BUCKLE UP LONDON! THE CMAONTARIO ROUNDUP IS COMING TO TOWN!

May 5, 2017

TORONTO, ON - The Country Music Association of Ontario(CMAOntario) is excited to announce details of the CMAOntario RoundUp taking place throughout London, Ontario next month. A variety of events are scheduled from June 8-11, 2017, bringing the Ontario country music industry together with local communities in celebration of the province's rich musical talent and heritage.

CMAOntario RoundUp festivities kick off on Thursday, June 8 with a legacy concert at Purple Hill Country Hall featuring a number of pioneering musicians that have paved the way for so many of today's country artists.

On Friday, June 9 members of London media and a bevy of country music celebrities will take to the diamond to showcase their skills in a Charity Softball Game at Labatt Memorial Park, followed by a concert in centre field by a series of Ontario artists. Entry is 'pay what you can' at the door with a portion of proceeds benefitting Unison Benevolent Fund along with a local charity.

Saturday and Sunday will see the fourth edition of CMAOntario's R2I Spring TuneUp Conference move in to the Delta London Armouries by Marriott for a two-day program of learning, networking and mentoring with trailblazers in the country music industry. Programming will cover artist development, navigating Nashville, songwriting, digital marketing, promotion, funding and more. Attendees will hear first-hand the stories that inspired some of today's top hits during the perennial favourite Songwriters In The Round session. Registrants will also have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with industry personnel during the Mentor's Breakfast on Saturday and the networking lunch on Sunday.

The entertainment continues on Saturday night with a free concert at Market Square featuring an emerging line-up of Ontario artists as part of the New Faces Showcase, followed by a headline performance by River Town Saints and Eric Ethridge.

The RoundUp culminates with the CMAOntario Awards at Centennial Hall on Sunday, June 11, where honours will be bestowed to the best of Ontario's country music industry and celebrated with an all-star cast of performers.

See the full schedule below for dates, times and ticket information.

Thursday June 8, 2017

The Legacy Show

Purple Hill Country Hall (20903 Purple Hill Rd., Thorndale, ON)

Presented by: Country 107.3 (CJDL)

Doors: 6:00pm

Show: 7:00pm

Tickets: $40 available for purchase via phone 519.461.0538 or email purplehillcountryhall@gmail.com

Performances by:

Charlie Major

Genevieve Fisher

Kiley Joe Masson

Marie Bottrell

The Good Brothers

Wendell Ferguson

Special Guest Aaron Pritchett

Friday June 9, 2017

Charity Softball Game - Ontario Country Artists vs. London Media

Labatt Memorial Park (25 Wilson Ave, London, ON)

Presented by: Slaight Music, OMDC

Doors: 6:00pm

Game Time: 7:00pm

Post Game Concert: 9:00pm

Tickets: Donation at the door

National Anthem:

The Small Town Girls

Performances by:

Genevieve Fisher

Leah Daniels

The Abrams

Artists Participating:

Aaron Pritchett

Dani Strong

Gavin Slate

Genevieve Fisher

James Barker Band

Jason Blaine

Jason McCoy

Leah Daniels

River Town Saints

The Abrams

Saturday June 10, 2017 - Sunday June 11, 2017

R2I (Road to Independence) Spring TuneUp Conference

Delta London Armouries by Marriott (325 Dundas St, London, ON)

Presented by: Slaight Music, OMDC

Registration: 8:00am

Saturday Programming: 9:00am - 5:15pm

Sunday Programming: 8:30am - 4:00pm

Tickets: $85 (plus taxes) 2-Day Delegate Passes available for purchase online at www.cmaontario.ca.

Price includes Continental Breakfast and Lunch on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday June 10, 2017

New Faces Showcase & Concert

Market Square (Dundas St. & Market Lane, London, ON)

Presented by: Slaight Music, OMDC

Showcases: 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Concert: 9:00pm - 10:30pm

Tickets: Free event

Showcase performances by:

TBA

Concert performances by:

River Town Saints

Eric Ethridge

Sunday June 11, 2017

CMAOntario Awards

Centennial Hall (550 Wellington St., London, ON)

Presented by: Slaight Music, OMDC

Doors: 6:00pm

Show: 7:00pm

Tickets: $59.95 (plus taxes & service fees) for regular reserved seating / $250.00 (plus taxes & service fees) for fan VIP packages available for purchase online via www.centennialhall.london.ca.

