Newsletter – Page 31 – Country Music Association of Ontario

March 6, 2014

Artists Beware: Crowdfunding Could Be Taxable!

by Sam Arraj If this is the first time you hear the term Crowdfunding, visit the National Crowdfunding Association of Canada’s website at http://ncfacanada.org/crowdfunding/ to get familiar with the term. You are an artist at the early stage of your career and have been looking for money to finally put together that special project that will allow you to pursue your passion. You start your Crowdfunding campaign on any of one of the many Crowdfunding platforms. After a few months of social media awareness campaigns your raise a few thousand dollars. Excellent, right? No so fast – the tax man wants a piece of the action. This is not so bad if you raise a few thousand, but what if you raise tens of thousands? […]

March 6, 2014

The Golden Goal: How to get radio airplay

You may be using social media, the web, word-of-mouth, performances, media and other avenues to get your music out to listeners, but the fact of the matter is that radio, especially for Ontario country music, remains an ever-important way for artists to get their songs heard. However, navigating the radio industry as a young or emerging artist can be complex and challenging. So, where do you start? Having a high-quality recording that you’re proud of is a first step, as this is one of the first things a music director will see and listen to. They will also check out your presence on the industry-standard portal DMDS (Digital Media Distribution System), where it’s necessary to have a complete information package that’s succinct but informative. […]

March 6, 2014

In The Country with Dave Woods

In The Country Celebrates 5 Years by Dave Woods Back in March of 2009, In The Country aired its first online episode. That adds up to 5 years and hundreds of interviews. I’ve been a country fan my whole life and had worked in radio for many years. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to combine my love of country music with my passion for talk shows. I wanted to create a program that had enough time to go deeper in the artist’s world and allow for conversations on a range of topics related to music. My hope is that listeners can sit back, relax and enjoy a conversation along with some of the best music around. It’s exciting to interview the bigger names like […]

March 6, 2014

Tribute to Garth Bourne

by Rob MacArthur and Howard Ross Editor’s note: Ontario lost another seasoned, professional musician/artist recently: Canadian Zepher’s Garth Bourne. Two of his friends and former band-mates wanted to pay tribute to his passing. I met Garth Bourne at a Durham Music Society function. I was playing in a band with my wife, Lorraine Davies, called the Too Drunk to Fish Band. Garth was one of the founders and coordinators for the Durham Music Society event. Garth was a great person, greeting everyone with a smile and a good word. Some time later, we needed to replace a bass player. I had heard that Garth played Bass, so I did some checking on him. To my amazement he was quite a renowned Bass player in his […]

March 6, 2014

The World’s Best Investment

Excerpt #7 from “Winning The Music Game” by Brian Allen Shhhhh….. I’m going to give you the number one investment tip for the highest possible rate of return: The most valuable commodity you can invest is your time. And… The best investment of your time that you can make is in great songs. No other component of your career will replace a great song or yield the staggering ratio of return on your investment like great songs do. The best production, the coolest clothes, the most creative videos, the shrewdest manager, and the hardest working record company are all no substitute for the power and longevity of a great song. If you write your own material, take a minute and think about all the hit […]

March 6, 2014

In The News

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 CMAO nor do their contents reflect the views or opinions of the CMAO. Billy J White Performed in Burlington (reprinted from thespec.com) By Graham Rockingham Keep Them Kisses Comin by Billy J White Billy J White knows that in country music, the song is everything. So the Burlington singer decided to invest some time into selecting the seven songs that would be on his […]

March 6, 2014

Patrice's Pick by Patrice Wiffen

This month, our feature video from Patrice Whiffen at Country Music Junkies profiles the country music duo, Small Town Pistols! Formerly members of The Wilkinsons, Amanda and Tyler Wilkinson are back in a duo that brings an eclectic edgy spin to their country sound. Amanda and Tyler share their excitement about this new musical chapter in their lives, along with how they felt after being nominated for a 2014 JUNO Award in the Country Album of the Year Category. Catch the JUNO Awards on CTV on March 30, 2014. Check out the video for the full interview! About Patrice: To Patrice Whiffen, country music is a lifestyle. As the appropriately deemed, “Country Music Junkie,” she strives to share her passion for country music with the […]

March 6, 2014

Behind the Board!

We have covered all of our current board members in this column in previous issues but we are currently re-writing and updating their bios and accomplishments. Look for the new updated “Behind the Board starting next month.

March 6, 2014

Corporate Membership Benefits

This is where we would like to thank our corporate members by posting their business logo in the newsletter. This month and next we’d like to call your attention to Gearhead Country. CMAO member Ian Rome combined his love of vintage automobiles and country music and has been pursuing an internet-radio based venture called GearHead Country. Ian hosts and produces the show and is currently syndicated on C93 (Country93.ca) and you can visit his online ‘Gearhead Country Garage’ at: http://gearheadcountry.com/ If you have a corporate membership and would like to be included in this feature in future months, please contact us at info@cmaontario.ca