In The Country With Dave Woods

Hit songwriter Patricia Conroy is here to chat about her new cut by Reba called God and My Girlfriends which appears on Reba's first-ever gospel album. Patricia - who has a long list of hit singles as an artist herself in Canada - has had recent cuts and singles by River Town Saints, Meghan Patrick, Jessica Mitchell, Jimmy Rankin, Michelle Wright & Runaway Angel. She  is sure to add many more credits to her successful songwriting career in 2017.  

Through hard work, determination and a generous spirit, virtuoso Canadian violinist Rosemary Siemens has built a musical career full of serendipitous meetings, remarkable opportunities, and truly life changing experiences that make for a compelling story worthy of the best fiction.   A versatile performer with a chameleon-like ability to bring her musical talents to bear on a variety of genres, Rosemary's classically-trained pedigree has allowed her to grace stages throughout North America and beyond, including at the legendary Carnegie Hall in New York City on four occasions, as well as within the hallowed walls of the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.   The violin is practically an extension of Rosemary herself. It is more than just a prized possession, but part of her personality and stage presence. Her fingers have danced along its fretboard in concerts for the likes of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Canadian music producer David Foster, at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver,

Michaela Clarke is a 2 time nominee of the Alberta Country Music Awards. Her accolades include: opening for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, being nominated for Female Artist of the year, Fans Choice, and song of the year at the Alberta Country Music awards. Her single “Long Gone” was featured in the movie “Fire with Fire”, starring Bruce Willis in 2012. She has performed at the Canadian Country Music Awards on the Diamonds in the Rough stage for two consecutive years. In 2011, Michaela released her first EP album to Canadian Radio and went on to release 7 singles to radio stations across Canada. Michaela’s charismatic personality, her love of music, and her knowledge of the industry landed her a position at her local radio station as the Afternoon Drive Show Host. In January of 2015, Michaela made the decision to move to Nashville so she could pursue her songwriting career full time, while collaborating with other artists and taking in the city that started it all.    As a former Juvenile Diabetes  Research Fo

Growing up on his Dad’s farm in Uxbridge, Ontario, Ben Hudson showed an interest in music from an early age. He started piano at age 5 and took up guitar at age 14. Both his parents were a strong influence on his passion for music with a mother who played guitar and a father who played drums. There was always Country music playing at home, artists like Hank Williams, George Jones, Randy Travis and Kenny Rogers. In high school, Ben formed a classic rock band with his brothers playing guitar and bass and his sister on drums. They entered local talent shows and battle of the bands competitions, which is what made Ben realize that music was the path he wanted to pursue. While attending York University for Visual Arts, he used every bit of spare time for songwriting and playing music. Ben has transformed into a gifted songwriter and artist. With rich, smooth vocals and a fresh writing style that mixes a new Country sound with an old Country feel, there is no doubt Ben has a bright future in Country music.

Songwriter, music producer & executive producer Marty Beecroft joins me on the show to talk about the upcoming movie musical Country Crush.  City girl and aspiring singer Nancy Taylor (Madeline Merlo) travels to the countryside with her family to enjoy the summer. On a night out with her best friend, their car breaks down, but luckily, local mechanic Charlie Bishop (Munro Chambers) comes to the rescue. Charlie, a country boy, took time out during his teens to take care of his sick mother. Immediately attracted to Nancy, he has to struggle to find the courage to ask her out on a date. But, after saying goodbye to his older brother Cody (Kevin McGarry) who is shipping out on another tour of duty, he gets advice from his sister-in-law Katherine (Jana Kramer) and decides to follow Nancy back to the big city to pursue the romance.

