~ FRESH FACE FRIDAY ~

This week's featured 'FRESH FACE FRIDAY' is Taylor Wilson!

Hailing from southern Ontario, Taylor is a singer/songwriter whose love for singing and music was discovered quickly at the age of four when she was found standing on top of her grandmother’s coffee table singing Shania Twain. She was gifted her first guitar at the age of 16, and that is when Taylor decided to try her hand at songwriting. Putting emotions and feelings down to paper was second nature to Taylor and that is where it all began.

In 2019, Taylor was introduced to Jordan Honsinger, formerly of Cold Creek County, through a co-worker. Last year Jordan made it to the second ballot for 'Record Producer Of the Year' for the Country Music Association of Ontario.  In the last few years, Jordan's life experiences & love of music have led him to augment his true passion for music production at his Burlington-based studio with an added role in artist development. Taylor and Jordan sat down and co-wrote her first debut single, “Don’t Look Pretty”, which was produced by Jordan as well and released at the beginning of the pandemic.

With Covid 19 literally bringing music to a standstill, Taylor used the lockdown to her advantage and really started to focus on the craft of songwriting. She resonates with drawing inspiration from true life experiences and isn’t afraid of speaking the truth. Taylor has found her voice as an artist and has changed a bit of artistic direction from what you hear in 'Don’t Look Pretty'. Currently, she is working in the studio with 2021 CMAO Producer of the Year nominee, Shawn Moore. This highly anticipated project focuses on a new sound for Wilson, which she has drawn influence from artists such as Taylor Austin Dye, Cory Marks, Alannah Myles and Gretchen Wilson. Think… a little bit country and a little bit rock’n’roll."

If you'd like to experience her 'live' she is holding her own showcase on Friday, October 1st at Stonewalls Restaurant Hamilton in Hamilton, Ontario in which she is also featuring 3 other Canadian country up and comers! Follow her on her socials to see who her guests will be and to be informed when she releases new music! We saw Taylor perform a few weeks ago at The Moonshine Cafe in Oakville and were totally blown away by her and her powerhouse voice! We've quickly developed a fun friendship with her and are anxiously awaiting her new music! The 'Two Christines' can't wait to see what's in store for her!

Our pick this week for “FRESH FACE FRIDAY” Feature is Owen Riegling Music!

We saw this young man perform a few weeks ago and were pleasantly surprised to see how well composed and confident he was on the stage. Owen shared with us, that he hadn’t performed there before. Well, no one would have known that from watching him perform. The music seemed to flow effortlessly. He’s humble,  talented no doubt about that and has a very unique sound all his own. 

Owen is from a small town called Mildmay, Ontario located in Bruce County, but his music, sound and talent are definitely not small town at all! He’s proud of where he comes from even capturing some of the shenanigans of living in a small town, in his songwriting. 

His introduction to country music came through a family road trip, where he heard Eric Church’s song “Springsteen” for the first time. “That’s the song that got me hooked on country music” Owen said. Big shout out to his parents for introducing him to country music, as he has lots to contribute to the industry! 

During lockdown, Owen made good use of that time, by writing a bunch of music, and he even recorded an EP, plus, he did a bunch of live streams on his Facebook & Instagram. All great ways to get his name out there and make connections with his fans, and make lots of new ones! 

He’s had the opportunity to play a festival called “Boots and Brews” to a really rowdy crowd. Owen was so thrilled to hear people singing his own songs back to him. We bet that was pretty exciting for him or even a seasoned artist, when that happens. He has even performed at the Harbour in Owen Sound and that was his television debut on Rogers TV. Owen participated  in Havelock’s “The Next Country Music Star Contest. Unfortunately, it was post-poned due to the restrictions but he’s looking forward to it’s return. 

Owen is continuing to work on his music and is planning on releasing some music, hopefully sooner than later. Although he wants to hold off until he has something that he really believes in. Ideally put a full project together and roll it out in the new year. That’s sounds like a great plan to us and we can’t wait for his next release. 

