Newsletter – Page 40 – Country Music Association of Ontario

January 25, 2018

Artist of the Month: The Small Town Girls

They may be young, but that hasn’t stopped a trio of Tillsonburg, ON sisters from making a name for themselves in the country music community. The Small Town Girls (sisters, Haley, Hannah, and Cassie Van Maele) may not yet be household names or radio regulars, but these teenage musicians are doing the legwork that country music admires, as they hone their skills and put in their 10,000 hours on every stage they can. And some of those stages are pretty big! This February, The Small Town Girls will join Brett Kissel on tour as they open his show on the 23rd in North Bay, ON. Their opening spot on the We Were That Song Tour is their second appearance with Kissel, following up their January […]

January 25, 2018

In The Country with Dave Woods: One On One With Dani Strong

Tell me about one of your influences and how that artist has shaped you. Currently, Kacey Musgraves is a massive inspiration to me as a SONGWRITER. Kacey doesn’t seem to give a rip about what she does and does not “sell”. I really admire anyone who does what they want, because it is the art they want to create. In the “beginning”, when I was a kid, I always listened to older music. My mom must have thought I was on drugs. All my friends were listening to Our Lady Peace and The Offspring (we really only had one radio station in rural British Columbia), and I went and bought Full Moon Fever by Tom Petty and wore the S*$% out of that album and the […]

January 25, 2018

Ontario’s Country Music Pioneers: Mary Bailey

Born: Evelyn (Mary) Bailey – December 24, 1946 – Toronto, Ontario (by Larry Delaney) Mary Bailey earned early experience as a child performer working the Ontario music scene, including guest appearances on the Earl Heywood Show (Wingham) and The Ken Soble Amateur Hour Show (Hamilton). By her early teens, she put the entertainment world on hold, and later, began working as a jewellery fashion designer and Ontario regional manager for the Sarah Coventry Jewellery company. During this time, Mary developed keen skills as a songwriter and by the mid-1970’s, was signed to a recording contract with RCA Victor (Canada), releasing several singles, which earned national airplay and chart positions from 1976-79. These early career hits resulted in a 1977 nomination for Best New Female Artist […]

January 25, 2018

Patrice’s Pick: Brooklyn Roebuck

This month, our feature video from Patrice Whiffen at Country Music Junkies profiles Canadian country music artist, Brooklyn Roebuck! Brooklyn Roebuck talks about her current single, “Sweet on Me”. She also talks about how her sound and style have evolved, and what fans can expect from her new music due out in 2018. For more information about Brooklyn Roebuck, or to check out her current single, click here: https://www.brooklynroebuck.com/ For more on Country Music Junkies, visit www.CountryMusicJunkies.com. Listen to the exclusive interview with Brooklyn Roebuck below: 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 world. As a radio broadcaster with an inside view of the world of country […]

January 25, 2018

In The News (January)

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”. […]

December 21, 2017

A Message from the President (December 2017)

2017 has been an incredible year for the Country Music Association of Ontario and the continued success stories of our members. The Board of Directors would like to thank all of our members for their ongoing support and friendships. It really does feel like a big family. Our membership is at a record high and new members continue to join weekly, and as a gentle reminder, January 2018 is the month that memberships are to be renewed. Please visit our website at www.cmaontario.ca for online renewal. Tickets are going fast for the 2018 Award Show and CMAOntario members can still take advantage of a special members-only price. Promo codes to access the members’ discount will be sent to CMAOntario members via email through the Association. […]

December 21, 2017

Artist of the Month: Kelsi Mayne

Windsor, Ontario native Kelsi Mayne has been honing her musical craft for years, and in 2017, country music fans finally got an official taste of what she has to share with the world. Mayne’s debut single and video were released in October, and have caught the eyes and ears of fans with nearly 30,000 spins on YouTube and Spotify in its first two months. And while Still Not Over You may be her first original single, country fans may be familiar with Kelsi’s voice already from her covers of Sam Hunt’s Body Like A Back Road and Cam’s Burning House. All three songs showcase the talent that Kelsi possesses, and offer a glimpse at what we hope she has to share in the near future. […]

December 21, 2017

In The Country with Dave Woods: One On One With Brooklyn Roebuck

Brooklyn, tell us about your main influences and why those artists mean so much to you. My main musical influences are the Dixie Chicks, Pink and Taylor Swift. Each one of them is a very talented writer. They have a great ability to tell a story and make you feel what they are going through in their songs. Pink and Taylor go one step further for me, though. I am all about the show. The creativity these two artists have and how they leave their audiences in awe at their live shows is the kind of artist I strive to be. What have you learned about songwriting since writing your first song? Songwriting is such a journey. It’s amazing how much your writing can evolve […]

December 21, 2017

Ontario’s Country Music Pioneers: Jack Kingston

Born: October 4, 1925 – St. Catharines, Ontario Died: May 18, 1996 – St. Catharines, Ontario (by Larry Delaney) As a youngster, Jack Kingston sang in church choirs in his hometown of St. Catharines, Ontario and by his late teens, was performing on CKTB radio (St. Catharines) and formed the country band The Kingston Brothers with his brother Alex Kingston and friend Alex Dalgleish. After the break-up of the group in the late 1940’s, Jack Kingston joined the Wingham, Ontario-based CKNX “Traveling Barn Dance”, where he was nicknamed “The Yodeling Cowboy”. By the early 1950’s, Jack Kingston became the first Canadian country artist to be signed to Capitol Records (Canada), releasing two singles. Soon afterwards, Jack Kingston became a member of the famed Main Street […]