Ontario's Ryan Laird received recognition and media attention across The United States and Canada in December 2008 after putting up a billboard on Nashville's famed Music Row asking Taylor Swift to produce his album. The billboard displayed Laird in a classroom holding a note reading “Hey Taylor - I LOVE your music. Will you produce my album?” When asked about Laird and his billboard on E! News Weekend, Swift said, "I definitely want to meet him ... I listened to one of his songs and absolutely fell in love with it, and I think he's got great melodies and he's a great writer. I think he could really be great and be huge, so it'll be really cool to maybe work with him." ? In 2013, Ryan founded the National BiggerThanThat!™ Movement as a platform for bullying prevention and youth empowerment and a way to give back to communities across the country. His philanthropic tour has impacted over 300,000 Canadian youth - and that number climbs higher every day!   Following up on his popular songs "I'm Your Man", "G

With an impressive array of awards and accolades, thousands of concerts to rapturous audiences throughout North America under her belt, and a remarkable recording pedigree to her credit, Crystal Shawanda still struggled mightily for many years to find her place within the music industry. A Juno-winning singer/songwriter whose soulful, rootsy sound has allowed for a nearly seamless bridging of the traditional country and blues worlds, Crystal’s unique aboriginal cultural background has left her feeling like an outsider at times. But that search may be at an end, as the process of creating her latest album, the cathartic, bold and refreshingly authentic Fish Out Of Water sees the talented artist not just coming to terms with her unique place in the industry, but embracing and truly celebrating it.  “My parents grew up listening to Country music and that’s what I grew up singing and loving. But when my parents  weren’t home my brother used to sit in the basement and he would crank up a lot of B.B. King and

At age 11, Marie Bottrell joined her two older siblings on stage for the first time. After earning her chops with the Whitestone County Band, Marie began recording for the Mercey Brothers' MBS label at just 17. Marie released her self-penned composition Just Reach Out And Touch Me in 1978. The positive reaction led to an invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry Show on its Canadian tour. After a successful second single made its way up the charts, Marie was rewarded with a nomination at RPM's Big Country Awards in the Outstanding New Artist category. Marie was voted Outstanding Female Performer by RPM in 1979 and over the course of her career she has scored four JUNO nominations and two wins as the CCMA Female Vocalist of the Year in 1983 and '84. Marie began touring with her own band and together, Marie Bottrell & Cottonwood appeared on all of the popular  shows of the day including; Tommy Hunter, The Joan Kennedy Show, Ronnie Prophet, The Family Brown Show and Ray St. Germain as well. Throughout h

One of the most noticeable things about Shake These Walls is the range of moods and emotions on offer. Take the boisterous first single Stompin’ Ground, an instant radio smash and a snapshot of the good old days when hard-partying with kin and kindred was less distraction than vocation. “I wanted to show people I had grown,” Tim Hicks says of his new album Shake These Walls. “There is truth in each of these songs because I co-wrote every one of them. I have a personal connection with every lyric, every riff. People are going to find there’s a healthy dose of the Tim Hicks party in there but there’s lots of other stuff certain to be interesting to many different people.” “That song and We Came Up – a soaring ode to brotherhood - speak to simpler times,” Tim confirms. “They have a slightly new feel to them but they still shoot for the party crowd.” At the other end of the spectrum is Slide  Over, a vividly drawn and unabashedly knock-kneed mid-tempo track with a dangerously infectious chorus. “That  song is s

Rarely does one find four individuals, all coming from various backgrounds able to gel together creating a harmonious group. Together, Domino has mastered this by honing their harmonies to near perfection, which explains the melded cohesive sound projected on their current EP “Ghost”.  Domino has numerous ACMA (Association of Country Music in Alberta) nominations to their credit. All garnering top 5 placements in all categories: Group, Album, Song, and Fan’s Choice by their peers. For the 2015 ACMA awards this group was named Group of the Year and garnered the prestige title of Fan’s Choice. “We are extremely humbled and honoured to have been chosen to receive Group of the Year and the Fans Choice awards at the ACMAs this year! From our peers to our fans - we are eternally grateful!” stated Domino after receiving the wins.