His latest single release is called “A Part of Me” and that is exactly what your going to feel when you listen to the song. You will learn more about Owen himself, through his songwriting. Make sure you check out his single The Call and his EP called “Empty Room” that includes Smoke Man, and Old Dirt Roads. 

Owen is just getting started so make sure you jump on board with us and  hold on tight, it’s going to be quite the ride to the top! You can buy, stream and follow him on all social media platforms! 

This week's 'FRESH FACE FRIDAY' Feature has a bit of a different spin on it! Brisbane, Australia-based country artist Josh Setterfield has been turning heads in his own country for some time now as one of their hottest new artists and is now beginning his journey as a cross-over artist in Canada and the US. 

As an entertainer, singer-songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist Josh is quickly becoming one of Australia's most 'one to watch for'. Injecting country rock with catchy pop to create his own signature sound, Josh is fuelling country music with the goods. If you haven’t heard the name in Canada, you’re about to. Since Josh first set foot in country music, he has seized every opportunity from the start. Now with over half a million streams, 3 successful EP’s debuting in the top 5, numerous playlist adds & several weeks at #1 on radio with his songs ‘Feelin’ Love & Hometown', there’s plenty more where that's coming from. 

His latest release ‘Right About Now’ which is currently spinning worldwide was written by two powerhouse Canadian writers Craig Brooks and Jesse Slack. The song is currently featured on the CMT USA Music Video site. 'Right About Now' is a rhythm-driven, modern country pop-rock song about the playful side of a new flame and taking a chance. Timeless, eloquent, and playful, this track combines smooth melodic guitar riffs with outstanding vocal delivery. Both warming and engaging that for three whole minutes makes you want all in on the song, the vibe, and the story. It’s catchy, memorable and you’ll want to hear it again. Kudos to Craig Brooks and Jess Slack for originally bringing life to the song with their impeccable songwriting skills!

It has debuted at #3 on the iTunes country charts and he's been crowned iHeart Radio’s Artist of the Week. Spotify has supported the single immensely as it has climbed to the #1 spot in their Fresh Country playlist, selecting Josh to be the face of the cover. YouTube Music followed suit and also made Josh the cover of their ‘High Country’ playlist. 

Building a loyal fanbase around Australia with a unique sound, Josh is delivering knockout performances at major festivals, and alongside noteworthy names like The Wolfe Brothers and Travis Collins. 

We can't wait to see how Josh also takes the Canadian Country music scene by storm. You haven’t seen energy in country music till you’ve seen Josh Setterfield and we wish him the best of luck in becoming a worldwide crossover artist! 

This week's 'FRESH FACE FRIDAY' is Riley Taylor Music! 

You may recognize his name from a few weeks ago as the 23-year-old - Winner of the 2021 Emerging Artist Showcase at Boots & Hearts Music Festival! He performed acoustically, and stole the title! We were so impressed with his voice, and his approachable down-home nature. He is humble and is an amazingly talented young man from Burton, New Brunswick. They must be super proud of Riley, we know we are!

He said he always loved music and wanted to sing along at a very young age, at family events and bonfires. He was rather shy as a kid but as he got older, he grew more comfortable with performing in front of people. The Boots & Hearts Music Festival stage was the biggest stage he has ever performed on. Although his parents love music and are big supporters of Riley, it was his uncle who introduced him to singing music and we are so glad he did.

While Chris Stapleton is one of Riley’s biggest musical influences, it is Tyler Childers that has really been a standout influence in his life. He likes both of their classic storytelling styles. Preferably stories that are relatable to everyday life, that will appeal to everyone. If the song Riley performed in the finals was any indication of Riley’s songwriting skills, then we have a lot to look forward to as he knocked it out of the park! You can see for yourself below. 

We are looking forward to his single with Warner Music Canada, and while we wait for the new release, there are some of his performances captured on YouTube so make sure you check him out on there as well. 

