Q & A with High Valley
Where country and life collide. www.countrified.ca
Center Stage with
Victoria Banks Victoria Banks Fast Facts 1) Tell us the story behind “Ruined”, why did you write it? Coolest line from the song? My co-writers and I were actually writing another song, and we were talking about how it seems so much easier to write songs when you’re heartbroken. I said, “When you meet the right one, you’re ruined for songwriting…and you’re ruined for anyone else!” We all stopped, looked at each other, and said “RUINED! That’s a great song title!” It was another week before we could get together to work on the idea, but when the day finally came I was so inspired that I wrote most of the song in the car on the way to the co-write! My favourite line is: “If you ever want to walk away, you’d better dig my grave, ‘cause I’m history.” Like a lot of the lines in the song, it just fell out that way, internal rhymes and all.
• Referred to as "One of the best songwriters in the business" by Nashville's Music Row Magazine, Banks' self-produced albums When You Can Fly (2009) and Never Be The Same (2011) made her the most nominated female artist in Canadian Country music in 2009 and earned her the 2010 Canadian Country Music Association Female Artist of the Year award. • She has had the opportunity to tour alongside significant acts including Reba McEntire, Wynonna Judd, Lonestar, Randy Travis and Johnny Reid. • Banks' impressive catalogue of writing credits includes Sara Evans' "Can't Stop Loving You," (a duet with Isaac Slade of The Fray) and the ASCAP and SOCAN award-winning song "Saints & Angels." She also penned Jessica Simpson's Billboard record-breaking Country debut "Come On Over," One More Girl's BCCMA Song of the Year "When It Ain't Raining," Doc Walker's chart-topping "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" and won a CCMA Songwriter of the Year Award for Johnny Reid's "Dance With Me.”
2) Your new album Indigo is set to come out October 7th, I read that most of the album was produced at your home studio in the middle of the night, do you think that it dramatically alters the feel of the album? Yes! This album sounds very different from my previous two. By starting with the raw, intimate guitar/piano/vocal tracks I laid down in my studio, I feel like we captured the intimacy and vulnerability of the songs as they were originally written, and we came up with an album that defies genre. It was just about allowing the songs to express themselves, but not pigeonholing them into a certain sound. Instead of spending a couple of hours tracking each song in a big studio with a team of professional players like the other albums, I took the basic tracks I had built to my co-producer, Park Chisolm, to layer on the instruments. He’s a very talented multi-instrumentalist, and between the two of us, plus a hired string player and percussionist, we made the songs take shape over a period of about eight months. So it took
a long time – it was painstaking – but every step of the way, we were determined to find where the songs wanted to go. 3) Do you find you are more creative/inspired at night vs. the day? I think my creativity is at its peak when I am the least intellectually focused…the least “left brain”. I come up with the best song ideas when I wake halfway up in the middle of the night and sing them into my voice recorder…or when I’m exhausted from a red-eye flight…or when I’m driving for hours and my brain is wandering with random thoughts. I really believe that songwriters aren’t the source of our songs – we’re conduits to some other, universal, creative source – so it works best when you’re brainstorming: no second-guessing, just get the heck out of the way and let those tiny whispers in your subconscious have a voice. 4) Will there be a tour associated with your new album? I have a full-time job as a staff songwriter for a publishing company in
Nashville, where I go to the office every day and write songs with and for other artists. Because that’s where my bread is buttered, my touring schedule has to work around that, so it means that most of my tour dates happen on weekends or in short stints. I have a lot of fall tour dates coming up in the southeastern USA, with some Canadian dates mixed in as well. Fans can check out victoriabanks.net to see what’s happening next. 5) What single off the new album do you feel fans will connect most with? Wow, that’s a hard question! My hope
is that they’ll connect with ALL of them, but if I had to choose one, I’d say maybe “Firefly.” It says: “Maybe that’s what life is all about/finding faith in the shadow of your doubt/you’ve gotta shine your light/just like a firefly.” Anyone who can turn on a TV and see the evening news can relate to the feeling that darkness is overpowering the light in this world. This song is about how every bit of light matters, no matter how small it may seem, and it was one of those lightning-fast song ideas - it came through so quickly that it felt like a gift-wrapped message. It was certainly a message I needed to hear. Maybe other people will feel the same way. "We built a lot of the tracks on bare bones sessions that I recorded alone in my home studio in the middle of the night. We didn't want to box the songs into a genre. We just went where the songs wanted to go." - Victoria Banks
