Robbie Watson & 88 Acres Band
April 2, 2023
In The Spotlight with Dave Woods: Patrick James Clark
April 13, 2023In The News (April 2023)
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. If you would like to have something included in the newsletter, please send us a short synopsis, a photo or graphic and the hotlink that can be included in the news listing. Submissions can be sent to verle@cmaontario.ca. Please make sure the Subject Line reads “For inclusion in the CMAOntario Newsletter”. The deadline for submissions is the 20th of each month.
New Music from Hayley Verrall
Hayley Verrall is a phenomenal Ontario-based songwriter and artist hailing from Burlington, Ontario. Her new single “I Guess That’s Love,” released on February 17, 2023, is a testament that love is never perfect but that through patience and perseverance, love will always win. This catchy, upbeat love song, hits all the right notes, with lyrics like “pushin’ through the thick and thin, when it gets tough you come back again. It’s livin’ in the here and now.” It tells a story of how love makes it through trials and tribulations.
Hayley’s previous singles have garnered much success with three of them landing #1 slots on the Canadian Country Indie Countdown and her single “Dance Around It” hitting the Sirius XM airwaves.
“I Guess That’s Love” was written by Hayley Verrall, Matthew Teed, Shawn Moore, produced by Shawn Moore. You can stream/purchase it here: “I Guess That’s Love”
Follow Hayley Verrall here: https://www.hayleyverrallmusic.com/ and at Hayley Verrall Music on all social media.
(Source: Member Submission)
Marshall Dane’s “Grateful” Out at Radio
Marshall Dane released his newest single “Grateful” to radio on March 22nd. Of the track, Dane says, “After I stopped drinking 7 years ago today, my life started drastically changing for the better. I now have a beautiful little family and have a positive mindset that’s been forged in the fire of experience. I love this new life. For all the ups and downs…I’m grateful.”
Check it out here: https://MarshallDane.lnk.to/Grateful
A video for the track, reciting the lyrics, is also available here: https://youtu.be/KcWMtH12Cx8
(Source: Member Submission)
Brea Lawrenson Releases New Single “Neon Nashville”
One of Canada’s most exciting independent female artists, known for her extraordinary vocal range and soulful voice, Brea Lawrenson, releases “Neon Nashville”.
“’Neon Nashville’ ” is a vibe. It’s a song about dreams and realizing that ‘throwing pennies in a jar won’t get you far in Nashville’.”
Ottawa Valley’s Brea Lawrenson captures emotions and stories in her music that have put her on the charts several times in the last few years. Her success is further punctuated with appearances at fairs and festivals (Boots & Hearts, Cavendish Beach Music Festival, Havelock Country Jamboree, Kemptville Live Music Festival, Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame, and many more) where she has shared stages with many well established artists, opening for Meghan Patrick, Tom Cochrane, Tebey, The Washboard Union, The Road Hammers, Ronnie Prophet, Brett Kissel and many more.
Catch Brea at this year’s Ottawa’s Bluesfest, July 6th!
(Source: Member Submission)
David Boyd Janes Releases New Single “Bleed Country”
Canadian Country artist David Boyd Janes released his high-energy new single “Bleed Country” on April 7th via all streaming platforms.
“Bleed Country” was written by David and hit songwriters Wes Mack and Dan Swinimer, and also produced by Swinimer in Vancouver, BC. The new track features David’s distinctive voice and impressive songwriting ability in a song about bringing people together regardless of who you are or where you’re from.
“I feel like there’s nothing quite like this on the radio right now in Canadian country music and I’m pumped to release it! I think it’s my best work yet,” said David Boyd Janes. “It was a very special and meaningful songwriting experience working with the incredibly talented Wes Mack and Dan Swinimer on this song and I can’t wait for everyone to hear and crank it up loud!”
Toronto, ON native, David Boyd Janes is one of Canadian country music’s most prominent rising talents, with four No.1 tracks on Sirius XM’s Top of The Country, 5x CMAOntario nominations, won the 2019 Boots & Hearts Emerging Artist Showcase, and reached the Canadian Billboard Top 40 with his 2020 single, “Couldn’t Hurt”.
(Source: Member Submission)
Alli Walker Shares Sophomore Album Growing Up with New Single by The Same Name
Breakout Canadian country artist and 2022 CMAOntario Rising Star nominee Alli Walker has released her sophomore album Growing Up and new single by the same name. A deeply personal album, Growing Up showcases Walker’s growth and evolution as both a songwriter and musician since the release of her debut album in 2019.
In addition to more playful tracks like previously released “Red Wine or Whiskey,” “Country Music” and “Maybe I’m Still Drunk,” the album also dives deep into Walker’s more personal side and the struggle of living so far away from family and friends for over half her life. The new single and album title track “Growing Up” tells Walker’s story of leaving home when she was a teenager to follow her dreams. Following her through the ups and downs of partying, financial struggles and homesickness that come while trying to find yourself in a new unfamiliar place, “Growing Up” presents a theme song for those currently chasing their dreams, no matter the cost.
