In The Country with Dave Woods

A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Arlene Quinn is an award-winning performer and songwriter who has shared the stage with Kenny Rogers, Loretta Lynn, Lorrie Morgan, and Terri Clark. Her previous releases have been played in more than 63 countries. Arlene's voice is rich and smooth with a vast vocal range. She is also a natural entertainer with a positive onstage energy. It is no wonder that she has over 25,000 followers on social media. Beginning with her first performance at age five, she has risen to incredible heights in country music. When she re-entered the music scene in 2016, she came back with a bang. Her first single, “Nowhere To Go But Up” was #1 on Music Road Radio for 12 weeks and earned her Top Artist from the Chris Top Program in Nashville. In 2017, “Life is Good” won Top Song at Nashville's Country Music Week and Arlene was featured in the Canadian Women Songwriters' Showcase in Nashville. Then came “Jackpot” in 2019 that has over 35,000 streams on Spotify, reached #3 on the International Country Music Chart, was in the top five downloaded songs on Nashville's Music Row Chart and has over 17,000 spins on US radio! Alene's current single “Wonder Woman” is an upbeat and inspiring song about never giving up, the power of friendship and a reminder that inside each of us is the heart of a hero

Hailing from the picturesque town of Conception Bay South, Newfoundland, Justin Fancy swiftly emerged as a rising star on the Canadian Country music scene with the release of his debut single in 2020. His passion for storytelling and his authentic East Coast charm are woven into every lyric and melody he crafts. With the release of his debut album Sure Beats A Good Time in 2021, Justin secured Music NL's Awards for Country Artist of the Year and Rising Star of the Year, the first time the same artist has won both awards in the same year. In 2022, Justin was the recipient of the coveted East Coast Music Award for Fan's Choice Entertainer of the Year, a resounding testament to the strong connection he has with his fans. Justin has quickly gained accolades for his dynamic live performances, sharing the stage with Canadian chart-toppers such as Brett Kissel, Meghan Patrick, The Washboard Union, Robin Ottolini, and The Reklaws. Justin visits the ITC podcast to chat about his journey in music and his new album Whiskey And Me featuring the current single "Go Easy".  

As she celebrates her 30th year in country music, Lisa Brokop is grateful to still be doing what she loves. It's that winning combination of gratitude, youthful exuberance and seasoned wisdom that inform Brokop's new album Who's Gonna Fill Their Heels?  The title track - featuring Georgette Jones - offers a female spin on the George Jones hit "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes" and pays tribute to Dolly, Patsy, Tammy and many more female country stars. The album features three great country covers - Delta Dawn, Harper Valley PTA & She's Got You. The mesmerizing lead single “Come Back Bobbie Gentry” written by Lisa and her singer/songwriter husband Paul Jefferson sets the tone for the new collection.  The Vancouver-born artist who has called Nashville her home for years is currently on tour with husband Paul as they both pay tribute to country legends. Lisa with The Patsy Cline Project & Paul with Hank LIves - a tribute to Hank Williams. Learn more about Lisa in this chat featuring 3 tracks from the new album as well as a past top 20 hit "Give Me A Ring Sometime".

Jessica Lavallee drops by the podcast to chat about her music career & her new single "Highway Say Hello"! Plus, we'll feature her previous single "Small Town Girl". About Jessica Lavallee (by Soundcheck Entertainment) Born on the northern reaches of Newfoundland and Labrador, Jessica Lavallee was raised in the remote village of Lourdes-de-Blanc-Sablon on the lower north shore of Quebec, an area unique to the province due to its proximity to Newfoundland and Labrador, and Canada's east coast.   Jessica's love and natural ear for music began when she was just two years old years while listening to her father - also a musician - play the guitar, fiddle, accordion, and harmonica. Jessica made her initial debut at six years old with her father's band, playing in a local festival in Labrador close to home.  Jessica has travelled the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador playing local venues and on board an American cruise ship when it set ashore. A graduate of the Music Industry and Performance program at the College of the North Atlantic in Stephenville, NL, Jessica was twice featured on Canadian Idol and made top ten on Country Music Television's Karaoke Star.

Ottawa Valley's River Town Saints (Chris McComb, Jeremy Bortot, Chase Kasner & Joe Patrois) have just dropped their highly anticipated new single, "She Got That" which is a co-write with Jason Blaine. It marks their first release under their new recording deal with Sakamoto Music, distributed by Warner Music Canada. "We can't wait for you to hear the new music that we've been working hard on this year, and to be able to release it with our new label Sakamoto Music!" says River Town Saints.  "We are overjoyed to welcome the talent of River Town Saints to the Sakamoto Music family," says Joelle May, Director of Promotions & Artist Services at Sakamoto Music. "Their journey, marked by hard work and remarkable skills, is truly commendable. 'She Got That' showcases their irresistible music and reaffirms their undeniable talent." "The entire team at Sakamoto Agency have been so supportive to River Town Saints and we are thrilled to be expanding our relationship to include their label side, Sakamoto Music," says Tina Simpkin, the band's manager. River Town Saints have much to celebrate in recent years, boasting an impressive 20 million audio streams and video views, a top 10 hit with their single “Bonfire,” CCMA Award nominations, CMAO and Canadian Radio Music Award wins, tours with Tim Hicks and Kip Moore and spots on the country's biggest festivals. Chris & Chase join me on the show for a great chat to talk about the group & their latest music.  

Ontario's Augusta Ray - you can call her Gus - recently released her sassy new single "Your Ex" which was inspired by real life. It's the follow up to her previous single "Waste Of Lime". Growing up in Toronto,on a solid diet of eclectic music acts such as Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and Shania Twain, shaped her unique country-rock sound. Augusta's incredible vocal talent, accompanying her beautifully-crafted songs and energetic, engaging stage presence, has made her the darlin' of the stage everywhere she goes. Over the course of her career, she has shared stages with notable acts such as Trace Adkins, Montgomery Gentry, Big & Rich, Cam, Michael Ray, Toby Keith, Jess Moskaluke, Brett Kissel and Tim Hicks among others. In November of 2019, Augusta was invited to make her debut at the legendary Bluebird Café in Nashville, and has since made several appearances there as a featured writer. Since January 2020, Augusta has been able to combine her passion for music with her passion for travel, through working with Carnival Cruise Line as a guitar soloist. Since starting with the company, Augusta has performed on five different ships, and has travelled to countless countries. In 2022 alone, Augusta travelled to 13 different countries. Most recently, Augusta completed a contract on the Carnival Luminosa, as a member of the ship's inaugural entertainment // musician team. This contract was based out of Australia, with stops in New Zealand and Fiji.  ​In addition to her love for music, Augusta is a proud mental health advocate, with a passion of promoting the importance of self-love and self-acceptance. This comes from overcoming her own struggles after being diagnosed with an eating disorder and beating it! Augusta often takes to her social media outlets to spread messages of empowerment and self-love.