Connect with Victoria! www.victoriabanks.net facebook.com/vbanks twitter.com/victoriabanks
The MDM
Road Fam at Country Music Week
Quentin Reddy A Diamond in the Rough 1) You recently released your album “Diamonds In The Rough”, what single off that album do you feel country fans can relate to most? When I was developing this project it was my full intention to have the strongest material throughout. I wanted every track to have the potential of a single that could be released in the Canadian country market. With that said, I hope that country fans can relate to all the tracks in one way or another. 2) What is the biggest lesson you learned from your time on CMT “Big In A Small Town”? Up to the point of participating in the show, I had never been a fan of contests. For some reason, I felt this show drawing me in so I went with it and the result was pretty eye-opening. The biggest lesson I learned was to open my mind and heart to new possibilities. 3) Tell us a bit of the story behind “Moonlight Ride”? Did you write it? If so, what was the inspiration? If not,
why did you choose that single to record? I co-wrote "Moonlight Ride" with two hit writers in Nashville, Rob Crosby (Lady Antebellum, Trace Adkins, Brooks & Dunn), and Brice Long (Gary Allen, Randy Howser), and also one of my main Canadian co-writers, Darren Crone. It was conceived from the point of working your tail off all week for the one thing in life that keeps you motivated – your girl! 4) Do you think coming from a city or small town shapes an artist’s approach to Country music? Yes indeed I do, I was born in a small community in Newfoundland and raised on my uncle's farm. We had horses, cows, sheep, and we tended to the land. We hunted for food and fished for dinner. These are experiences that teach you from a very young age to provide for your family, and develop your character as a strong, independent person. You cannot get those experiences in downtown urban centres.
5) What’s next for Quentin Reddy? Do you have an upcoming tour associated with your album? The video for the new single "Moonlight Ride" and will be released to CMT this week, and YouTube next week.
I am always out performing, and I'm headed out east to Newfoundland and Toronto in October, and back to Nashville in November. We're working on a 6 song EP for release Spring 2015.
Connect with Quentin! www.quentinreddy.com
facebook.com/quentinreddymusic twitter.com/quentin_reddy
Just Drive
Austin Belle “We both have 'happy go lucky' personalities in life and we really wanted our debut to reflect that fun side of ourselves� - Stacey
1) How did the two of you meet? Jesse: Not on Craigslist, like a few rumors I've heard! haha Stacey: Jesse and I met 6 years ago when we got together to do some writing. Funny enough, the very first song we ever wrote that brought this whole thing together is on our debut Album, its called "3 Sided Story." 2) You had the opportunity to perform with acts like Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bently, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi and Great Big Sea. What would you say has been
the most important lessons you have learned from these acts? Jesse: Respect and listen to your fans because they give you a platform to perform on, and always work hard. At the end of the day you are in control of your career, so if you want it, you gotta go get it. Stacey: There have been so many lessons learned along the way and we continue to learn from watching our idols. I think one of the most important things to remember is to be appreciative and gracious to your fans. Whenever you
can, go above and beyond to show them how much you love them! Fans are the reason we get to do this job - without them, their love and support for us, we wouldn't get the same opportunity. 3) Your the perfect combination of rock meets country, did you find it challenging to marry the two genres, or was it a perfect fit? Jesse: No, it was a very simple progression for me, as I am a songwriter and have always loved a wide variety of music. We set out to make music we love and are very happy with the end result. Stacey: I don't think it was a challenge at all, but more of a natural progression for us. I LOVE rock and pop music and I've always been drawn to writing and singing country songs with a little flare, so adding in Jesse and his super cool rock/pop suave, writing and showmanship seemed like an absolute homerun! :D 4) Tell us a bit about your single “Just Drive”? Why did you choose that single as your debut?
