Veteran Albertan cowboy Paul Brandt will likely be looking over his shoulder as he hosts the 2005 Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMA), set for Sept. 12 at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta. Brandt and newcomer trio the Road Hammers top this year's list of CCMA nominees with six each.

Brandt, who records for the Toronto-based Orange Record Label, is nominated in the top male and the Fans' Choice categories. His single "Convoy" will compete for top single and top video honors. In addition, Brandt's album, "This Time Around," earned a nod in the top album category.

The Road Hammers' "I'm a Road Hammer" is up for top single, top song and top video categories. The band is also nominated for top group, top album for its self-titled Open Road set and in the Rising Star category. Road Hammers frontman Jason McCoy, last year's top male artist, is nominated in the same category this year, as well as for Fans' Choice honors.

Also a likely heavy contender is last year's Rising Star winner, George Canyon, who records for Universal South. He is named in five categories: top male, Fans' Choice, top song and single for "My Name, co-written with Gordie Sampson, and top album for "One Good Friend."

The CCMA Awards will be broadcast live in Canada on CBC-TV, with additional airings by CMT Canada. For the first time the show will be aired in Australia on CMC. For a full list of nominees, visit CCMA.org.