In The Country With Dave Woods

Peterborough, Ontario's NIKKI ENGLISH has spent the last few years making music with Canadian Country Trio Western Avenue. Their 2013 self-titled debut album includes the radio singles Highway Headin' Out Of Town, This I Promise You and Wherever You Are. They filmed music videos for a couple of the songs. The trio was nominated for CMAO Group or Duo of the year in 2013. Nikki has been singing since she was a child and was inspired be her Dad who she lost to cancer in 2001. She remembers him playing guitar and singing as well as encouraging her to pursue music. “That’s what he always wanted me to do, and I wanted to do, but I was such a wimp. It gave me confidence to do it in his memory. It’s been a challenge because I’ve always been shy, but I’ve been developing that over the years – breaking out of my shell,” she explains. Now with several years of success with Western Avenue, Nikki has released a solo effort - a song she wrote called Follow Your Heart. The song was produced by Cobourg, Ontario's Adam

In The Country with Dave Woods is all about Country music & conversations with Country artists. The show has been broadcasting online since 2009. On this episode: Julian Austin, John Landry & Stacey Lee, Lindsay Broughton, Victoria Banks, Neal McCoy, Kira Isabella, Matt Williams and Tia McGraff. All of them have great songs and stories to share. You'll hear about artists' influences, their approach to songwriting, who they'd love to work with & more! Dave loves to bring his listeners up close & personal interviews with Country legends and the latest voices on the radio. Several episodes air live every week. Stay tuned! For more In The Country interviews, be sure to visit www.inthecountryinterviews.com  

For Lindsay Broughton, Country Music is home. It’s the quiet, country house, white picket fence, and the rocking chair on the porch. Not a surprising association, as she was raised with music as a constant companion throughout her childhood in Brooklin, Ontario. For all her life, no matter what changes headed her way, music has always been there for her. Initially gaining inspiration from her performing mother, as soon as Lindsay was old enough she began performing. She became well and truly bit by the bug in high school, where she learned the guitar and joined the local songwriting club. As part of a field trip, she went to Nashville, where even then her potential was noticed. Arriving back to Brooklin, encouraged by the praise received in Nashville, she was more determined than ever to hone her craft and pursue a career in music. Fast forward: Lindsay has been a regular at the famous Boots & Hearts festival, has played at many CCMA showcases as well as the CMAO Awards show, and has shared the stage wi

Country-rocker JULIAN AUSTIN - born in Sussex, New Brunswick - climbed the charts and appeared in videos on CMT with hits like Little Ol' Kisses, Hard Time Loving You, What My Heart Already Knows and Back In Your Life. His first album earned him a certified CRIA gold record (50k+ sales) and the 1997 Wrangler Rising Star Award from the Canadian Country Music Association. His first single Little Ol’ Kisses went #1 on radio and also made the CMT Top 30 Videos of 1997, followed in 1998 with the Best Country Single award at the first annual Canadian Radio Music Awards. That year Julian also earned several Juno nominations. His new radio release is his version of the Jimmy Buffet classic Margaritaville. SHAE DUPUY is excited to release her Breakdown EP featuring the first single Grandpa’s Truck. Shae walks the fine line between dirt roads and downtown, without ever losing her small town charm. She continues writing tracks for her first full-length album to be released in 2015. “I can’t leave the house without some

Described as having "a voice stolen from angels", Tia McGraff first stepped into the international spotlight on a CBC TV special with Johnny Cash and June Carter. Johnny was so impressed with Tia, he invited her into June's dressing room to introduce the two. Johnny Cash wasn't the only one who recognized a shining star! Soon the likes of Randy Bachman (BTO), Dan Hill (Celine Dion), Andrew Gold, and countless others, were inviting Tia to write and record with them. Tia's latest 12 track album is called Break These Chains and was produced by her co-writer/husband Tommy Parham (pictured on the left in the photo above). The rootsy melodies and honest lyrics have been produced with such integrity that one feels they are listening to something hauntingly familiar and refreshingly real. Perhaps it is because Tia’s influences include lyrical wonders like Joni Mitchell, Patty Griffin, and Mary Gauthier, or because she has drawn from the stories of those who have touched her own heart. "(Her) new body of work is