Stacey: We both have 'happy go lucky' personalities in life and we really wanted our debut to reflect that fun side of ourselves. We felt that it was a perfect kind of crank up, roll the windows down and throw your cares away summer tune that hopefully would allow people to connect with us. 5) What’s next for Austin Belle? Stacey: Hopefully LOTS! Hahaha - The next big thing on the list is the release of our new single, "Back Where we Belong," which is very near and dear to our hearts. It has been a labor of love, as it has taken us over two years to finally fully finish this song (which is a LONG time). It's not just any story that we tell in this song, it's our own personal stories that we tell about our struggles while going through our individual divorces. So it's one song that is incredibly personal to both of us. We are excited for people to finally get a chance to hear it and we hope it will touch and comfort others that are going through similar experiences in their lives.
Connect with Austin Belle! www.austinbelle.com
facebook.com/austinbelleband twitter.com/austinbelleband
Amy Metcalfe “The Voice of Rocky Mountain Show Jumping”
“BIG NEWS! Rocky Mountain Show Jumping has always supported the up and comers in our sport. Turns out, Amy Lou Metcalfe is an incredibly talented up and comer in the music world as well. She loves Showjumping and lives right here in Alberta, and now, is the official spokes person and singer/songwriter for RMSJ & Royal West.” – RMSJ “To be representing Rocky Mountain Show Jumping and the Royal West, is honestly a dream come true. I have always admired what John and his team stand for and I’m happy to be on board with that. This is a beautiful collision of two passions in my life and it just feels right! Really excited to perform at the Royal West, I don’t think it’s an event you’ll want to miss!” - Amy Metcalfe
Amy & John Anderson of RMSJ
About Rocky Mountain Show Jumping:
About Amy Metcalfe: Amy hails from Red Deer, Alberta where she spends her time immersed in songwriting and working on her farm. While her music reflects crossover potential, country flows deep, with experience as a horse trainer, daily chores on the acreage and partaking in regular equestrian competitions all across Alberta. Amy plays guitar, banjo, ukulele and piano and has written over 200 songs. She has worked with some of Canada and Nashville’s top writers including, Grammy Winner Wayne Kirkpatrick, Cindy Morgan, Phil Madiera, Jeremy Bose, Byron Hill, Duane Steele and Rylee Madison.
Rocky Mountain Show Jumping operates in Calgary, Alberta, and was formed for the purpose of finding and developing quality show jumping horses to offer for sale to all levels of competition. From riders just beginning their show jumping career, to experienced riders looking for international level jumpers. Rocky Mountain Show Jumping has access to horses to fit all needs. Horses are bought and sold under the supervision and training of Canadian Equestrian Team member John Anderson. www.amymetcalfe.com
Amy's Upcoming Tour Dates October 17th, 2014 Folk Music – Mississauga, ON LAMA Music Private Showcase 11:15pm (15 minute acoustic set) October 18th, 2014 The Bond Place Hotel - Toronto, ON Royalty Records - Industry Mixer acoustic performance: 5:00pm - 7:00pm Boots & Bourbon –Toronto, ON Indie Week feature act – Spotlight on Country Music - Presented by Royalty Records & KX96 Set time: 12:30am - 01:10am October 22nd, 2014 10:00am CCMA - Toronto, ON October 24th, 2014 RMSJ & Royal West Grand Opening Night Agrium Western Event Centre (Stampede Park) - Calgary, AB
Updates on
Your Favourite Artists
The Mandevilles
Jess Moskaluke
Windows and Stones, the new album from The Mandevilles, is now available in stores and online! The lead off single Hangovers was released to radio on August 18, and the accompanying music video is up on YouTube now. The Mandevilles also have a brand new website where you can find the new video, order the album! Check it out here:www.heymandevilles.com The Mandevilles travelled to Edmonton for CCMA Country Music Week, and played at the Gibson Showcase as well as the MDM Recordings Party. They played twice on Tuesday September 16 in Toronto at the Rivoli to celebrate the release of their album, and will also be celebrating the release in St. Catharines at Detour Music Hall on September 26.