Host: Jason McCoy

House Band: The Western Swing Authority

Featuring performances by:

Aaron Pritchett

Cold Creek County

Deric Ruttan

Genevieve Fisher

James Barker Band

Jason Blaine

The Abrams

Jessica Mitchell

Meghan Patrick

River Town Saints

Tim Hicks

For additional details and announcements, stay tuned to the CMAOntario website and social media platforms at www.cmaontario.ca  

The Fontaines | New Music Review of ‘Vacant’ single – get your ‘Flirt’ on!

by Candice Anne Marshall

Band members: Hank Fontaine, Charlotte Fontaine, Daniel Zuker, and Chrystian Kaplan

It doesn’t surprise me that this should happen….my favorite band, Los Angeles based The Fontaines have released yet another fabulous single on April 4^th, 2017 titled ‘Vacant’ and is already being played on radio in Japan and Los Angeles. The single was followed by their outstanding performance at SXSW 2017. ‘Vacant’ is yet another fantastic addition next to its predecessor ‘Evaporate’ (released February 8^th, 2017) which had us super excited for more. Looks like the wait is not much longer as they have already begun amping up for a full-length album following the successful launch of last Junes ‘ii’ EP and we can’t wait to get our ears on it!

If there are any woman out there wanting to give a heads up (to other gal pals) about a sneaky and manipulative ex-boyfriend’s (or any man for that matter) ‘womanizing’ behaviors, ‘Vacant’ is the song to play. The pop-infused single is wickedly clever in its lyrics and is delivered with sexy, sultry, lilting and humorous (‘hand up every dress’….’vacant little lies you keep on playing’) vocals by Charlotte Fontaine, the bands iconic front woman. Can't say that there has ever been a song I don't like from this band - and Charlotte is definitely the cherry on this delicious Ice Cream float. The sound is a true throwback to the singles you can find in the bands early recordings like ‘Blue Eyed Baby’. The instrumentation throughout is super catchy, oozing with that fabulously rich ‘du-wop’ vibe I love, making it a groovy little tune. I am certain it will be played on repeat everywhere.

The Fontaines music always remain in my top 25 most-played songs and if you are looking for a great new sound that gives you a feel-good vibe, you’ll want to bookmark this band now! Have a listen to the new single below and watch for the announcement of their next full-length album (in the works) by subscribing to all their social media links below. The band often releases their singles as a surprise with no actual over-hyped lead up promo (they are that cool - they don't have to!) so if you want to be in the know, DO subscribe. Personally, I find this approach defines this band in a unique way – they continuously challenge the borders of conformity and never follow the pack. After all, they ARE The Fontaines. Well done! 

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The Fontaines Social Media Links (click to view):

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

iTunes

SoundCloud

JASON BLAINE & COLD CREEK COUNTY TO PERFORM AT THE 2017 CMA ONTARIO AWARDS

TORONTO, ON - The Country Music Association of Ontario is thrilled to reveal Jason Blaine and Cold Creek County as performers for the 2017 CMA Ontario Awards. Hosted by renowned musician, entertainer and now radio broadcaster Jason McCoy, the awards show will take place at Centennial Hall in London, Ontario on Sunday, June 11 at 8:00 p.m.

Jason Blaine is a multiple CMA Ontario Awards winner as well as the recipient of three SOCAN Airplay Awards and a CCMA award. He's had a string of radio hits including "Back To You" and "Country Side" from his latest album of the same name. Blaine recently completed a stint on the road with Tim Hicks on the Shake These Walls Tour throughout Ontario.

 Cold Creek County burst onto the scene with the release of their debut album Till The Wheels Come Off in late 2015 winning over audiences and industry with their riveting live performances and popular radio hits "Our Town" and "Till The Wheels Come Off". In less than a year, their talents have already been rewarded with three 2016 CMA Ontario Awards, a 2016 Canadian Radio Music Award, three 2016 CCMA Awards nominations and a JUNO Award nomination.

Blaine and Cold Creek County join previously announced The Western Swing Authority who will be supporting the evening's performances as the show's house band.

"We are very excited to hear the first of many announcements from the CMAO for performers and presenters that will be in London on June 11.   This is an amazing opportunity for our region to experience the incredible talent that Ontario has to showcase in the country music industry. We are working closely with the CMAO and are very excited for many more announcements to follow in the coming months," said Chris Campbell,  Director of Culture and Entertainment Tourism at Tourism London.

The CMA Ontario Awards will also host a bevy of guest presenters, including Ontario country artists Marshall Dane, Leah Daniels, Cory Marquardt, and Jessica Mitchell.