James Downham's latest track “Wine & Whiskey” isn't a country drinking song - as you might think. Rather, this song is about having someone in your life who can do more for you than wine or whiskey ever could. After a hard day, they're the first person you want to see and the first person you want to talk to. “You can wash away any kind of pain. You're my remedy. You're my wine and whiskey.” “Wine & Whiskey” is the latest release from James' debut full-length album The Long Way Home. The track features an all-star cast of musicians, including 2022 CCMA Award Winner Mitch Jay (Steel Guitar Player of the Year, Specialty Instrument Player of the Year) and 2022 CCMA Award Nominees Mark Rynkun (Bass Player of the Year) and Rich DaSilva (Drummer of the Year). And produced by Matt Koebel. Raised in small town rural Ontario, James called Pembroke and Picton home before settling in Southwestern Ontario. He lives in Stratford, with his wife, Ange. Earlier releases from the album included 2022's radio releases “One Mile at a Time” and “Raised On”, as well as critically acclaimed 2021 single, “We're Okay”, a powerful duet with fellow country artist Amanda Kind. James was winner of Season 2 of The Shot, and was recently selected from thousands of applicants as one of only 14 artists to participate in The Shot: Canada vs. USA. Touted as “North America's most intense virtual songwriting competition.” He spent over a decade performing in a Tim McGraw tribute act before turning his attention back to original music. Tune in to hear my chat with James about his career & new music.

Canadian country act Runaway Angel is BACK and thrilled to have recently released their new single “Beach Please” on all streaming platforms & Canadian country radio via RÊVE MUSIC/The Orchard.  Co-written in Nashville with Kate Linné Malone and produced by Adam Newcomb, “Beach Please” is the tenth anniversary single from the trio of Cadence Grace, Ann Chaplin, and Stacey Zegers.  Cadence says, “We were ready to write a fun ‘beach' song. When Kate played us this cool beat and bass line, we loved it and Ann jokingly said, ‘Beach Please'. It stuck, so we started piecing together a vision and it led to a track that we feel will make people laugh, smile, sing and dance.” “Beach Please” is a poignant milestone as the group's first new music since Grace's leukemia diagnosis in 2018. Following a courageous journey – which included a personal blog, a life-saving bone marrow transplant, receiving the Extraordinary CML Story Award at the 2019 Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Network Conference, and earning the Country Music Association of Ontario's Holly and Steve Kassay Generous Spirit Award – Grace and her fellow Angels have emerged stronger and closer with a renewed purpose and a bolder emphasis on authenticity. Launched in 2013, the Ontario-based Runaway Angel caught fire as 2016 CCMA Discovery Artist nominees, later earning them 7 CMA Ontario nominations across two albums – “No End in Sight” and “Zero”, which both reached the iTunes Canadian Country Top 5 – and singles like “Witness”, a Top 50 Canadian radio hit that earned 150K Spotify streams. Beyond playing festivals like Boots and Hearts and The Havelock Jamboree, the group has also toured across Canada and Europe.

With over 20 million worldwide streams, Alberta born artist Dan Davidson has created undeniable momentum. His latest single “Girl Drinks Beer” featuring Travis Collins and Australian tour cap off a banner year. His early 2022 EP 6 Songs To Midnight marked a pivotal moment of his career, closing his previous chapter and embarking on a new era as a multifaceted artist, songwriter and producer. With the EP debuting at #1 on the iTunes sales chart in Canada, Davidson took his new collection of music on a European tour, and returned home to a CCMA nomination for Record Producer of the Year. It was at the CCMA Awards that he celebrated receiving a Platinum record for his sophomore single "Found". Dan exploded onto the Canadian country scene in 2016 when the release of his second single "Found" (co-written by Clayton Bellamy of The Road Hammers) sky-rocketed up the charts and he became the #1 charting indie artist in Canada. It was also the #1 selling Canadian country song for several weeks and went on to become certified Platinum in Canada. Since then, the rising artist has seen 6 CCMA Award nominations, 10 ACMA awards, and Top 20 charting numbers. He may be only 6 years into his country career, but Davidson is far from "green" in the music industry. He spent over 10 years playing in the well-known Canadian indie rock band Tupelo Honey, who had several top 40 hits, top selling iTunes records and toured with bands like Bon Jovi.

Since forming in 1994, Doc Walker, composed of Chris Thorsteinson and Dave Wasyliw, have become one of Canada's most recognized country acts. Over nearly three decades, together they have achieved 1 JUNO Award, 14 Canadian Country Music Association Awards, 21 Top 10 Canadian country radio singles, eight #1 CMT videos and accumulated millions of streams.  Doc Walker's unshakable creative partnership and overall drive to explore new musical approaches, has kept their sound fresh since releasing their breakthrough album, Curve in 2001.  In 2021, the duo released “She Wants What She Wants,” their first new music since the 2017 album, Weathervane. This September, Doc Walker celebrated the 20th anniversary of the iconic hit "Rocket Girl" and released a remixed version that they are excited to share with fans. Chris and Dave just wrapped up a buch of shows as direct support for two of country music's most iconic acts Sawyer Brown & Lonestar. The co-headline tour featured Doc Walker and George Canyon as special guests and included tour stops across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia,

East-coast raised, Nashville based artist Mallory Johnson recently released her debut full length album Surprise Party. Produced by Grammy and Oscar award nominated producer Kent Wells (Dolly Parton, Paul Anka, Carly Pearce), Mallory collaborated with close friends and industry heavy hitters to co-write the album, including the likes of Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Patricia Conroy, Tenille Arts, Carli & Julie Kennedy (Twin Kennedy), Jason Blaine, and Kelly Prescott. "This album originally began as a 6-song EP with little direction, just songs I really loved or had planned on releasing as singles. I had already started pre-production with my producer Kent Wells when one evening I got together with Carli and Julie Kennedy and we started writing “Surprise Party.” Something clicked after we finished writing this song and the theme of the entire record just organically fell into place. It felt serendipitous," Mallory shares on the natural way in which the album came together. A CCMA-nominated artist, Mallory is turning heads in the country music scene with her recent Billboard-charting single (“Married”) and multiple award wins at the ECMAs and MusicNL Awards. The 2022 SiriusXM Top of the Country Semi-Finalist has received praise from the likes of CMT, The Boot, The Bluegrass Situation, and American Songwriter.