As the 2015 winner of the BC Country Music Association/Music BC Artist Development Project, Lisa Nicole is poised to become the West Coast darling of the Canadian Country music scene with the release of her breakthrough EP Come Find Me. Hailing from the mountains and nature of small-town Castlegar, British Columbia, Lisa Nicole grew up hunting, fishing, camping and embracing country music. As her authentic Country upbringing was sprinkled with the sweet sounds of Shania Twain, Martina McBride, and the Dixie Chicks, she discovered her own love of singing at the age of 8. By 15, she was playing regular jam sessions at Kootenay-area bars, which required her to be escorted on and off stage due to her underage status. In 2013, she made a strong entrance into the Canadian Country music industry with her debut EP It Got Ugly. She promoted the release with a coast-to-coast radio tour, including a showcase at the 2013 Canadian Country Music Association Awards.  Lisa Nicole’s hot streak has only continued with the r

Two-time CCMA award-winner Deric Ruttan has been nominated for a 2016 CCMA for Songwriter of the Year for co-writing the Blake Shelton #1 hit Came Here To Forget (with Craig Wiseman) and for Record Producer of the Year for his work on Jason Blaine’s album Country Side.  In November 2013, Deric celebrated another #1 Blake Shelton song when Mine Would Be You - a song he co-wrote - was a three-week #1 U.S. Billboard Country Airplay hit, and was nominated for both a Grammy Award for Best Country Song and an ACM Award for Song of the Year. Deric is a six-time ASCAP award-winner, ten-time SOCAN award-winner and a five-time CMAO award-winner.  Born & raised in Bracebridge, Ontario and now based in Nashville, Deric has also climbed the charts many times  over with songs from his own albums. These well-loved hits include "When You Come Around", "That's How I  Wanna Go Out", "First Time In A Long Time", "Take The Week Off" and "Main Street, 1979".

In today’s Country music, there is not an overwhelming amount of artists and songwriters raring to tell you how Country they are. And none exemplify the merge of the genuine Country music genre with a hip fresh sound quite like Ryan Broshear. Born and raised on an Oxford, Ohio farm, he is as charismatic and gifted as it gets. Ryan is carving out a successful career by writing and singing traditional leaning country music with a brilliant modern edgy feel.  Clearly, Country music fans feel the same way. Ryan continues to collect a dedicated fan-base all around the nation simply by putting on incredible, high energy, talented performances. Audiences sing along to fan favorites such as the country lifestyle anthem “Let Your Redneck Out,” and the nostalgic “Countrything” declaring his dream of performing at the Grand Ole Opry. This passion and love of Ryan’s music also led to more attention. The reputable Billboard Magazine named him a “Top 10 Artist To Watch” while simultaneously catching the eyes and interest

Saskatchewan Country artist Codie Prevost sets out on his 3rd Australian tour on August 25th. He's won over music fans there like he's won them over in Canada. His latest album is called All Kinds Of Crazy featuring the songs Someday, Say My Name, I'll Be Your Whiskey & Last Night All Day. Codie grew up on a 2,000-acre farm where his mother runs a small town bar. He has two sisters, one older and one younger. During family events, Codie would listen to his mother and his uncle as they played guitar and sang songs. These family concerts were what began to grow the love of music within this talented artist. Every Tuesday night you can join Codie on Twitter to ask questions and tweet with him. You'll find him at @codieprevost. Tune in to hear about his love for songwriting, his upcoming album & much more! 

Inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2011, Michelle Wright found herself permanently recognized for her musical achievements. What an honour for a small town dreamer & big time singer from Merlin, Ontario.  That could have been a time to take a break and let her career have a first and last chapter. But for Michelle, music isn't something she only does, it's who she is. And thankfully for fans, the songs & performances keep on coming.  The CCMA honoured Michelle with CCMA nominations for Female Artist of the Year in 2012 & 2013 - an award she had won 5 times previously. Her most recent album is called Strong. And that's a great one word description of how she still looks, sounds & writes. “I created this record with a group of friends I admire as writers, singers and producers. We had a lot of fun,” says Michelle. “The songs are a collection of my observations about life and the people around me and how we’re all just stumbling through it. At times there is laughter