Presented by Slaight Music, with support from the Ontario Media Development Corporation, the awards show will recognize honorees in 16 categories spanning talent and industry while featuring performances from some of Ontario's biggest country music acts. Additional performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets for the CMA Ontario Awards are available for purchase through the Centennial Hall box office - online at www.centennialhall.london.ca, by calling 1.888.999.8990, or in person at the venue (550 Wellington St.). Pricing ranges from $59.95 (plus taxes and service fees) for regular reserved seating to $250.00 (plus taxes and service fees) for fan VIP packages. Details for corporate and group rates are available on the venue's website.

About The CMA Ontario:

CMA Ontario was formed in 2007 by Rob MacArthur, founding patron Linda Wright, and a number of interested and enthusiastic individuals who thought it was time to have a voice for country music in Ontario. The Association brings together the talent and the industry professionals. Its mandate is to foster and support the growth and development of Ontario's country music and its industry, provincially, nationally and internationally. CMA Ontario has now hosted four annual Awards Shows with the assistance of presenting sponsor Slaight Music. These sold-out events featured performances from Ontario's top talent, including:  Jason McCoy, Deric Ruttan, Jason Blaine, Tim Hicks, Tebey, Autumn Hill, Small Town Pistols, Michelle Wright, Marshall Dane and many more. CMA Ontario is also proud to have presented three highly successful two-day Road to Independence educational conferences, with the financial contribution of the OMDC and presenting sponsor Slaight Music. www.cmaontario.ca

 

About Slaight Music:

Slaight Music was started in 2011 with a mandate to support the Canadian music community through a variety of initiatives, and to develop Canadian talent via strategic partnerships with industry peers. We work with artists from across the country and across the musical spectrum, helping to further careers and get great music heard. We're also invested in the technology sphere, helping Canadian music entrepreneurs develop the next generation of digital platforms and services. And, we support a variety of music-related events, causes and charities. www.slaightmusic.com

About OMDC:

The Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC), an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport that facilitates economic development opportunities for Ontario's cultural media industries including book and magazine publishing, film and television, music and interactive digital media industries. www.omdc.on.ca

SMC & ArtistMax | Special SMC VIP Artist of the Month Announcement!

*PRESS RELEASE*

March 7^th, 2017

Since August 2015, Starlight Music Chronicles (SMC) has been hosting their Artist of the Month competitions which has been gaining some serious momentum globally. This event is an online only 50/50 fan and judge voted event that takes place for the next consecutive month from the 15^th – 22^nd with the winner being announced on the 25^th. In June 2016, we ran our Artist of the Year event which landed over 22,000 votes to our winning Artist of the Year (AOY) IAMWARFACE and approx to 7,000 for OliviaPenalva, Teen AOY.

On August 2, 2017, we presented both Artists with VIP Scholarships to the ArtistMax (Los Angeles) program. In less than 2 weeks, our Teen AOY will be attending the March event in Los Angeles where she will meet with legendary Producer Ken Caillat (Fleetwood Mac) and his team which also includes his daughter and Grammy Award Winning Artist, ColbieCaillat. (click here to see our original announcement)

Here is a synopsis from the ArtistMax website on what this event/program/scholarship entails:

'ArtistMax is a 3-day intense artist development workshop designed by industry professionals to teach a new generation the current music business and to discover tomorrow’s superstars. Presented by GRAMMY Award winning engineer, producer and author Ken Caillat, (Fleetwood Mac) and initially held at the World-Famous Village Studios in Los Angeles, "ArtistMax gives developing artists access to the training, knowledge and coaching necessary to maximize their careers.’

Following our announcement of our affiliation as Media Ambassadors for the program in Season 1 of the AOY competition, we launched our Season 2 (2016-2017) AOM events with rapid word spreading to Europe and the UK. (Thanks Rebecca Singer! Check out Singer PR & Promotions while you're at it!) Bands/Artists such as Hannah Clive, DaveIt Ferris, and TAMSYN were the successors of the Oct-Dec 2016 events and after a short holiday break, Scott Patterson’s SMITHRADIO crushed the February 2017 AOM event with a whopping 1112 final fan votes. Artist Lucien Dante ended up surpassing that record with a final 1129 Fan vote count. With only two events left to go (April & May) we are preparing for an 'amped-up' June 2017 Artist of the Year event which has now caught serious attention from Radio, Television, and Music Magazine (online and print) platforms where many of our featured Artists are being picked up for interviews and radio play.

