London, Ont. super-fan to present award on stage at CCMA's after winning nationwide contest
While fans were lining up to get their picture with Canadian Country Music stars, Londoner Annette Dawm waited patiently to get her moment with Male Artist of the Year nominee Jade Eagleson.
The 30-year-old, originally from Chesley Ont. has an all-access pass this week, after winning the Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMA) ultimate fan experience contest presented by TD Bank.
"It's really exciting just because I've been going to concerts since I was 17 so that's a lot of concerts," says Dawm, who is in a wheelchair after being born with Cerebral Palsy.
"This brings it together into one weekend and see all my favorite artists at once, that's pretty exciting."
Dawm kicked off her weekend with a concert Friday night. She'll have brunch at Covent Garden Market, attend Sunday's Gala dinner, and Monday's live award's show.
Saturday, she attended Fan Fest, and was sticking around for a free concert at CCMA House with big artists like Tim Hicks, Dallas Smith and Jess Moskaluke.
Dawm became friends with a number of artists over the past five years, after meeting them the last time the CCMA's were in London, Ont. in 2016. A few of them encouraged her to start a blog, and it has taken off with over 700,000 views.
"My goal with my blog is to interview as many creative people as possible," says Dawm.
"I don't just interview country artists, but that's obviously my favorite, and I try to interview as many people that I can."
Being a super-fan and interacting with stars over social media can be tricky.
"Sometimes, I don't want to bother them,' says Dawm.
"I feel like sometimes people can go overboard and it's kind of creepy, so I I try not to do that."
It's fans like her, that keep the artists performing.
"It's really great to be back and seeing people again and then performing it's really a huge blessing," says Eagleson, who was meeting fans Saturday.
"You take a lot for granted, so now that we have it back it's pretty great."
Rising country star Nate Haller says being back in a venue and meeting fans in person has been uplifting.
"I've only been able to do social media interaction with people during COVID, so it's cool to be able to fist-bump from afar and thank them for supporting my music, it's awesome."
After being given VIP treatment at the Hilton Double-Tree hotel this weekend, Dawm will be on stage Monday, but doesn't expect to be nervous.
"I'm just really excited to be able to go to a concert," says Dawm.
"To have it be this really big concert and to be part of it and be on stage and get to see everyone that I think that's my favorite part. I'm co-presenting with an artist, and I don't know if I'm allowed to say who it is, but you will find out when you watch the show."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
2 teens charged in Halifax homicide: police
Two teenagers have been charged with second-degree murder in connection to an alleged homicide near the Halifax Shopping Centre earlier this week.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
12-year-old hippo in Japan raised as a male discovered to be a female
When Gen-chan arrived at a zoo in Japan in 2017, no one questioned whether the then-five-year-old hippopotamus was a boy. Seven years later, zoo staff made a surprising discovery: Gen-chan, now 12, was female.
Here's why Harvey Weinstein's New York rape conviction was tossed and what happens next
Here's what you need to know about why movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction was thrown out and what happens next.
Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole dies at 90: CBC
Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90. Cole died Wednesday night in St. John's, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.
Humanist group threatening to sue Vancouver over council prayers
The B.C. Humanist Association has threatened legal action against the City of Vancouver for allowing prayers at council, following a similar warning issued earlier this month to a smaller community on Vancouver Island.
LHSC performs a Canadian first in robot-assisted direct lateral spine surgery
Spine surgery may never be the same for people with chronic back pain and other physical ailments.