Maple Ridge country music artist and producer Carly McKillip is nominated in three categories at the B.C. Country Music Association awards. (Carly Savard/Special to the Maple Ridge News)

Maple Ridge country music artist and producer Carly McKillip is nominated in three categories at the B.C. Country Music Association awards. (Carly Savard/Special to the Maple Ridge News)

Maple Ridge father/daughter team nominated for five B.C. Country Music awards

Tom and Carly McKillip are nominated together for Producer of the Year

Maple Ridge father/daughter Tom and Carly McKillip are up for multiple awards at the 43rd Annual B.C. Country Music Awards (BCCMA).

Tom is up for the Best All Star Band – Special Instrument award for his saxophone playing as well as Producer of the Year alongside his daughter.

“This was a dream come true,” Tom said about working with Carly. “I won a Canadian Country Music producer award in 2007 and she won it in 2017 – so it runs in the family.”

Their work on the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame Album Then and Now is what earned them the nomination.

Combining stars of yesteryear and artists of today, songs by Ian Tyson, Murray MacLauchlan, Jess Moskaluke, and Brett Kissel are featured on their 2018 release which takes a look back at Canadian Country history with new covers, duets, and re-releases.

“It’s a landmark album for me, which reconnected me with people I worked over the past forty years,” Tom explained. “And it managed to have the ‘then and now’ on the producers side too with me and Carly.”

Carly (married to Dallas Smith’s lead guitarist Darren Savard) is additionally nominated for Best Recording Professional of the Year and the Mike Norman All-Star Band Award for Best Keyboard.

She said the latter was an honor as the late Norman served as a mentor to her and was a close family friend to the McKillips.

Though she may not be able to make it to the actualy awards ceremony, having just given birth to her first child, Carly said the opportunity to work with her dad on the album was enough of an honor.

“I wish I had some dirt to tell you, but it was an easy experience,” Carly explained. “I think its a pretty unique opportunity to work with Dad like this; the chance doesn’t come along every day.”

As for Maple Ridge itself, Carly had nothing for positives to say about her home.

“We’ve been living here for 17 years now – it’s growing at a rapid place and there is always a ton of support in our community when me and my sister Britt are out,” Carly explained. “People say the are proud we are from Maple Ridge and that definitely goes both ways.”

The 2019 ceremony, hosted by Keri Adams, will be held at the Hardrock Casino in Coquitlam, Sunday, Oct. 20th.

The BCCMA shortlist is made up of a significant amount of Fraser Valley performing artists; Emily Taylor Adams, Karen Lee Batten, JoJo Mason, and Mitch Merrett are just a few of the local names nominated.

Maple Ridge musician Madeline Merlo withdrew her name this year for consideration to give more opportunities to emerging artists.

Maple Ridge band Me and Mae were additionally nominated for Group/Duo of the Year and Club Act of the Year on the BCCMA longlist.

Find the full list of 43rd Annual B.C. Country Music Award nominees below.

ENTERTAINER(S) OF THE YEAR

Aaron Pritchett

Ben Klick

JoJo Mason – Clayton Heights

Shawn Austin

The Heels

The Washboard Union

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Ajaye Jardine

April Reign

Becca Hess

Emily Taylor Adams

Karen Lee Batten

Kristin Carter

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Aaron Pritchett

Ben Klick

JoJo Mason

Kadooh

Shawn Austin

GROUP/DUO OF THE YEAR

Chris Buck Band

Jackson Hollow

Sons of Daughters

The Heels

The Washboard Union

VIDEO/LYRIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Aaron Pritchett – Better When I Do

