May 10, 2022
Growing up in Ajax, Ontario, Kris Barclay got his first guitar for Christmas when he was thirteen years old and would sing along to his favourite country songs when nobody was around. Fast forward – Kris has opened shows for Brett Kissel, The Washboard Union, The Road Hammers, Gord Bamford and Dean Brody. In 2019, Kris was nominated in the Rising Star category for the Country Music Awards of Ontario. At the 2018 Boots and Hearts Music Festival, Kris was voted by fans as the wildcard entry into the Emerging Artist Showcase, allowing him to compete against six other artists in front of a jury of country music artists and industry execs. Kris went on to become the first ever wildcard artist to win the […]
May 10, 2022
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”. […]
April 12, 2022
(English version follows) Avril étant le mois de sensibilisation à l’Autisme, il était impensable de ne pas parler de Vincent Bishop. Ce jeune auteur-compositeur-interprète trace son chemin dans l’industrie musicale loin des sentiers battus. Ses paroles sensibles et intelligentes, sa pédale « loop » qui ne chôme pas et son charisme qui sourit à travers chaque composition lui créent un style autant envoutant qu’accrocheur. Multi-instrumentiste, Vincent fait souvent appel à de rythmes entraînants et des mélodies légères pour transmettre des messages importants sur la différence et la discrimination dans ses chansons, ayant lui-même été diagnostiqué comme atteint du syndrome d’Asperger, un trouble du spectre autistique (TSA). Il est également très impliqué dans les écoles, où il offre des ateliers et des conférences pour sensibiliser les jeunes. Son […]
April 12, 2022
// by Larry Delaney // (Born: Bowmanville, ON) (#62 in the Ontario Pioneers Series) Tim Taylor is one of those guys who has done it all… and he’s still doing it!! Singer, songwriter, recording artist, touring act, award winner – Tim Taylor can answer to all of that. Born in Bowmanville, Ontario, Tim Taylor spent his high school years in a variety of rock bands, playing school dances and social events. He eventually “graduated” to perform professionally with the country band, Buckshot. By the late 1970s, he had teamed up with vocalist Anita Perras, both on-stage and eventually, as a married couple. They quickly honed their talents and recorded a debut album, “Bought And Paid For”. Several hit single releases followed – separately and as a […]
April 12, 2022
Barrie’s Brian John Harwood believes the path to success in the music business is paved with hard work and songs that come from an honest place. You can get to know Brian by listening to his songs and watching his music videos “All That I Was Missing”, “Dad”, “Good Boy”, “First”, etc. He believes in sharing who he is and what he values through his writing. Brian has just released his new single “Savin’ Up For A Friday” featuring the legendary Jason McCoy. The song was written by Brian, Jason & Dustin Bird – Dustin produced the track. Along with his successful singles as a solo artist, Brian is also known for being 1/2 of the country duo Kansas Stone along with Matt Davey. We […]
April 12, 2022
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”. […]
March 11, 2022
When any artist or band can list Garth Brooks and Asleep at the Wheel’s Ray Benson among their many fans, they must be hitting a lot of home runs. Easily Canada’s premier Western Swing group, The Western Swing Authority’s pedigree is overflowing with the talent of its A-list members – some of the country’s finest touring and studio musicians. Celebrating their 13th year of swinging this April, it’s truly a labour of love for this crew and it shows if you’ve ever witnessed a live WSA gig. If you haven’t, order their DVD The Western Swing Authority – LIVE in Full Swing – A High Brow Hootenanny, settle into your couch and be prepared to book therapy for sore cheeks the next day. That might […]
March 11, 2022
// by Larry Delaney // (Born: January 20 – Montreal, QC) (#61 in the Ontario Pioneers Series) Cliff Edwards grew up in a musical family and while in high school in Montreal, formed his first band, The Strata-Cats, performing a mix of rockabilly and country. He later headed up the group The Counts Four, and hosted the TV Show “Hurtin’ Songs”, aired on CFCF in Montreal. Cliff’s late brother, Brian Edwards, was an early career guest on the TV show and he later became lead voice for the Canadian rock band Mashmakhan. In 1965, Cliff Edwards formed the group The Five Bells, which would soon undergo a name change to The Bells. The group included sisters Ann and Jacki Ralph and pianist Frank Mills, who […]
March 11, 2022
Charissa joins me on this edition of In The Country. She’s a storyteller – and the best stories are ones that don’t shy away from honesty. The Burlington, Ontario singer has been honing her thoughtful, meditative approach to songwriting since she was a kid, combining lush, flowing arrangements with earthy Americana and laidback soul to create a sound that is uniquely her own. Music was a constant in her home growing up, and after singing along to hits by Queen, Allison Krauss, Whitney Houston, Stevie Nicks, and Blue Rodeo before she hit age 10, her parents decided to sign her up for vocal lessons where she further developed her passion for music and later started to learn to play the guitar. Charissa has found a […]
March 11, 2022
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”. […]
February 7, 2022
Jason Blaine may sing about being “Born to Love”, but he really was born to entertain and has a track record to prove it. Growing up in Pembroke, Ontario, Jason and his family moved to Nashville in 2006, where he got to work as a songwriter. His single “Rock In My Boot” would be released just one year later and would thrust him into the spotlight as his first number one song. It’s also one of 25 Billboard charting tracks for Jason to date. His love for country music has solidified his role in the industry as a top songwriter, artist and entertainer. Countless CCMA, SOCAN, and CMAOntario awards, over 10 million streams across DSPs, and seven albums (soon to be eight) round out Jason’s […]
