Prince Albert’s Josh Stumpf earns two CCMA nominations as career momentum continues to build

“It’s hard to put into words,” he said. “It’s such a great feeling to know that the work that you put in and the time that you spend on something that you love is appreciated by people who love it just as much.”

The recognition comes amid a string of national successes for the Saskatchewan artist. Stumpf has landed back-to-back Top 10 hits on the Billboard Canada Country Airplay chart with Highway Money and Nobody Roads. His debut independent single, Drink Me a Lullaby, reached No. 1 on the Canadian Indie Country Countdown in 2023, while Highway Money has generated more than 3.4 million streams since its release through MDM Recordings.

The road to national recognition, however, was years in the making.

“It was kind of a slow burn,” Stumpf said.

After releasing independent music that caught the attention of MDM Recordings, Stumpf signed with the label and spent more than a year building the foundation for his career before releasing Highway Money.

“From the time that we met to when we had put out Highway Money, all that time in between was spent doing all the back-end work…getting the website set up, taking photos, going to Nashville and songwriting, going to the CCMAs and networking,” he explained.

The Prince Albert musician credits hard work, persistence and a supportive team for helping him reach this point. He has performed with the same band since first stepping onto a stage and said they have grown together throughout the journey.

“It’s been a lot of time spent trying to hone my own craft,” he said.

Stumpf was named Saskatchewan Country Music Association Emerging Artist of the Year in 2024 and is also one of eight semifinalists in the 2026 SiriusXM Top of the Country competition. Along the way, he has toured and opened for major Canadian acts, including High Valley, while continuing to develop his songwriting through trips to Nashville.

Despite the accolades, Stumpf remains grounded about what it takes for an artist from a smaller centre like Prince Albert to break through.

“It takes hard work. It takes a lot of hard work — work that people don’t see,” he said. “It takes a lot of time. It takes a lot of love of doing it.”

He also acknowledged that success sometimes includes an element of luck.

“You have to be in front of the right people in the right setting at the right time. I worked very hard, but I was also very lucky and very fortunate. Those two things kind of have to come together,” he said.

Known for blending country and rock influences, Stumpf described his sound as “modern-era country rock.” Whether he is writing feel-good anthems or more emotional tracks, his goal is to connect with listeners through shared experiences.

“When it connects with people, it’s always because they’ve gone through something similar and can relate to those same emotions,” he said.

The CCMA nominations carry special significance for the artist because one of the categories is decided by fans.

“I immediately called my mom and called my dad and told them that I got nominated,” Stumpf said with a laugh. “I’m pretty sure my mom was crying on the phone.”

This year’s CCMA Awards will be held in Saskatoon, giving Saskatchewan fans a chance to cheer on one of their own close to home.

Stumpf said a win would be career-changing.

“It absolutely opens a million different doors for me,” he said. “I’m so very, very grateful that I’m even being acknowledged in this way, that my name is even being brought up in the same circles as everybody else who’s nominated.”

Looking ahead, he plans to return to Nashville in August to continue writing new music and building on his recent success.

And if he could offer advice to the younger version of himself who first picked up a guitar, it would be simple.

“Just keep doing what you’re doing,” Stumpf said. “And don’t ever listen to anybody who tells you you can’t.”

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panews@pattisonmedia.com

by Teena Monteleone

Prince Albert’s Josh Stumpf earns two CCMA nominations as career momentum continues to build

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