In The Country with Dave Woods

Cremona, Alberta's Blake Reid's new album Rust showcases his status status as a true workingman’s poet, following in the footsteps of Merle Haggard and Tom T. Hall. At the same time, he is no traditionalist. The album’s first single, “Sounds Like A Song,” is the kind of hard-edged, instantly memorable track perfectly suited for a Saturday night play list, or as something to sing along with to make...

Their musical bond is as strong as their small town roots: Twin Kennedy, comprised of West Coast sisters Carli and Julie Kennedy, have been making music together since they could talk. Born and raised in the small town of Powell River, British Columbia, the sister duo grew up perfecting their sibling harmonies and dynamic live performances, while making their name known throughout their small comm...

Country artist Tim Hicks begins his Get A Little Crazy Tour on November 1st in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. Joining him on the tour will be country acts Jason Benoit and Cold Creek County. Tim's hits include Get By, Here Comes The Thunder, Stronger Beer, So Do I, She Don't Drink Whiskey Anymore & Young, Alive And In Love. He received high praise for his performance of Young, Alive And In Love on...

Tebey, Jason Blaine & James Otto begin their exciting & electrifying Three's A Party Tour on October 30th in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The tour will continue across Canada until the end of November. For information on tickets, please visit www.tebeymusic.com or www.jasonblaine.ca. Tebey just released a new song & music video called Jealous Of The Sun. He's written songs for Emerson Drive,...

Shining a positive light on the Canadian country music scene, SaskatchewanCountry artist ALEX RUNIONS continues to grow his successful career while finding a home on the airwaves. Nominated for three 2015 SCMAs which took place in April 2015 in the categories of Male Vocalist of the Year, and Fan's Choice Entertainer of the Year, his radio single Little Bit of Sunshine was also nominated for Singl...

Saskatchewan Country artist Stephanie Rose is here to talk about her new EP called Go Where The Wind Takes You available at iTunes now. She recently returned from Country Music Week and the CCMAS which took place in September in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The first single from Stephanie's album is called Bed Of Roses and is at country radio now. The project was produced by the husband-and-wife musical...

Brittany Brodie is a singer-songwriter who appreciates every genre of music. From a young age, she’s always known she wanted a career in the music business and her strong work ethic and positive attitude has made her the artist she is today.   Brittany grew up on traditional country music from Vern Gosdin and Dottie West to Hank Williams and George Strait. In later years, she was listening to The...

The band that plays together stays together. Known as one of the first country bands to play on every one of their studio projects, Diamond Rio made country music history when their first Arista Nashville single Meet In The Middle landed them in the No. 1 spot. Now, 25 years later Diamond Rio is releasing I Made It, their tenth studio album. The title track was co-written by the band’s lead guitar...

British Columbia Country artist Ben Klick has just released his new EP called Today. The project was produced by RyLee Madison and Clay Krasner of 7-17 Music. Ben is a writer on 5 of the 6 tracks. He's been nominated for the following 5 awards at the BCCMAs later in October: Gaylord Wood Traditional Country Award Country Club Act of the Year Mike Norman All Star Band Award – Guitar Ray McAuley Hor...

Patricia Conroy is one of Canada's greatest singer-songwriters. You know her songs - Bad Day For Trains, Blank Pages, Mary On The Dashboard - to name just a few. She's had 8 number one singles at radio and 5 number one videos on CMT. When she's not singing her own hits, she's writing them for other artists. Patricia has had great success as a writer with the songs: Steel Magnolia "Just By Being Yo...

Brad Battle writes and sings from the heart. His honesty and distinct voice captivates his listeners and leaves them wanting to hear more.  Brad's brand of Pop/Country music is catchy and written based on his life experiences. His story is one filled with inspiration and determination. After stepping away from music to start a family, he found himself telling his kids to never give up on what they...

MADELINE MERLO IS NAMED THE 2015 CCMA RISING STAR! Despite growing up in a small town in British Columbia, Madeline Merlo always knew she wanted to be bonafide Country Music star - and her dream is quickly becoming a reality. After being signed to Open Road Recordings in 2013, and releasing her self-titled debut album in 2014, Madeline was quickly recognized as an artist to watch. Her singles Sink...