CONGRATULATIONS to Jess, who took home the2014 Canadian Country Music Association Award for Female Artist of the Year! Jess also performed her single Cheap Wine and Cigarettes on the awards broadcast and appeared at CCMA FanFest and numerous other events during Country Music Week.Cheap Wine and Cigarettes is officially GOLD, making her the first female Canadian Country artist to reach this milestone since Shania Twain! Thank you to everyone who made it out to the Gold Record presentation during Country Music Week! Cheap Wine and Cigarettes was picked up by SIRIUSXM's The Highway during their Fresh Female Voices week in August, and continues to get played on the station. Jess' new single Used was the most added single at Canadian Country radio last week, and the video for Used will be out soon!
The Lovelocks CONGRATULATIONS to The Lovelocks who won the 2014 CCMA Discovery Award during Country Music Week! The duo performed at multiple events during Country Music Week, including the Discovery Showcase, MDM Recordings Party and the All Star Band Awards. Their new single Dance hit Canadian Country radio on September 15, and the official video is now on YouTube and will be coming soon to Wide Open on CMT Canada. If you haven't seen the fan video for Dance yet, featuring fan-submitted video clips, you can see it on YouTube.
Bobby Wills Bobby was busy in Edmonton during this year's Country Music Week, where he was was invited to present at the CCMA Awards, as well as perform at a number of events throughout the week, including the CCMA Industry Lunch & Awards and Saturday's FanFest. His latest single Never Didn't Love You is currently at radio and the lyric video can be found on YouTube.
Chad Brownlee
David James
Chad was in high demand at this year's Country Music Week, being invited to present on the CCMA Awards broadcast and perform at the CCMA Gala, FanFest, and Countdown Concert. Chad's single Just Because is at radio now, and the video for the song, filmed over a weekend of summer performances, can be seen on YouTube.
WELCOME David James to the MDM Recordings Road Fam! David was one of the finalists in this year's CCMA Discovery Program, and performed at both the Discovery Showcase and the MDM Recordings Party during Country Music Week before walking the Green Carpet at the CCMA Awards. Stay tuned for more from David!
Tracey Feist Taking Care of Business Keeping Canadian Content Alive & Well in Colorado By: Tracey Feist My daughter said something innocent the other day that stopped me in my tracks. “Mum, you know when I turn 12, I will have lived here in the US as long as I lived in Canada.” Gasp. For a proud Canadian Mum, whose kids and husband are also Canucks by birth, I began to think of a topic that’s very close to my heart: How do I keep my kids Canadian, while living in the ‘Home of the Brave and Land of the Free?’ I’m pretty sure I drive them crazy most days. In fact it usually happens when we’re driving. A familiar pang hits me, thanks to a simple guitar melody on the radio such as the powerful intro of Tom Cochrane and Red Rider’s ‘Lunatic Fringe’. “That’s a good Canadian band”, I’ll tell them. Or I’ll show them how hip I am by saying, “I didn’t realize Carly Rae Jepsen was from Mission, British Columbia!” Score!
My daughter can’t help but become Americanized. It’s the culture she’s exposed to and living in. However her comment made me realize I have a job to do: keep exposing them to Canadian content and become a mini version of the good ole CRTC. Yes, thanks to Canadian socialism (that’s how my American friends view it), the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) regulates and supervises the broadcasting and telecommunications systems across Canada. Otherwise known as Can-Con, Canadian content on radio and television “must be at least partly written, produced, presented, or otherwise contributed to by persons from Canada”. In fact, 35 per cent of radio playlists must contain songs from Canadian artists. Having spent the first 40 years of my life in Alberta, I now realize that Can-Con helps promote the culture that makes us uniquely Canadian. And for me, it clearly defined the experience I had growing up.