Emily Taylor Adams – Leave The Light On

Kadooh – Somethin’ To Roll On

The Promised – We Could Be in Love

The Washboard Union – She Gets Me

RAY MCAULEY HORIZON AWARD

April Reign

Doug Folkins

Melissa Livingstone

Taylor-Rae

The Promised

TJ Miller

SINGLE OF THE YEAR

Aaron Pritchett – Better When I Do

Becca Hess – I Don’t Do Love Songs

Chris Buck Band – Good Ol’ Days

JoJo Mason – Better On You

Kadooh – Somethin’ To Roll On

Shawn Austin – You Belong

Sons of Daughters – Ain’t Gonna Be Lonely Long

The Washboard Union – She Gets Me

ALBUM/EP OF THE YEAR

Aaron Pritchett – Out on the Town

Chris Buck Band – All In

Kadooh – Kadooh

Shawn Austin – Shawn Austin

Sons of Daughters – Love in a Bar

SOCAN SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

“Ain’t Gonna Be Lonely Long” – Chrystal Oudijk, Gavin Slate, Jimmy Thow, Travis Wood – performed by Sons of Daughters

“Good Ol’ Days” – Chris Buck, Ryan Stead, Anthony Fiddler – performed by Chris Buck Band

“Holy Smoke” – Mitch Merrett, Jimmy Thow – performed by Black Mountain Whiskey Rebellion

“She Gets Me” – Aaron Grain, Chris Duncombe, David Roberts, Gordie Sampson – performed by The Washboard Union

“Somethin’ To Roll On” – Kadooh, Jeff Johnson, Carly Dawn Campbell, Jesse Wainwright – performed by Kadooh

COUNTRY CLUB ACT OF THE YEAR

Appaloosa

Ben Klick

Hillside Outlaws

The County Line

The Millennials

GAYLORD WOOD TRADITIONAL/ROOTS COUNTRY AWARDS

Becca Hess

Jackson Hollow

Kenny Hess

Son of John

The Promised

The Washboard Union

COUNTRY VENUE OF THE YEAR

Gabby’s Cabaret

OK Corral Cabaret

The Duke Saloon

The Roxy

The Yale Saloon

MIKE NORMAN ALL-STAR BAND – BASS

Charlie Frie

Cyril Schermann

Matt Genereux

Michael Vanderlans

Phil Bell

MIKE NORMAN ALL-STAR BAND – DRUMS

Darrin Cherewayko

Matthew Atkins

Samuel Cartwright

Seamus O’Neill

Tobi D

MIKE NORMAN ALL-STAR BAND – GUITAR

Anthony Fiddler

Ben Klick

John Ellis

Jon Tucker

Ryan Stead

MIKE NORMAN ALL-STAR BAND – KEYBOARD

Carly Savard

Darryl Hebert

Geoff Robertson

Philip Laessoe

Roz Steel

ALL STAR BAND – SPECIAL INSTRUMENT

Eric Reed – Banjo, Dobro

John Ellis – Steel, Banjo

Philip Puxley – Banjo

Scott Smith – Steel

Tom McKillip – Saxaphone – MR

MIKE NORMAN ALL-STAR BAND – FIDDLE/MANDOLIN

Geoff Robertson – Mandolin

Javan Johnson – Fiddle

Julie Kennedy – Fiddle

Michael Meroniuk – Mandolin

Mike Sanyshyn – Fiddle/Mandolin – RECORDING PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Carly Savard – Maple Ridge

Paul Shatto

Scott Cooke

Sheldon Zaharko

Soren Lonnqvist

VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

Andrew Davies

Cole Northey

Stephano Barberis

Style Dayne

Wes Mack

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Anthony Fiddler

Jeff Johnson

Mitch Merrett

Scott Cooke

Tom McKillip

INTERACTIVE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Aaron Pritchett

Ajaye Jardine

Ben Klick

Chris Buck Band

The Heels

DON ADAMS INDUSTRY SUPPORTER

Ben Klick (Klick Entertainment)

Country 107.1

Gone Country

Kenny Hess / Becca Hess – Rockin’ Riverfest

Paul Biro (Sakamoto Agency)

FANS’ CHOICE

Aaron Pritchett

Ben Klick

Chris Buck Band

JoJo Mason

Kadooh

Karen Lee Batten

Shawn Austin

Sons of Daughters

The Heels

The Washboard Union

Maple Ridge News

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