In The Country With Dave Woods

After attending college on a basketball scholarship, Country artist BILLY DEAN moved to Nashville in 1983 and by 1990 had recorded his first Top 5 hit song (and video) Only Here For A Little While. He went on to the climb the charts & win awards with songs like Somewhere In My Broken Heart, Billy The Kid & You Don't Count The Cost. Throughout his career in Country music, Billy has sold over six million records.  In 1992, he was named the Top New Male Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music (ACM). In 2000, Billy - along with Alison Krauss - sang harmony vocals on Kenny Rogers' smash hit Buy Me A Rose. Now this much-loved artist is releasing an album called A Man Of Good Fortune featuring 10 brand new songs. Tune in & catch up with Billy Dean & his music on this episode of In The Country.

There is a great burst of remarkable talent on the rise in the form of THE COMMAND SISTERS - an authentic, enchanting and compelling Canadian sister duo. Charlotte, 17, and Sarah, 14, are at the start of a great career. It didn’t take long for the girls to be opening up for the likes of some of the industry’s most prominent acts like Gord Bamford (at the tender ages of 11 and 14) and performing alongside Johnny Reid, George Canyon and Emerson Drive the following year. One of the first to scoop up the Command Sisters was famed producer David Malloy, (writer/producer of 41 number one Billboard hits & he's worked with the likes of country superstars Tim McGraw, Dolly Parton and Reba) who promptly signed them to a publishing and production deal, at the ages of 12 and 15, and then recorded a full length album.  

CORY MARQUARDT made his debut on the acoustic scene in early 2011 after a couple years playing drums in local bands. He released his first album in March 2012 called First Time Around. This talented North Bay, Ontario Country artist has performed at the 27th annual Rodeo de Camion, opened for Marty Stuart at the Kipawa Countryfest, and rocked the Havelock Jamboree. Cory was named the 2012 Havelock Idol winner. He now makes regular trips to Nashville to write songs, record and perform. Look for him to front the house band for The Lions CTV Children’s Christmas Telethon which will broadcast live from the Capitol Centre in North Bay and be seen across Canada on Saturday, December 1st. You can see it on Bell Satellite TV channel 277. For over 50 years, this telethon has raised money to provide presents and food for needy families in the Nipissing District. Visit their website at www.lionsctvtelethon.com.

Canadian Country artist BLAKE EMMONS has a long list of credits to his name. He hosted the CTV series Funny Farm back in the 1970s. Also in the 70s, he co-hosted the Nashville syndicated music show The Country Place with Jim Ed Brown. Blake went on to host the game show Chain Reaction and make appearances on shows like Alice, Mary Tyler Moore & The Golden Girls. Blake's latest album is called I Can Be which won the Album Of The Year award at the 2012 Saskatchewan Country Music Awards. This talented Saskatchewan entertainer is here to discuss his very interesting career and his involvement with the annual Wounded Warriors Weekend. Plus, you'll hear songs from his award-winning album.

Nova Scotia Country artist AARON LEWIS has just released his CD entitled Discovering Gold which has been 5 years in the making. He joined the Carleton Show Band when he was nineteen and played piano for them, touring all over the world for seven years. During this time, he had the chance to work with and become friends with the likes of Randy Travis, Alabama and Waylon Jennings. Aaron's new album features a song co-written with hit songwriter/artist Gordie Sampson as well as a duet (a cover of Separate Lives - Phil Collins/Marilyn Martin) with Stephanie Beaumont.

Ontario singer-songwriter CHASE STEVENS has recently returned from a songwriting trip to Nashville. He's a member of the NSAI and regularly performs in their events. Chase is here to share some of his songs and to talk about his start in music, his musical influences and about the art of songwriting. After a past trip to L.A. failed to produce a record deal, he left the music scene and focused on his new business of operating an art gallery. Chase explains “For a good number of years I didn’t perform or write, then one day my six year old daughter who had been listening to a cassette EP I had recorded asked my why I didn’t do music anymore. I really didn’t have an answer, but it wasn’t long after that I picked up my guitar and started to get back into writing”.

Alberta's PAUL BRANDT is the most awarded male Canadian Country Music artist in history. By the age of 21, he had been signed to a 7 album deal with Warner/Reprise Records Nashville, alongside label-mates Faith Hill, Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam and more. By 1996, Paul had become the first Canadian male country artist to reach the Billboard Top Ten in the US since Hank Snow in 1974, and a string of number one hits and gold and platinum albums followed. He recently released his first gospel album entitled Just As I Am featuring I'll Fly Away, Amazing Grace and When The Roll Gets Called Up Yonder. Paul is joined on the album by Ricky Skaggs, Patty Loveless, John Anderson and others.

When you think of Cowboys and Country music, the cold climate and frozen tundra of Alaska might just be the last place on earth that you would think of. But Alaska is exactly where DOUG BRINEY’s music career is heating up. With nominations for Most Promising New Artist at the 2012 ICMA awards and Indie Artist of the Year at the 2013 Southern Star Awards, this talented artist with the warm baritone voice and love for all things southern, might just be the original Northern Cowboy. His current album is called It’s All Country which features Doug’s version of recent chart-toppers like Voices (Chris Young) & Ol’ Red(Blake Shelton) as well as original songs like the first single More Than Just A Farm.

