with the 2007 Canadian Country Music Association Awards Monday, September 10 at Brandt Centre. The Awards will air across Canada at 8pm (9pm AST & 9:30pm NF) on CBC Television, with encore airings on CMT Canada. The Awards will also be broadcast in the U.S. on television network Great American Country (GAC) and in Australia on Country Music Channel (CMC).

2007 Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee Background
Induction into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame recognizes long-term contribution to the growth and development of Canadian country music. The recipient may be living or deceased but is recognized based on his/her achievements as a Canadian in the country music industry in one of three categories, Artist, Builder, or Broadcaster.

Inductee: John Allan Cameron, Artist
John Allan Cameron introduced a brand of what would become known as Cape Breton music in the 1960s when he started picking traditional Scottish pipe tunes on twelve-string guitar. In 2003, John was inducted into the Order of Canada in recognition of his efforts for over 30 years in establishing and growing the wonderful Celtic music scene in Canada. Born in Cape Breton to a very musical family, John Allan Cameron was known as the Godfather of Celtic music in Canada, a mantle he wore with easy grace. He brought Celtic music to the masses, and blazed a trail of success for other East Coast artists to follow. Canadians enjoyed the nationally televised John Allan Cameron Show between 1975 and 1981. His lifetime of music and commitment to the arts render him a national treasure, and before his death in 2006, John Allan Cameron had toured the world and released more than ten albums in a career that spanned over thirty years.

Inductee: Sheila Hamilton, Builder
The past Executive Director of the CCMA, Sheila Hamilton spent most of her career with the Association. She began her relationship with country music in 1975 as Traffic Manager of CFGM, then a powerful radio station serving the country music market in southern Ontario, and was soon made Assistant Producer of Opry North, a popular syndicated radio show organized by CFGM. In 1977 Sheila began to work with the CCMA, handling public relations, maintaining membership lists, and working in other administrative areas. Between 1980 and 1988 Sheila maintained her part time position, in addition to working with three major advertising agencies in print and broadcast production. In 1988, she took on the role of assistant to Jack Feeney, Executive Director of the CCMA, and a year later stepped into the role when Jack retired. During her time with the Canadian Country Music Association, Sheila participated in lobbying efforts with various levels of government, developed significant relationships with country music organizations in Nashville and Europe, and was key to much of the planning, execution and growth of the Association’s annual convention Country Music Week. Sheila retired from the CCMA in 2005 but remains connected through her participation on national committees.

Inductee: Cliff Dumas, Broadcaster
Cliff Dumas has spent most of his working life in the country music industry. Cliff has amassed an incredible list of accolades including being named in 1990 by the CMA in Nashville, Radio Personality of the Year in all markets. He has been named Country Radio Personality of the Year by the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA), RPM Big Country Awards, and The Record for 18 years consecutively, and along with his wife Lisa, they were named Radio Personalities of the Year when they co-hosted the nationally syndicated program Canadian Country Countdown. In addition to his work with radio, Dumas has been "the voice" of CMT Canada for close to 15 years, wrote for the CCMA Awards show for 14 years, producing 4 of those years, and was "the voice" for 17 years. Cliff was part of the team that launched Toronto’s first Country FM station and has written over 20 network country TV programs including specials for Terri Clark, Paul Brandt and Anne Murray along with various projects for CMT and PBS.

For details about Canadian Country Music Week and the Canadian Country Music Association Awards, visit www.ccma.org

The 2007 Canadian Country Music Association Awards Nominees will be announced August 1st at press conferences in Regina and Toronto. Tickets to the award show can be purchased through www.ticketmaster.ca or by calling 1-800-979-7328.