Country meets glitz and glam

Alberta has produced more than its share of Canadian country artists, singer-songwriters that work together, tour together and write tunes for each other.

No one genre of music is closer than country artists. On Sept. 4 to 7, all the nation's top newsmakers will be flocking to Edmonton to whoop it up at Canadian Country Music Association week.

Singer-songwriters, agents, scouts, record producers and radio personalities – they'll all be networking and enjoying the best country music produced this past year.

From veteran road warriors such as George Canyon and Terri Clark to the next generation of hell-raisers such as Tim Hicks and Jess Moskaluke, CCMA week promises to be a hotbed of country talent.

“This year our goal was to provide more showcase opportunities for more artists. We wanted to give them more exposure and there are huge opportunities right from the get-go,” said CCMA president Jackie Rae-Greening.

Organizers have brought back numerous popular fan events including the songwriters' series, discovery showcase and the legends show.

Die-hard fans will be particularly delighted with the free, five-hour Jiffy Lube FanFest at West Edmonton Mall's Ice Palace on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The back-to-back entertainment is packed with a stellar cast of country's finest with Paul Brandt, Dean Brody, Doc Walker and The Road Hammers to name a few.

CBC will broadcast the CCMA Awards from Edmonton's Rexall Place on Sunday at 8 p.m. local time. Political satirist Rick Mercer and singer-songwriter Jann Arden, a Canadian mainstay numbering 12 albums and 19 singles, glam it up as the evening's hosts.

“Last year the music was very intense. We had 19 performances and no host. This year we have the funny comedy of our hosts and 13 performances,” Rae-Greening noted.

The star-studded showcase not only brings together luminaries ranging from Brandt, Canyon and Bamford to Clark, Brett Kissel and Lennon & Maisy, stars of the hit television series Nashville.

It's also an opportunity to catch every style of country from traditional to the edgier bro-country – a trucks, girls and beer seduction put to twangified pop-rock and hip-hop beats.

In keeping with providing artists more chances to showcase their talent, organizers are debuting a free CCMA awards countdown concert in the parking lot of Rexall Place on Sunday starting at 1 p.m.

There will be featured performances by Chad Brownlee, Leah Daniels, High Valley, One More Girl, Aaron Pritchett and Tebey.

The green carpet celebrity lineup continues to heat up with some of the biggest names in entertainment.

Leading the charge is Brett Kissel, 24, with a total of eight nominations including Single of the Year, Album of the Year and Male Artist of the Year for his studio recording Started With a Song.

Close on his heels are Dean Brody and Gord Bamford with six and five nominations each. Deric Ruttan and Tim Hicks have garnered four nominations. Trailing behind with three nominations are veterans Dallas Smith and Wes Mack as well as newcomer Jess Moskaluke.

But the high-wattage star power radiates from the youthful Kissel. He arrived in Nashville to a music community that readily embraced his talent, his music and his marketing savvy. Now just a couple of years later, his hit album is lighting up the charts.

This is the first big year on the national stage for the fifth generation Alberta farm boy. Riding a wave of success after the Young Guns Tour, Kissel won his first Juno Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year in March.

“If someone had told me I'd be leading the way a few months ago, I wouldn't have believed it. I hoped to get a few nominations, but not eight,” said Kissel in a telephone interview from his Nashville home.

“It was like winning a lottery. I was jumping up and down like a kid. A call came in at 4 a.m. in the morning and that's when the interviews started coming.”

Gerard Gannon, Kissel's local drummer for close to 10 years, is not surprised by the multiple nominations.

“From my perspective he's always been light years beyond his age. I've been inspired by his abilities, not just as an artist, but as a businessman. He had a lot of support from his family, but it was the way he dealt with people. He was very capable at a very young age and handled his career on his own. I always knew he would do well,” said the St. Albert resident.

For the first time in his decades long career, Gannon has also been nominated for the All Star Band Drums award.

“It feels really good. It's exciting and I respect everyone I am nominated with. Even if I don't win, I'm glad to be in their company,” Gannon said.

“The whole country music scene is so welcoming, and I'm happy to be part of something so well organized. They (CCMA organizers) have created a sense of community which is important and I'm dealing with a lot of high calibre people, really good people.”

Competing in the same category with Gannon is former St. Albert drummer Matthew Atkins, now residing in Victoria, and Morinville based Chad Melchert, the 2012 all star band recipient.

Melchert had the distinction of forming the current highly successful Gord Bamford Band consisting of Robin Pelletier, Lisa Dodds-Watts, Ryan Davidson and St. Albert's Mark Puffer.

But last year, due to family matters, Melchert stepped aside. This year he rejoined the band and hasn't looked back.

After releasing Country Junkie in Oct. 2013, Bamford assembled a U.S. tour as a way to dip his toe in the massive country market. It turned out to be a great shot in the arm.

“The reaction was much better than we expected. The music hadn't been played there before. People were hearing it for the first time, but we did really well. Our Twitter followers took a huge jump,” Melchert said.

“It was a great way to establish personal relationships. I have a good feeling there's a lot of bright things on the horizon.”

Bamford is a featured entertainer at the awards show and Melchert will be playing support on Where a Farm Used to Be, Bamford's current single and the No. 1 most added country song in Canada.

As for insights into his new nomination, Melchert is pretty humble.

“It's always nice to be thought of. It's your peers who nominate you and that's a nice feeling.”

Another Morinville nominee is bass player Travis Switzer, who has spent the year touring with Deric Ruttan and Jason Blaine. Working with Ruttan, in particular, has been a big boost for his career.

Ruttan, a resident of Nashville, is known primarily as a songwriter in the United States. However, this summer Ruttan booked a series of one-off music festivals across Canada.

“I have a lot of respect for him. He's brilliant. It's hard to find an artist who is as professional as he is. He's the real deal.”

In discussing his nomination, Switzer is pretty much on the same wavelength as Melchert.

“It's always nice to be included on the list. For most musicians, it's an afterthought. We're so busy all year, but it's a neat way to cap off the end of the season.”

For Rae-Greening, CCMA week is a triple triumph for artists, fans and the Capital Region.

“If you're a country fan, there are a lot of great live choices. Check out the artists. It's a great celebration,” she said.

For a complete list of nominees and activities go to ccma.org.