Dallas Smith was the big winner at the Canadian Country Music Association award show Monday night, nabbing three trophies including entertainer of the year at a splashy live-streamed event in front of thousands of in-person spectators.

The 43-year-old from Langley, B.C., who performed his single B次元官网网址淗ide From a Broken HeartB次元官网网址� for the fully vaccinated crowd at Budweiser Gardens, also won the male artist of the year award and single of the year for B次元官网网址淟ike A Man.B次元官网网址�

Smith claimed the top entertainer title for the third straight year, beating out Brett Kissel of Flat Lake, Alta.; Dean Brody of Smithers, B.C.; MacKenzie Porter of Medicine Hat, Alta.; and the Reklaws from Cambridge, Ont.

The bash marked the return of the CCMA show to the live-event sphere for the first time since Calgary hosted in 2019.

Smith, accepting his first award of the night, thanked organizers for B次元官网网址渄oing what they needed to do to get people in a building again and bring this genre and live music back to life.B次元官网网址�

Backstage, he called his entertainer of the year award the B次元官网网址渋cing on the cakeB次元官网网址� to a weekend spent with country music fans and artists in person.

B次元官网网址淚 had this date knocked on the calendar for quite a while, (itB次元官网网址檚) signifying getting back together for a lot of people in the industry,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淟ast year we did what we could with the CCMAs B次元官网网址� but now weB次元官网网址檙e more back to normal and what this needs to be.B次元官网网址�

The Reklaws, a brother-sister pair comprised of Jenna and Stuart Walker, won top group or duo of the year, thanking their parents B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址渢he first duo to shine in our eyes,B次元官网网址� Stuart said in their acceptance speech and again backstage.

Tenille Townes of Grand Prairie, Alta., earned two awards, repeating as top female artist for a third straight year and adding an album of the year trophy for B次元官网网址淭he Lemonade Stand.B次元官网网址�

Townes described MondayB次元官网网址檚 show as B次元官网网址渟urreal,B次元官网网址� saying backstage that she felt B次元官网网址渉onoured to be part of the Canadian country music communityB次元官网网址� after a weekB次元官网网址檚 worth of events also capped by Patricia ConroyB次元官网网址檚 induction the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just thinking of all of these heroes, these legendary female artists that I grew up listening to B次元官网网址� and just being like, B次元官网网址楳an, what a dream it would be to follow in those footsteps someday,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Townes said. B次元官网网址淚t is so surreal to me to get to be a part of continuing that circle around and B次元官网网址� I donB次元官网网址檛 even know if itB次元官网网址檚 quite sunk in yet.B次元官网网址�

Drag queen-turned-country music diva Priyanka injected some glam alongside fellow co-host Lindsay Ell of Calgary after COVID-19 restrictions turned last yearB次元官网网址檚 show into a scaled-back, virtual event.

The two kicked off the show with Priyanka B次元官网网址� winner of B次元官网网址淐anadaB次元官网网址檚 Drag RaceB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� in an asymmetrical blue sequin minidress belting, B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 go girls!B次元官网网址� and singing the first verse of Shania TwainB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淢an! I Feel Like a Woman.B次元官网网址� A sequin-draped Ell joined in for a partial duet on Bonnie RaittB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淪omething to Talk About.B次元官网网址�

Earlier, Priyanka paused for photos with fans on the red carpet, showing off a bedazzled twist on the Canadian tuxedo B次元官网网址� a studded denim bodysuit with matching jacket, boots and fringed cowboy hat. She said the look was an homage to the denim dress worn at the 2001 American Music Awards by Britney Spears, who was recently freed from a 13-year conservatorship.

Priyanka, known out of drag as Mark Suknanan of Toronto, said being at the CCMA Awards was B次元官网网址渁 dream come true.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 get to perform, I get to host, I get to be a drag queen,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淧eople always say that country music is so conservative. So itB次元官网网址檚 nice to show up and be accepted and be loved so people can see that weB次元官网网址檙e all in this togetherB次元官网网址�. IB次元官网网址檓 very used to being an outcast in a room, but in this room IB次元官网网址檓 not.B次元官网网址�

Priyanka later appeared onstage in a cow-print jumpsuit, complete with lengthy fringe along the sleeves, and a black, leather, head-to-toe get-up that was torn off to reveal a multicolour bodysuit while she performed her recently released single B次元官网网址淐ountry Queen.B次元官网网址�

Her outfits drew some praise from the Washboard Union, winners of nine past CCMA Awards and presenters at MondayB次元官网网址檚 show.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 pumped to see Priyanka here giving us a run for our money in the wardrobe department,B次元官网网址� said Chris Duncombe, the bearded member of the three-man band, before announcing Townes as the female artist of the year.

Robyn Ottolini of Uxbridge, Ont., won the rising star award while Kissel earned the fansB次元官网网址� choice trophy.

Kissel, who wasnB次元官网网址檛 in attendance Monday, also picked up three awards at a Sunday night ceremony in London, where the bulk of the prizes were handed out.

He won best video for B次元官网网址淢ake A Life, Not A Living,B次元官网网址� as well as a special live innovation award for his tour, B次元官网网址淏rett Kissel: Live At The Drive-In.B次元官网网址� His production company claimed best country music program or special for a one-hour documentary about the tour.

Smith also won the top selling album of the year at SundayB次元官网网址檚 pre-award show while Ell nabbed the interactive artist of the year award. Brody and the Reklaws had the top selling Canadian single of the year with B次元官网网址淐anB次元官网网址檛 Help Myself.B次元官网网址�

MondayB次元官网网址檚 spectacle streamed live on the Global TV app and Amazon Prime B次元官网网址, and an encore presentation airs Friday on Global TV.

The Reklaws, who capped the show with a performance of their single B次元官网网址淲hat The TruckB次元官网网址� featuring Sacha, had led the artist award categories with six nominations coming into the weekend, while Smith, Kissel and Ell each had five.

U.S. country star Chris Stapleton, who won six Country Music Association Awards earlier this month, performed B次元官网网址淵ou Should Probably LeaveB次元官网网址� virtually from Sioux Falls, S.D. Thomas Rhett and Walker Hayes also performed virtually, both from Nashville.

The CCMA implemented a vaccination policy for all Country Music Week events leading up to and including the award show. COVID-19 cases have been rising in Ontario this month, with 788 new infections reported Monday.

Attendees, including performers, presenters, their teams and guests had to be fully vaccinated to be part of the events. Shots of the crowd on the broadcast showed groups of mask-wearing audience members, which organizers said numbered approximately 4,000.

The CCMA awards return to Calgary in 2022, the organization announced Sunday.

B次元官网网址擬elissa Couto Zuber and Noushin Ziafati, The Canadian Press