TEHKUMMAH—The annual Northern Ontario Country Music Association (NOCMA) Awards have become an integral part of the country music scene across the North as grass roots musicians gather in Sault Ste. Marie to honour their own.
This fall will see two Manitoulin musicians honoured at the award ceremony. Ben Lentir, the Manitoulin rep for NOCMA ,is being inducted into the NOCMA Hall of Fame, while daughter Katelyn Lentir will be recognized with the 2025 Country Under 30 Award. Mr. Lentir joined NOCMA in 2010 and was himself inducted into the NOCMA Great Northern Opry in 2012.
Mr. Lentir will be joined in the NOCMA Hall of Fame induction this year by Kevin Russel out of the Sudbury District.
“It’s very, very exciting,” said Mr. Lentir of his induction. “It is humbling to be awarded something like this.”
Mr. Lentir has been an important fixture on the Island country music scene for many years, not only entertaining at hundreds of dances and other events, but also by serving as the Manitoulin representative and taking on the organization of Bluegrass in the Country when Brother John Featherstone retired to move out west.
His daughter, Katelyn, 19, has been playing music for over nine years, ever since she was 10 years old—a characteristic she shares with her father, who also began his musical journey at a young age. Ms. Lentir began playing the bass guitar, moving onto piano, guitar and mandolin.
“She is very excited about the award,” said Mr. Lentir.
As is the tradition, a fundraising evening of music will be held at the Tehkummah Hall to raise money for the annual trip to Sault Ste. Marie and to recognize and celebrate the father and daughter’s accomplishments.
“We are only going to have the one event,” said Mr. Lentir. He explains that the event is not yet fully planned.” More to follow.
The 2025 Great Northern Opry inductees include Arlene Neveu (Sudbury), Bill Vrebosch (Nipissing/Parry Sound), Shawn Kettner (Nipissing/Parry Sound), August Rouse (Algoma West), Pauline Parent and Rosanne Smith the Harmony Singers (Algoma West), Marc St. Jean (Cochrane/Temiskaming), Tony Last (Cochrane/Temiskaming), Malcom Moffatt (Algoma East) and Marcel Jacques (Algoma East).
The awards will be held at the Quattro Hotel in Sault Ste. Marie November 7 to 9. Each year a bus loaded to the gunnels with Island country music fans sets out from Manitoulin for the event.
“We are almost sold out of tickets for the bus,” said Mr. Lentir. “It’s going to be a great weekend.”