We would to congratulate Riley and thank him for taking a few minutes to talk to us at Boots & Hearts. We both really felt he was the real deal..so genuine, filled to the brim with talent and it was wonderful to see the 'awe' in his eyes once Stan Dunford announced his name as the winner!

This is just the beginning of what we believe will be a very long music career! We couldn’t be happier for him.  Good luck Riley!

Our pick this week for FRESH FACE FRIDAY Feature is Brittyn Paige.

Brittyn is an eighteen-year-old country singer, located in Calgary, Alberta. Some of her musical influences include Carrie Underwood and Faith Hill, and she really looks up to Canada’s own - Lindsay Ell. We love Lindsay too! Ell is such a great role model for new artists especially, as her success in the Canadian country music industry, is reflective of how much hard work, lots of hard work it takes, dedication, drive and amazing talent, to get to where you wanna go! 

Brittyn may be brand new to the industry, but don’t let that fool you! She’s definitely not new to music; growing up in a family of musical talents, she has been a singer her whole life and is so excited to begin this journey and see where it takes her! She is just starting to do live performances and participate in contests. We’re sure it won’t be long and she will be climbing the charts and taking home awards, in no time. 

During the pandemic, she was able to continue pursuing her music career by songwriting, coming up with melodies for songs, and doing a large majority of pre-production at home. To be able to do all that from home, must have been challenging and rewarding all at the same time. Not an easy task for sure. Currently, she is working on a couple of new songs and hopefully an EP, as her journey in music progresses! She is hopeful that people will want to reach out and connect with her and that she genuinely appreciates every like, comment, and share, of her music! ‘It makes all the difference in the world to me, and I really hope they know, how much I appreciate their support!’, Paige shared with us. 

Brittyn’s new single is called ~ ‘More Than the Day Before’. When she started writing this song, she wanted it to be relatable to other people her age, kind of like a memory they could see themselves in. We feel she did just that!  She’s super excited that her debut single is finally available, to download, share, buy and stream on all platforms! We hope you all enjoy it as much as we do! 

Our pick this week for “FRESH FACE FRIDAY” Feature, is Scott Owen! 

Scott's desire to entertain and contribute to a good time is the driving force behind the upbeat and energetic live show he provides every time! If he is on a stage, it is because he is there for YOU. His sound is heavily influenced by the 90’s country he grew up on but he likes his country rockin' too! 

We saw Scott perform last month for the first time and we felt his voice was a combination of Jason Aldean and Eric Church and we’re not the first to say that! It’s not that surprising, given they are two of his biggest modern influences. Playing both covers and original songs, it's all about the experience music and a song creates. 

Scott grew up on a farm in Joyceville. He currently resides on the outskirts of Kingston. He’s always enjoyed singing along with songs like anyone else, but didn’t pick up the guitar until the tail end of high school. He turned the corner and began taking music more serious after a few open mic nights at the Brass Pub, landing his Saturday night residency that he had there for four plus years before the pandemic. If your looking for some live music entertainment, Scott performs at The Creekside Bar & Grill in Battersea, every Friday night. If we lived up that way, we’d be there. 

Scott released his first self titled EP in 2019, as well as follow up singles "Flight Risk", "Loud & Liquored" and "I Never Wrote You a Song" in 2020 (all available through major streaming services).

Recently Owen won the City of Brampton -  “Stomp'n Stampede Back Porch Spotlight” contest hosted by DJ JOHNNY RIVEX, which featured a lot of awesome talent including Paige Rutledge, Nicole Rayy, Peter Peres, New Moon Junction, Tim Albertson and Jeff Forgeron, to name a few. As part of his prize , he will be opening for The Abrams, on August 14th and the show will be broadcast virtually at https://www.brampton.ca/gardensquare starting at 7 pm. We love The Abrams too. Sounds like a great show. Make sure to check that out!

Scott mentioned he has two singles that should be dropping in the next couple of months and a few other recently written songs, that have garnered some great early reactions, that he’s  excited about as well to share with all of us.  We can’t wait to see what he’s been working on!