Ontario's Don Graham has his version of "The Hustler" (produced by John Dawson) included on the new 3 CD Tribute To A Songpoet: Songs Of Eric Andersen. Don was inspired by Eric to pick up the guitar in the first place and, years later, the two became friends. Tune in to hear some great stories from Don plus I'll play his take on "The Hustler".

Newfoundland's Jason Benoit is gearing up to release his EP ‘Time Traveller Side B' in early 2023 building off the success of the critically acclaimed ‘Time Traveller Side A' which has achieved almost two million global streams to date. Jason, who co-wrote and co-produced the lead single ‘Time Traveller', which was released on October 7th, reflects on the journey that brought him to telling this story. Jason goes on to say, “I've always been a sucker for a song that has a double meaning and I thought it would be a challenge to write a song called "Time Traveller" because Sci-fi and country music rarely fit together. So, me and my good buddy Gerry Foote took on that challenge head on and sat down with a couple beers on a sunny summer afternoon and wrote it and we are really proud of what we created.” Running with the momentum of a year full of shows including Canadian Music Week in Toronto, CCMA Songwriters Unplugged, supporting Tenille Townes and numerous festivals across the country ‘Time Traveller' has already landed on editorial playlists on major digital streaming platforms including Spotify's New Music Friday Country and Live Country and Amazon Music's Just North of Nashville, Brand New Music, Fresh Country and more. Benoit's previous single, ‘Shootin' Me Down' is currently #48 on the Billboard Canada Country Chart. Recently nominated for 5 MusicNL Awards, including Indigenous Artist of the Year, Country Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Solo Artist of the Year and Fan's Choice Entertainer of the Year, Jason Benoit appreciates the support that he gets from his home province.      

Kelowna, BC Métis artist Teigen Gayse has just released her new single “I Don't Need A Boy” and announced her new signings with both Paquin Artist Agency and Steer, a division of RGK.  Describing her new single as, "a fun song about feeling strong, fierce and being perfectly and incandescently happy on your own,” Teigen has been making a name for herself through anthems that uplift and inspire confidence. With millions of catalog streams to date and over 11 million TikTok views, Teigen came to the forefront of artists to watch with her 2022 release "Messed Up," which surpassed over 700K streams on its own. Her success kicked off with the 2021 single "I Don't Wanna Fall In Love Anymore," taking home the honour of Trending Track from Stingray Radio while hitting #43 on the Billboard Country Music charts, and amassing over 350,000 streams. An impressive feat for an independent artist, her follow up single "Blame the Wine" reached #46 on the Billboard charts. Keep an eye on Teigen's social media accounts to see her upcoming music video for “I Don't Need A Boy”.

Ontario's Dustin Bird has partnered with award-winning Canadian film The Long Rider for the just released official music video of his single "Cowboy Stay". On working with Dustin on this music video, The Long Rider director Sean Cisterna says: "Dustin Bird's Cowboy Stay is the perfect musical companion to The Long Rider. Not only does his music fit the style and tone of our documentary, but the themes in his song are emotionally resonant to what Filipe experienced on his epic journey across the Americas.” Continuing to push boundaries within the country genre, the video follows Dustin's powerful anthem for equality, “Hating On Love.” The track completes the trilogy story that Dustin has been unveiling with his recent releases. In his 2021 single "Get Go" (2022 Indie Award nominated) where Dustin proclaims his love for a partner he has yet to meet. In "Cowboy Stay" the lovers have united with a bond so strong that even a wild cowboy will hang up his hat and settle down. Finally, in “Hating On Love” that love, no matter who its with, it celebrating in full force. Dustin Bird's latest collection of new music follows his debut album Unscripted, which landed in the iTunes Top 10 upon its 2021 release. With a unique sound that takes the best from the classics and infuses forward-thinking songwriting and production, Dustin Bird brings a fresh face to country music and continues to push boundaries within the genre.. As a performer with a natural love for entertaining an audience, Dustin Bird has played major festivals such as Boots and Hearts, Havelock Jamboree, Kempenfest and more. His tour history also includes opening for major Canadian acts such as Tyler Shaw, Tim Hicks, Jess Moskaluke and The Washboard Union, among others.

Port Rowan, Ontario's Tia McGraff is a multi-talented, award-winning singer, songwriter, performer, author and podcast host. Along with her husband and co-writer Tommy Parham, the skilled songstress has been making impactful and thought-provoking art for well over a decade. Bringing together a burning passion for the art of music and an honesty that is long lost on today's modern charts, Tia McGraff is a trailblazer in her genre, one's whose efforts have made her a beloved figure on the international music scene. Her latest release is her EP called With Love which was released back on Sept 3rd which commemorates the passing of her beloved dog Jake.

Quebec's Justine Blanchet drops by the podcast to share hew new single with us! While Justine divides her time between her native city of Montreal and Nashville, “Hard to Love” represents a lot of notable Nashville firsts for her. It's her first collaboration with hitmaking Nashville producer Danick Dupelle (Emerson Drive, Tebey, Tyler Joe Miller, Matt Lang), her first single to be produced in Music City, and the upcoming music video was also filmed there. This single is also the first release from her debut EP that will drop in 2023. She'll be returning to Nashville in the fall to finish it. Written by a trio of noted songwriters - Courtney Cole, Derrick Southerland, and Kelly Archer – “Hard to Love” offers an inviting country flavour crossed with modern pop in its examination of love that's just out of reach. “Hard to Love” follows eight past single releases for Justine – including 2019's “Strong” (over 175K streams on Spotify) and 2021's “Get Out of the Mud” (#4 on CBC Country/Sirius XM) – and live show highlights like the Festival Country Lotbinière, the Gatlingburg Songwriter's Festival, Big Valley Jamboree, the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, and a pair of Diamonds in the Rough showcases during Canadian Country Music Week.