Sure most Americans have heard of Shania, Celine and Bryan. But it’s those other spectacular artists who will never get the airplay south of the border they deserve, that truly resonate with me. Alfie Zappacosta’s ‘Passion’. Kim Mitchell’s ‘Go for a Soda’. Chilliwack’s ‘My Girl’. Colin James’, ‘Freedom’. Blue Rodeo’s, ‘Try’. The list is endless. When we first moved to Colorado I missed family and friends. Gradually, what I've really noticed is how much I miss everyday exposure to Canadian culture. Or, in the words of a famous Saskatoon songwriter named Joni Mitchell, "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone". Thanks to the CRTC, Canadians become attached to our music, without even knowing it. While I grew up in a classic country household on the ranch west of Calgary, my love of all music was open to many genres. BTO, Trooper, April Wine and RUSH rocked my 70s. The 80s introduced me to a plethora of Canadian new wave talent: Aldo Nova, Honeymoon Suite, Spoons and Platinum Blonde. I also have a special affection for Quebec based-bands The Box and Men Without Hats. Should I confess now, 30 years later, I still regularly play ‘The Safety Dance’? Thankfully modern technology helps keep my family tied to our homeland. Sure I have a cupboard full of Tim Horton’s and Aero bars. But it’s up to me to keep exposing them to Canadian cultural icons Randy Bachman and his Vinyl Tap now available in our SUV thanks to Sirius satellite radio;
or to Terry David Mulligan and his Mulligan Stew, played faithfully every Saturday evening thanks to CKUA’s (Alberta’s public broadcaster) streaming audio. While we stay planted in Colorado for now, in the meantime I get to relive my Canadian childhood while introducing my kids to Robbie Robertson, Neil Young and The Hip. I must also include Ian Tyson’s iconic ‘Four Strong Winds’. CBC music critic Nicholas Jennings once said, “If you don’t get goose bumps listening to this song, I think your Canadian citizenship should be revoked”. Well, there’s little fear of that happening. And, what I know for sure is this: that Canadian music will help me keep my children’s roots tied firmly back to their ‘Home and Native Land’. I must go. I have an ‘O Canada’ playlist to build. And memories of home to share. Tracey Feist, Copyright
Catching up with
Western Swing Authority
A Letter from WSA: On May 26th we had the pleasure of not only attending and performing at the Country Music Association of Ontario Awards show, but we backed all the other performers as well. It was a great night of music that really shone a bright light on Ontario's Country music community. It was a great time to visit with friends and make new ones and we really enjoyed every minute of it. The highlight of our night was when it was announced that we had been voted the
Root's Artist of the Year. We're honoured to have won the award and to be placed in such excellent company alongside some amazing nominees. Thank you to the CMAO and all it's voting members. This summer we spent a bunch of time travelling around playing for some great audiences all over Ontario. The Jason Blaine Celebrity Golf Tournament, Holstein Rodeo, Cayugafest, Capitol Countryfest, Sutton Bay Countryfest, Greenwood and many others all showed us a great time. We made a lot of new friends!
Over the course of the summer we also found out that we had been nominated for TWO Canadian Country Music Association awards. This was HUGE news for us! Nominated for both Roots Artist and Group of the year as well as three All Star Band nominations, we headed to Edmonton for Country Music week Sept 4-7. While we were there, we played the Legends Show, On Ramp Records label party and the President's Gala. Both Shane and Ed came home with awards for Fiddle Player of the Year and Steel Guitar Player of the Year. We had a great time at Country Music Week and would like to thank the CCMA, all the people that made it possible for us
to be there and those who thought to give WSA their vote. Now it is time to get our new album out to you! We are very proud of how it is turning out. Once the mixing and mastering process is finished we will have it available as soon as possible! Keep an eye on our Website,Facebook and Twitter pages for updates! Thanks again for keeping up with The Western Swing Authority! We hope to see you at show real soon! Shane, Stacey, Ed, Dan, Chappy, Matthew and Jimmy The Western Swing Authority
Go Brett! Countrified Canada would like to congratulate Brett Kissel, who graced the cover of our special 2014 Canadian Country Music Association Awards edition. Brett was the most nominated artist with 8 nominations. Brett picked up two wins at the 2014 Canadian Country Music Association Awards in Edmonton – Interactive Artist of the Year and Video of the Year for (3-2-1). Brett also performed two songs at the awards, closing the nationally-broadcast show with “3-2-1” atop a car on fire, and “Started With A Song.” Watch for more to come from Canada’s fastest rising country music star!
