In the Country with Dave Woods:
Chad Rivette

This month, the spotlight is on Chad Rivette.

Born into a musical family in Cornwall, Ontario, Chad was destined for a life filled with melodies and lyrics. His childhood was a symphony of sounds, ranging from his mother’s soothing lullabies to his father’s lively guitar riffs. Growing up in this rich musical environment, Chad quickly developed a deep love for country music, drawing inspiration from legends like his father Frank, Alabama and Johnny Cash.

Chad’s first public performance was a defining moment in his life. Standing on a small community stage at the tender age of 14, he performed George Strait’s classic “The Chair,” a performance that not only won the hearts of his local community and landed him his first paid performance in a small Cornwall Bar named P.G’s, but also ignited his passion for the spotlight. This experience was a turning point, propelling him to pursue music more seriously.

Welcome to the Spotlight, Chad! Please share with us a few of your influences over the years.
Every great song starts with a melody, and mine began at home.

My father, Frank Rivette, has always been, and still is, my biggest musical influence. He’s not only my greatest inspiration but also my biggest fan. Watching him play throughout my childhood planted a dream in my heart. From a young age, I knew music was what I was born to do. From the age of 14 to 25, I had the privilege of sharing the stage with my dad two to three nights a week. Those years became the soundtrack of my life and taught me lessons no classroom ever could. Beyond my father, I’ve been inspired by some of country music’s finest: Keith Whitley, Dan Seals, Diamond Rio, Alabama, and just about every artist from the golden era of ’90s country. I absolutely love ’90s country. Every song, every harmony, and every story helped shape the artist I am today.

What inspired you to start writing songs?
Like learning an instrument, songwriting is all about finding your rhythm. I tried writing songs when I was younger, but I just hadn’t found my voice yet.

Four years ago, when my youngest child moved out and it was just my wife and me in a house that suddenly felt much quieter, I looked around and said to myself, “I’m going to write a song today.” I sat down with a pen and paper and wrote my very first song, a tribute to my late mom called Fall Back. To my amazement, that song went on to earn me my first major award-the ISSA 2024 International Entertainer of the Year GOLD in Atlanta, Georgia. From that moment on, it was like someone turned up the volume on everything I’d kept bottled up for years. The lyrics just kept flowing.

My lifelong best friend, Robbie Watson, looked at me and said, “Chad, you’ve got it. You figured it out. Now write.” I’ve been writing ever since.

What have you learned about songwriting from your first songs to your most recent ones?
Songwriting has taught me that every song has its own tempo, and every writer brings a different harmony to the table. As much as I love writing on my own, I’ve discovered I equally enjoy co-writing with friends in the business. There’s something incredibly special about sitting in a safe writing circle where people are willing to share their stories, thoughts, and vulnerabilities. That’s where the magic happens. I’ve also learned that not every song I write is meant for me to sing. Some songs deserve another artist whose voice perfectly matches the vision I heard when I wrote it. Pitching songs to other artists has opened a whole new creative chapter for me. It allows me to explore different genres while staying true to the country music that reflects who I am.

Tell us a bit about your latest release, “Halfway To Crazy.”
“Halfway To Crazy” is probably the most personal and vulnerable song I’ve ever written.

Dave, I’m sharing this because I truly appreciate your passion for music and everything you do for independent artists. You give us a stage to tell our stories, and that means more than you know.

About seven months before writing the song, I woke up one morning and knew something wasn’t right. I didn’t feel like myself. As the days turned into weeks, anxiety, depression, exhaustion, and burnout slowly crept in. I kept it hidden. I told no one.

During that time, I worked a 45-hour week at my day job, then performed 5-7 shows a week at night. I just kept pushing through, wondering if my flame was burning out. One night I looked at my wife and finally said, “I feel like I’m going halfway to crazy.” The moment those words left my mouth, it was like striking the first chord of a song waiting to be written.

I grabbed my guitar, walked into the living room, and poured everything I was feeling onto paper. I didn’t finish it that night. Over the next two or three weeks, I slowly added verses and ideas, writing exactly how I felt each day. Eventually, I asked myself, “Who knows me best?” The answer was my brothers. I called Robbie Watson and my cousin Trevor Rivette. As we talked, I learned they were quietly fighting their own battles too. I invited them to add their voices, not just musically, but emotionally, to the song.

For nearly seven months, I carried those feelings with me. Then we recorded Halfway To Crazy. The strangest and most beautiful thing happened. The moment I walked out of the studio after the song was finished, everything I’d been carrying simply lifted. It felt like it left my body. That’s when I realized music isn’t just entertainment. Music is medicine. I’ll never forget that moment for as long as I live.

What’s the best advice someone has given you about a career in music?
The best advice I’ve ever received has stayed in tune with me throughout my career. Always give everything you have to your audience, whether there’s one person in the room or ten thousand. Every performance deserves the very best version of yourself. And if you truly want this life, never stop chasing it. Dreams don’t come with an encore unless you’re willing to keep showing up.

What’s a challenge you’ve faced in your music career, and how did you manage it?
Like any great country song, my journey has had both major and minor chords.

When I was 16, I won a competition that earned me the opportunity to record in Nashville. Two weeks before I was supposed to leave, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. Without hesitation, I stayed home. She went into remission when I was 18, and I prepared once again to make the trip to Nashville. Then, just two weeks before leaving, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. In that moment, my world changed forever. I stayed by her side and cared for her. During that same season of life, my first daughter was born. My mother passed away on my daughter’s first birthday, a day forever filled with both heartbreak and love. Before she passed, I made her a promise that I’d always take care of my father. To this day, I’ve never broken that promise, and I never will.

Life has tested me in other ways too. I’ve survived three heart attacks and now have seven stents. Yet after each one, just two days later, I was back on stage doing what I love most. Making music.

Those challenges aren’t roadblocks anymore. They’re verses in the story that made me who I am.

Who would be your ultimate duet partner & why?
There are so many incredible artists I’d love to share a microphone with; Miranda Lambert, Reba, and Ella Langley are all high on my list. But if I could choose only one duet partner…It would be my mom. She couldn’t sing a note, but I loved every second of hearing her try. What I wouldn’t give to hear her voice one more time. That would be the greatest duet of my life.

What are you looking forward to in your music career for the rest of 2026?
I’m looking forward to sharing even more of myself with the world through my music. I’ll continue chasing the big stage until the day the final curtain falls because I truly believe that’s what I was born to do. More importantly, I promised my mom I’d never stop reaching for that dream.

Every song I write, every stage I stand on, every audience I meet, and every life I touch through music is another verse in keeping that promise alive. As long as there’s another song to sing, my story isn’t over. It’s just beginning.

Thanks, Chad! Great visiting with you. I encourage our readers to follow your journey & your music at chadrivette.com & on your socials.