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Willing Records Celebrates Multiple
2024 Canadian Country Music Association Award Nominations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 1, 2024
Toronto, ON - Today Willing Records, is celebrating the announcement of five 2024 Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Award nominations for Record Company of the Year, Management Company of the Year, Industry Person of the Year (Bobby Wills), Songwriter of the Year (Tony Stevens) and Video of the Year (The Prairie States).
Label partner and General Manager, Bobby Wills is an award-winning artist known for his heartfelt songwriting, blending classic country with a modern twist. With over 19 million global streams and six top 10 singles, he continues to push boundaries and brings a wealth of experience and passion to Willing Records, contributing to the success of the label and its artists.
"Venturing into the country music business in Canada was a dream I've had for as long as I can remember. My years as an artist, working with some of the industry's finest, fueled this passion. At Willing Records, we aimed to build a new version of an old model, making our artists partners and shifting to a more artist-friendly approach that focuses on development. Watching our artists grow and achieve new milestones is incredibly rewarding, and these nominations validate our efforts," said Wills. “Being recognized as a team and individually in these categories tells me we are on the right track. It is humbling to have our brand stand alongside the industry's finest, and we couldn’t be more excited."
Founded in 2021 and proudly distributed by Universal Music Canada, Willing Records is dedicated to transforming artist development in the evolving music landscape. The company collaborates with North America’s finest music minds to launch and nurture music careers of Canadian artists domestically and internationally. The company's profile is ascending, as they’ve recently signed rising artists such as Tony Stevens, The Prairie States and Drew Gregory for distribution.
Breakthrough artist Tony Stevens is a first time nominee in the coveted Songwriter of the Year category for his hit single “Whiskey in Colorado”. The song is currently at #8 on the Canadian Country radio charts and has accumulated over two million streams to date. He is also a 2024 top 10 finalist in the SIRIUSXM Top Of The Country annual program which spawned his critically acclaimed song “Days Like This”.
His unique fusion of country, rock, and R&B, combined with lyrics drawn from real-life experiences, resonate deeply with his growing fan base. The balance of 2024 promises to be significant for this emerging star, as he continues to release more new music.
“Songwriting is my favourite way to be creative. Being nominated for Songwriter of the Year at the CCMAs is something I have dreamed of. This nomination gives me even more motivation to create songs that become a part of people’s memories and soundtracks of their lives,” said Stevens.
The Prairie States have been nominated for the CCMA Award for Video of the Year for “Trouble Is,” the title track off their debut Willing Records release, Trouble Is album. Formed in 2017, The Prairie States deliver rock-infused country anthems through authentic storytelling. Since the release of Trouble Is, their third album and first LP, the band has achieved remarkable success, including two charting singles and their breakout hit “Waiting On You,” which reached number 28 on the Mediabase Canada Country chart. Trouble Is has also surpassed six million streams since its January 2024 release. The band’s new single, “Not So Much No More,” branded the “Break Up Song of 2024, explores themes of love, loss, second chances, who knew breaking up could be this fun, showcasing their evolving sound and dedication to raising the bar in their work. Watch a sneak peek of the official “one shot” music video for the song here, slated for release on August 7th.
"Creating the perfect visual to accompany the lyrics of a song can be a difficult task. But when it came to the video for “Trouble Is”, this team knocked it out of the park. From top to bottom, that video was such a joy to make, and I think that feeling shines throughout the final cut. It's a huge honour to have it be nominated for a CCMA Award alongside the best in Canadian Country music," said Mat Cardinal from The Prairie States.
Willing Records looks forward to launching and supporting more artists and music business professionals in the future, embodying the company’s belief in community and talent development.
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