Award-winning Country music artist GORD BAMFORD debuted Don’t Let Her Be Gone - the first single from his upcoming 2016 album - on the 2015 CCMA Awards Show on September 13th.  “It’s not very often a song like this comes along, I’m just happy I’m the guy who got to record it. This could be one of the biggest songs of my career,” explains Gord.  The video for the song - now playing on CMT - was dir...

RAQUEL COLE is a seasoned singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has written with some of the finest songwriters in the world, has been featured on Sirius XM’s The Highway and has opened up for Country star Josh Turner and Grammy award-winning legendary group Diamond Rio.   Raquel has been perfecting her sound for more than half her young life. These days she splits her time between Nashv...

TwoShine County - the Calgary-based Country duo consisting of front men Daron Schofield and Dennis Hann - has just released a new single 'Love This Song."  Stevie Jewel - born in Muskoka, Ontario and now living in Nashville - has just released her new single "Memory Lane." Ryan Keown - Manitoba Country artist - has just released his new single "Amen." All three acts will being performing as part o...

After taking home the Rising Star Award at the 2014 Country Music Association of Ontario Awards, Jordan McIntosh continues to climb the ranks as one of Canada’s hottest new country stars. No stranger to the stage, the 19-year-old Ottawa native has toured with country stars Brett Kissel and, most recently, Emerson Drive. Additionally, he performed on the main stage at the third annual Boots and Hea...

MIKE DENNEY is President of MDM Recordings Inc., an independent recording company founded in 2008 and located in Toronto. One of his biggest dreams for his artists is to help enhance their success by securing them international recognition, and he has made this goal a priority. “My mission is to support, help nurture and grow the careers of the numerous artists that I work with on a day in and day...

Sky Wyatt has already stoked a buzz in his native Vancouver, BC area with appearances at the Plaza of the Nations main stage at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, showcasing at the Vancouver Island Music Business Conference, and making it into the final round of the Red Robinson Talent Showdown at the Pacific National Exhibition and the British Columbia Youth Talent Search. He has also written songs wit...

James David Carter had a successful football career growing up, but a serious injury in his senior year dashed his dreams of playing in college. After the accident, singing was initially something he did for fun, but he realized he was a natural talent and hasn't looked back. He set off a four-coach war for himself on the 2014 season of NBC's hit show The Voice after his blind audition of the Coun...

SMALL TOWN PISTOLS When you’re declared Group of the Year at Canada’s biggest country music awards show, that’s major validation from a community with high standards. Ontario’s Small Town Pistols won the CCMA title in 2014 after the brother and sister reunited for their 2013 self-titled debut. Now Amanda and Tyler Wilkinson — formerly of country trio The Wilkinsons — are back with the follow-up, P...

Ontario Country artist Tori Hathway has just released her new CD called Dear Diary now available at iTunes. The project was produced by famed Toronto music producer Douglas Romanow. She's a singer-songwriter-entertainer who feels as at home on the stage as she does in the studio. At just 16 years old, Tori is already blazing her own trail on the Country music scene. Tune in for stories & songs...

Don Green, president of the Country Music Association of Canada (CCMA) joins me to discuss the CCMA Nominations announced July 15, 2015. Country Music Week, which includes the CCMA Awards Show, takes place September 9 through 13th in Halifax. Ontario Country artist Brittany Brodie joins me on the show to talk about her new song "Together Never Alone". We'll also chat about her influences, songwrit...

Dean Brody's latest album is called Gypsy Road. It’s easily his most winning and original collection of songs, a fact confirmed by the rollicking, sun-drenched first single, ‘Upside Down.’ Fitting for a guy already possessed of a boatload of CCMA and JUNO Awards. “’Upside Down’ as well as the song ‘Monterey’ were written on a ukulele,” Dean explains, adding that the tenderhearted but scorching ‘Lo...

In the few short years they have been together, The Washboard Union have defied classification and have become one of the most exciting and talked about new bands on the Canadian Country music scene. They’ve being nominated for Roots Artists of the Year by the British Columbia Country Music Association, have signed on with the country music power house management team at Sakamoto Entertainment and...

Toronto's Dayna Shereck releases her debut EP called Suitcase Full Of Dreams on June 23rd. The project was produced by Larry Beaird of Beaird Music Studios in Nashville. She is also releasing a music video for the song "Goodbye Doesn't Say It All". “Life is messy, and I’m not afraid to write about it,” says Dayna. “There is no such thing as playing it safe in music. I want to say what people are r...