We asked Scott what he was up to during the pandemic, with regards to his music. Like so many artists, being unable to play live for people, he decided to do a 12 week songwriting course, to hone his songwriting skills. He also utilized this time to start uploading covers and lessons to YouTube, as part of a “Couch Covers” series and more recently, he  started a Tuesday night 7-9 pm all request livestream, on Twitch called “Tumbleweed Tuesdays”.  It’s a lot of fun and very interactive. Great way to spend a few hours. 

Scott’s philosophy is “I'm here to have a damn good time, how 'bout it, are you with me?!” Well, sign us up cause we definitely are. With Scott, its guaranteed a great time! 

This is an acoustic performance that was filmed at his parents farm https://youtu.be/uAjpbwAZ-qE. Enjoy! You can find Scott’s music on all the social & streaming  platforms. 

Our pick this week for “FRESH FACE FRIDAY” Feature is Warren Hargraves! 

Warren has a very unique style and mix, a smooth yet raspy voice, with an appealing blend of Country Rock and R and B. He was born and raised in London Ontario the “big city small town” feel has shaped his music with a vintage-meets-modern charm. it's clear, that what he is doing, is working for him!

Although his musical journey started out with him playing the drums at the age of 14, it wasn't until age 16, that he discovered his true home on acoustic guitar and singing. He was inspired by the infamous video game Rock Band, like so many others! Being surrounded by a musical family certainly helped. After flunking out on a song and experiencing the boos of the crowd, Warren channeled his efforts into something more tangible, dusting off his dad's old Ovation guitar and fumbling through some chords on a mission to disprove the virtual crowd. With a little guidance from his father, he began to strum chords and craft vocal lines.

Warren continued to hone his craft independently until he began collaborating with Josh Try, a high school classmate, and guitarist. Together the two formed Five Oceans , a country/rock group featuring Hargraves’ soulful songwriting and Try’s creative guitar work. The pair fleshed out their lineup and began playing shows captivating audiences all over Ontario. 

Through his work with Five Ocean's, Warren has shared the stage with acts like Gord Bamford, Dierks Bentley, and Genevieve Fisher, playing shows all across Ontario. He’s even captured the top spot in contests like London Covers and Prevail Music’s #StartYourJRNY.  

Over time, the band gradually got into more rock and pop-focused styles; which led Warren to return to his folky Country roots, with a pair of singles in 'Entwined', an ode to his wife, Ellen, and 'When You Go' tackling one's struggle with the circle of life. His songs are about real life which makes his songs relatable. 

Upon the onset of the covid 19 pandemic, Hargraves and Try made the decision to reset themselves, more firmly in the country realm returning to Warren's roots, as a country singer-songwriter.  His music is influenced by some old-school greats like the Eagles and the Allman Brothers, as well as some current-day troubadours, Chris Stapleton and Brothers Osborne. Warren has wowed audiences because he brings equal parts raw passion and humour, vintage simplicity, and modern sheen.  Exactly what we can all use in our lives!

Warren’s most recent release, this month, is called “Cold One” and it was produced by Jordan Honsinger and co-written with Josh Try and Mark Swan. Make sure you check it out, wherever you choose to buy, stream your music. This is gonna be your summer song, all summer long! 

This may be the first time your hearing of Warren, but it won’t be the last! He’s got a great future ahead of him in the music industry, so hop on and join the ride with us! 

This week's 'FRESH FACE FRIDAY' feature is a spotlight on Saskatchewan's newest power duo, Munro & Patrick!

Raised on country music and Rock 'n' roll, and with a consistent professional career spanning multiple decades as a multi-award-winning solo recording artist, Heidi Munro is well known in the music industry. She has also produced and performed in the highly acclaimed sold-out 'The Passion of Amy Winehouse', along with headlining many successful show bands, covering multiple genres. This musical history has influenced her energetic, emotional, and passionate performances.

