Local band 'Buck Twenty' competing for gig at CCMA Awards

For aspiring music artists, the chance to play in front of the entire country is nothing more than a fantasy, but for one Essex County band, that dream could becomea reality.

'Buck Twenty' didn't think anything of it when they sent in a few songs for a contest run by theCountry Music Association of Ontario. Months went by until an email landed in one of the band member's accounts.

They won and will represent Ontario in the Canadian Country Music Association's "Spotlight Performance Contest." The winner of the competition gets to perform at this year's Canadian Country Music Awards.

"There is so many great artists, especially emerging artists that we were really taken back," said AidanJohnson-Bujold, a singer and songwriterin the band.

Mike Ure is the other half of the duo and said competitions like this one are a great learning experience andcould potentially change their future.

"That's what this industry isit's all about people and those connections so I feel like its a contest that could definitely bring us to a next level in our music," said Ure.

The band, who will also be releasing new music this summer, said the experience has been humbling.

"The CCMA's are one of the most important nights, if not the most important night for Canadian country music and to be shown and showing our talent ... and everything we have worked for, to that many people would really really mean a lot to us," said Johnson- Bujold.

The artist or group with the most amount of online votes will be chosen to perform at the music awards which will be held in Hamilton this year.

The 2018Canadian Country Music Association Awards will airSunday, Sept.9 at 8p.m. on CBC.