December 2017 – Country Music Association of Ontario

December 21, 2017

A Message from the President (December 2017)

2017 has been an incredible year for the Country Music Association of Ontario and the continued success stories of our members. The Board of Directors would like to thank all of our members for their ongoing support and friendships. It really does feel like a big family. Our membership is at a record high and new members continue to join weekly, and as a gentle reminder, January 2018 is the month that memberships are to be renewed. Please visit our website at www.cmaontario.ca for online renewal. Tickets are going fast for the 2018 Award Show and CMAOntario members can still take advantage of a special members-only price. Promo codes to access the members’ discount will be sent to CMAOntario members via email through the Association. […]

December 21, 2017

Winners Selected to Open for Brett Kissel on His “We Were That Song” Tour

Countless fans have uploaded videos of themselves performing their favourite Brett Kissel song to Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook entering for their chance to #KickItWithKissel this Winter on his ‘We Were That Song’ national tour. The winners have now been selected! Congratulations to our members chosen to open for Brett on the tour dates below: • Fri, Feb 2 – Thunder Bay, ON – Thunder Bay Community Auditorium – Augusta Ray • Thu, Feb 22 – Barrie, ON – Georgian Theatre – Nicole Rayy • Fri, Feb 23 – North Bay, ON – Capitol Centre – The Small Town Girls and Ben Hudson • Sat, Feb 24 – Sudbury, ON – Fraser Auditorium – Amanda Jordan • Sun, Feb 25 – Sault Ste Marie, ON – The Machine […]

December 21, 2017

Artist of the Month: Kelsi Mayne

Windsor, Ontario native Kelsi Mayne has been honing her musical craft for years, and in 2017, country music fans finally got an official taste of what she has to share with the world. Mayne’s debut single and video were released in October, and have caught the eyes and ears of fans with nearly 30,000 spins on YouTube and Spotify in its first two months. And while Still Not Over You may be her first original single, country fans may be familiar with Kelsi’s voice already from her covers of Sam Hunt’s Body Like A Back Road and Cam’s Burning House. All three songs showcase the talent that Kelsi possesses, and offer a glimpse at what we hope she has to share in the near future. […]

December 21, 2017

In The Country with Dave Woods: One On One With Brooklyn Roebuck

Brooklyn, tell us about your main influences and why those artists mean so much to you. My main musical influences are the Dixie Chicks, Pink and Taylor Swift. Each one of them is a very talented writer. They have a great ability to tell a story and make you feel what they are going through in their songs. Pink and Taylor go one step further for me, though. I am all about the show. The creativity these two artists have and how they leave their audiences in awe at their live shows is the kind of artist I strive to be. What have you learned about songwriting since writing your first song? Songwriting is such a journey. It’s amazing how much your writing can evolve […]

December 21, 2017

Ontario’s Country Music Pioneers: Jack Kingston

Born: October 4, 1925 – St. Catharines, Ontario Died: May 18, 1996 – St. Catharines, Ontario (by Larry Delaney) As a youngster, Jack Kingston sang in church choirs in his hometown of St. Catharines, Ontario and by his late teens, was performing on CKTB radio (St. Catharines) and formed the country band The Kingston Brothers with his brother Alex Kingston and friend Alex Dalgleish. After the break-up of the group in the late 1940’s, Jack Kingston joined the Wingham, Ontario-based CKNX “Traveling Barn Dance”, where he was nicknamed “The Yodeling Cowboy”. By the early 1950’s, Jack Kingston became the first Canadian country artist to be signed to Capitol Records (Canada), releasing two singles. Soon afterwards, Jack Kingston became a member of the famed Main Street […]

December 21, 2017

Patrice’s Pick: Jacqui Verellen

This month, our feature video from Patrice Whiffen at Country Music Junkies profiles Canadian country music artist, Jacqui Verellen! Jacqui Verellen talks about her start in country music, and how a university degree in Opera helped lead her down the path of pursuing a career in country music. Jacqui also shares the story behind her soulful country song, “Home is Home”. For more information about Jacqui Verellen, or to check out her current single, click here: https://www.jacquiverellen.com For more on Country Music Junkies, visit www.CountryMusicJunkies.com. Listen to the exclusive interview with Jacqui Verellen below: About Patrice: To Patrice Whiffen, country music is a lifestyle. As the appropriately deemed, “Country Music Junkie,” she strives to share her passion for country music with the world. As a radio broadcaster with an […]

December 21, 2017

In The News (December)

This section of the newsletter is comprised of news stories, press releases and links to Internet articles that are sent in by our members who believe they will be of general interest to the membership. We include them as a courtesy to our members but do not verify or edit their content. Their inclusion does not constitute an endorsement by the CMAOntario nor do their contents reflect the views or opinions of the CMAOntario. Cold Creek County on Tour with Old Dominion Cold Creek County is hitting the road in 2018, opening for Old Dominion, alongside The Washboard Union, for the Canadian leg of their Happy Endings World Tour. Tour kicks off February 1 in Regina, Saskatchewan and tickets are on sale now. Check out […]