<li class="MsoNormal">Awards to be hosted by BBC Radio 2 and Amazing Radio presenter Baylen Leonard</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Nominations to be announced on Monday July 11</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Previous winners include The Shires, Brandy Clark, Ward Thomas, <a title="Brad Paisley" href="https://ticketmaster.evyy.net/c/1224809/264167/4272?subId1=WPScmnbBPaisley&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Fbrad-paisley-tickets%2Fartist%2F714837&partnerpropertyid=5213910&MediaPartnerPropertyId=5213910">Brad Paisley</a>, Luke &; Mel, Striking Matches</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Awards weekend opens with a Best of British Showcase featuring Dexeter, The Southern Companion, Thorne Hill, Gary Quinn and guest American Beau Fuller.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">The Awards ceremony will feature performances from Red Sky July, Katy Hurt, Holloway Road and many more.</li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center"><img id="_x0000_i1026" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/46b17dc617694ecf89c4f88a6/images/b29c3770-33c3-444b-8ce0-012b0b7e52ba.jpg" alt="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/46b17dc617694ecf89c4f88a6/images/b29c3770-33c3-444b-8ce0-012b0b7e52ba.jpg" width="564" height="226" /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The nominees for the prestigious <strong>British Country Music Awards</strong> have been announced.<br />
This event has attracted and become the benchmark for many artist s who were previously unknown to the Country music fans who just attend the many events around the club scene and as Country music in the UK grows more and more young acts have been enticed to the genre and so these awards recognise those up and coming artists both here and abroad as well as the more celebrated performers. They are open to all.<br />
Members of the British Country Music Association will have the final say on the winners when voting takes place.</p>
<p>Of the nominees Ben Earle gets three nominations including two with Crissie Rhodes as part of The Shires. Nathan Carter gets another nod for Entertainer of the Year, he was nominated too in 2014 and 2015 as was Raintown who must be doing something right, they have four nominations this year, one for Entertainer and the other three in Video, Album and Group categories. Gary Perkins, who recently won CCN Band of the Year also gets a nomination in the Entertainer category.</p>
<p>Newcomers to the awards nominations are The Southern Companion, Ashton Lane, Thorne Hill and Red Sky July. A spokesman said: ‘The quality of the British acts who have come to the fore since British Country music has stepped up to the mark means we shall be soon listening to more of our own acts rather than importing them from across the world. We can match the US with quality, we just need to get them publicised more. The likes of The Southern Companion, Holloway Road, The Shires and Ward Thomas are creating waves and it is no wonder the large recording companies have opened offices in London.’</p>
<p>For more details of the Awards Show and the Best of British event to be held the day before at the same venue in London or go to <a href="http://twitter.us11.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=46b17dc617694ecf89c4f88a6&;id=03daecbc7a&;e=8f3db56313" target="_blank">bcmawards.co.uk</a>.<br />
The nominees are:</p>
<p><strong>Entertainer of the Year</strong><br />
The Shires<br />
Nathan Carter<br />
Jess &; The Bandits<br />
Raintown<br />
Gary Perkins</p>
<p><strong>Group of the Year</strong><br />
Dexeter<br />
Raintown<br />
Jess &; The Bandits<br />
Gary Quinn Band<br />
Red Sky July</p>
<p><strong>Female Vocalist of the Year</strong><br />
Laura Oakes<br />
Claire McArthur-Bain (Raintown)<br />
Katy Hurt<br />
Jessica Clemmons (Jess &; The Bandits)<br />
Crissie Rhodes (The Shires)</p>
<p><strong>Musician of the Year</strong><br />
Lee Guyler<br />
Justin Johnson<br />
Scott Poley<br />
Sarah Jory<br />
John Pettifer</p>
<p><strong>Duo of the Year</strong><br />
Ward Thomas<br />
The Shires<br />
Luke &; Mel<br />
Holloway Road<br />
Ashton Lane</p>
<p><strong>UK Album of the Year</strong><br />
Belle Cannon &#8211; Evolution<br />
The Southern Companion &#8211; 1000 Days Of Rain<br />
Raintown &#8211; Writing On The Wall<br />
Thorne Hill &#8211; No More Holding Back<br />
Red Sky July &#8211; The Truth And The Lie</p>
<p><strong>Male Vocalist of the Year</strong><br />
Thorne Hill<br />
Ben Earle (The Shires)<br />
Nathan Carter<br />
Pete Kennedy<br />
Gary Quinn</p>
<p><strong>Horizon Act of the Year</strong><br />
The Southern Companion<br />
Narn<br />
Acoustic Journey<br />
Samantha Lloyd<br />
Fitzwallace</p>
<p><strong>UK Song of the Year</strong><br />
The Southern Companion &#8211; Crash<br />
Katy Hurt &#8211; Love You More<br />
Luke &; Mel &#8211; Bad Habit<br />
Ashton Lane &#8211; Seventeen<br />
Raintown &#8211; Nineteen Again</p>
<p><strong>International Song of the Year</strong><br />
<a title="Chris Stapleton" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSStapleton/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fchris-stapleton-tickets%2F">Chris Stapleton</a> &#8211; Tennessee <a title="Whiskey" href="https://whiskeychick.rocks/branded">Whiskey</a><br />
Thomas Rhett &#8211; Die A Happy Man<br />
<a title="Tim McGraw" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSTMcGraw/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Ftim-mcgraw-tickets%2F">Tim McGraw</a> &#8211; Humble And Kin d<br />
<a title="Maren Morris" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSMMorris/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fmaren-morris-tickets%2F">Maren Morris</a> &#8211; My Church<br />
<a title="Carrie Underwood" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/carrie-underwood-tour-dates/">Carrie Underwood</a> &#8211; Smoke Break</p>
<p><strong>International Album of the Year</strong><br />
<a title="Chris Stapleton" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSStapleton/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fchris-stapleton-tickets%2F">Chris Stapleton</a> &#8211; Traveller<br />
Thomas Rhett &#8211; Tangled Up<br />
<a title="Carrie Underwood" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/carrie-underwood-tour-dates/">Carrie Underwood</a> &#8211; Storyteller<br />
<a title="Eric Church" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/eric-church-tour-dates/">Eric Church</a> &#8211; Mr Misunderstood<br />
<a title="Chris Young" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/chris-young-concert-tour-tickets/">Chris Young</a> &#8211; I’m Coming Over</p>
<p><strong>International Act of the Year</strong><br />
<a title="Little Big Town" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/new-little-big-town-tour-dates/">Little Big Town</a><br />
Dixie Chicks<br />
Phil Vassar<br />
Thomas Rhett<br />
<a title="Kip Moore" href="https://countrymusicontour.com/kip-moore-concert-tour-tickets/">Kip Moore</a></p>
<p><strong>Video of the Year</strong><br />
Thorne Hill &#8211; Open Road<br />
Raintown &#8211; Writing On The Wall<br />
Luke &; Mel &#8211; Bad Habit<br />
Gary Quinn &#8211; Dodge Your Bullet<br />
The Southern Companion &#8211; Drive</p>
British Country Music Awards Nominations Announced!
