Big Country Awards

Big Country Awards

Big Country Awards. They were established in 1975 by Walt Grealis and Stan Klees of RPM magazine in conjunction with the Canadian Academy for Country Music Advancement (later ACME, see CCMA). Held annually 1975-81, they were supplanted in 1982 by the CCMA Awards but revived in 1985 by RPM. Both awards were given thereafter. Big Country Awards, decided through ballots distributed to RPM subscribers, employed as many as 16 categories (1978) and, after their revival, as few as 12. Latterly, awards were given for artist(s), male and female vocalist, group, new artist, album, single, composer, producer, record company, radio station, radio personality of the year. Most winners were selected from nominees determined on the basis of RPM' s 'top 100' country chart standings. However, some categories (artist, album, radio station and personality, record company) were of a 'write-in' nature - ie, subject entirely to the voters' discretion. Winners were announced at banquets held 1975-81 in different cities and, beginning in 1985, in Toronto. The demise of RPM magazine, 13 Nov 2000, effectively brought the Big Country Awards to an end. No further presentations of the awards have been made since 2000.