May 31, 2021

This week's 'CASUAL COVER MONDAY' is brought to you from a 16 year old singer-songwriter from St.John's, Newfoundland. At her young age Paige Penney has already received a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination for "Young Performer of the Year" & two MusicNL Award nominations, "Fan's Choice Entertainer of the Year" and "Pop Artist of the Year" for her Factor funded debut EP "Watch Out For Your Step" recorded in Nashville's Dark Horse Recording Studio! During that trip to Nashville, she also got the opportunity to sing at the iconic The Bluebird Cafe.. such an opportunity for such a young person!

She is a two-time winner of the MusicNL Newfound talent contest and won an Arts and Letters award for her original song "Natural Disaster". Paige's first single and title track "Watch Out For Your Step" features Newfoundland folk trio The Once. Paige's second single "Shooting Star" features a co-write with Alan Doyle and Doyle is also featured in the music video. Paige released a pandemic inspired song, "When All Is Said and Done" in the summer 2020. 

If you're from St. John's NL you can check her out this Friday June 4th as she opens for Justin Fancy at The Bella Vista.

Check out her cover of Tenille Townes hit 'Jersey On the Wall'. We're sure you'll agree that this young lady has a promising career ahead of her! 

 Happy Victoria Day everyone! For this week's 'CASUAL COVER MONDAY' we'd like to showcase a very special 'Victoria' from Canada! Hailing from Muskoka, Ontario, Victoria Banks originally moved to Nashville in 1997 and to date has had an amazing career writing songs for other artists.

This video is from the 2020 Songwriter Session at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, where Victoria performed “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?” — a single she co-wrote with singer Mickey Guyton, included on Guyton's 2020 EP, "Bridges" which Guyton performed - backed by Keith Urban – on the 2020 Academy of Country Music Awards. Guyton made award show history that night as the first Black woman ever to perform an original song.

The track — a frank discussion of women's continued struggle for equity — grew out of a near-decade songwriting relationship between Banks and Guyton, and a recognition of Guyton's own struggles navigating the country music industry. Enjoy the video and story behind how 'What Are You Gonna Tell Her' came to be and enjoy Victoria's beautiful portrayal of the song!

Enjoy the rest of your long weekend folks!!. .

Today's 'CASUAL COVER MONDAY' recipient is a young gentleman we've had the opportunity to get to know and watch grow over the past couple of years. Evan Farrell is an up-and-coming country music artist who is quickly making a name for himself with his high-energy shows and deep vocal tones. Inspired by the likes of Josh Turner and Scotty McCreery, this young man has an old soul which carries over into his music. 

Born in California but growing up in the small town of Stouffville, Ontario, everybody knows everybody in one way or another, Evan lives the traditional values of country music—when a friend asks for help, you help him, no questions asked.

Already a prolific songwriter at a young age, Evan saw his first single, co-written with Ben Hudson Music, make it to the Top 100 of the 2019 CBC Searchlight Competition out of thousands of entries from across the country. His well-received first single “Out There Somewhere“ was released in early 2021. Enjoy his recent cover of Luke Combs hit 'She Got the Best Of Me'.

 Hoping everyone has a great week as we head into our Victoria Day long weekend!

For our 'CASUAL COVER MONDAY' this week we're happy to share one of our local boys as the talent! At a strapping and athletic 6’3”, 240 lbs., Ryan Langdon is kind of hard to miss. But when you hear him sing you’ll notice there’s something else about this 2019 Country Music Association of Ontario 'Rising Star' nominee and Niagara Falls, Ontario-based country singer that’s hard to miss… his booming baritone and stadium-sized voice.

And that rich and resonant hook-filled tone is just one of the first things that connected with fans on Langdon’s first Slaight Music single “Leave Me Right,” a memorable debut produced by Jeff “Diesel” Dalziel and co-written by the acclaimed Jessica Mitchell, multiple CCMA Award winner Patricia Conroy, and Dave Thomson. Since then he's released a string of hits 'She Knows It', 'Lit In The Sticks', and several more.

This was the first video we heard Ryan's voice in at the suggestion of a friend and the 'Two Christines' were hooked! Since then we've been huge supporters of Ryans and been blessed to have built a great friendship and watch his career blossom. Enjoy his Chris Young cover of 'Sober Saturday Night'! And if you're not following Ryan yet you might want to hit that 'FOLLOW' button..you'll be pleasantly surprised like we were!! Have a fantastic week everyone!

For this week's CASUAL COVER MONDAY we'd like to share a band that has recently came across our radar. Farewell Town was formed in Halifax, Nova Scotia while playing first as a backing band for emerging local country artists on the East Coast of Canada. They have gone on to play with country artists all over the nation such as Chris Buck Band,  JoJo Mason, Aaron Pritchett, and Ben Chase. 

Since then, the four-session musicians have combined their uplifting talent and passion for music to form the power-house country-rock band, now known as Farewell Town. We've instantly fallen in love with their sound and how absolutely in sync they are as a group.