February 7, 2022
// by Larry Delaney // (Born: March 1, 1945 – Ottawa, Ontario) (#60 in the Ontario Pioneers Series) Peter Hodgson may not be a name that strikes familiarity among country music fans… but mention the name “Sneezy Waters”, and immediately many more know who you are speaking of. “Sneezy Waters” – aka Peter Hodgson – has been recognized in the music world for more than half a century, most notably in the leading role portraying the immortal Hank Williams in the stage play and movie “Hank Williams: The Show He Never Gave”. The Ottawa-born performer first attracted attention in the duo “Nev & Pete” with long-time friend and fellow entertainer Neville Wells. As a “folk” duo, they worked major stages and venues in Ottawa and […]
February 7, 2022
Northern Ontario’s Rosewood Ave – married duo Sabrina & Dave – pivoted to live streams when the pandemic began. And those live streams really took off and built a huge audience of viewers, listeners & supporters. In early 2021, the duo released their debut single “Fool For Love” produced by famed producer Garth Fundis who has produced for the likes of Alabama, Sugarland and Trisha Yearwood. Though not written by the duo, the song summed up their own love story and their belief in taking chances without fear. They followed that release up with the rootsy single “Broke” written by Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne. Tune in to hear Sabrina & Dave chat with Dave Woods about their music career (influences, songwriting […]
February 7, 2022
Signed to MDM Recordings Inc. in 2019, Surrey, BC’s Tyler Joe Miller has swiftly begun to make a name for himself in Canadian country music. After releasing his gold-certified debut single, ‘Pillow Talkin’’ at the end of 2019, the catchy tune quickly earned him the title of iHeartRadio Future Star at the beginning of 2020, and became his first #1 single at Canadian country radio. What followed was an unprecedented and record breaking climb with follow-up single ‘I Would Be Over Me Too’, also gold-certified, which steadily rose on the charts and earned Miller the title of the first independent Canadian country artist to reach #1 at radio with his first two singles. Ending 2020 on a high, Miller was nominated for the CCMA ‘Rising Star’ Award, and […]
February 7, 2022
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”. […]
January 12, 2022
Anyone who follows Genevieve Fisher would probably notice that she doesn’t use the brakes much. Nope. Her foot’s on that long skinny pedal most of the time, taking some corners on two wheels. If you’re counting, you will notice that Genevieve has charted 9 top 50 singles, with “Take It On Home” and “You Me We” climbing into Canada’s Top 20 and Top 30 respectively. She even invaded the Top 40 with two singles simultaneously: her duet with David James, “Then There’s You” and her solo release, “Playing Favourites”. London-born and raised, her Indigenous heritage qualified her to register three number one hits on the North American Indigenous Music Countdown chart. Genevieve has carefully built a creative team around her, writing with some of country […]
January 12, 2022
// by Larry Delaney // (Born: February 26, 1941 – Froomfield [Sarnia], Ontario) (Died: December 31, 2020 – Sarnia, Ontario) (#59 in the Ontario Pioneers Series) Jimmy Phair was born February 26, 1941, in Froomfield (near Sarnia, Ontario). He received his first guitar – made from a cigar box – at age four and has never looked back. By the time he was 14, he was guesting on his first radio show, aired out of Marine City, Michigan. Soon afterwards, he was appearing regularly on his hometown radio station CHOK, which led to the hosting of his own radio show on the station. In 1962, Phair took his live show on the road, touring extensively in Ontario, Quebec and into the USA. He often shared […]
January 12, 2022
Ontario’s Scotty Kipfer recently released a new single “Wading In The Water” from his Taking My Time album. He’s here to share that song & some others. Plus, he’ll chat with me about his music career, including the artist & song that influenced his music the most. Scotty will also talk about his engagement (he is now married!), the WSA and much more. Scotty was born into a musical family and grew up in small-town Milverton, Ontario, surrounded by musicians who always encouraged him to play. By three years old, he was tagging along with his dad to perform with the Milverton Legion Band at local nursing homes, with a plastic saxophone in tow. At seven, he was playing fiddle in a family band. He […]
January 12, 2022
Nice Horse is wild: wildly talented, wildly entertaining, fun, fresh, fierce and feisty, and they’ve established themselves as one of the most buzzed-about and fast-rising groups in the Canadian music industry. A live act to be reckoned with, the self-contained all-female group has played high-profile festivals across Canada including Boots & Hearts, Big Valley Jamboree, and the Calgary Stampede, and has performed in Spain and France. They have also toured as direct support for legendary artists such as Tom Cochrane and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The band, made up of Katie Rox (vocals / banjo / acoustic guitar), Brandi Sidoryk (vocals / bass), Tara McLeod (vocals / electric guitar), and Krista Wodelet (vocals / drums), has garnered significant accolades since forming in 2015, including […]
January 12, 2022
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”. […]