Midwest Country Music Association: Awards Show 2019
On Sunday, February 16, the Midwest Country Music Association held their second award ceremony in Medina, MN. The Midwest CMA was founded in 2017 by Paul Thomas, Allie Gilbert, Ryan Pilgrim, and Bob Keseley, to establish a network of musicians, businesses, and fans and cultivate the country music community in the Midwest. This non-profit organization has been providing support to the local country talent, creating awareness, organizing events and workshops, curating connections, and helping with promotion.
Matt Graunke, Ryan Pilgrim, Allie Gilbert, Bob Keseley, Paul Thomas | All Photos By Sofia Chesney
Besides their focus on music per se, the association has been literally bringing it to the community. Among the many charitable initiatives is their Masonic Music Mondays program where they bring country musicians to M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital for a day of live performances. The performances are livestreamed to the TVs throughout the hospital, and the little patients can enjoy the music and even go to the studio located right there at the hospital and meet the artists.
Erin Grand
The annual awards are given in 16 categories; this year, the award ceremony brought in 750 attendees, and over 15,000 people watched the live broadcast of the ceremony and the music performances on social media.
The Midwest CMA is providing resources for country artists and inviting businesses and organizations to join in and contribute to supporting country music in the Midwest.
Sarah Morris
Please enjoy the selection of photos from the show and find out more about the Midwest CMA at midwestcma.org/
