Last night on Entertainment Tonight Canada, the ten finalists for this year’s Canadian Country Music Association’s Fans’ Choice Award were announced. Congrats to The James Barker Band, Dean Brody, Jade Eagleson, The Hunter Brothers, Brett Kissel, Mackenzie Porter, The Reklaws, Dallas Smith, Tebey and Tenille Townes.

Here are some interesting factoids: of this year’s nominees, two are solo females artists (Mackenzie Porter and Tenille Townes), half are solo male artists (Dean Brody, Jade Eagleson, Brett Kissel, Dallas Smith and Tebey); The Reklaws are the only duo nominated; The James Barker Band and The Hunter Brothers are the only groups nominated, and The Hunters and Reklaws are the only family acts nominated; and the only nominees this year who’ve won before are Brett Kissel (in 2016 and last year) and Dean Brody (in 2017).

(Last year’s Fans’ Choice winner Brett Kissel)

(Dean Brody, one of only 2 previous Fans’ Choice winners among this year’s nominees)

Before looking at the history of past winners, some history of the award itself is warranted. The Fans’ Choice Award was first presented thirty years ago in 1990 and replaced the Entertainer of the Year Award which had been voted on by CCMA members. With the introduction of the Fans’ Choice Award, fans, without being members, could and did vote. At first, voting was done by having fans call either special 800 or 900 phone numbers to cast their votes. The Internet eventually replaced that system. The award has also seen different sponsors through the years including Budweiser (when it was called the Bud Country Fan Choice Entertainer of the Year Award) and Kraft (when it was called, yes, The Kraft Cheez Whiz Fan Choice Entertainer of the Year Award). In the past few years, the number of nominees has grown from five to ten. And just last year, the Entertainer of the Year Award was reinstated.

Now, perhaps this year’s nominees might want to know a bit of historical background for the Fans’ Choice Award. Terri Clark holds the record for most wins with 8. She’s tied with Johnny Reid for the most consecutive wins with 4 (Terri from 2001-2004 and Johnny from 2009-2012). Shania Twain holds the record for the longest time span between wins at 19 years (before last winning in 2018, she had previously last won the award in 1999).

(Terri Clark, 8-time Fans’ Choice award winner)

Only 5 female solo artists have won the award, but they’ve won it 17 times. Also, only 5 solo male artists have won the award, winning it for a total of 10 times. Only 3 groups have won the award and none of them have won it more than once. Only 1 of those 3 groups was a family group, The Wilkinsons. And only 1 of those 3 groups was an all-male group, Doc Walker. No duo has ever won the award.

Here’s the full list of previous winners:

1990 – k.d. lang

1991 – Rita MacNeil

1992 – Rita MacNeil

1993 – Michelle Wright

1994 – Prairie Oyster

1995 – Michelle Wright

1996 – Shania Twain

1997 – Terri Clark

1998 – Shania Twain

1999 – Shania Twain

2000 – The Wilkinsons

2001 – Terri Clark

2002 – Terri Clark

2003 – Terri Clark

2004 – Terri Clark

2005 – George Canyon

2006 – Terri Clark

2007 – Terri Clark

2008 – Doc Walker

2009 – Johnny Reid

2010 – Johnny Reid

2011 – Johnny Reid

2012 – Johnny Reid

2013 – Terri Clark

2014 – Johnny Reid

2015 – Johnny Reid

2016 – Brett Kissel

2017 – Dean Brody

2018 – Shania Twain

2019 – Brett Kissel

Fans can now vote at https://ccma.org/fanschoice/

The awards will be presented Sept. 27. Good luck to this year’s nominees!