EDMONTON – The Canadian Country Music Association will be handing out the hardware to the industry’s best tonight in Edmonton.

Alberta’s Gord Bamford leads the way with seven nominations and is to perform at the national awards show being held at Rexall Place —about an hour up the road from where Bamford grew up.

The awards Bamford is up for include: Fans’ Choice, Album of the Year and Male Artist of the Year.

British Columbia’s Dean Brody is nominated for five awards, including Fans’ Choice, Male Artist of the Year and two nominations for Songwriter of the Year.

Brody and Bamford are competing against stalwarts George Canyon, Terri Clark and Johnny Reid for the coveted Fans’ Choice honour, which is voted on by the country music association’s membership and members of its fan club.

Reid has won that award four years in a row.

Bamford and Brody are up against Chad Brownlee, Bobby Willis and former Default frontman Dallas Smith for Male Artist of the Year.

Clark is up against Jaida Dreyer, Kira Isabella, Carolyn Dawn Johnson and Canadian Country Music Hall of Famer Michelle Wright for Female Artist of the Year.

Emerson Drive, Hey Romeo, High Valley, Small Town Pistols and The Stellas are all nominated for Group of the Year.

The awards are being broadcast on CBC-TV.