The Boom Chucka Boys’ steady momentum is continuing with nominations for three Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards to be presented in Halifax on Sept. 13.
The band is nominated for Group of the Year and Album Design of the Year, while Gord Bamford is nominated for Record Producer of the Year for his work on Ramble, the Boys’ latest full-length release.
Drummer Ben Shillabeer is also up for the All Star Band Drummer of the Year Award.
Frontman and lead vocalist Ryan Langlois admits receiving the nods is special.
“It goes back to the fact that your industry and peer groups are acknowledging you,” he said. “The fans are singling us out saying we are are doing something a bit extra special. It definitely is rewarding.”
The September awards ceremony arrives following a summer in which the Boys have “played a ton of shows,” according to Langlois. Doing so, he feels, has helped the band grow and develop even further as a musical entity.
“We’ve really grown together as a band this summer,” he said. “We’re gaining ground and we’re kind of becoming a staple in the community.”
The band, which has its roots in Sylvan Lake, has gone from being a group of friends getting together to play for fun, to becoming a prominent name in Canadian country music.
But it hasn’t happened overnight — and it certainly hasn’t happened without hard work, Langlois assures.
That sentiment, he feels, makes industry recognition — of which the band has received plenty — all the more rewarding.
“When you get a little bit of recognition, it’s pretty sweet.”
The band’s latest single, Cant Take My Lips Off You, hit radio airwaves earlier this week. Its accompanying video, which was shot at Westerner Days in Red Deer, is set to be released later this month.