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Brett Kissell – Picking Up Where He Left Off

Roman Mitz
Brett Kissell – Picking Up Where He Left Off
by Roman Mitz for Open Spaces Last year was a good one for Brett Kissell, which can be confirmed via the four Canadian Country Music Association nominations he received in 2015 on the heels of his debut album ‘Started With A Song’ and gold single ‘3-2-1’. Well, the sophomore jinx is certainly not a factor for Brett as the first... Read More

2015 Canadian Country Music Association Winners

Roman Mitz
2015 Canadian Country Music Association Winners
 Jess Moskaluke Well, the 2015 CCMA’s are in the books and it was certainly a night of pomp and circumstance at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax. The show rivalled the Toronto International Film Festival in terms of fashion statements but, fittingly, the stars strolled down the John Deere Green Carpet as opposed to the traditional red carpet. Calgary’s Gord Bamford... Read More

Red-Hot Country

Roman Mitz
Red-Hot Country
There are a lot of great tunes heating up the country charts but there’s none hotter than ‘Our Town’, the first single from Cold Creek County. The song hooks you immediately with a memorable acoustic guitar lick and then turns into a party anthem that praises the virtues of Friday nights and cold beer, name checking Lynyrd Skynyrd in the... Read More

Danielle Marie – Here Right Now

Roman Mitz
Danielle Marie – Here Right Now
Don’t mess with Danielle Marie, the 19-year-old starlet who has just released her new disc Here Right Now.  Danielle, who hails from Morinville Alberta but now calls Vancouver home, is fiercely independent and wise beyond her years in terms of calling the shots for her career. The tattoo on her wrist which reads ‘Let them talk’ speaks volumes about sticking... Read More

Kate Todd: New Country Re-Boot

Roman Mitz
Kate Todd: New Country Re-Boot
Kate Todd may have had a little luck along the way in terms of establishing herself as a bona fide actress, country singer/songwriter and music teacher, but her success is mostly the result of natural talent combined with hard work. She began her acting career portraying singer/songwriter Lily ‘Shady Lane’ Randall in the television series ‘Radio Free Roscoe’. Her most... Read More

Twin Kennedy: Double Barrel Country

Roman Mitz
Twin Kennedy: Double Barrel Country
Things can become a little confusing when you’re interviewing country singing twins over the telephone. In this case it’s Carli and Julie Kennedy, the siblings that front Twin Kennedy who are calling to talk about their hot new country platter “It’s A Love Thing”. Because of the similarity of their voices we devise a method to ensure that quotes are... Read More

Chad Brownlee Goes Coast To Coast

Roman Mitz
Chad Brownlee Goes Coast To Coast
It’s been a dreadful winter in terms of the frigid temperatures, so it’s nice that we’ll at least be able to soak up a little country heat via the “When The Lights Go Down” tour as it rolls across Canada during March and April. Chad Brownlee headlines the tour in support of his remarkable album ‘The Fighters’, and he is... Read More

Catching A Lift With Dallas Smith

Roman Mitz
Catching A Lift With Dallas Smith
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

Kira Isabella Shaking Her Cowboy Booty

Roman Mitz
Kira Isabella Shaking Her Cowboy Booty
Kira Isabella is on a roll. Literally. She’s just completed a seven-hour bus ride from Saskatoon to Brandonwhere she will be performing in support of her new album Caffeine & Big Dreams, which is winging its way up the Canadian country charts. For someone who has just logged over 600 kilometers Kira sounds remarkably perky as she calls prior to... Read More

Russell deCarle. Stepping Out Of His Shell

Roman Mitz
Russell deCarle. Stepping Out Of His Shell
“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

Ginger St. James. Honky Tonk Woman

Roman Mitz
Ginger St. James. Honky Tonk Woman
Ginger St. James is apologetic for being late for our phone interview, and the fact that she is tardy is a might surprising as she grew up an early riser during her formative years on her family’s farm in the small community of Binbrook in south-east Hamilton. Once she relocated to Toronto she dropped the pitchfork and cow pies for... Read More

Bobby Wills – Crazy Enough? You Betcha!

Roman Mitz
Bobby Wills – Crazy Enough? You Betcha!
Don’t ever think that Bobby Wills will back off of a dare. He’ll even jump off of a ledge into a creek, as evidenced in the title track and hit single from his latest album Crazy Enough. Wills is up for any challenge and he’s not about to use stunt doubles. “That song is definitely autobiographical,” laughs the affable Albertan... Read More

Jason McCoy To Host Second Annual CMAO’s

Roman Mitz
Jason McCoy To Host Second Annual CMAO’s
One of the more pleasant surprises in the country music industry last year was the success of the first Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAO) awards show. Not only did it provide the opportunity to acknowledge the finest country performers in the province, but the high octane performances made for a rip-snorting blast for the fans in attendance. The second... Read More

Jess Moskaluke – Cool Licks & Hot Lips

Roman Mitz
Jess Moskaluke – Cool Licks & Hot Lips
Jess Moskaluke’s new album and her first full-length release is called Light Up The Night. The first single, Good Lovin’, has already burned up the charts and the second one, Cheap Wine and Cigarettes, is poised to follow. Like Justin Bieber, the pretty chanteuse was discovered on YouTube where her sensational country covers created a huge following for her. This... Read More

Quartette – Four Strong Winds

Roman Mitz
Quartette – Four Strong Winds
The roots-based group Quartette has been a true phenomenon on the Canadian musical landscape over the last 20 years. First, the four females that comprise the group are exceptional vocalists, the most recognizable of which is Sylvia Tyson who, during the 1960’s, carved a solid folk career as part of the renowned husband and wife duo Ian and Sylvia. Cindy... Read More

It’s All Good – Canada’s First Family Of Country Music

Roman Mitz
It’s All Good – Canada’s First Family Of Country Music
Talk about good musical genes. First you have Canada’s legendary Good Brothers, twins Brian and Bruce, and brother Larry, who have been cranking out fine country and bluegrass for over 40 years. The next generation of Goods, Bruce’s sons Dallas and Travis, have found great success fronting much lauded roots rockers, The Sadies. If you thought that’s where the Good... Read More