Kitchener, Ontario's Angeleica Appelman recently released her third single "U-Turn". The song was written by Angelica along with David Madras. “I love the story we're telling with ‘U-Turn' because it feels like such a relatable topic that we hear so often with the current dating landscape. I think this song reminds us to keep hope because it just takes that one person to change your perspective,” says Angelica. “We wrote U-Turn last fall and it was after a summer I spent with someone who treated me so well and had really transformed my mindset on romantic relationships," explains Angelica. "I wanted to write a song with a more positive outlook about being in the dating scene because I think it is a time where you can really grow by being open to new experiences and new people.” The new single is the follow up to Angelica's two previous releases "Happy Place" & "Guilt Trip". Tune in to hear my chat with Angelica about her music career, songwriting and latest release.

Multiple award-winning Alberta-based country band Nice Horse recently received a Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) award nomination for Video of the Year for their music video for "High School". In addition to being nominated as a band, the members of Nice Horse were also all individually nominated for CCMA Awards. Brandi Sidoryk (vocals/bass) was nominated for Bass Player of the Year, Tara McLeod (electric guitar) was nominated for Guitar Player of the Year, Katie Rox (vocals/banjo/acoustic guitar) was nominated for Specialty Instrument Player of the Year, and Krista Wodelet (vocals/drums) made history as the first-ever nominee for Drummer of the Year.  “We are beyond thrilled, and honoured to have received these nominations. As a band, it truly means a lot to be recognized for our musicianship. We love playing together and we love that other artists give us a chance to play for them too. We feel it is incredibly unique that we each got a nod for doing what we love to do, and really cool that Krista made history as the first female to be nominated in the Drummer of the Year category,” says Katie Rox of Nice Horse. “As for the Video of the Year nomination, it is particularly special to us because that is a video we made ourselves. We shot everything ourselves on our iPhones using green screens, did our own wardrobe, hair, makeup, collected all of the High School photos from fans and friends, and Brandi and Krista directed the entire video and put it all together. We are so proud of it, and it feels pretty great to see that hard work pay off in a nomination like this."

Ontario's Shaylyn is here to chat about her music career, her love of traditional country music as well as her new single "Favourite Hello, Hardest Goodbye". It's the follow up release to her popular single "The Drink". Shaylyn released her first album in 2017 titled Lovin' The Legends which included her very first penned original "Nana's Little Girl" as a tribute to her supportive Nana. The great thing about Shaylyn's shows is she is keeping country music's past alive in the classic songs she covers. A modern girl with a traditional sound.  

Growing up in Merlin, Ontario, a small Canadian farming community near Chatham, Michelle Wright heard the rhythm & blues and Motown hits coming out of Detroit, just forty-five minutes away. But especially, she heard the strains of country music since her parents were both country performers. "My earliest memories of music are singing in the car or spending the weekend with my father after my parents separated and watching him put on a rhinestone-studded suit to perform in." As a young girl, she tagged along to countless shows. "We were never a family band, but I got a lot of inspiration and encouragement from my mother. That's where my love of country music really began." In 1992, Arista released  Now & Then whichproduced a total of six singles included, including "One Time Around," "Guitar Talk," "He Would Be Sixteen," and the song that changed everything,"Take It Like A Man." . One of the tracks on Michelle's new project - the lead single - is "Small Town,"  Michelle says: "It's a song that I co-wrote with Rick Ferrell and up-and-coming Canadian singer/songwriter Danielle Bourjeaurd. It was our first time writing together, and as we were tossing around ideas, Danielle began to ask me questions about my career. It was fun to reminisce, and at one point, she said, "That's what we need to write. We need to write your story." At first, I wasn't so sure if I wanted to write about myself, but once it started to present itself on the page, the song unfolded organically. In 3 minutes and 38 seconds," Small Town" says so much about the road that I've been on all these years. It makes me smile when I listen to it."

Singing has been Raquel Cole's first love for as long as she can remember. She got her first guitar at the age of nine and started to write songs not long after that. She was inspired by hit songs she heard on the radio from artists like Shania Twain and Bryan Adams, but also from jamming with her dad, a drummer, in the basement learning how to play 70's rock and roll.  After graduating high school, Raquel had planned to go on to study jazz guitar, but not being able to deny her desire to be in Nashville writing songs, she respectfully declined her acceptance to Capilano University in North Vancouver and instead made the move to Nashville. Her debut album "Personal Truth" was released in 2018. Raquel has also found success writing for other artists and claims her first Billboard Top 10 Country charting song recorded by superstar Marie Osmond. In 2020, Raquel became a semi- finalist for the Sirius XM ‘Top of the Country' nationwide contest in Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Country Music Association. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, she began working on a stripped-down passion project. Recording three songs that she co-wrote where she played all guitars on the project & recorded her distinct vocals, adding cello to the songs as well. The result, “The Essence of Me”, was released in August 2020, which has racked up nearly 250,000 streams globally. Raquel's most recent single “Think About You” continues to win her new fans. Currently, country radio & country fans are loving her song with Don Amero entitled "Let You" for which there is a music video. Raquel will be performing at the Cavendish Beach Music Festival which runs July 7th through July 9th in Cavendish, PEI. Full schedule & tickets at cavendishbeachmusic.com.  

Signed to MDM Recordings Inc. in 2019, British Columbia's Tyler Joe Miller quickly began to make a name for himself in Canadian country music and continues his meteoric rise with the release of his latest single ‘Wild As Her'. 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 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', which steadily rose on the charts and earned Miller the distinction as the first independent Canadian country artist to reach #1 at radio with their first two singles. Tyler Joe's debut EP Sometimes I Don't, But Sometimes I Do has amassed over 20 million combined streams to date, with sophomore single ‘Fighting' hitting the Top 10 and title-track ‘Sometimes I Do' reaching the Top 5 respectively. Most recently, Miller was named SiriusXM's 2021 Top of the Country winner and was nominated for four 2021 CCMA Awards including “Album of the Year”, “Male Artist of the Year”, “Rising Star”, and “Fan's Choice”.  In 2022, Tyler Joe won the following 2022 British Columbia Music Association (BCCMA) Awards: Single of the Year, Album of the Year & SOCAN Songwriter of the Year. Tyler Joe will play the Cavendish Beach Music Festival in in Cavendish, PEI in early July. Full details at cavendishbeachmusicfestival.com.  