Country artist Thomas Wade returns to the music scene with his first studio album in 16 years! It's called Blue Country Soul and features 'instant classics' like That's What Love Looks Like, Lock The Door, She's Already Gone and Funny What Makes You Cry. Aside from his award-winning career in Country music - first with the group Wayward and then as a solo artist with the release of Lucky 13 in the early 2000s - Thomas has had one of his songs recorded by Celine Dion. In 2001, Thomas began a long journey which involved losing his voice, his ability to do what he loves - to sing. He shares that time in his life & much more on this episode of In The Country. Visit the Blue Country Soul singer at www.thomaswade.com      

Celebrating their Golden (50th) Anniversary together, the iconic and profoundly influential Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, often cited as a catalyst for an entire movement in Country, Rock and American Roots Music, continues to add to their legendary status. With multi-platinum and gold records, strings of top hits such as "Fishin' In The Dark" and "Mr. Bojangles", multiple Grammy, IBMA, CMA Awards and nominations, the band's accolades continue to accumulate. Their groundbreaking "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" album has been inducted into the U.S. Library of Congress as well as the Grammy Hall of Fame. NGDB’s recording of "Mr. Bojangles" was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2014 "Fishin' In the Dark" was certified platinum for digital downloads by the RIAA. Today, NGDB (Jeff Hanna, Jimmie Fadden, Bob Carpenter, John McEuen) continue their non-stop touring in their 50th year together. On September 14th, 2015 they played to a Sold Out Crowd at The historic Ryman Auditorium with some close mus

Born into a musical family, it did not take long before Becca heard the music calling her to come out and play;and play she does! Heavily influenced by many genres of classic music, Becca has a very unique sound. She started out singing with her big sister in the back seat of her Dad’s truck. As he drove across the country performing shows, the 2 girls would sell Dad's (Kenny Hess) CDs to his fans. But doing merch was not what Becca had in mind. She wanted that spotlight and she was willing to work for it. Since that time she has earned herself a very loyal fan following in her hometown of Fort McMurray, Alberta. She performs on a regular basis from intimate shows to festival stages. Most notably, Becca has opened for such major artists as Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Travis Tritt, Trooper, Wynonna, Dwight Yoakam and many more. She has also performed at the Rockin’ River Music Fest and Merritt Mountain Music Fest. Her performances on YouTube have received an impressive 60 thousand views. With 6 years ex

Born and raised in Bowmanville, Ontario, Meghan Patrick has dedicated her entire life to music, always wanting it to be more than just a passion. Prior to setting out as a solo artist, Meghan was the lead singer of the popular roots act The Stone Sparrows. A newgrass / bluegrass band, The Stone Sparrows released an EP and a full-length album before the members parted ways amicably in 2013 after playing their second Boots and Hearts Festival. Meghan has quickly made a name for herself since signing to Warner Music Canada. She has recently signed a  publishing deal with Ole Nashville. Her debut album Grace & Grit was released earlier this year. She worked with  producers Justin Niebank (Vince Gill, LeAnn Rimes), Vince Gill, Chris Baseford (Nickelback, Avril Lavigne), and  Carly McKillip. To add even more star power to her debut, Meghan brought in a few more big names, including  multiple Grammy nominee Joe Nichols who duets with her on “Still Loving You,” and fellow Canadian Chad Kroeger,  who co-wrote an

Erik Dylan has a story to tell. It’s one of the qualities that drew Kip Moore, who discovered Dylan at an open mic night in 2011 to bring him to his publisher Brett James, and attracted artists including Kip himself, Eric Paslay, Justin Moore, Eli Young Band, Thompson Square, Chad Brownlee, Brent Cobb and even Hinder to record his songs. He writes on Music Row with many of Nashville's hitmakers, but Erik will gladly tell anyone that his happiest moments in songwriting occured at his hero Guy Clark's workshop over black coffee. It’s not just his country colleagues that own a room with his sounds. The fifth generation Kansan has shared stages with some of the biggest names in music, from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Reckless Kelly. “If I drive ten hours in one direction to play a show and drive ten hours back that night to get to my family, those forty-five minutes on stage have to count,” he says. Heart of a Flatland Boy is a sonic collection five years in the making. The project was produced by Dylan, Randy Montana