Hot Shots in Canadian Country

KATE TODD: Summertime and the living is easy, and the songs wafting over the radio airwaves are cool and breezy. While Iggy Azalea’s Fancy and Ariana Grand’s Problem may be battling things out for seasonal supremacy on the pop radio, there are a number of summer earworms popping up on the Canadian country charts. One of the catchiest new offerings is Hey Day by actress turned chanteuse, Kate Todd. After starring in television shows such as Radio Free Roscoe and Disney’s My Babysitter’s A Vampire, Kate showed that she also has great vocal chops on her debut country album Finding My Way, which sprouted three singles and a Rising Star nomination at the 2013 Canadian Country Music Association of Ontario awards. The new single, which precedes her sophomore album in the fall, is driven by a spry banjo and Todd’s joyous declaration that ‘It’s Saturday night and (she) just wants to get down’. Amen to that.   DALLAS SMITH: It wouldn’t be summer without a great road song and Dallas Smith’s Slow Rollin’ fills the bill nicely. The first few searing guitar licks kick off a number that’s perfect for a top-down drive down Main Street on a sweltering evening. The British Columbia native is known for his energetic live performances and it’s no surprise that he’s been tapped to open some shows for music legend Bob Seger. Smith will also be rollin’ across Canada this summer playing the country music festival circuit which includes stops at the Holstein Rodeo in Mount Forest, the Boots & Hearts Festival in Bowmanville and the PNE in Vancouver. [youtube width=”600″ height=”338″ video_id=”L0C-L0W6ghs”]     THE ROAD HAMMERS: If you really want to get down and dirty this summer there’s no better way to do so than by enjoying a little Mud, courtesy of the Road Hammers. By the time the chorus comes around a second time you’ll find yourself wallowing in this musical mire and helping the band shout out the song’s title. The group was the brainchild of Canadian country music veteran Jason McCoy, who wanted to put together a unit that could deliver songs geared toward a trucking lifestyle. The Road Hammers certainly nail it with their kick-ass mix of country, southern rock and blues, and tunes about maverick culture, the open road and, of course, mud. [youtube width=”600″ height=”338″ video_id=”fMQhoU-SL5w&feature=kp”]     TIM HICKS: Perhaps the best after-beach anthem of the summer may be Tim Hicks’ Here Comes The Thunder in which the singer heartily declares that he and his boys are going to “smoke some, drink some and buy a little trouble”. The CCMA & JUNO-nominated Hicks was the highest selling digital Canadian Country artist of 2013 and his latest single should give him a good shot to repeat in 2014. Hicks will release his highly anticipated sophomore album in August, featuring 12 new tracks co-written by the singer and the likes of Todd Clark (Phillip Phillips) and Preston Bust (Keith Urban).     DEAN BRODY: At the end of the day after all of the summer carousing and imbibing, you just might want to chill and give a listen to Dean Brody’s One Man’s Gold, a sentimental and reflective piece about lost and found love. While there is a video available for the song, it’s not a requisite as Brody’s music has a cinematic quality that makes it easy for listeners to put themselves into his songs and relate to his lyrics. Brody says that this visual prowess is an important part of the songwriting process. “I see the world in pictures and I love stories and creating worlds, either by using my own background, or by putting myself in other people’s shoes, because I’m fascinated by other people’s perspectives on life.”