In the Country with Dave Woods:
Paige Rutledge

Paige got her first break on stage at The Moonshine Cafe at a very young age and continues to perform there to this day in songwriters’ rounds. Along with playing her original songs at the legendary Oakville venue, you’d be lucky to be there on the nights when she covers the Dolly classic “Jolene”.

In July 2023, Paige performed at the iconic Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto and at Country On The Bay in Thunder Bay, opening for Walker Hayes (“Fancy Like”) as well as Tim Hicks and Robyn Ottolini. She has already been announced as one of the performers for The Hollyrood Country Jamboree in July 2024, featuring headliners Tyler Joe Miller and Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Jason McCoy.

Paige’s release “Drinking Alone” in August 2022 landed her the playlist cover for Breakthrough Country on Amazon Music and a spot on Spotify’s RADAR editorial playlist, along with other editorial playlists on both Amazon Music and Spotify. Paige then went on to release “Ain’t That Bad” in November 2022, landing her a spot on Amazon Music’s Brand New Music playlist.

Paige, it’s great to have you In The Spotlight! Tell us about 3 of the artists who have influenced your music career the most & explain why they did.
Hi Dave, thank you so much for having me In The Spotlight this month!! Picking just three is so hard, haha! Ok, if I have to narrow it down, I would say:

1. Taylor Swift: I remember hearing her single, “Tim McGraw”, on the radio for the very first time back in 2006 and just immediately falling in love with it. She just has such a special way of connecting with listeners throughout her music and songwriting. I also just think it is absolutely incredible as a fan from the beginning to watch how her career has taken off. Talk about inspiring!! Fun fact: the very first song I performed for my family, singing and playing guitar for the first time, was “Back To December” at Christmas. That is still one of my favourite songs ever.
2. Shania Twain: Shania was my very first concern, and I just think that not only is she such an icon in country music, but how cool is it that she is Canadian?! She has always just been someone that I have looked up to, being so young and being that example of how dreams can really work.
3. Dolly Parton: I mean, first, what a legend! I really admire not only Dolly’s career but also her ability to remain so humble and be a good person. She is such a role model and a good reminder that it goes a long way to give back and be kind to others.

The songs you’ve written range from fun (“Take Me Back To Tiki”, “Sunshine Sunday”) to meaningful (“Gone Ain’t Really Gone”) to hopeful (“Ain’t That Bad”). What is it about songwriting that you like the most?
I think songwriting is such a cool form of self-expression, and I love that I can share my stories and my experiences through a song that others can find a way to relate to. I would have to say my favourite part about songwriting is being able to collaborate with other people. I have learnt so much about the writing process and, honestly, so much about myself by just being in a room with other people and being able to share ideas. Everyone has a different approach when it comes to writing songs, so it is a really unique experience each time, and I try to take away things that I learnt from other writers and apply them to the next session.

With all your writing experience, what is one songwriting tip you could pass along to our readers?
I’d say that you should never stop putting your ideas out there! Even if you think it is a bad idea, it probably is not, and it could lead to another person in the room going off your original idea, and you get a song that you end up loving!! It can be scary to be so vulnerable and share ideas in front of others, but I really do believe the more you put yourself out there, the more you can grow as a writer.

What is your proudest moment – big or small – so far in your music career?
This is a really good question!! I try to find a positive out of every experience I have, but if I had to narrow it down to just one, it would be releasing “Gone Ain’t Really Gone”. This was a special moment for me because that song just means a lot and tells a really personal story. The number of messages I received on social media saying thank you for writing this and that it was helping people get through losing someone meant the absolute world to me.

What advice would you have for a young artist starting who wants to have success in music as an artist & writer?
Be kind and work hard! Both of my parents work in sports, so going to different events and outings was a very big part of my childhood, and I remember my parents always reminding my brother and me to say hello to the people we would run into at the arena and always say please and thank you. That is something that has stuck with me, and I believe is so important in life. I also believe that it is very important to be kind to others because we really are all in this together and here to help each other out.

It is also an important reminder to be kind to yourself when you are working so hard. Sometimes things don’t go the way you plan, and you might be really disappointed with the outcome, but everything is part of the journey, and you can learn from everything you do. Whenever I find myself sinking into that rut of not being kind to myself, I try to remind myself that if I were to look back and tell 10-year-old Paige that she would be where she is now, she wouldn’t believe me.

My other piece of advice is don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Write as many songs and play as many shows as you can!! Trust me, it pays off, and you will only become more confident each time.

Tell us the story behind your now-famous sparkly guitar.
Dolly! My sparkly guitar was the very first guitar my parents bought me (without the sparkles at first, of course), and I sat in my room and wanted to learn every single Taylor Swift song that I possibly could! Over the years, the guitar had been played a lot and was starting to fall apart, so I decided to save up and buy a new guitar. I did not want to just put my first guitar away because there is definitely sentimental value to it, so I decided to order a bunch of rhinestones off Amazon and start rhinestoning it in January 2021, just like Taylor Swift’s famous sparkly guitar. The funny part is that I’ve never been good at math, so I ordered 500 rhinestones, thinking that would be enough. Needless to say, it definitely was not, as there are just under 3000 rhinestones on the guitar! This guitar was named Dolly by a listener at The Moonshine Café that summer, and it has stuck since!

Who would your dream duet partner be and why?
This is a tough one! I think I would say Shania Twain because how cool would it be to have a duet with the Queen of Country Music?!

Thank you so much for being a part of this month’s column! Let’s wrap up with this. What do you hope to accomplish in your music career in 2024?
Thank you so much for having me, and thank YOU for your constant support for my music. It really does mean a lot.

2024 is already off to a busy start! I’ve been recording a ton of new music that will be coming out this year, and already have some festivals booked for the summer and so many shows that I cannot wait to share!! I am so grateful for the opportunity to get to play music and share my songs, and that is all I hope to continue doing with my career in 2024! Music is such a special way to connect and meet new people, and I am looking forward to another year of getting to do that!