Here's what the VIP Scholarship for our winning Artist of the Year 2017 will include:

·    One on One Vocal Coaching

·    Official Artistmax Songwriting and Collaboration Course

·    Publishing, Contracts and Artist Management

·    Branding, Social Media and the "Pitch"

·    Recording Vocals in the Studio

·    Production Tools and Arrangement

·    Individual Songwriting Breakout Sessions

·    Stage Performance and Movement

·    Makeup, Image and Style

·    Featured Grammy Award Winning Producer/Engineer

MARCH 7th, 2017 Special Announcement

In February 2017, ArtistMax officials reached out to SMC to offer a UNIQUE SMC DISCOUNT CODE to ALL Artist of the Month Competitors who were featured & promoted in our monthly events. Since we are a partner to ArtistMax, the team has graciously offered SMC Artist of the Month competitors an unlimited-use discount code for $250 (US) off the ticket price of the program!

We have been advised that there is still room for the March 24-26^th weekend event and we can not stress the importance of getting your registration in ASAP. Please email editor@starlightmusicchronicles.com with the subject line as:

RE: SMC ArtistMax program discount for (Band Name Here)

If you are unable to attend the March event, we have been assured that the discount code will be effective for upcoming ArtistMac events. We will always be shouting out the newest event registration on our social media platforms so be sure to follow or like us on all our platforms to stay informed.

For more information on the ArtistMax program, please refer to the social media links below or click on the video! We have added this amazing program to our roster of growing elite organizations on our website www.starlightmusicchronicles.com

ArtistMax Social Media Links:

Website

Twitter 

Facebook

Instagram 

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The following is a list of Artists that are eligible for this discount:

Season 1 SMC Artist of the Month Roster

·         Olivia Rose

·         Arkavello

·         Paul Woida

·         Nic Neufeld

·         Janay Thomas

·         Michael Resin

·         Jmaxx Artist

·         Radio Drive

·         Clouds As Skin

·         Under The Tongue

·         Jerry Hull

·         Three Beards

·         Lunden Reign

·         Lynda Law

·         Rachel Woznow

·         Olivia Wik

·         Brian Mackey

·         Mohsin Zaman

·         Shay Esposito

·         Alma Sibley,

·         The Moon Kids

·         Nicky Pearson

·         Van Halst

·         Natalie Jean

·         VOID

·         NOHC

·         Northern Heights

·         Logan and Sarah

·         Icky Hollow

·         Luke Potter

·         Mandy Ringdal

·         Carolina Magnolia

·         Virginia Grey

·         Seven Story Fall

·         New Mayans

·         The Roxy Suicide

·         Swerve

·         The Whiskey Darlings

·         The Fontaines

·         Dani Rosenoer

·         Beck Black

·         Magali Delarosa

·         Yemimah

·         Vladopus9

·         Mike Leponds Silent Assassins

·         Ntellekt

·         The Barbarellatones

·         Malaya

·         Kaylin

·         EMMARIE

·         The Lady AnonNYMous

·         Corners of Sanctuary

·         Johnny Sly

·         Abigail Belcher

·         We Love The Underground

·         Camryn Wilson

·         The Speed Of Sound

·         HAANA

·         Ryan Inglis

·         LoudKidz

·         The Skylarks

·         Michael Owens

·         After The Calm

·         Tony Valor

·         Juliana Strangelove

·         Peter118

·         Dustin Harder

Season 2 SMC Artist of the Month Roster

·         Punishment

·         Hannah Clive

·         Chris Watkins/Drunk Poets

·         The Killing Floor

·         Feed Them To The Forest

·         Lourdes Capall

·         DaveIt Ferris

·         November Skies

·         Council

·         Tony Hill

·         Hayley Richman

·         Little Crow

·         Odibal

·         MINT

·         Redvers Bailey

·         August Tides

·         The Dangerhounds

·         Wall Of Orange

·         The World In My Eyes

·         Sly Antics

·         TAMSYN

·         Go Ask Alice

·         SMITHRADIO

·         The Black Jackals

·         The One They Fear

·         Neil and Adam

·         Novustory

·         Lucien Dante

·         Stephanie Grace

·         Electric Mud

·         Kimball Hooker

ED SHEERAN ÷ PRESS RELEASE | WARNER MUSIC CANADA

ED SHEERAN

÷

RELEASE DATE: MARCH 3, 2017

Label: Warner Music Canada

One of the most anticipated global releases of 2017, “÷” sees the 25-year-old in his finest form yet.  Drawing inspiration from a wide array of experiences and subjects, Sheeran takes you through a hugely personal journey; be that reflecting on past relationships, family memories, his musical career or his time off travelling the world in 2016. Musically, ÷ is a varied collection of beautifully orchestrated and emotive ballads, impassioned raps laid over hip hop beats, timeless acoustic guitar masterpieces, and innovative, idiosyncratic pop music.   Constantly on the move, the album was recorded between LA, London, Suffolk and while crossing the Atlantic aboard the RMS Queen Mary 2.  Executive produced by multi-GRAMMY winner Benny Blanco and Sheeran himself with additional production coming from frequent collaborator Johnny McDaid, GRAMMY winner Mike Elizondo, and BRIT-award winner Steve Mac.  Sheeran also created the album artwork concept for “÷” , even painting the cover himself.