Scott Patrick is recognized in the Canadian country music industry for his acclaimed songwriting, guitar work and trademark lead vocals for the multi-award-winning and very successful Saskatchewan born band  'Wyatt'. He is widely known as an “A-list” session player in the studio world, and in the festival circuit, also, as one of the top musicians and back up vocalists to support fellow artists' shows. 

In addition to their duo work and co-writing, Heidi and Scott perform in numerous projects together. This continues to solidify them as the top entertainers and vocalists that they are. With incredible stage chemistry and professionalism, Munro & Patrick can bring a hush over a crowd in a moment, or create the most effortless rockin’ fun, feel-good vibe. 

Since their partnership Munro and Patrick have been Group/ Duo of the Year nominees at the 2020/2021 Saskatchewan Country Music Association awards, with Scott winning Guitar Player of The Year 2020.

'Give Me Your Rain' is the title track from their first studio album released in March 2021. Their powerful and emotional vocals combine to take this song to another level, at times tender and intimate and in the next breath gritty and full of soul. The raw and honest lyrics are the backbone to the song and evoke a longing to be woken and live free, with passion.This song was their first single that went to Canadian radio accompanied by a video on their youtube channel. From their EP they have also released 2 live off the floor music videos 'Give Up or Give In' and 'Safe'.
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The original songs Heidi and Scott have written together are heart-wrenching, real, gritty and fresh, rich in the traditional, new and eclectic genres that have influenced their music. Their music is filled with great hooks, catchy melodies, honest lyrics and relatable storylines that shine through with Chris Stapleton, Emmylou Harris, Motown and southern rock influences. 

As they are continuing to write and record new songs, Munro & Patrick are hoping to release new music by the fall of 2021 and are currently on the road with their 'Summer Rain' tour. We encourage you to check them out or shoot them a follow on their socials.In the past year they've really started to turn heads and make a buzz in the Canadian country music industry!!

This week's 'FRESH FACE FRIDAY' featured artist is Dean Young!!

Niagara Ontario musician/singer/songwriter Dean Young put the famous words' To Thine Own Self Be True' to work in his life the day he left his 23-year factory job at Rich Products of Canada to fully pursue his true passion – music.

Shortly after making this decision, Dean’s young family dealt with the hard news that his wife and children battle a chronic illness with Lyme disease. Having lost his Mom to cancer when he was just 17 and then his older brother Marty a couple of years later, Dean is no stranger to difficult times. He pushed on and played full-time in a tribute band to support his family while continuing to write his original music.

Drawing from his own family and the musical upbringing with his Dad and the bond of music they shared while dealing with the loss of his Mom and brother, the release of his self-funded debut album  Makin' A Life is a culmination of Dean’s life, values, morals, and struggles. Encouraging people to stick with it, not give up, and to work things out; whether in love, work, or life in general. To embrace and be thankful for all the good things in life.  

Dean’s original country music work is described as a twist of modern with classic country sounds that carry meaningful messages to listeners about the important things in life. A down-to-earth guy who loves family, friends, and good food, Dean is an avid outdoorsman and loves to cook and share his wild game harvests with friends and family while sharing relatable music about life and making the best out of it. If you have fallen in love, worked hard, had some hard times, had your heart broken, enjoyed the privilege of raising children, or just shared some great times with good friends and family - then you will understand why people are loving this new artist!

Today Dean has a brand new single out today called 'That Guitar'. Produced by Jason Barry this song was one of the hardest songs he has written so far. He lost his father in 2018 and the song is about the guitar that he remembers so dearly from his early childhood, as his father worked tirelessly around the clock to provide for their family. Along with being the Plant Manager at Rich Products of Canada, he was a really well-known country musician in southern Ontario and back at home in Quebec. He spent many nights out at bars, legions, and dance halls doing what he loved. Dean's house was always alive with music. This song is a perfect dedication to his father, a person that has probably inspired him more than anyone.

Have a listen to 'That Guitar' and if you love what you hear as we did, you can download it here: ~>  ffm.to/thatguitar.ois.