Artist of the Month: Brian John Harwood

It’s hard to talk about Brian John Harwood without mention of the word: “collaboration.” They say: “It takes a village…”; and the list of names he’s worked with makes him an automatic Team Player candidate.

Born and raised in Innisfil, Ontario, BJH first got widespread attention as a core member of Kansas Stone, partnering with Matt Davey. The band’s single, “Blaze of Nothing,” was nominated for the Music Video of the Year at the 2019 CMAOntario Awards. The band also made a big dent in the scene with “Together We’re Strong”, written by Brian and producer Dustin Bird. The single features – get this – 17 Canadian artists, among them: Aaron Pritchett, Alee and Jason Blaine. That’s a lot of herding.

Brian stepped up to chase even more adventure as a solo artist in late 2019. Though Covid ate a chunk of everyone’s 2020, he was back with a vengeance in July 2021, releasing his single and video, “Make You Mine”, which featured Clayton Bellamy of Road Hammers fame. He released “Savin’ Up For A Friday” in early 2022, featuring Canadian legend Jason McCoy.

In March of 2023, BJH dropped “Nothing More Country Than That”, featuring Jason Blaine. The song reminds listeners that being “country” is not just about pickup trucks or cowboy boots – it’s about being connected to our roots, our hometowns, our last names, being respectful to others, and keeping our word.

Both solo and with Kansas Stone, Harwood has played shows with Dallas Smith, Brett Kissel, Brothers Osborne, Tebey, The Road Hammers, River Town Saints, and more. He’s written songs with Steve McEwan, Patricia Conroy, Dave “Dwave” Thomson and Phil Barton. He also co-wrote “Country Music” by Alli Walker, and the Owen Barney singles, “Letting Go” and “Home.” Brian has amassed over 2M streams across platforms and cracked top 40 charts in Australia. He was tapped by Canadian Yachting magazine to talk about his love for boating, is a staple on the festival circuit and fans can catch him up close and personal regularly at songwriter showcases around Ontario.

June of 2023 saw the release of “Peace, Love and Whiskey”, collaborating once again with good friend and producer Dustin Bird. The song is inspired by the deep gratitude Brian has for his life with his personal team – his wife and twin girls.

That’s a lot of collaborators… and Brian John Harwood has a pretty big village behind him.

Try keeping up with Brian John Harwood at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrianJohnHarwood/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brianjohnharwood?lang=en
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brianjohnharwood/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BrianJohnHarwood
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1G1bUq811pgPU3TAlPavy4?autoplay=true
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/ca/artist/brian-john-harwood/1401479652

// by Matt Ersnaught //