 Editors Pick from this album is 'Supermarket Flowers' (see below)

Tracks

Eraser     03:47                  

Castle on the Hill     04:21                             

Dive     03:58                      

Shape of You     03:53

Perfect     04:23

Galway Girl     02:50

Happier      03:27

New Man     03:09

Hearts Don't Break Around Here     04:08

What Do I Know     03:57

How Would You Feel (Paean)     04:40

Supermarket Flowers     03:41

Barcelona     03:11

Bibia Be Ye Ye     02:56

Nancy Mulligan     02:59

Save Myself     04:07

'HEART' of Alberta Band: THISTLE Launches NEW ALBUM 'Blood and Bone' | Album Review by CA Marshall

By CA Marshall

There something about that local band vibe that always connects me to my Folk Music roots and Alberta, Canada-based band THISTLE appeals to that very nature. I grew up in a home with Musicians for parents, and there was always the sound of an acoustic guitar playing at family holidays, or just because. I believe that THISTLE has this authentic, home-grown, infused Folk Rock sound throughout their new album ‘Blood and Bone’. Wicked guitar riffs throughout and intentionally nostalgic ‘Folk Rock’ lyrics pull this band together as a well-oiled unit.

The first single off the album titled ‘Big Sky Alberta’ is the kind of song you would hear on a warm summers eve at a busy outdoor festival. The guitar riffs in this are incredible and the energy of the song itself elicits that feel-good vibe only Albertans come to know as ‘home’. You don’t have to actually visit Alberta – you just have to listen to this song to know that it’s the happiest place on earth.

Going further into the album, the song ‘When It’s Gone’ catches your breath through heart pounding vocals for a 3 minute and three second whirlwind adventure comparative to something you’d hear The Road Hammers play. Its’ lyrics are fast, fun, and very catchy! Following suit is ‘Cause I Know’, a song about infidelity that is fierce in it’s presentation: this person knows they’ve been lied to and is about to give his ‘sweet angel’ a piece of his mind. Great concept in lyrics, the instrumentation is strong and back up vocals are brilliant on this one.

Transitioning further into the album, ‘Tonight’ is a song rich in Folk Rock sound and is probably one of my personal favorites off this album. Then I heard ‘Field of Heroes’, and my decision on a favorite became tough. ‘Field of Heroes’ is the kind of song that one might have heard at Woodstock 1969. This is a very powerful song that carries the heart-wrenching theme of young men and women (soldiers) ‘laid to rest’ with instrumentation that is supportive in it’s vintage Folk sound.

The sixth track is the albums’ title ‘Blood And Bone’ and is a MUST in terms of radio play. This is a song that needs to be on radio, and soon! I feel that this is a contagious and catchy summer song that listeners will gravitate to quickly. if any DJ’s are reading this now, they must know that I have been reviewing music for several years now and I am seasoned in knowing what listeners want to hear, and this song is it. In fact, one of my first album reviews was of Clayton Bellamy’s album ‘Five Crow Silver’ and this song compares in terms of having what it takes. It’s catchy, quick, and should be listened to at loud decibels. This great track is followed quickly with the song ‘First Bit Of Snow’, a great follow-up to ‘Blood And Bone’ in terms of keeping the vibe going and should follow suit to radio immediately. The beat in this one is what caught my attention right away and if we’re talking about a song that gets a crowd up and dancing, ‘First Bit Of Snow’ is that song.

Rounding up this fabulous set is ‘Last Dance’, a slower paced ballad that winds down the high energy as heard in the previous tracks. While this one isn’t my personal favorite, it is strong in it’s lyrics and instrumentation and is a nice compliment to the rest of this great album. The final song, ‘What Did I Do’ is absolutely brilliant in it’s sound, composition and instrumentation. You know how they always say, save the best for last? Well, that’s just what THISTLE did here. Well done!

This is an album you will want to plug into right away for some great weekend listening! Have a listen below to 'First Bit Of Snow'.

THISTLE is comprised of band members:

Trevor Henson - Bass and Vocals

Steve Findlay - Guitars and Vocals

Jason Frey - Drums

Kevin Frey - Guitar and Vocals

Tania Scott – Vocals

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To connect with the band, check out all their social media platforms below and be sure to hit ‘like’ or ‘follow’ on each!

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Reverbnation