Original editorial guide · Whiskey Twang analysis
Blue Ridge Band won the 2026 SiriusXM Top of the Country competition, with Morgan Griffiths and Shawnee Kish named runners-up. SiriusXM Canada and the Canadian Country Music Association announced the result on September 17, following the previous night’s finale in Saskatoon. The Quebec trio received the $25,000 grand prize; Griffiths and Kish each received $10,000. For listeners discovering the names through that announcement, the next stop is the music.
What Top of the Country tells us
The program gives emerging Canadian country acts a route through recorded performances, fan voting, mentorship and festival appearances. This year, eight semifinalists recorded original songs and videos before a public vote selected the final three. The finalists went on to opportunities at events including CMA Fest in Nashville and LASSO Montréal before the Saskatoon finale, according to the organizers’ September 17 announcement.
The result offers a useful discovery list across three provinces: Blue Ridge Band from Lévis, Quebec; Griffiths from Abbotsford, British Columbia; and Kish representing Edmonton, Alberta. The competition is a specific recognition within the Canadian country calendar. Its winner and runners-up should be identified separately from the CCMA Awards categories.