Getting to know
Madeline Merlo
Q: You had huge success with your first single "Sinking Like A Stone� and have followed up with your second single "Alive", which you co-wrote, can you tell us a bit about where the idea came from for this track? A: The track for Alive came about really naturally. It had always been a concept and idea that I had loved, I feel like in life sometimes everyone needs a reminder that they are Alive and to appreciate what they have. I know I sure do! I feel like Alive is a page out of the Madeline story. It talks about the first time I went to Nashville, following your dreams and ultimatley loving the world. Q: Why did you choose "Sinking Like A Stone" as your first single? A: We decided on "Sinking like a Stone" as the first single because it was a song that had this ability to resonate with people. I fell inlove with the song about two years ago because of its unique sound, dynamic quality and ultimatley an honest lyric. Sinking is the reality of heartbreak. It touched my soul and was so true to my situation at the time. After 50 more songs we always went back to Sinking as a first single so we went with our gut. Q: You've been nominated for two BMCA awards, and you are performing at the awards, how does it feel and what does this mean to you? A: The nominations and the honor to perform at the BCCMA's this year is absolutely amazing. To be indentified as a thriving country act in this province is a beautiful thing. I feel like I've been
accepted into the BCCMA family. I was really overwhelmed with the nominations because I am so new onto the scene and wasn't expecting it at all. Ultimatley I'm just so excited to perform and enjoy the night with many friends and collegues. The people in the BC Country Music scene are so talented and its an honor to share with this evening with them. Q: You recently joined fellow Canadian Dean Brody on tour, tell us a bit about the experience. Do you have a favourite Dean Brody song? A: Joining the Dean Brody tour was not only a milestone musically for me but also in life. The venue, stage and crowd were the biggest id ever played by a mile and Dean was so kind and welcoming to me. I kept pinching myself all night. I remember having a teary moment on stage, I will be forever thankful for that opportunity! Being such a huge Dean fan it made the experience that more sweet, my favorite Dean song is Bounty. Q: You have such a big heart and often get involved with different charities, tell us about the work you’ve done. A: I have always been passionate about helping people all my life and the most beautiful thing about the music industry is the platform it gives you to reach people. I've been fortunate to work alongside JRFM in in numerous events for a charity called Basics For Babies. The Run for the Cure and Walk for MS are two events that I support each year. I think it's important to give back and I'm looking forward to having my own foundation one day.
Q: Who would you say are your musical influences? A: My musical influences are huge and across the board genre wise! My iPod is filled with everything from Miranda Lambert to Imagine Dragons to Queen. I love old country and new, pop music and rock and roll. My two biggest influences who shaped me as an artist would be Shania Twain and Stevie Wonder.
Favourite place to shop: Urban Outfitters, Free People Boots or heels: Boots hands down Lyrics or melody: That's a tough call but maybe the lyrics Last book you read: It was called "Death at Seaworld" and it was about Killer Whales in captivity, this is an issue I am very passionate about! #freetilly
When Maple Ridge, BC-based Madeline Merlo signed to RGK Management and Open Road Recordings in February 2012 it was a dream come true for the 18-year-old Country singer/songwriter, and the realization of an ambition she’s had since she first took the stage as a child. “My father was a musician and I think it’s in my DNA to be an artist,” Merlo says. “I remember always knowing that was what I wanted to do. It’s always been music for me. I’ve been working toward this since I sang in a school talent show when I was six-years-old.” Merlo first played in a band and began gigging in high school and continued to hone her vocal chops by performing in musical theatre productions and taking every opportunity she could to further her skills as a performer, recording artist and songwriter. “From a very young age I did commercials, sang in competitions and took advantage of any chance I got to let my creative energy out.” Her early attraction to country music was instinctual, she continues: “The first concert I went to was Shania Twain. The first song I performed in a competition was a Carolyn Dawn Johnson song and country has just always worked for me. I love the instrumentation, the intricate musical details, and the fact that the songs so often tell the kind of stories you can take positive messages from.” Even before signing to RGK and ORR, Merlo maintained an intensely busy schedule; writing and recording with BC-based songwriter/producer, Dan Swinimer a minimum of four days a week and gigging at least as many nights. “Mostly at coffee houses for just a few people,” Merlo says, “but I never cared how many people were there. I just wanted to sing for anyone who would listen and wanted to hear my music.” It was Swinimer who invited RGK’s Ron Kitchener to hear Merlo in action at Vancouver’s Railway Club in December 2012, Merlo says, adding that signing to RGK and ORR was a lucky, right place right time scenario: “I guess he liked what he heard and decided to sign me after that.” Kitchener not only like what he heard, after seeing Merlo perform, he believed he’d found a world-class talent. “It was Madeline's voice that grabbed my attention first,” Kitchener says, “but after spending time with her I realized that with her confidence, talent and general approach to life, she’s destined to go places and we’re highly motivated to bring her music to the masses.”