ANIKA's new seven-track EP Stand Still: Side A is a departure from her previous work and takes listeners on a journey of love's ups and downs through the her eyes. The project will be broken down into two EPs and one deluxe album, delivering a total of 14 songs that ANNIKA co-wrote, most of them with her JUNO award-winning husband Spencer Cheyne who also produced the project.  ANNIKApairs soulful melodies with heartfelt lyrics to create music that always leaves a lasting impression, as displayed in tracks such as "It Still Hurts," “Blind Love” and “Love Looks Like You”. Her sophomore single, "Encore” (a duet with Bett Kissel) debuted in the Top 10 on the iTunes country store and at No.48 on the iTunes All Genre Chart, accumulating over 150,000 overall streams in its first month of release.  The EP's title track “Stand Still” was recorded as an acoustic song with only piano and vocals, highlighting the beauty of remaining quiet and content in a world that is in a constant state of motion.  ANNIKA also finds a way to highlight her lively spirit on the EP through upbeat, toe-tapping, musical jams like "The Death of Me" and "I Really Don't Want To." Following its release, "I Really Don't Want To" was added to over 20 Canadian country radio stations, reaching No.33 on the CBC Country Top 40 chart, Top 40 at Mediabase, and Top 50 on the Billboard Country Chart. ANNIKA was also featured in the Billboard MRC Canadian Music Newsletter (July 2021) and was named the iHeart Radio Future Star (July/August 2021). 

Manitoba country artist Emma Peterson has just released her debut album Just For The Record available for streaming everywhere.. "I am so thrilled to release my debut album Just For The Record. This album encompasses my story and the first songs I have been able to share with the world," says Emma. "Just For The Record is about finding inspiration in goodbye, and in this case it is a fun song! Whether it be driving down backroads, or experiencing your first heartbreak - I hope this album will connect with others in the way that music has always connected with me. Songs like Maybe Tonight and Backroad Dreams are true stories of growing up in my hometown. I couldn't be more excited to share this part of me!" With little professional training outside of the YouTube tutorials she watched to teach herself how to play her $50 Walmart guitar, Emma's rise began in 2016 when she earned a top spot in CMT's Chevy Tailgate Contest. Becoming one of the Top 4 finalists in the country, her original song was featured on CMT's Chevy Top 20 Countdown, meeting the ears of listeners across Canada. Since then, Emma has continued to perform at numerous venues across the province and beyond, including an appearance at Dauphin's Countryfest, sharing a stage with some of the country's biggest breakout stars, Andrew Hyatt and Chris Buck Band. Following her 2019 debut single "Maybe Tonight". Emma received multiple Manitoba Country Music Awards nominations including Fans' Choice, Female Artist and Music Video of the Year, and ultimately took home a win in the Emerging Artist category.  

Saskatchewan's Shantaia is riding a big wave of success these days wth her top 40 Country single "Broke To Brand New", her recent tour as a show opener for The Washboard Union and her place as a semi-fnalist in the CCMA's SiriusXM Top Of The Country competition. In 2019, she was named the Saskatchewan Country Music Association's Emerging Artist of the Year. She has shared the stage with the likes of Kane Brown, Chris Lane, Ryan Hurd, Emerson Drive, and Charlie Major, and has performed on some of the top stages such as Nashville's Whiskey Jam, The Listening Room Cafe, Americana Fest, Cavendish Beach Music Festival, and Dauphin's Countryfest. Earning multiple Saskatchewan Music Award nominations, along with the SCMA  Award for Emerging Artist of the Year, Shantaia continued her climb to success with her most recent single "Had A Good Weekend" which landed placement on CMT, and became her highest charting single to date, hitting #354 on BDS Billboard and #52 on Mediabase. Tune in to learn all about Shantaia's music journey that has takeh her from Spiritwood, Saskatchewan to Nashville, Tennessee!

BC country artist Teigen Gayse's 2021 single "I Don't Wanna Fall In Love Anymore" has almost 3 Million TikTok views to date, and took home the honour of Trending Track from Stingray Radio while hitting #43 on the Billboard Country Music charts, and amassing over 350,000 streams. An impressive feat for an independent artist, her follow up single "Blame the Wine" reached #46 on the Billboard charts and is currently on the rise. Teigen's new single "Messed Up" was written by Teigen, Jimmy Thow, Jordan Oorebeek & Chris Buck and was produced by Jimmy and Jordan. Of the release, Teigen says: "This last year has been such an incredible journey for for me and I'm so excited and proud of the body of music I've been creating with my closest friends. My new single 'Messed Up' is about being so undeniably and unapologetically in love with someone. I hope everyone loves it as much as I do". THe single has seen great digital streaming support from Amazon Music's Breakthrough Country, Fresh Country, and Brand New Music, and Spotify's Live Country and New Music Friday Canada After picking up her first guitar at the age of 13, it wasn't long before songwriting became a passion for Teigen. It was the ability to tell her own story, in her own words, that began Teigen's love for country music. The desire to create pushed her to get an audio engineering degree before striking out on her own as a full-time musician. She continued to feed that passion with multiple trips to Nashville and co-writing with several industry veterans, including Brian Howes, Phil Barton, Patricia Conroy, David Thompson, Chris Buck, Jimmy Thow, Chrystal Leigh and Jordan Oorebeek, to name a few.

  Quinton Blair is the 2015, 2016 & 2018 Manitoba Country Music Association's Roots Artist of the Year & the 2017 Manitoba Country Music Association's Male Artist of the Year. HIs notable performances include Dauphin's Country Fest, Canada Day at the Forks, Canadian Country Music Week, Festival du Voyageur, Chinook Rodeo Association Finals, Time's Change(d) High and Lonesome Club, the Park Theatre, The Ironwood Stage and Grill, Fratter's Speakeasy, and many corn dog fairs and rodeos on the Prairies. Quinton has opened up shows for Corb Lund, George Canyon, Charlie Major, Del Barber, Doc Walker, Fortunate Ones, Road Hammers, Bros Landreth & High Valley. His latest release is his version of the classic "Man Of Constant Sorrow" with a soon-to-be released single "Twenty Dollar Bottle" which he co-wrote with Jason Blaine.

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 favorite Country songs when nobody was around. Fast forward, and Kris has opened for such artists as 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 showcase, earning him a spot on the mainstage to close the weekend's festival, and a trip to Nashville to write with some of Country music's top songwriters. Also, part of the win was a recording deal with Warner Music Canada, which saw the release of his debut single "Loved You Like That" which has garnered over 1.5 million streams to date.  Off stage, Kris has been raising funds for mental health and PTSD in the Veteran and First Responder community. Partnering with Wounded Warriors Canada, Kris was able to raise four thousand dollars in 2020 for their programs.  The new single from Kris is called "More Than Whiskey" written by Meghan Patrick, Aaron Goodvin & Skip Black. Kris recently opened up a few shows for Meghan.