Fans can catch Walker play many of these new tracks for the first time this summer in her home province of PEI at Cavendish Beach Music Festival and then at Boots and Hearts, taking the stage at Ontario’s iconic country festival for the first time this year.
(Source: Member Submission)
Meghan Patrick Flees Painful Memories on New Single “Ours”, Out Now
On March 10th, 18x CMAOntario and back-to-back CCMA Female Artist Of The Year award winner, Meghan Patrick, shared her scalding new breakup song “Ours,” out now via Riser House Records. The song comes on the heels of the announcement that Patrick will make her Grand Ole Opry debut on Tues., Apr. 11. You can listen to “Ours” here.
“Ours” was written by Patrick alongside Joey Hyde (Jake Owen, The Band CAMINO), Matt McGinn (Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton) and Lydia Vaughn (Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean) and it laments the lingering memories of a love gone sour, watching a former lover with a new partner — and experiencing a difficult deja vu in the process.
“‘Ours’ is about what it feels like when an ex hits ‘copy and paste’ with the new girl or guy,” says Patrick. “They take them to the same bar, do all the same things they did with you, and to top it all off, they have the audacity to dance with them to the song that used to be yours.”
The song follows her last release “She’s No Good For Me” (1.20 via Riser House Records) – a song that “finds the singer shedding her old rough-around-the-edges self and emerging as a stronger person” (E! News). It was praised by Billboard, American Songwriter and more.
An accompanying video was also released on her YouTube channel, and the Canadian bombshell is set to release more music in the coming months. She will also play the Jack Daniels Old No. 7 and Country Cocktails Presents Luke Combs Bootleggers Tailgate Party Powered by Whiskey Jam on select dates of Luke Combs’ upcoming tour. To stay up-to-date on all things Meghan Patrick, visit meghanpatrickmusic.com.
Meghan Patrick Tour Dates
Weds., Mar. 15 – City Winery – Nashville, TN
Sat., Mar. 25 – Spring Break Up Country Music Festival – Abbotsford, BC
Mon., Mar. 27 – Big Night Live – Boston, MA
Tues., Mar. 28 – Country 92–5’s Concert For Kids – Southington, CT
Thurs., Mar. 30 – Manchester Music Hall – Lexington, KY*
Fri., Mar. 31 – GLC Live at 20 Monroe – Grand Rapids, MI*
Tues., Apr. 11 – Grand Ole Opry – Nashville, TN
Sat., Apr. 22 – Ford Field – Detroit, MI^
Tues., Apr. 25 – Live On The Vineyard – Napa, CA
Sat., May 6 – Soldier Field – Chicago, IL^
Thurs., Jun. 8 – CMA Fest Chevy Vibes Stage – Nashville, TN
Fri., Jun. 30 – Ponoka Stampede – Ponoka, AB
*with Flatland Cavalry
^Jack Daniels Old No. 7 and Country Cocktails Presents Luke Combs Bootleggers Tailgate Party Powered by Whiskey Jam
(Source: Press Release)
Brian Tremblay Releases New Single “Ode To Jack”
Brian Tremblay released his new single “Ode to Jack” on March 24th. The song was originally recorded in 2009 but was never released. Tremblay recently decided to dust it off and give it another try.
Tremblay describes the tune as a “rollicking, chicken pickin’ number, all about my love affair with Jack Daniels.”
It’s available on all the major streaming services HERE!
(Source: Member Submission)
Amanda Jordan Releases New Single & Video: “What Else Is New”
2023 CMAOntario Awards Rising Star nominee Amanda Jordan has released her latest single and video for “What Else Is New”. The song was written after running into her ex and is an ode to losing someone you still love.
Watch/listen here.
Jordan is currently one of eight semifinalists in the SiriusXM Top of the Country competition and is scheduled to perform at Ottawa Bluesfest on July 14th.
(Source: Member Submission)
Paige Rutledge Releases Most Personal Song to Date
“Gone Ain’t Really Gone”, like many other country songs, was inspired by a truck; but not just any truck, an old truck that my grandfather used to own before he passed that’s still memorable to this day. It’s funny to think how objects can tell us so much about a person. Those stories and experiences don’t just disappear when that person leaves us. My dad was telling me a story over Christmas about this baby blue truck my grandfather used to drive; I took that story to my next writing session with Rich Cloke and Elias Edlund. This is easily one of the most personal and vulnerable songs I have written and am releasing. It was important to my co-writers and I that we created a song that everyone would be able to find their person in. We intentionally kept the production full and bright as a reminder of all the good memories that a person holds on to when they are missing someone. We have all experienced loss in our life and my hope is that this song can be what people turn to when they are missing that person.”
Listen here.
(Source: Member Submission)
Jason Blaine Releases New Single: “The Road That Raised You Up”
2023 CMAOntario Awards nominee Jason Blaine released his newest single “The Road That Raised You Up” on March 17th. The song, available on streaming services and at radio now, was written last summer on a drive to his hometown of Pembroke.
Listen here.
Catch Jason performing this summer at Renfrew Roots Music Festival and the Hollyrood Country Jamboree.
(Source: Member Submission)
