The 43rd Annual B.C. Country Music Award鈥檚 shortlist is made up of a significant amount of 91原创 performing artists; Emily Taylor Adams, Karen Lee Batten, JoJo Mason, and Mitch Merrett are just a few of the local names nominated.

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

Former 91原创 resident Aaron Pritchett leads the pack with seven nominations including Entertainer of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Single and Video of the Year for 鈥淏etter When I Do,鈥� and Album of the Year for Out on the Town.

JoJo Mason from Clayton Heights is close behind Pritchett with four nominations, also for Entertainer of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Single of the Year for 鈥淏etter On You,鈥� and Fan鈥檚 Choice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSjB73gey0w

鈥淚鈥檝e been doing this for four or five years now and I still haven鈥檛 taken a BCCMA award home yet,鈥� Mason laughed. 鈥淭his year鈥檚 gonna be my year.鈥�

Mason had nothing but praise for his hometown support and all the listeners who鈥檝e allowed him to live his dream; he was quick to point out B.C. seems to be made for making country artists.

鈥淵ou just look at the talent that comes out of this province鈥� Chris Buck鈥� Washboard Union鈥� I feel pretty blessed to be right up there alongside them,鈥� Mason added.

The 鈥淏etter on You鈥� singer will also be performing his hit single at the awards ceremony. Mason said his nerves haven鈥檛 quite hit him, but admitted he tends to become an 鈥渁bsolute mess鈥� right before heading on stage.

鈥淭he minute I get up out there though, everything goes away and I鈥檓 just in it,鈥� he said.

91原创 resident Karen Lee Batten is up for Female Artist of the Year and Fan鈥檚 Choice, telling the 91原创 Advance Times that the latter came as a pleasant surprise.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know about fan鈥檚 choice,鈥� Batten said when she found out about the nominations. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a pretty cool feeling.鈥�

Batten said she had hosted the awards ceremony in past years, and will be outside interviewing guests and nominees as they enter the building this time around.

鈥淭he industry is like one big dysfunctional family,鈥� Batten said, 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter if you win or lose, it鈥檚 about showing up and getting to talk with people and learning from them.鈥�

Batten announced that she is headed back into the studio later this month to start recording new music, adding that she has her home to thank for inspiration and and enthusiasm.

Along with Batten, Emily Taylor Adams is up for Female Artist of the Year, as well as Video of the Year for 鈥淟eave the Light On,鈥� and will be performing at the ceremony.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9B04irs4k8

鈥淚t feels amazing to be recognized,鈥� Taylor Adams said. 鈥淲e all work so hard and you kind of have to be crazy to be doing this for a living, but we鈥檙e all family.鈥�

Taylor Adams added a congratulations to her fellow nominees and thanked her home, 91原创, for its continuous support.

Another resident, Mitch Merrett, is up for both Producer and Songwriter of the Year; he said the awards are a highlight for him every October, again, building on the notion of family.

鈥淚t always feels great getting a tip of the hat from your peers in the industry. I love attending the B.C. Country Music Awards every year it鈥檚 like a big huge awesome family reunion,鈥� Merrett explained.

Gabby鈥檚 Country Caberet is up for Country Venue of the Year while Clayton Heights resident Stephano Barberis is also up for Best Video Director.

91原创鈥檚 Property Twins Jamie and Chris Rucheinski are up for the Don Adams Industry Supporter Award for throwing their annual Cloverdale cancer fundraiser Gone Country.

Country music heavyweights Chad Brownlee and Dallas Smith, both residents of 91原创, withdrew their names this year for consideration to give more opportunities to emerging artists.

Read More: Unlock your voice

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鈥� 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鈥檛 Do Love Songs

Chris Buck Band - Good Ol鈥� Days

JoJo Mason - Better On You

Kadooh - Somethin鈥� To Roll On

Shawn Austin - You Belong

Sons of Daughters - Ain鈥檛 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

鈥淎in鈥檛 Gonna Be Lonely Long鈥� - Chrystal Oudijk, Gavin Slate, Jimmy Thow, Travis Wood - performed by Sons of Daughters

鈥淕ood Ol鈥� Days鈥� - Chris Buck, Ryan Stead, Anthony Fiddler - performed by Chris Buck Band

鈥淗oly Smoke鈥� - Mitch Merrett, Jimmy Thow - performed by Black Mountain Whiskey Rebellion

鈥淪he Gets Me鈥� - Aaron Grain, Chris Duncombe, David Roberts, Gordie Sampson - performed by The Washboard Union

鈥淪omethin鈥� To Roll On鈥� - 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鈥檚 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鈥橬eill

Tobi D

MIKE NORMAN ALL-STAR BAND - GUITAR

Anthony Fiddler

Ben Klick

John Ellis

Jon Tucker

Ryan Stead

MIKE NORMAN ALL-STAR BAND 鈥� KEYBOARD

Carly Savard

Darryl Hebert

Geoff Robertson

Philip Laessoe

Roz Steel

ALL STAR BAND 鈥� SPECIAL INSTRUMENT

Eric Reed - Banjo, Dobro

John Ellis - Steel, Banjo

Philip Puxley 鈥� Banjo

Scott Smith - Steel

Tom McKillip - Saxaphone - MR

MIKE NORMAN ALL-STAR BAND 鈥� FIDDLE/MANDOLIN

Geoff Robertson - Mandolin

Javan Johnson - Fiddle

Julie Kennedy - Fiddle

Michael Meroniuk - Mandolin

Mike Sanyshyn 鈥� 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鈥� Riverfest

Paul Biro (Sakamoto Agency)

FANS鈥� CHOICE

Aaron Pritchett

Ben Klick

Chris Buck Band

JoJo Mason

Kadooh

Karen Lee Batten

Shawn Austin

Sons of Daughters

The Heels

The Washboard Union

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