Lacombe native Gord Bamford landed the Album of the Year award at this past weekend’s CCMA Awards which were handed down in London, Ontario.

Bamford won the award for his disc Tin Roof.

His most recent tour brought him to Red Deer this past spring, and Tin Roof was actually released the same day he performed in the City.

The record, his seventh, is Bamford’s first album of original music since 2013’s Country Junkie and was produced by Phil O’Donnell. His past six records were produced by close friend Byron Hill (The Boom Chucka Boys, Hey Romeo).

Born in Traralgon, Victoria, Australia in 1976, Bamford moved to Lacombe with his mother when he was five-years-old.

As a successful country music artist, Bamford has also had several singles chart on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 chart, plus he’s been nominated for Junos and numerous Canadian Country Music Association awards over the years in the Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Single of the Year categories as well.

As his success grew, he also launched his Foundation to support his philanthropy work.

According to the Foundation’s web site, the idea of creating a Foundation to support his philanthropy work was born after he held his first annual charity golf tournament in 2008.

“As word spread of the event’s success, telephones began to ring. A large number of groups and organizations wanted Bamford to help out in some fashion with their various fundraisers. While Gord found it very difficult not being able to reach out to these groups, he thought a Foundation might be the answer. As a result, the Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation was born.”

The goal of the Foundation is to be able to leverage Bamford’s name and brand in order to raise funds that can then be dispersed back to youth.

It is important for him that any funds raised through the support of fans, friends and corporate partners be initially donated in the area they were collected and then spread throughout the region.

Currently, there is one main fundraiser for the Foundation, the Gord Bamford Charity Classic Golf Tournament. It is a two day event which showcases a gala evening event along with a golf tournament the following day.

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