Three popular Canadian Country artists join me on this episode of In The Country to talk about their music careers and share their latest radio singles. Music has always been an undeniable passion for Cobourg, Ontario's MATT WILLIAMS for as long as he can remember. “I remember from a very early age singing in the stands at baseball games with my mother”. Years later it was a Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers concert that influenced him to pursue a career in music. “As soon as the lights went down I was hooked.” Matt's latest single is called Make Love Tonight and features Peterborough Country artist Alyssa Morrissey. Mississauga, Ontario's KAITLIN KOZELL was one of the top eight finalists in the Emerging Artist Showcase at the 2014 Boots & Hearts music festival. Since being added to the roster of Leafs anthem singers in the late fall of 2011 and performing at her first game in January of 2012, Kaitlin has had the opportunity to perform at numerous Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Marlies, and other MLSE eve

Born and raised in Stratford, Ontario, KRISTEN HAWLEY started singing Country music at the age of 12. In 2007, she competed in and won a local singing competition called Stratford Star. One of the contestants in the competition was Justin Bieber. This past Febuary, she recorded her first EP, and was flown to New York City to play the lead single Might Be Right and be interviewed on Dateline NBC. “Lots of very exciting things happening right now, can’t wait to see where my music career takes me next!” Ontario's ROB KIRKHAM (from Rob Kirkham and Neon Rain) makes a return appearance on the show to talk about and share his new song You Never Know About Me. For more of Dave's Country Music interviews, be sure to visit www.inthecountryinterviews.com

Country artists John Landry & Stacey Lee won the CCMA Vocal Collaboration of the Year in 2001 for their duet My Heart Says Yes. Now, on John's fifth studio album entitled Don't Look Back, the pair have teamed up again to put their voices together on the song We Won't Stop. It's the album's new single being released to country radio now. John Landry started his climb on the country charts in 1999 with the release of his debut album Forever Took Too Long. The songs There You Wereand Bit By Bit became top 10 Canadian Country singles. John was nominated for a 2000 Juno award for best Country Male Artist. He continued his popularity at country radio & CMT with Long Gone and Forgotten, Fantasy Island and When Will Your Memory Let Go. Stacey Lee was a member of the hit country trio Lace and is now a member of the popular group The Western Swing Authority. In Oct of 2012, the group released their sophomore album called All Dolled Up, and it went on to garner a steady series of excellent reviews, awards and

Joining me on this episode are three talented Canadian Country artists: Ontario's Adrienne Taylor, Nova Scotia's Makayla Lynn and Saskathewan's country duo Marshal Reign.  Being raised on a farm, 24-year-old Adrienne Taylor grew up riding dirt bikes, driving trucks in fields, shooting guns and running through cornfields. Her first job was raising chickens on her farm and selling eggs door-to-door. Adrienne’s father Brent, who is a guitar player and singer, decided to teach Adrienne how to sing. At an early age, she was influenced musically by Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. By age 14, she performed "Sweet Home Alabama" with her father’s band at a local event. Adrienne's latest song is called Backwoods Saturday Night. Barely a teenager, Makayla Lynn has already penned over 50 songs and has completed recording her third album called Daydream in Nashville which was released in June 2014. The album has been nominated for the IMEA Country Album of the Year as well as Music Nova Scotia's Country

Life is painful and impossible and breathtaking and beautiful. I have to write what I feel. That’s where Victoria Banks' third album Indigo comes from. "These songs aren’t written to fit a genre, or to meet an expectation of a sound,” she says. “They’re built from bare-bones midnight recording sessions in my attic. They’re things that I need to say."  Victoria’s list of accolades as an artist is long. Her self-produced, self-penned records When You Can Fly and Never Be the Same made her 2009’s most nominated female artist in Canadian country music, earned her the 2010 CCMA Female Artist of the Year award, and sent her out on tour with superstars Reba McEntire, Wynonna Judd, Lonestar, Randy Travis and Johnny Reid.  Now a staff songwriter at Nashville’s RareSpark Media Group, Victoria’s impressive catalogue of hits includes 3 cuts by Sara Evans including “Can’t Stop Loving You” (a duet with Isaac Slade of The Fray), and the ASCAP and SOCAN-award-winning “Saints & Angels.” She penned Jessica Simpson’s Bil

