After being nominated four times, Chatham-Kent's Country 92.9FM / 630AM CFCO has finally taken home the grand prize.
The station was named the Radio Station of the Year (Medium Market) at the Country Music Association of Ontario awards ceremony in London Sunday night.
Dave Palmer, program director and co-host of the morning show, says the win came as a surprise.
"You don't go in expecting to win," says Palmer. "It's always great to be nominated because it is industry related -- it's the artists, it's the managers, it's the promotions people that vote on it... It's a cool thing to be nominated but when you win -- I was definitely shocked, it was a mouth-open moment."
Palmer says thanks go out to Blackburn Radio Inc. and the staff involved with making the station a success.
"Of course with some great staff here, it really makes a big difference; Cheryl, Mike, Carrie, our engineer for keeping us on the air, the sales people so many people involved in the whole process," he says. "It's a cliche but it really is a team effort."
However, Palmer was also quick to add that the station would not be what it is today without great music to choose from and dedicated listeners.
"A big thank you to all the listeners! Without people listening to CFCO on a daily basis and the great country music, we wouldn't be able to do this, so a big thank you to everyone involved," says Palmer.
Other country stations to take home awards include Country 101.1FM for Radio Station of the Year (Large Market) and Country 107.3FM for Radio Station of the Year (Small Market).