Released to Canadian Country Radio April 23rd 2021, their latest single 'Let's Be Crazy' was the factor in catching our eye. It is Farewell Town’s first single release from their upcoming EP. When writing 'Let’s Be Crazy', they went back to a time and place where there were no cell phones or a city for miles — and to have a crazy good time all anyone needed was to get in the truck, pop in a cassette, pick someone up and go for a drive! Here is a link to this new single~>   https://youtu.be/ZUXkE0YeIkQ

Enjoy their cover of Lee Brice's hit 'Rumor'! The concert setting of it has us longing to get back to seeing live music! We're hoping that when that happens Farewell Town will be one of the groups we get to see in person! Check it out and remember their name! We have a feeling you're going to be hearing a lot more from these boys! Shoot them a 'Follow'!!!

For this week's 'CASUAL COVER MONDAY' we'd like to spotlight a very special lady who in the last year has put her own music career on hold to help others throughout this Covid 19 pandemic. Shortly after Canadian country singer Kelsi Mayne released her debut album, “As I Go,” in March of 2020, Covid hit and the world literally shut down.

Unfortunately with it her new album-launch plans, including release parties and a Canadian tour was put on hold. It was a big blow for the Windsor native and Toronto transplant, who had put her life savings and nearly three years into creating, writing and producing the 11-song labor of love. Instead of dwelling on what she couldn't control she dusted off her nursing degree and jumped directly into being a Frontline worker.

In October, just after her last official performance at a drive-in venue for the Country Music Association of Ontario Awards, she got a call from a fellow nurse who invited her to join a medical-staffing company as a Covid 19 testing nurse. She also joined Pulsar UV, which specializes in medical services for the film and TV industry and ensures safety protocols are followed on-set. Kelsi is obviously eager to get back to music but plans to help out on the front line for as long as she can. Recently, Mayne was nominated for 'Female Artist of the Year' for 2021 by the Country Music Association of Ontario.     

We're so proud of you Kelsi, you're beautiful on the outside and inside. Thank you for having such a big heart and for doing your part to assist during this pandemic even though it meant putting your own dreams on hold. You're the epitome of a true Frontline hero. Enjoy her cover from a few years back of Cam 's debut hit 'Burning House'. 

Consistently recognized as one of Manitoba’s most promising young country stars, this week's 'CASUAL COVER MONDAY' recipient Manitoba artist Emma Peterson Music is known not only for her captivating performances but for a powerful voice and all too relatable lyricism.It’s that gift for telling familiar, relatable stories that continues to set the singer/songwriter apart, as well as setting the scene for her most recent single, 'Hurt Like Hell' which was released to streaming platforms April 9th.

In 2016, Emma’s debut took home top spot in CMT’s Chevy Tailgate Contest, resulting in one of her original songs being featured on the Chevy Top 20, while she made a name for herself as one of the Top 4 finalists in the country. She also got the chance to meet American country heavyweights Lady A backstage, which was nothing less than a full-circle moment. 

Over the past few years, Emma has continued to perform at numerous venues across the province and beyond, including an appearance at Dauphin's Countryfest, sharing a stage with some of the country’s biggest breakout stars, Andrew Hyatt and Chris Buck Band. In 2019, she headed to the Manitoba Country Music Association Awards in Winnipeg with a slew of nominations including Fans’ Choice, Female Artist and Music Video of the Year, ultimately taking home a win in the Emerging Artist category.

Most recently Manitoba Music recently featured her new single as their 'Song Of The Week'. You can hear or purchase it here! ~>https://ffm.to/86dedqe 

Please check out her cover of Jess Moskaluke's hit 'Cheap Wine and Cigarettes' from a few years ago! Have a great week everyone!!

This week's 'CASUAL COVER MONDAY'  features a talented young lady who is still in her teens but wise beyond her years! From a small town with a population of only 200 people this Hodge’s Cove, Newfoundland native is determined to pursue her country music dreams already writing and demoing songs for her second album.

Abigale first record 'Country True' gained her a nomination for MusicNL Country Artist Of The Year and had serious chart success including going Number One on She Wolf Radio. 

Her recent single 'ROUND THE BAY' was co-written with Zack Werner a former judge from Canadian Idol who has lived in NL for the past 5 years and has become a close mentor to Abigale. 

She has recently been selected to showcase on the Break Out Stage this year at the East Coast Music Association (ECMA) Awards in Sydney Nova Scotia this May. The Breakout Stage has helped so many artists jumpstart their careers and has great workshops and opportunities to network.

Enjoy Abigale's cover of Tenille Townes' smash hit 'Jersey On The Wall'. If you like what you hear like we did check her out online at https://www.abigaleofficial.com/ ! 

For this week's 'CASUAL COVER MONDAY' we're spotlighting an Albertan Award-winning band that has already embarked on a dynamic musical journey that has seen this talented quartet elevate their already impressive reputation for creative excellence and bring superior showmanship to new heights.

Renegade Station came together almost accidentally as husband and wife duo of singer/bassist Luanne and guitarist Russell Carl  began performing at a town variety show in Stettler, AB not long after moving to the rural Alberta community. There they met guitarist/vocalist Kent Nixon and drummer Scott McKnight at the popular event, decided to create a band and the rest is history! 

Since forming they have walked away with accolades of Country Music Alberta awards under several different categories over the past several years and have made themselves a household name in their home province of Alberta.

They have a brand new single 'FREE FREE FREE' out this Friday, April 9th available on all streaming platforms and you can presave it here! ~>https://linktr.ee/RenegadeStation . Until then enjoy their beautiful cover of Fleetwood Mac's 'The Chain' that they recorded in June of 2020. We hope you all had a wonderful Easter long weekend!