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® and fan-favorite country music artist Neal McCoy announce the upcoming CD release of Pride: A Tribute to Charley Pride: Deluxe Edition, which will be available on Nov. 3rd exclusively at all 633 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® locations and online at crackerbarrel.com.  Pride: A Tribute to Charley Pride: Deluxe Edition contains two exclusive bonus tracks not found on the original edition that was released in 2013 by Slate Creek Records. The album contains Neal’s versions of 13 songs made famous by the legendary Pride. Highlights include Neal performing duets with three of country music’s greatest voices. He sings “Roll On Mississippi” with Trace Adkins, “I’m Just Me” with Raul Malo, and Pride’s signature song (which earned songwriter Ben Peters a GRAMMY Award in 1972 for Best Country song), “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’” with Darius Rucker.    “I wanted to open people’s eyes about Charley and remind them of all that he has accomplished,” says Neal. “I thought the best w

Sakstachewan's JESS MOSKALUKE is the 2014 CCMA Female Artist of the Year. It's been an amazing year for her with her single Cheap Wine and Cigarettes going gold. She performed the song on this year's CCMA broadcast. The album Light Up The Night also features the popular single Good Lovin' and the new single Used. Jess had a Nashville showcase in August at The Rutledge. CMT has begun playing the video for her latest single Used. Toronto-based band THE LOVELOCKS received a 2014 CMAO Rising Star Award nomination and then won the CCMA Discovery Award. Celebrated by BlogTO in July 2014 as one of the top 5 alt-country bands to watch in Toronto, The Lovelocks are comprised of musical partners in crime Ali Raney and Zoe Neuman, two city girls who love country music. Their sound has been described as "The Dixie Chicks go Lumineering with a Mumford & Sons-ian alt-country, roots-inspired approach filled with soaring vocals, sweet harmonies and sultry string." The current single from their debut EP is the catchy &am

TWOSHINE COUNTY is made up of singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Daron Schofield and Dennis Hann. They are high energy, veteran performers who have united to bring their guitar-infused, raw and honest music to country music fans from coast-to-coast. Inspired by influences like Garth Brooks, Merle Haggard, the Beatles, Kris Kristofferson and U2, Daron and Dennis recently recorded their first four-song EP at 2013 & 2014 CCMA Award Winning Recording Studio - MCC Recording Studio in Calgary, Alberta. Releasing their second single Whole Lotta Love to radio in August 2014, the country duo brings forth considerable singing/songwriting experience spanning over several genres, creating a sound that is upbeat, compelling and distinct. Tune in and get to know Daron and Dennis and the music of TwoShine County!

Ottawa-born Country artist KIRA ISABELLA will release her new album Caffeine & Big Dreams on October 14th. It features the powerful first single Quarterback and the new single Gone Enough. She wrote the majority of songs on this album and teamed up with several hit songwriters including Deric Ruttan, Rivers Rutherford and Chris DuBois. Kira was named the 2013 CCMA Female Artist of the Year and the 2014 CMAO Female Artist of the Year. She was nominated for a 2013 JUNO Award in the Breakthrough Artist category. In September 2014, Kira was nominated for in the CCMA Female Artist category. She recently kicked off the very first concert at Tim Horton's Field in Hamilton opening for Keith Urban and Darius Rucker. She's about to begin her first headlining tour "The Shake It Tour" later this month - featuring country duo Autumn Hill - starting in Kingston, Ontario. In 2011, Kira released her first single Love Me Like That. The song was a runaway hit crossing over into the Canadian Hot 100 Chart, while also earn

In 1999, Ontario Country artist Shelley Buffitt released her debut album My First Love. The acclaimed album received airplay world-wide and garnered Shelley the 1999 Nashville Tracker Magazine "Female Vocalist of the Year" (European market). Shelley was nominated at the OCMAs for Female Vocalist of the Year, as well as Album of the Year in 1999. Riding on the success of her debut album, Executive Producers at Five Star Productions decided to release Bad Side of Town in 2000. This was a wise move as that year The Ontario Country Music Association recognized Shelley's contribution to the Canadian music scene by nominating her for Female Vocalist of the Year, Rising Star and Duet of the Year (with the multi-talented songstress, Kelly Vohnn.)  The album features the musicianship of Wendell Ferguson. This same year, TVOntario filmed a documentary about Shelley and her music on their show Studio 1 with Steve Paikin.  In July 2014, Daddy’s Little Girl - a song from Shelley's album Beyond This Woman - was released