Recently named a finalist in SiriusXM's Top of the Country competition,  Alberta country-rocker Devin Cooper has released his debut album Good Things.. An autobiographical look back at his journey since he picked up his first guitar at the age of 7, the 8-track album showcases the storytelling roots he's become known for, underscored with guitar licks only over two decades of experience can bring.  “I've always lived by the philosophy that good things take time, which is what anchored this entire album for me,” says Devin of the story behind his debut. “The Good Things album is a really accurate representation of who I am and what I've learned in my short 25 years - a few life lessons, a bit of partying, a couple too many broken hearts and a real good relationship that makes it all worth it.” Produced by JUNO Award-winning partners Spencer Cheyne and Justin Kudding and bringing together all the musical influences he grew up on - hair metal, blues and some downhome southern rock - Good Things shows fans a new, all-encompassing side of Cooper. Recorded during the pandemic and coming together from across North America, the album showcases the two defining sides of Cooper's unique sound - the hard-rocking country artist in Side A and a softer, more intimate persona on Side B - an acoustic collection of Side A's tracks. “There has always been something about the rawness and honesty of an acoustic track that I found captivating,” said Cooper of his decision to include Side B in this release. ”These songs have so many working parts in them, I wanted to strip them back to their roots and show folks how they sounded the day we wrote them.”  Devin's latest single “Back Pocket" which can be found on Good Things is currently playing at Canadian Country Radio. 

Barrie, Ontario'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 prodced the track. Along with his successful singles as a solo artist, Brian is known for being 1/2 of the country duo Kansas Stone along with Matt Davey.  There's lots to talk about with Brian including the latest update on his adorable 6 month old twin girls. There's no slowing Brian down from living a life full of music & constant releases that keep taking his career to a new level.

Alberta's Martina Dawn - named after country artist Martina McBride - comes by her country music roots naturally as her Mom is an established recording artist.  Martina just received the Horizon Youth Award at the recent Country Music Alberta Awards Show which she also performed on. Her debut single was "Hate It". And now her follow up single "Game Over" is out at country radio. The song was written by Meghan Patrick, Blake Bollinger & Thomas Archer.  As important as it is to Martina write some of her own songs, she also knows that picking the right song for her from other writers is also a skill. Tune in and get to know Martina & her music!  

Ontario's Mike Whiteside calls a Kenny Chesney concert in 2018 a defining moment in his life & music career. It was then that he decided he wanted to pursue a music career. Believe it or not, that first time he ever performed on stage was at the Emerging Artists Showcase at the Boots & Hearts Festival. Mike's debut single "3 AM" was written by Robyn Ottolini and she's his first co-writer. Mike's new single is called' My KInd Of Paradise". His influences include Kenny Chesney, Sam Hunt, Jordan Davis & Hardy..

Chris Buck starts his next chapter with the release of his first single as a solo artist "Can't Beat The View," available for streaming everywhere now. Following his success fronting the Chris Buck Band, the feel-good new track leads Chris into a new era of his career, having recently signed a publishing deal with Anthem Entertainment, in addition to becoming the first artist signed with Sakamoto Music (via Warner Music Canada). The new single, produced by Jeremy Stover, Julian King, and Dan Swiminer, was written with a very personal love story in mind, “I had been dating my girlfriend for about a year and a half, and that's where the inspiration came from, really,” Chris recalled. “It's basically about how you've seen all the beautiful sights in the world, but your girl beats all of them at the end of the day. I think that's an idea a lot of people are going to relate to.” Chris co-wrote the track with fellow Nashville based Canadians, Jordan Oorebeeck, Dave Thompson, and Jimmy Thow. Five years since breaking onto the scene with his self-titled, debut album, the singer/songwriter has continued to make a name for himself on the Canadian country stage, and beyond. One of the fastest rising Canadian country acts since the release of the Billboard Top 20 hit "That's When You Know" featuring Kira Isabella, Chris saw the track hit hard with over 7 million streams, earning him a GOLD certified record and a CCMA Award nomination for Video of the Year. Buck went on to release his sophomore album ALL IN in 2019, adding to his total five Top 40 singles and over 13 million streams. 

St. John's, Newfoundland's Paige Penney is here to chat about her music career & her singles "Shooting Star" & "When All Is Said And Done". In the summer of 2018, Paige launched a crowdfunding campaign and reached her goal recording her first EP in the same studio as Taylor Swift recorded hers in at Nashville's Dark Horse Studio. While in Nashville, Paige had the opportunity to play at the The Bluebird Cafe. In September 2021, Paige opened a show for Johnny Reid at the Iceberg Alley Festival. Recently, she headlined her own sold out show at the Masonic Theatre where she received a standing ovation for her performance. Paige is a two time winner of the MusicNL Newfoundland talent contest and has received Music NL nominations for Fan's Choice Entertainer Of The Year & Pop Artist Of The Year.

Guelph, Ontario's Danielle Todd (now living in Nashville) is here to chat about her brand new single "Heat Of The Moment" & the music video for it. She'll also share and chat about her debut single "Crazy" from a few years ago. In her childhood bedroom, complete with pastel sponge paint and horse wallpaper, Danielle would fall asleep to the sound of her father's music coming through the air vent from his basement studio. Watching him work his magic, she would marvel at the way he could piece a song together, until one day, her dad just needed her out of his hair. As Danielle fondly recalls, he handed her a CD with Patsy Cline's “Sweet Dreams of You” on it and said, “Don't come back until you've learned it.” Much to her father's surprise, a mere hour later, four year old Danielle had returned, singing with the gusto of Patsy herself.  From that moment on, Danielle was head over heels for the country croonings of female powerhouses like Patsy, Martina McBride, Shania Twain, and Faith Hill. When it came time to find a job in her teenage years, Danielle walked into bar after bar, convincing them to give her a regular slot to sing— even if that slot didn't yet exist.  “The bar owners would be like, ‘Sure, send us a CD.' I just responded, ‘I don't have one, and I'm here right now so I'll just sing here,'” Danielle remarks. And that was that! ABOUT THE NEW SINGLE "A few years back, Brooke Lynn and I wrote a song about what it means to appreciate every moment while it's happening," explains Danielle. "The more we talked about it, the more we realized, the "good ol' days" are actually the here-and-now moments more than anything."

