Meghan Patrick named Canadian country music's female artist of the year at CCMAs

Ontario's Meghan Patrick broke Jess Moskaluke's three-year winning streak by taking home the 2017 Canadian Country Music Award for female artist of the year Sunday night.

Patrick said her category was full of "really amazing women who had great years" — nominees also included Alee, Lindsay Ell and Madeline Merlo —  and that she was grateful to have been chosen to take home the award. Patrick also won the SiriusXM Rising Star award. 

She told reporters backstage that she grew up in a musical household and began singing lessons around the age of 11.

"I can't really remember ever wanting to do anything else," she said.

Moskaluke, who is from Langenberg, Sask., had said earlier that it was her mom's birthday, and if she won female artist of the year for a fourth time and in her home province, it would make "a pretty awesome birthday present."

Moskaluke added the level of competition in her categories was "the highest it's ever been."

"The females in this country are continually getting stronger and better and multiplying in numbers. That's only good for our whole industry. I'm proud and honoured to be part of that group."

The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA)'s annual awards ceremony took place Sunday at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon. Of the 14 performances scheduled, only three featured women.

"The status of females in country music right now is extremely strong and I mean that to say that we've all worked extremely hard, we're putting out great music and we deserve to be there every much as all the males deserve to be there," Moskaluke said.

'I'm a fan'

Eight artist awards were handed out at the ceremony. Brett Kissel took home the trophy for male artist of the year as the award show kicked off, and also won for video of the year for I Didn't Fall In Love With Your Hair.

Kissel was up against Gord Bamford, Chad Brownlee, Dallas Smith, Tim Hicks and Aaron Pritchett for the award.

"I think that Canadian country music is the best that it's ever been, and again, I say this because I'm a fan first and foremost," said Kissel on his way into the show.

"I've always loved Canadian country music, but every year in the past say two decades, you always have your few standouts. Now, it's 2017, nobody stands out because everybody is amazing."

Dallas Smith won the album of the year award for Side Effects and single of the year for Autograph.

The trio The Road Hammers was named group of the year — much to their surprise.

"I don't think anyone of us was expecting this win tonight with so many great groups out there, in this category," The Road Hammer's Clayton Bellamy said backstage.

"It's been, I think, a tougher category, better than it's ever been," Bellamy said. "So for us, after 13 years as a band, to be standing up here as a group of the year, I think we were all rubber-legged and flabbergasted when they called our name."

Paul Brandt, who was attending the awards for his 23rd time, was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.

"I think the country music scene in Canada right now is the strongest it's ever been," he told CBC News.

"I'm so proud to still be associated with country music and to have the privilege of going out and making music and being invited into the hearts and minds of people around the world through my music."

Dean Brody won the Apple Music Fans' Choice Award.

The awards show capped off a jam-packed week of country music events in Saskatoon and fans lined the John Deere Green Carpet outside SaskTel Centre Sunday afternoon as the musicians arrived.