Canadian Country Music Association Announces Winnipeg As Host City To The Event September 5-8, 2008

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (December 10, 2006) – The Canadian Country Music Association has announced Winnipeg as host city for the 2008 Canadian Country Music Week and Awards, to be held September 5-8, 2008. This marks the third time Winnipeg will host Canada's largest country music event.

The Chair of the Canadian Country Music Association, Heather Ostertag, officially announced the awarding of Country Music Week 2008 to the City of Winnipeg, acknowledging that more than two decades had passed since the event was last held in that city (1986). Ostertag added, "The Canadian Country Music Association is very pleased to return to Winnipeg and the Board of Directors invites both the community and our industry to join in and help make this a wonderful celebration and a wonderful opportunity for Canada's talent."

Music is integrated into the fabric of Winnipeg and Manitoba, and shapes the heartland of Canada's musical tradition. Artists such as Neil Young, Doc Walker, The Guess Who, and countless others launched their careers here.

"Manitoba has always been a great place for music and artists," said Premier Gary Doer. "We were proud to host the JUNO Awards last year and just this year we hosted the Western Canadian Music Awards and the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards. With this announcement, we will show the country yet again that Winnipeg is a music town."

Canadian Country Music Week and Awards is one of the largest music events in Canada.

"The Canadian Country Music Awards will be another tremendous opportunity to showcase our city to a national audience," said Mayor Sam Katz. "Winnipeg is certainly excited to play host to the hottest talent in Canadian country music and I know our city will once again step up to the plate and deliver a world class event."

Winnipeg presented a strong bid to the Canadian Country Music Association and was awarded the event based on a combination of solid commitments from the Province of Manitoba and the City of Winnipeg, excellent host facilities, a solid track record in hosting major events, and a long established reputation as a city that embraces Canadian music and culture.

Country Music Week 2007 will be held in Regina, Saskatchewan from September 7-10, 2007. Visit www.ccma.org for more details.

About the Canadian Country Music Association:

The Canadian Country Music Association is the only national voice in Canada solely dedicated to the growth and development of the evolving genre of Canadian country music. For more than three decades as one of Canada's main advocates for country, the Canadian Country Music Association has become a trusted partner of the industry, a platform for artists, and Canada's most active trade organization aggressively working to keep country music front and centre. The Canadian Country Music Association is a non profit trade association working to ensure the preservation of this wide ranging music genre unique to Canada, to the enactment of laws favourable to the industry, and to exploring new avenues for its continued growth.

For 30 years the Canadian Country Music Association has marked each September with Country Music Week, a four day conference and celebration culminating in the internationally broadcast Canadian Country Music Association Awards (established 1983). Country Music Week is one of the largest music events in Canada each year with a combination of activities for both community and industry attendees including showcase opportunities for newcomers, educational seminars and an all day FanFest that delivers Canada’s stars to the community.

Contact:

Jeff Walker - AristoMedia - 615.269.7071 ext. 123 - jwalker@aristomedia.com

Brandi Mills - Canadian Country Music Association - 416.947.1331 ext. 211 - bmills@ccma.org