Alberta's Dan Davidson visits the ITC podcast to chat about his new EP 6 Songs To Midnight! Of the new record, Dan says: "This record is, in many ways, the 'period on the sentence' of an important part of my growth as an artist. I find this record to be a transitional statement as I step towards what feels like a new level in my career as an artist and songwriter. Its a collection of tunes that I'm really proud of; there are a bunch of songs that I've released over the last year or so plus a few new ones some fans wont have heard yet!" Dan Davidson exploded onto the Canadian country scene in 2016 when the release of his second single “Found” (co-written by Clayton Bellamy of The Road Hammers) sky-rocketed up the charts and he became the #1 charting indie artist in Canada. It was also the #1 selling Canadian country song for several weeks and went on to become certified GOLD in Canada. Dan spent over 10 years playing in the well-known Canadian indie rock band Tupelo Honey, who had several top 40 hits, top selling iTunes records and toured with bands like Bon Jovi. Dan recently received 6 Country Music Alberta nominations (Industry Person of the Year, Horizon Male Artist of the Year, Interactive Artist of the Year, Video of the Year, and two Songwriter of the Year noms). Outside of releasing music, Dan has been writing for/with Gord Bamford, Tim Hicks, W3apons, Stereos, The Congregation, Chad Brownlee, The Standstills, and many more. As a songwriter, he has had multiple Top 40 songs across three genres, and as a producer, has worked on three Top 30 tracks in both rock & country.

Charissa is 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 sound that suits her authentic, reflective songs and is ready to bare her soul as she puts the finishing touches on her new upcoming EP. The compelling new single “People Like You” has been released via Coalition Music. “People Like You” is an acoustic track that reminds listeners that even when times are rough, there's always a light at the end of the tunnel, and likely someone waiting there to help you out of the dark.

Ontario's Brittany Brodie drops by the podcast to chat about her new single "Not My Business" written with pure honesty. She'll also share a past single "Sober" based again on her life. Brittany grew up on traditional country music from Vern Gosdin and Dottie West to Johnny Horton and George Strait. In later years, she was listening to LeAnn Rimes, The Chicks, Lee Ann Womack and Martina McBride. She even found inspiration in The Spice Girls. They were what got her through her formative years having been bullied throughout her childhood. Brittany says: "People always ask me, 'When did you get into music?' Music was not something I woke up one day and decided to do. It chose me. I was born to have this life, this career. I have never had to think about my purpose in life. I've know since day one."

Quebec's Lydia Sutherland has just broken into the Top 40 on the Canadian Country Billboard Charts with her second single "Date A Friend". It's the follow up to her debut release with a powerful message "Love Me". Lydia was chosen as the iHeart Radio Future Star for January/February 2022. She has a cut on Warner Music Nashville artist Robyn Ottolini's latest EP and a couple of songs topping the Australia iTunes Country Music Charts. Over the last 2 years, Lydia has written and astounding 900 plus songs! Tune in and get to know all all about Lydia's start in music, her influences, songwriting journey, plans for the future & more.

On this episode of the podcast, my guest is Jeff Catto. Originally from Ontario, Jeff recently moved out to Calgary with his family. His new EP Songs For My Wife has songs of love and dedication that anyone in love will be able to relate to. Jeff reveals how the new single "Friend" addresses mental health issues. He also shares a great story about the influence Country icon Paul Brandt has had on him. All this plus we'll hear about Jeff's influences and songwriting journey including having one his songs recorded by the one & only Aaron Pritchett.

North Bay, Ontario Country-Rocker Cory Marks joins me on the podcast to chat about the success of his singles "Outlaws & Outsiders" featuring Travis Tritt, Ivan Moody of Five Finger Death Punch & Mick Mars of Motley Crue (Top 10 Rock hit in the U.S. & a Gold single in Canada and over 25 Million streams on Spotify) + "Blame It On The Double" featuring Theory Of A Deadman's Tyler Connelly and Jason Hook, formerly of Five Finger Death Punch.  Cory's debut album Who I Am received a 2021 Canadian Country Music Assocation nomination for Alternative Album of the Year. Balancing his love of Country and Rock and choosing to record songs in both genres including a beautiful Merle Haggard cover, Cory is paving his own road in the music world. Cory tells a great story about meeting the legendary Hag & how music led to a friendship with Country icon Travis Tritt.

Ontarios Rob Fitzgerald has just released a new single "Another Town" in the US via Grass Roots Promotions and will release the single in Canada on March 18 via RPM Promotions. The song has already placed a finalist spot in the World Songwriting Awards in the Traditional Country category. In the fall of 2021, Rob's rousing single "Can I Get An Amen" made its way to country radio stations across Canada, numerous Spotify playlists and also landed a top spot in the World Songwriting Awards competition. And for two years in a row, Rob's songs appeared before the judges of the International Songwriting Competition where he earned a semi-finalist spot. Continuing his forward momentum, as a member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), Rob has also had the opportunity to showcase his songwriting skills in Nashville at various songwriter round events including the Bluebird Café, The Commodore Grille & The Local.

Kitchener's Angelica Appelman joins me on the podcast to celebrate her debut single "Happy Place" & give us a preview of another one of her songs "Guilt Trip". We'll learn about Angelica's influences, her songwriting journey, her love of 90's Country, her upcoming album & much more. Plus, she'll share a very special song "Tougher" from Lainey Wilson that means a lot to her.

Northen 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 all about their music career (influences, songwriting & more) as Rosewood Ave. Plus you'll hear their 2 singles AND 3 songs they chose to play & chat about on the show.          

Manitoba's Kendra Kay is here to chat about her new song "Homegrown Heart". The 2 x MCMA Female Artist of the Year winner has had the opportunity to spend more time on her family ranch in the past two years than she has in a long time. As a songwriter, she felt naturally inspired to write about it. This is how her new single Homegrown Heart was born. “This song is my story – it is inspired by my roots, life and family. I wrote it to tell the story of who I am, and from the idea that everyone has that little piece of home, it is a universal feeling. When I am not out on the road touring, I am on the road barrel racing or at home working with my horses and that feels like home for me. I know there are so many people out there that will connect with this song and feeling, no matter where they call home,” says Kendra. When the reigning MCMA Fans' Choice Award winner (Kendra won in 2020 & 2021) was unable to tour with her band, she turned to another passion. She loaded up her horse and hit the road for a different reason. Kendra joined the rodeo circuit which led to winning a Championship Buckle for Barrel Racing! Kendra continues to grow her audiences as she achieves 1 million global streams, has had music videos placed in rotation on CMT Australia, and embarked on tour dates across Western Canada. She hit the road armed with her 5-piece band, playing major events such as the Calgary Stampede, Red River Exhibition Fall Fair and the Ponoka Stampede to name a few. When Kendra isn't working on the ranch, out on the road with her horse or touring with her band she is recording new music, cutting tracks from an impressive list of writers including Carly Pearce, Maren Morris and Meghan Patrick. Homegrown Heart was written by Kendra & Tyler Del Pino and produced by award-winning producer Murray Pulver.

