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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2015-07-08, Page 15Wednesday, July 8, 2015 • Huron Expositor 15 Juno -award winning artist Brett Kissel to play Walton Raceway Walton Raceway is excited to announce that Canadian Country Music Association Award winner and recent 2014 Juno award winning Breakthrough recording art- ist of the year, Brett Kissel will be headlining the Annual Huron County, Fri- day Night Throwdown, dur- ing The Parts Canada Trans - Can; Canadian Motocross Grand National Champion- ship and Canadian Outdoor, Motorcycle & Power Sports Expo on Friday August 14 at Walton Raceway. When you come from a place called Flat Lake, Alberta, it's pretty tough to get noticed. For Brett Kissel, it's pretty tough to be ignored. The 24 -year-old singer/ songwriter has been the country music story of 2014 - recently winning 2 awards at the Canadian Country Music Association Awards - for "CMT Video of the Year" and "Interactive Artist of the Year'; after a record of 8 nominations. Brett also took home a Canadian Radio Music Award - for Break- through Artist of the Year in Country Music, on top of two Association of Country Music in Alberta awards, and two Edmonton Music Awards. With countless sold out shows across North America, Kissel was primed for his major label debut album through Warner Music Canada, Started With A Song, released late last year. Even before the album's release, Kissel had already made radio history. With more than 93% of Canadian Country stations adding the first single Started With A Song the track eclipsed the record for most adds at Canadian Country radio in one week, a record previ- ously held by Taylor Swift. Since the album's release, Brett has become the talk of Canadian country music. He has seen two of his music videos reach No. 1 at CMT, he has scored three top 10 radio hits, and he headlined a cross -Canada tour. To top it all off, Brett won his first Juno Award - becoming the first country artist to be awarded with Breakthrough Artist of the Year in 17 years. The album, co-produced by Kissel with Ted Hewitt (Rodney Atkins), Ben Phil- lips (Blake Shelton) and CCMA Award -winner Bart McKay, is an exhilarating collection of music that can be best described as the New Wave of Old Country: each song a slice of real-life senti- ment; emotional touch- stones that run the gamut of highs and lows and explore such subjects as deep love, trying moments and poign- ant reflection, measured out by party anthems and a sense that something special is happening here. Listening to the rousingly playful title track Started With A Song the invigorat- ingly catchy 3-2-1 and the modern country gem Some- thing You Just Don't Forget it is no wonder why Bob Doyle, the manager behind Garth Brooks, proceeded to sign Brett to a co -management and publishing deal upon meeting him in Nashville. Kissel makes it clear how personal these songs really are with tracks like Country In My Blood - written about the Alberta cattle ranch that has been in his family for over a century - the poignant true -life tale of his grandpar- ents in the moving ballad Together (Grandma and Grandpa's Song) and Girl In A Cowboy Hat an upbeat song about potential romance. During the summer tour- ing season, Kissel headlined Canada's largest country music festival - Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alberta. After a late set and a long autograph line, he returned home to the ranch at 3 a.m. At 6:45 a.m. there was a knock on his bedroom door. It was his grandfather ("who we affectionately call Grandpa Bear"). "I said, `Grandpa, I'd really like to sleep in. I just played Big Valley Jamboree last night and I've only had two hours of sleep.' And he said, 'Wake up, because you're no country star on the farm!' Kissel realized at that moment, "My Grandpa was Brett Kissel right. No matter what I do, even if it's playing in front of 25,000 people, once I get home, work needs to get done. It doesn't matter who I am onstage." It's a much different kind of work when he hits the road, which he does often. An energetic and electrifying performer, Kissel plays upwards of 150 shows a year. His parents remind him that he's been an attention - seeker his whole life. "I craved the spotlight. Any opportunity to stand up on the couch and belt out a tune when I was three or four years old, I always took." When his grandmother bought him a Sears -cata- logue guitar just before his seventh birthday, Kissel's fate was sealed. "It was this deep-rooted passion inside of me. When I was 10 years old, I was playing three -chord Johnny Cash songs at talent shows, but singing them two octaves higher than his deep bari- tone voice. "When I was 12 and I got a $50 honorarium to play for a local 4H club - I realized I could do this for a living," he chuckles. "Usually it took me two birthdays and a really gen- erous tooth fairy to make $50. And I made that in 20 minutes just playing and singing songs? I was over the moon." Kissel continued to per- form at various agrarian events and celebrations, even being paid for one con- cert with a pure bred bull. Influenced by the likes of Johnny Cash, Glen Camp- bell, Buck Owens and George Strait, Brett Kissel is still very much his own man: a dynamic, charismatic per- former, singer and song- writer and ready to make an CONCERT TICKETS Advance online Fri- day only concert tick- ets are $35 - (tickets Includes Friday's Motocross and COMP Expo) - only 4,000 tickets available. Friday to Sunday week- end tickets are $50 - (Ticket Includes concert, ama- teur motocross, pro Sun- day motocross and COMP Expo Friday to Sunday) Friday and Saturday onsite camping is availa- ble for $30 per adult. Wal- ton Raceway has a fam- ily camping area, as well as a 19+ camping area. All camping is charged separately at the main gate upon arrival. No glass is allowed onsite. If Brett Kissel Friday con- cert tickets are still the day of the show, pricing will be $40 at the main gate. WALTON RACEWAY Address: Walton Raceway: 42932 Walton Road, Wal- ton, Ontario, NOK 1 ZO. Web- site: http://www.partscan- adatranscan.ca or http:// www.walton raceway. ca Facebook: httpi/www.facebook. com/TransCan or httpJ/www. facebook.com/WaltonRaceway Twitter: @TransCan @ WaltonRaceway Instagram: @WaltonRaceway imposing impression on the global country music scene with Started With A Song. "I write and record music that's true to myself, about experiences that I've had in my young age," Kissel declares, "and it's my hope that the fans and all the peo- ple listening are either touched by it or can escape wherever they need to escape from for three -and -a - Contributed photo half minutes. "I've been working on these songs for three years, and cannot wait to begin making new fans by playing around the world:' When he finally reaches that goal - and you know that Brett Kissel has the con- fidence, determination and talent to pull it off - remem- ber, of course, that it all Started With A Song. c _ WM ISX .--."11-m.-'1609%. Reliable Realty Inc. Brokerage Independently Owned and Operated www.remax-reliable.com *' John Scruton, Sales Representative Chris Cardno, Sales Representative 519-525-8033 • Clinton: 49 Albert St. 519-441-8985 • Seaforth: 49 Main St. 51 ALGONQUIN LN. MENESET 107 MARY STREET, CLINTON Retirement Home with a Country View Immaculate, Great Value MLS# 550355 MLS# 564516 • III rR lit A 55 VICTORIA BLVD. VANASTRA 63 JARVIS ST, SEAFORTH Great Starter Home Semi -Detached Abundance of Options MLS# 565226 MLS# 555686 i- y.. • • L<.. II 5 HARBOUR CRT. BAYFIELD 133 TAYLOR ST, STRATFORD Spectacular Lakeview Home Crisp and Clean, Large Lot MLS# 537082 MLS# 564514