Newsletter

There are only a few weeks remaining before the 15th Annual Tin Pan North Songwriter’s Festival, Ontario’s largest 3 day songwriter’s festival will be taking place at various venues across the GTA. Tin Pan North is a celebration of original songwriting in an intimate setting. In addition to showcasing local talent, each show features some of Canada’s finest talent as well as some heavy hitters in the world of songwriting that come up to take part in the festival from Nashville. The confirmed venues for this year are as follows: The Moonshine Café 137 Kerr Street Oakville, Ontario 905-844-2655 Thursday May 22, Friday May 23rd 7:30-9:30pm http://www.themoonshinecafe.com/ The Black Swan Tavern 154 Danforth Avenue Toronto, Ontario 416-469-0357 Thursday May 22, Friday May 23rd 7:30-9:30pm Cadillac […]

Dear members: I want to congratulate London, Ontario, for its successful bid in returning Country Music Week and the CCMA awards to Ontario in 2016. The CMAO is extremely excited about the news and we want to help the CCMA make it a hugely successful event. In March, we announced our first batch of performers for the 2014 CMAO Awards show and they are: The Western Swing Authority, Jason Blaine, Autumn Hill and The Good Family. We are very proud of the first flight. Be on the lookout on facebook and Twitter for more exciting news about the performers and presenters. Get your tickets while they last – go to www.cmaontario.ca. The first CMAO Awards Contenders ballot submission deadline was March 18, 2014. Good luck to […]

This month we pay a visit to another CMAO Board member; one who’s won the CCMA Agent of the Year Award five times in a row: Cathie Faint. Cathie owns and manages CFE (Catherine Faint Entertainment) and has worked for many years with some of the top names in the music industry. Not just country music, but right across the board. What does it take to get to that position? Cathie sums it all up in just three words: “Integrity, integrity and integrity”. But before we get to her personal credo, let’s go back and see where Cathie Faint came from. Her mom was a chef, working in the hospitality business, and her father was a jack of all trades, including plucking the banjo. Mr. […]

For a long while, it would have seemed strange to see people wearing cowboy boots trotting around Toronto’s entertainment district – or anywhere in the downtown core, really. Until now. Be it a result of the economy, the time or other circumstances, many wonder why it took so long for a country bar to show up in the city – let alone two in the span of one week. But folks are sure happy they’re here. “Maybe it was overlooked… there’s always been a strong country following in Toronto and across the country,” says Matt Gibbons, the owner of Rock ‘n’ Horse. One of two new country venues that’s popped up in the city recently, Rock ‘n’ Horse is a restaurant/bar offering southern food, line […]

Two Voices, One Hit One of the questions I always ask on my show is “Who would you like to sing a duet with?” I’m always interested in the answer because I’ve always loved the magic that happens when two voices join together to create a powerful song. There are some artists whose biggest hits have been duets. Kenny Rogers has had successful musical collaborations with Sheena Easton, Kim Carnes and Dolly Parton. Kenny and Dolly recorded the classic “Islands In The Stream” in 1983. It was a song that almost ended before it began. Kenny had grown tired of the song in the studio and thought it wasn’t working. Producer Barry Gibb (who wrote the song with his brothers Robin and Maurice) suggested Dolly […]

CMAO Member David Leask has been announced as a finalist in the Gospel / Christian Music category of the 2013 International Songwriting Competition for his song “Everybody Sing”, co-written with Debra Alexander. The annual competition awards excellence in several categories, with judging from the cream of the music industry: names like Imagine Dragons, Josh Turner, Martina McBride, Tom Waits, Florida Georgia Line and many more. The public vote can also weigh in through the ISC’s People’s Voice program. The winners will be announced in April, 2014. Let’s pitch in and support David! For more information:  http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/

This month, our feature video from Patrice Whiffen at Country Music Junkies profiles Canadian country music artist, Elyse Saunders! Elyse is a singer/songwriter with great ambition and many accomplishments under her belt to prove it. Industry supported successes include a FACTOR Demo Award and most recently Elyse earned a much deserved Juried Factor Sound Recording Grant. Elyse is writing and recording her sophomore album and co-wrote the title track, “I’m On My Way, “ with Darryl Burgess (Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Alanis Morrisette) in Nashville. Watch out for the first single in early spring, 2014! Check out the exclusive video interview, here! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBfo9D9CTk4 About Patrice: To Patrice Whiffen, country music is a lifestyle. As the appropriately deemed, “Country Music Junkie,” she strives to share her […]