ANDREW HELLER is a classically trained singer who appears with orchestras as varied as the Austin Symphony, the Philadelphia Philharmonic, and the iconic Western Swing band The Texas Playboys. He performs American and European popular music across the U.S., and is a two-time nominee for Entertainer of the Year by the Inspirational Country Music Association (2009 and 2010). Andrew is president of DiamonDisc Records which is currently distributing a Charlie McCoy CD – Lonesome Whistle: A Tribute to Hank Williams. Mr. Heller has also recorded a Marty Robbins tribute album called El Paso with the current single Devil Woman getting positive attention and airplay at Country radio.

Snowbird, You Needed Me, Could I Have This Dance & I Just Fall In Love Again are just a few of the many big hits sung by Canada's ANNE MURRAY. The numbers say it all: Over 4 decades, Anne has sold 54 million records, had 30 pop hits, 50 Country hits and has won 4 Grammy awards, 24 Juno awards and 3 CMA awards. In 2009, Anne released her revealing and entertaining autobiography All Of Me in which she writes about the highlights and defining moments in her life and music career. Tune in to hear Anne Murray share stories & songs on this specialedition of In The Country.

Alberta Country artist EMILY SEAL was chosen as one of the Top 30 from across Canada to be featured on CMT's talent show Big In A Small Town. The audition took place in Jasper, Alberta where she performed her original song Crash and Crumble acoustically for Brad Mates of Emerson Drive and CMT's Casey Clarke. Brad Mates commented: "Emily was the dark horse, she had the most unique voice today and that's a huge part of this business. She is recognizable when you turn the radio on". Casey Clark agreed, and added: "She's the one to watch". Emily has just released Crash and Crumble to Country radio and will release her debut EP in January 2013. Tune and get to know Alberta's Emily Seal!

DREW GREGORY was born and raised in the small farming town of Standard, Alberta about an hour outside of Calgary. Between working on the family farm and going to school he always enjoyed playing guitar. He became well known for showing up to every high school party with a guitar on his back. Fast forward: Drew captivated everyone at the 2010 Country 105 Rising Star competition, making the finals and being the winning recipient for best original song for the title track of his album Country Hurricane. Drew joins me on the show to talk about all his latest news & upcoming album - and to share his most recent songs.

MICHELLE WRIGHT - whose hits include Take It Like A Man, He Would Be Sixteen & I've Forgotten You - is about to begin a new tour across Canada called Songs From The Halls. The shows will feature her biggest hits as well as songs made famous by some of her favourite artists including Anne Murray, Merle Haggard, Aretha Frankin & Al Green. Tune in to this special interview to hear Michelle talk about the songs she has chosen to sing at these shows and why they mean so much to her. This is Michelle`s 4th visit to In The Country! Find her online at www.michelle-wright.com.

Little did Country singer/songwriter B.J. ROBERTS know that after watching a Willie Nelson interview on Larry King Live in 2010, that his comment to his partner Winnie about Willie would lead to a new song. B.J. said Willie has sung with a lot of singers, and Winnie's response was, “Well, he sure didn’t do one with you, did he?”, and that was the idea for the song, “Willie, Will You Do One With Me”.  In his early 70s, Ottawa born and raised singer/songwriter B.J. Roberts is an example  that following one’s dream can have great results, no matter how long one waits for that dream to come true. 

Alberta Country Artist BLAKE REID joins me on the show to talk about his debut album Against The Grain featuring the first single Take Me Back. The music he makes comes from the heart: "I grew up with Country music," explains Blake. "On the farm, my mom would sing along with all the Country radio legends that echoed in the old farmhouse and Dad would tune into the daily grain prices. I spent thousands of hours listening to the evolution of country music through the AM radios of tractors, trucks, and combines."   

Central Alberta Rockin' Country Band DOMINO has released a brand new single to Country radio called In A Small Town. Taking Country Rock music to the best Alberta Stages, Domino brings four vocalists and intimate harmonies to their performing and recording. Their tenure as band mates and co-creators is explanation enough for the tight sound that gives Domino so much soul, but the truth is, when friends make music together something special happens. In 2010 Domino released their second album Dime a Dozen. Their single Goin’ For It received air play in radio markets across Canada. Tune in to get up close & personal with this talented Canadian band! 

Hawaii is world famous for beaches, a surfer vibe and a lifestyle linked to the great surf bands of the early 60s – The Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, The Surfaris, The Ventures, toname a few. Now, this classic beach sound has a new, fresh voice in the aloha-rockingDUKES OF SURF. Their sweet melodies, saturated by lush harmonies, organic instrumentationand phenomenal chord progressions, are a blast from a carefree era, but with a tight,crisp, modern spin. Founding members JP, Lee and Cousin Mikey are fun-loving, Gen-X throwbacks with ayearning for a simpler time when the really important stuff in life included driving to thebeach with the car top down, listening to the radio and hanging out with that special someone.

Raised on a small farm in rural Saskatchewan during the economic depression of the 1980s, J.J. VOSS grew up identifying closely with the under-dog, and the out-law music movement. His heroes include Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Steve Earle and John Mellencamp, to name a few J.J. returns to In The Country to talk about his music career and latest radio release. Your comments on this episode or any other are always welcome at inthecountry@mail.com. In The Country has been airing on BTR since March 2009.

John Abrams of The Abrams Brothers joins me on the show to talk about the group's current projects and to share their latest radio single - remixed by Jason Barry - called Northern Redemption.

JASON HASTIE, former front man of Canadian Country group Six West, joins me on the show to talk about his music career and latest radio single Til She Don't.