Alberta's PAUL BRANDT -  the most awarded male Canadian Country Music artist in history - climbed the charts once again this summer with his song Forever Summer. It's another title on his long list of hits which include My Heart Has A History, I Do, That's The Truth, Small Towns & Big Dreams and Didn't Even See The Dust.  A former pediatric registered nurse, Paul had a passion for words and poetry early in life, and began to write music at the age of 13. He also had the goal of one day becoming a doctor. While reaching for his medical dreams during his college years, Paul started entering and winning talent competitions, one of which was the Youth Talent Showdown at the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede. He credits these contests as events that altered the course of his life. Just As I Am, his 11th studio album (released October 2012), features well-known Gospel songs. The album includes collaborations with artists including Patty Loveless, Ricky Skaggs, Dan Tyminski, John Anderson, The Whites, The Isaacs

Producer, musician & songwriter Doug Romanow works his musical magic at Noble Street Studios in Toronto. He's worked with Ontario Country acts like Johnny Reid, Ann Chaplin, Cadence Grace, Mike Butler and Tori Hathaway - and even pop star Justin Bieber - to name just a few. He's the Musical Director for the Canadian Country Music Association's Gala Dinner & Industry Awards Show. Doug is also a songwriter with a long list of co-writes with artists he's produced - along with songs written with Michelle Wright, Patrica Conroy and Eddie Schwartz.  He visits Nashville regularly to write and produce.  Doug began in the music industry in the 1980s by playing keyboards and writing for indie bands. He developed skills as an arranger and programmer, and in his early twenties began taking over the helm of recording projects. His love for Country music began at an early age. I visited Doug at Noble Street Studios for a tour and a conversation taped in the studio. Tune in to hear the multi-talented Romanow discu

MYRIA WEBBER is a Canadian Country Music singer/songwriter. Born in farm country and raised in apple country in Quebec, Myria is the only child of her French Canadian mother and English Canadian father. She has been singing and performing since she was seven and is happiest to be on stage and share her music with others. Her love of music is a family affair as both her grandfathers were musicians too.  Myria’s country music influences include the likes of Miranda Lambert, Casadee Pope, Blake Shelton, and Scotty McCreery to name but a few. The more and more she has immersed herself in the country music scene, she has become a fan of many artists from all eras, both north and south of the border.  Myria’s latest project is the recording of her self-titled EP recorded this summer in Nashville produced by Eddie Gore at Steve Cropper’s Insomnia Studios in the heart of Music Row.  Her first single to country radio is called "Movie Kiss."

After spending his teens and most of his 20s playing in rock bands, Ontario's TERRY FERNIHOUGH made a decision to quit, and put his energy into what he really loved, which was writing songs. Terry explains that he was "too rock for country in the 80s, and too country for rock." Then everything changed. Some called it "New Country", some called it "Country Rock". Terry just called it good music. As time has moved forward, his tastes have broadened even further into more traditional country, folk, and even contemporary country, which has moved even farther away from its traditional base. He feels very fortunate to write with some of the most talented artists on the Canadian country music scene. These artists have been nominated for CCMA Awards, ECMAs, provincial country music awards in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario, and two of them are even Juno nominees. Terry will talk about songwriting and will share two of his songs recorded by Canadian country artists Donny Parenteau & Sarah Beth Keeley. MELODY LO

ALANNAH MCCREADY recently released her debut EP Love Hangover produced by award-winning Nashville publisher Dan Hodges and renowned Los Angeles based producer John Fields. Alannah began singing, appropriately, in cowboy boots and hat. But it wasn’t in Nashville, at the Ryman Auditorium. It was north of Minneapolis in the ex-urban flatlands of Blaine, Minnesota where she stood atop the back of a corduroy couch in 1991 as a four year old, in a ninja turtle costume and ice skates and announced the beginning of her singing career. In 2010, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison but not before winning two National Division 1 Championships as a goalie for the Badgers. She lived in NYC for a few years after college, working in the sports marketing world, until she fatefully heard Nashville beckoning. So while music has a big part of her heart, hockey has a special place in it too  “Hockey has been a part of my entire family growing up and it brought me to a million different places. My brother and