Canadian Country Music Award Nominees Announced

The Canadian Country Music Association has announced nominees for this year's awards ceremony, and Nashville artists and writers are proving they have international appeal.

Former 'Nashville Star' contestant George Canyon is up for three major awards, including Male Artist of the Year, while both Terri Clark and Carolyn Dawn Johnson are vying for Female Artist of the Year. Nashville-based Grammy-winning songwriter Tia Sillers is nominated for Songwriter of the Year for her Johnny Reid hit, 'Dance With Me,' where she is in the running against Byron Hill, for his Gord Bamford hit, 'Day Job.'

Gord, who has served as an opening act for Kenny Rogers and Tim McGraw, leads the entire list of nominees with six nods, and is named in every category he was eligible for, including Fans' Choice Award. Dean Brody, Doc Walker, Corb Lund and Johnny Reid each have five nominees.

It was only last year, at the 2009 CCMA Awards, that Terri Clark attended the ceremony with her mother, Linda, who passed away in April after a lengthy battle with cancer.

The 2010 CCMA Awards will take place on September 12 and air on CMT. See a full list of nominees here.