April 10, 2024
Olivia Mae Graham discovered her love for music at the tender age of eleven when she first picked up a guitar. Her favourite childhood memories are of her parents shuffling her to and from music lessons, supporting her passion. Olivia continued to pursue this love for music through education at the Harris Institute for the Arts, where she graduated Valedictorian, with an Honours Music Business Professional Certification. She then obtained her Master of Songwriting in Scotland. At the core of her artistry is a desire to uplift and empower others through the positive messages woven into her heartfelt lyrics. From songs like “Pretty Different” and “Mean Girls”, to “Red Rose” and her latest single “I Can’t Move”, Olivia uses the lessons she’s encountered to […]
March 6, 2024
It was a full house of celebration and new music last month as The Western Swing Authority hosted a release party for their brand-new album “12 to 6 Central” at the Registry Theatre in their hometown of Kitchener. Despite it being their fifth full length album, it was the first time they performed on an actual release date. It was a special day, as they were supported by many fans, friends and family. The seven-piece band is comprised of some of Canada’s most sought-after musicians, who have been performing together for 15 years. Featuring Shane Guse as fiddler, vocalist and frontman, his wife, Stacey Lee Guse (vocals and former member of JUNO and CCMA nominated group LACE), Ed Ringwald (steel guitar), Dan Howlett (fiddle, banjo), […]
February 2, 2024
CMAOntario Artist of the Month: Amanda Keeles London, Ontario’s Amanda Keeles new album release and tour is counting down for the launch pad in February 2024. Considering that Amanda is a two-time winner of The Canadian Open Singing/Songwriting Contest, her debut single, “Blame it on the Moonlight” (released January 30, 2023), peaked in the top 10 at #6 on the Canadian Country Indie Top 100 Chart and “My Heart Feels The Same Way Too” has accumulated over 73K streams since its release in May of 2023, her forthcoming album, titled “Can’t Stop Me Now”, sure sounds like a “Just try it” challenge! Growing up in a family of musicians, country music was part of the diet in her home, which prepared her for performing […]
January 11, 2024
En tant qu’artiste franco-ontarien originaire de Smooth Rock Falls, et maintenant établi à Cochrane, Mitch Jean fait de la musique avec de fortes racines. Depuis qu’il a pris la guitare pour la première fois à l’âge de douze ans, il a exploré de nombreux styles musicaux différents, mais a trouvé son son entre le country moderne et le rock. S’inspirant des légendes de la guitare des années 80 comme Def Leppard et du style d’écriture de chansons d’artistes country comme Eric Church, Mitch Jean s’est taillé une dimension musicale qui lui est propre. Que ce soit en solo ou full band, en français ou en anglais, l’artiste dynamique capte l’attention de son public grâce à son énergie débordante, faisant de chaque spectacle une expérience […]
December 6, 2023
Labeled with her larger than life and vivacious personality, Dolly Parton-sized beauty, and angelic voice, singer/songwriter Callie McCullough is sure to grab your attention. Born 3rd generation into a musical family, her contemporary and alternative music style has made an impact in Country Music. It is a combo of traditional country, Celtic, folk and bluegrass. Her grassy textured sound is what we can expect in her forthcoming collection of new music. Callie explains, “I’m very much just organically letting the songs become what they want to become.” Having just come out of a long term relationship, and reflecting on the direction of her life, she thought her next few years might look really different. With confidence and sass came her latest single “What If I […]
September 11, 2023
Cadence Grace, Ann Chaplin and Stacey Zegers have been a powerhouse trio in the form of Runaway Angel for a decade. Their unwavering friendship forms the bedrock of Runaway Angel, and it’s through this genuine bond that their passion for music shines brightest. Over the years, Runaway Angel has garnered a loyal fan following and industry recognition, making them CCMA Discovery Artist Nominees and 7-Time CMAOntario Award nominees. Their albums, “No End In Sight” and “Zero” made significant impacts, debuting at #5 and #3 on the iTunes Canadian Country Charts. Their music, including the hit single “Witness”, has reached over 150,000 Spotify streams and graced the Top 50 on Canadian country radio. The trio have taken the stage among the likes of Dierks Bentley, Dallas […]
August 11, 2023
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 […]
July 14, 2023
At the young age of 9, Augusta Ray first began her musical journey singing opera. She was quickly recognized as a child prodigy, wowing her audiences as she performed in three languages. Growing up a fan of Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and Shania Twain, Augusta formed the sound of her unique country-rock style from unique influences. Known to friends and fans as “Gus”, Augusta Ray grew up in Toronto, and has been travelling between there and Nashville for the past 9 years, performing to Canadian and American country-rock fans. Some career highlights for Ray include sharing the stage with Trace Atkins, Brett Kissel, Tim Hicks, Jess Moskaluke and several others. Gus recently released a new single: “Your Ex”. In a press release, she explains – […]
June 12, 2023
Parker Graye has been on a mission to make country music sad again and I think it’s safe to say, mission accomplished. Songs like “Do Over”, “Before You Leave”, and “Last Time” introduced us to the queen of Saddies for the Baddies, and Parker Graye has been opening her heart to listeners ever since. Growing up in Orillia, Ontario, Parker Graye’s main musical influence came from her musically inclined aunt. Obsessed with live performance from a young age, Parker would spend her childhood evenings performing to an imaginary packed out stadium in the basement. After spending a few years in Banff as a snowboarder, she would begin her journey as a singer-songwriter when she moved to Vancouver in 2010. Parker would spend time across indie […]