Catching A Lift With Dallas Smith

November 27, 2014December 4, 2014 Roman Mitz

Dallas Smith is feeling very upbeat these days so it seems appropriate that the title of his new country platter is Lifted. His debut album Jumped Right In launched five singles onto the Canadian charts and landed him a Juno nomination for Album of the Year. He supported that album with a string of tour dates opening for veteran rocker... Read More

Russell deCarle. Stepping Out Of His Shell

October 3, 2014October 7, 2014 Roman Mitz

“I’m right with you man,” Russell deCarle laughs with regard to the 30+ year-old tape recorder being used for this interview. This is the same recorder that was used to interview him several times over the years while he served as front man for the legendary Canadian country band Prairie Oyster. The old school unit would seem to be appropriate... Read More

Great Expectations – Halo High Water

August 15, 2013August 15, 2013 Music Express

Concerts with a message, either to draw awareness to a cause, or, in the case of this event, to raise money for a cause, are often fraught with problems: who to invite and where to place these invited artists in the show’s sequence without ruffling feathers; how to maintain a level of excitement and energy while maintaining a strong focus... Read More

CMAO Awards – Hot Night In Markham

May 29, 2013May 29, 2013 Roman Mitz

It was a picture perfect night at the lovely Markham Theatre, a most appropriate setting for what turned out to be a very successful Country Music Association of Ontario Awards Show. Based on this inaugural show, the CMAO’s should serve as the model for every other awards ceremony out there. It was well paced at just over two hours and... Read More

Working Men… and Women

May 23, 2013May 23, 2013 Roman Mitz

On his Twitter page, Bryce Pallister calls himself the ‘Singing Farmer’ which is a pretty good fit considering he obtained his degree in agriculture from the University of Manitoba and works his farm by day, and takes to the stage to croon his traditional country tunes at night. Pallister’s new record is called Down Dusty Roads and it comes four... Read More

Terri Clark graces Toronto

April 4, 2013April 4, 2013 Music Express

Once again I found myself in the car travelling with Ted to cover another concert. This time though was different. This time we were covering Terri Clark. Finally some country music, and not just any country music… some good ole Canadian country. As we turned the corner to head to the parking lot of the Sound Acadamy in Toronto we were amazed... Read More

Classic Clark

March 11, 2013March 11, 2013 Roman Mitz

Terri Clark might as well have called her new album Cloud Nine instead of Classic, because that’s where the singer/songwriter feels she’s residing after having the opportunity to record a bunch of her all time favourite country songs. The album includes standards like Emmylou Harris’ Two More Bottles Of Wine plus honky tonk nuggets like Merle Haggard’s Swinging Doors. What... Read More

Stompin’ Board Laid To Rest

March 7, 2013March 7, 2013 Keith Sharp

Stompin Tom Connors, 1936-2013 Canada lost one of its greatest cultural icons March 6th when Stompin Tom Connors passed away peacefully of natural causes at his Peterborough Ontario residence. Connors’ who was 77 years old, knew he was in poor health and posted the following memo on his website in the days prior to his death. I... Read More

Doc Goes For A Drive

January 25, 2013January 28, 2013 Roman Mitz

Arguably Canada’s hottest two country groups, Emerson Drive and Doc Walker, are combining forces for the 2013 CMT Hitlist tour slated to go cross country this spring (Click here for the tour schedule). The bands are bound to take the stage together for at least one song, Let It Roll, their current joint release which sits high atop the country... Read More

Only The Strong Survive – Michelle Wright

December 3, 2012December 3, 2012 Roman Mitz

Michelle Wright is a survivor. Just look back 25 years or so to the time of her first album Do Right By Me, and count how many other Canadian country artists from that time are still delivering the goods. There really aren’t many who have held on for that long. “Held on is probably the right phrase because there have... Read More

Four Dudes & A Lady

October 19, 2012October 19, 2012 Roman Mitz

So who is the good looking singer firing up her sparklers in the country music video for ‘A Little More Work’? That would be Kira Isabella, the bubbly brunette who is presently burning up the country charts with the single from her recently released debut album ‘Love Me Like That’. Isabella has a decade of experience under her belt performing... Read More

Cindy Church – Sad Songs Make Me Happy

September 27, 2012October 12, 2012 Keith Sharp

(Outside Music) As Church herself acknowledges in the album linear notes, the inspiration for this release was prompted by an acoustic session around her kitchen table when the rendition of a country tune prompted Cindy to confess that “sad songs make her happy” This prompted a very informal recording session which almost sounds like a home taping, Church’s plaintive vocals... Read More

Tag: Country