CMA Presents Four International Awards During C2C Festival In U.K.

BBC’s Shennan (l) and Harris (Photo: Luke Dyson/CMA)

The COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION (CMA) presented four of its 2022 CMA International Awards during the C2C: COUNTRY TO COUNTRY FESTIVAL in the U.K. last week. The awards are part of CMA’s ongoing mission to grow and expand Country music globally.

On stage in front of U.K. fans attending the sold-out “CMA Songwriters Series” show on THURSDAY, MARCH 9th CMA VP/International Relations and Development MILLY OLYKAN surprised former and longtime CMA employee BOBBI BOYCE with the JO WALKER MEADOR International Award for her advocacy and support of the organization’s international efforts. CHRIS STEVENS, a CMA U.K. Task Force member and broadcaster who launched CHRIS COUNTRY RADIO, now known as COUNTRYLINE RADIO, in the U.K., was also honored by fellow broadcaster and radio host BAYLEN LEONARD with the International Country Broadcaster Award for his outstanding achievements in broadcasting.

NIGEL HASSLER, CAA’s Country initiative leader based in the company’s LONDON office (and also a CMA U.K. Task Force member), was presented with the ROB POTTS International Live Music Advancement Award by CAA’s JOHN HUIE, co-founder of the company’s NASHVILLE office. The award recognized HASSLER’s contribution to building Country music in the live music industry over many years. On FRIDAY, MARCH 10th, during an industry reception hosted by CMA in partnership with BBC RADIO 2, the NASHVILLE CONVENTION & VISITORS CORP and C2C, BBC’s BOB HARRIS presented BBC Group Managing Dir. BOB SHENNAN with the WESLEY ROSE International Media Achievement Award for his contributions and influence in the media, which contributed to the mainstream exposure of Country music in the U.K. on BBC RADIO 2. SHENNAN is a former member of the CMA Board of Directors, as well as a current member of the CMA U.K. Task Force. 

Additionally, during a private dinner party in NASHVILLE in FEBRUARY, OLYKAN presented Dutch recording artist ILSE DELANGE with the JEFF WALKER Global Country Artist Award, which recognizes an artist that has furthered the popularity of Country music and brought attention to the Country format in their foreign-based territory. Each of these awards come in addition to the previously announced CMA International Artist Achievement Award, which was presented to ASHLEY McBRYDE backstage during rehearsals for the “56th Annual CMA Awards” last NOVEMBER.

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