Center Stage with
Kira Isabella Q) Tell us a bit about your latest single “Gone Enough”. A) It is my second single from ‘Caffeine and Big Dreams”. It was co-written with Canadian Deric Ruttan in Nashville and we had such great time writing it. I want to write songs that grow with people and time. Q) Quarterback was a smash hit, were you apprehensive about releasing or even recording the single? A) My team was a bit apprehensive, but I felt that it was a story that was too important not to tell, especially today. I felt the video captured the real story and turned out amazing. Q) You wrote the majority of the songs off your new album, which ones didn’t you have a hand in writing? A) I didn’t write Heaven and Quarterback. Quarterback was originally pitched to Carrie Underwood, her team felt that she should pass on the song, especially since it was originally written in the first person. I had a hand in rewriting it in the third person for me to record and it turned out great.
Q) Your album is titled “Caffeine and Big Dreams”, why did you choose that as the title? A) Anyone who knows me knows that Caffeine is a big part of my life. Caffeine is a big part of a lot of artists lifestyle and our busy schedules. The line actually comes from a line from the single “Coke Can” (which is one of Countrified Canada’s favorite singles on the album). Q) I really could relate to the single “Late Bloomer” did you write it yourself? A) I co-wrote it with Dave Thompson, it was an important song to write. I struggled through school like everyone else, I found that music was my thing, and it was what I could turn to. I think a lot of artists are can relate to the single because they really put themselves out there on display, and it is always a tough thing to do. Q) You are starting a tour with Autumn Hill, are there any places along the tour that you haven’t had the opportunity to play? A) I have been pretty much all across Canada, however I am excited to kick
off the tour in Kingston. It was the only show that I had to miss when I was on the Terri Clark tour, so it was really important for me to go back and perform, so I was especially happy to kick off the tour there. Fun Fact: Q: Since you are about to hit the road touring…What is the most unique place that you have performed at?
A: I recently performed on a Lifelock Cruise in Peterborough, it was a beautiful evening out on the water. I was wearing my heels, as I always do, and guests were enjoying a beautiful dinner and some drinks. IN the middle of my performance a jet ski flew by the ripples rocked the boat shook the guests and me! I scrambled not to fall…yes, she was successful! Thank you to Kira Isabella for joining Countrified Canada Center Stage.
About Kira: Kira Isabella, fresh off of her top ten charting “Quarterback,” will feature all the hits from her #1 iTunes Country Album Love Me Like That, as well as material from her newest full length album, Caffeine & Big Dreams, scheduled for release this October 14th. Ottawa-born Kira Isabella is Canada’s brightest young Country Music star and has toured with the likes of Carrie Underwood and Terry Clark. Her debut album Love Me Like That, delivered four hit singles including the smash “A Little More Work.” In 2012 Kira was nominated for a Juno Award and in 2013 Kira was crowned ‘Female Artist of the Year’ at the CCMA’s, just one year after her first CCMA win for ‘Rising Star.’ This new album underscores Kira’s personal and professional growth as an artist. Her first single demonstrates her maturation with the bold and powerful track, “Quarterback,” which tackles the heavy subject of date rape and cyberbullying. The 20-year-old songstress also delivers her signature sassy style on many of the tracks, including the latest single “Gone Enough.” Kira wrote the majority of songs on this album, but she also teamed up with some impressive songwriters including Chris DuBois, Marti Frederiksen, Bobby Hamrick, Jason Phelps, Rivers Rutherford and Deric Ruttan. Following a landmark year in 2013 with CCMA and Juno Award nominations for Autumn Hill’s debut album,Favourite Mistake, the 2014 CCMA nominated duo (just announced July 16th), is set to hit the road this fall. Nationwide radio play for “Anything At All,” “Can’t Keep Waiting” and “Fire” spawned three chart-topping country hits, and lead to the duo making history as the first Canadian country act to cross over to pop radio since Shania Twain. Now, fans of their catchy country tunes, including their latest single, “If She Wants This Town,” will get to experience the band’s unforgettable live show on the 21 date national tour that will bring the duo, made up of Calgary’s Tareya Green and Toronto’s Mike Robins, to towns across the nation. As the official Sponsor of the Shake It tour, Country Music Television, CMT is proud to be promoting two of CMT’s Next Generation artists, Kira Isabella and Autumn Hill. Watch out for their rotation on the Chevy Top 20 and make sure to visit www.cmt.ca for tour information, contests and more.