Alli Walker is back with the release of her new single "Country Music". Giving listeners insight into some of the biggest country tracks and artists that have shaped her life, the nostalgic and upbeat track is available on all streaming platforms.  Written by Alli, Dustin Bird and Brian John Harwood and produced by Danick Dupelle (Tebey, Tyler Joe Miller, Emerson Drive), the track got its debut on TikTok earlier this year. Quickly racking up over a million views, the demo allowed fans to bond over the role country music has played in their lives.  “I wanted the production, storytelling and emotion of this song to feel as nostalgic as it does when listening to some of the songs we mention in the track,” says Alli of how “Country Music” came together. “I can still remember belting out Alison Krauss's part in 'Whiskey Lullaby' when I was a teenager, repeating 'Remember When' by Alan Jackson over and over on my little blue MP3 player and performing 'Strawberry Wine' to a slow dancing crowd with my cover band. When I sing this song it brings back so many memories of discovering my favourite country tracks throughout my life.” The release of “Country Music” showcases Alli's first new music since dropping her debut album The Basement Sessions in Fall 2019. It also marks a new direction for the PEI native as she finds her sound and carves her own path in the industry. “Prior to my debut album, I spent over 10 years getting my feet wet - I knew I needed my 10K hours and my 'dues paid' before I released anything of my own,” explains Alli. “Writing, recording, and releasing my debut album on my own in 2019 was the perfect experience on what it takes to be an independent artist and still cut through the noise".    

The Record Breakers are an energetic Canadian pop-country band melding the right amount of sunrise and sunset. Formed in 2014 for a Beatles-related celebration, the band began to explore and develop their identity. A special encounter with Blue Rodeo inspired them to bring country into their sound, which has become uniquely that of The Record Breakers. Like some of history's greatest bands, The Record Breakers feature two main vocalists and song-writers, Hayden and Bella. Rounding out the band are Michael, Devan and Julian. Coupled with solid musical arrangements, memorable hooks and big harmonies, the end result is diverse and engaging.   Following their 2016 self-titled debut EP, the band released their second album Bigger Plan, in June of 2018. Most notably, The Record Breakers opened for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Bon Jovi, at the Montreal Bell Centre in May of 2018. The band marks that as “an opportunity of a lifetime.” In 2019, they were crowned "Discovery of The Year" at Festival New Country Brome and in 2020 they were selected by CBC Searchlight to be in their Top 50 Producer Picks. Following their initial success, The Record Breakers released their first bilingual single "In My Car/Dans Mon Char"and the seasonal hit "Winter" debuting on Amazon Music and Spotify editorial playlists respectively and gaining well over 50k streams. 2021 brought their latest summer-themed EP Bonfire featuring the lead single “Sunflower”. Defined by Roots Music Canada as an “upbeat, catchy and summery” song, it has been featured on editorial playlists and many radio stations across Quebec.  

Ontario's Scotty Kipfer has just 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 recent engagement, 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 played piano and a number of brass and woodwind instruments until he became enamoured with country music. Scotty was 17 when he finally picked up a guitar and began to write songs.  Since then, Scotty has worked for record labels and management firms, as a radio announcer, a cartoonist, and a touring guitar player with several artists.  After spending years working in different facets of the music business, Scotty felt the urge to develop his songwriting. He started spending more time working with a community of writers in Nashville while honing his live show with performances throughout Southern Ontario and the American Midwest. At one of his writing sessions, the song “Taking My Time” was born. “I'll never forget heading home on I-40 after that session,” says Scotty, “I was listening to the work tape of this goofy love song we'd written, and I finally became aware of who I am and who I was going to be as an artist. It was a light bulb moment for me.

London born and raised Genevieve Fisher has earned 9 top 50 hits on both Billboard's BDS and Mediabase Canadian National Country Charts. While 2021 has been challenging for many artists, Genevieve achieved the most consecutive weeks on the national chart of her career during 2021. Her name entered onto the top 40, starting with the David James duet “Then There's You”. This was immediately followed by her own solo top 40 hit “Playing Favourites”. It was also the first time that her name appeared in the top 40 with two different songs at the same time. Genevieve has earned recognition within the Canadian Country Music scene by earning 6 Female Artist of the Year nominations as we well as numerous nominations for Single of the Year and Songwriter of the Year at the Country Music Association of Ontario Music Awards. While still in her teens, the Canadian Country Music Association recognized Genevieve's emerging talent with her CCMA performance selection at the 2012 New Artist Showcase in Saskatoon. Her songwriting skills continue to be acknowledged by the CCMA as witnessed by her selection to perform for the prestigious Songwriters Series in 2016 and 2018. Her Indigenous background has allowed her to register 3 number 1 hits on the North American Indigenous Music Countdown chart. Genevieve has had the opportunity to perform at some of the biggest music festivals in Canada including Boots and Hearts, Havelock Jamboree, Lucknow Music In The Fields, Manitoulin Country Fest, Trackside and Indigenous Day Live. She has had, and continues to have, the privilege of writing with some of Country music's brightest songwriters including Jason Blaine, Steven Lee Olsen, Patricia Conroy, Michelle Wright, Jason Massey, Jennifer Schott and many more. Genevieve is here to catch us up on all her latest news & to share a few songs including her new single "Neon Healing".

Ontario's Jeff Catto recently moved from the Christian genre to the Country genre. His recent release "Round Of Life" celebrating his real life wife & 6 kids and his brand new single "Want You Even More" inspired by his wife are two signs that Jeff is in the right genre. As a teenager, he competed on Canadian Idol. Years later, Aaron Pritchett recorded "Summertime" written by Jeff. Tune in to get to know Jeff better as he reveals what motivates him musically & what challenges he's faced in his music career - and hear his latest releases!