Ontario’s Country Music Pioneers: Clint Curtiss
May 10, 202210th Annual CMAOntario Awards Winners Announced
June 6, 2022Artist of the Month: Owen Riegling
Owen Riegling has been picking away at a guitar since he was eleven years old. Growing up on a 100-acre farm outside of Mildmay, Ontario, Owen’s childhood consisted of playing hockey, riding dirt bikes, and a life written about in country songs.
Country music didn’t really cross his radar until it hit the mainstream. He was more into rock music, and the Best of Steve Miller Band. It was Eric Church and Tyler Childers that captured Owen’s attention and drew his creative mind to the country genre. It was from artists like these that he learned he could bring together the elements of both rock and outlaw country that he loved and give them a modern spin that would resonate with listeners today.
Owen pursued his passion for music and went through the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology for Music Production. He learned the ins and outs of putting together a record and spent days in the studio, learning everything he could about music production.
His debut single, “Smoke Man”, was the final project for his program. He didn’t think it’d have the impact it did – a moody, gritty country track, which introduced him to the industry as an upcoming artist to watch.
“Smoke Man” was just the first track from his introductory music chapter – his debut EP, Empty Room – released in 2020, which encompasses a collection of songs that continue to balance influences from outlaw country and 90s rock music.
Get to know Owen better on his episode of the On the Porch with Front Porch Music Podcast.
Listening to Owen Riegling for the first time? Here are my recommendations:
Smoke Man
Part Of Me
Old Dirt Roads
The Call
She’s My Summertime
Connect with Owen Riegling on Social Media:
Instagram
TikTok
Twitter
Facebook
// by Jenna Weishar – www.frontporchmusic.ca //