Kira's Shake It Tour Dates Wed/Oct-22 Thu/Oct-23 Fri/Oct-24 Sat/Nov-01 Sun/Nov-02 Tue/Nov-04 Wed/Nov-05 Thu/Nov-06 Fri/Nov-07 Sat/Nov-08 Mon/Nov-10 Wed/Nov-12 Thu/Nov-13 Fri-Nov-14 Mon/Nov-17 Wed/Nov-19 Thu/Nov-20 Fri/Nov-21 Sat/Nov-22 Wed/Nov-26 Thu/Nov-27
Kingston, ON Belleville, ON Mississauga, ON Kamloops, BC Langley, BC Lethbridge, AB Edmonton, AB Grande Prairie, AB Calgary, AB Red Deer, AB Regina, SK Saskatoon, SK Brandon, MB Winnipeg, MB Ottawa, ON St. Catharines, ON Toronto, ON Barrie, ON North Bay, ON Kitchener, ON London, ON
Ale House Empire Theatre Living Arts Centre - RBC Theatre Cactus Jacks Gabby's Country Cabaret Average Joe's Cook County Saloon Spurs Cookhouse and Dancehall Cowboy's Dance Hall Cowboy's Bar and Nightclub The Pump Roadhouse Outlaws Country Rockbar Great Western Roadhouse Cowboys Roadhouse Algonquin College Brock Centre Adelaide Hall The Ranch Capitol Centre Dallas Night Club London Concert Theatre
Connect with Kira! www.kiraisabella.ca
facebook.com/kiraisabellamusic twitter.com/kira_isabella
Interview with
High Valley
Q: Were you surprised by the huge success of “County Line”? Did you know it was a hit from the beginning?
A: Paul Brandt told us early on….”any time you pick a song to be a single, make sure you’ll be ok with singing it for 20 years!” So yes, we did think of that!
A: We don’t take any success for granted, but if we’ve ever felt confident in a song, this would be the one.
Q: You did something really interesting with this album, you let the fans have hand in the selection of singles. Tell us a bit about that process?
Q: “County Line” is being described as an anthem for country living, most anthems tend to have longevity, when you were recording this single, were you thinking this is a song we can imagine singing for years down the road?
A: We have the coolest fan club and have always had amazing supporters. We figured, why not allow them to help us sift through the final 20 or 30 songs. It was really helpful and fun!
Q: Where you surprised by the selections? A: We weren’t too surprised by the selections. We were surprised at how almost every single person loved County Line. That’s how we knew it was an obvious choice for a single. Q: You received the 2013 CCMA Interactive Artist or Group of the Year Award, fans are extremely important to you, you have come up with some pretty unique ways to keep fans involved, anything new on the horizon that involves your fans? A: We have a level of Fan Club Membership (Board of Directors) where we fly every member to Nashville every year. We think it’s the coolest idea ever! Q: You start the County Line tour on
October 31st are you excited about any particular stop? Are there any places you haven't been? What is the most unique place that you will stop at? A: We’re pretty pumped to be hitting Quebec for the first time! Also excited for Chatham and London, ON. Q: You have some pretty unique merchandise even Carrie Underwood has been seen sporting your gear, what is your most unique item for this tour? A: It’s always cool when Carrie tweets us especially when she’s wearing our “keep calm and combine on gear!” We have added a sweet tour t-shirt that lists all the tour stops. Also, some hoodies for all our Canadian fans to keep warm all winter!
Fun Question: Coolest line from "County Line"? A: “Falling right out of the clear blue collar sky” or “Living like a lyric outta Fishin’ in the dark”
Connect with High Valley! www.highvalleymusic.com facebook.com/highvalley twitter.com/highvalley
Where country and life collide. www.countrified.ca