SOCAN’s Songwriters’ Café series – held as part of the Country Music Week (CMW) conference leading up to the Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMAs) on Sept. 13, 2008 – drew more than 1,000 enthusiastic listeners over three afternoons at the Pacific Ballroom of the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, including record industry personnel, music publishers, radio programmers and other delegates.

Among those SOCAN members who performed from Sept. 10-12 were CCMA multiple nominee Victoria Banks and eventual single of the year winner Dean Brody (who won for the song "Brothers"). In other performances at the Café, Patricia Conroy had the audience laughing along to her witty unreleased song, "I Did It," while songwriter Tebey performed his "Go to Bed Angry" (co-written with Carl Bjorsell and Sebastian Thott, both STIM), which was a huge hit for CCMA nominee Tara Oram.

SOCAN Education & Outreach Manager Terry O'Brien moderated a panel called "Next Stop, Nashville!" on Sept. 11 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The panel brought together a wealth of knowledge from songwriting experts Deric Ruttan, Tebey, Andrea Pearson and Giles Goddard, to help attendees prepare for the next step in their country music career.

Johnny Reid and Brent Maher won the Songwriter of the Year award, for “A Woman Like You,” at a CCMA gala on Sept. 12. The next night, at the televised evening of the CCMAs live from General Motors Place, Reid took home four more trophies, for album, video and male artist of the year, as well as the coveted fans’ choice honours. At an earlier Industry Awards brunch, ole won the Music Publishing Company of the Year award.