Rising Canadian Country Artist Tony Stevens Receives Coveted CCMA Award Nomination For Songwriter of the Year
Rising Canadian country artist, Tony Stevens, recently received a Canadian Country Music Association Award (CCMA) nomination for Songwriter of the Year for his hit single “Whiskey In Colorado” (Willing Records / Universal Music Canada). An incredible honour for the budding songwriter so early in his career.
“Whiskey in Colorado” is currently #8 on the Canadian country charts, has accumulated over two million streams, and led Tony to be named Rogers Media’s ‘One to Watch’ and iHeartRadio’s ‘Future Star’. The song is a heartfelt ballad that showcases Tony’s talents as a lyricist, and explores the emotional toll of being away from loved ones while on the road as an artist and has really put him on the map as the next rising star in Canadian country music.
Check out his latest single, “Days Like This” below, and learn more via our interview.
First off, would you care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Well, I’m Tony Stevens, a Canadian country artist and songwriter from Surrey B.C. I love the outdoors, fast cars, old trucks, good food, great company and of course, great songs. Family, faith, and friends are my foundation.
Can you tell us about your journey into music? What inspired you to pursue a career in country music?
I was a house, a wife, and kids, into leaving music behind when I had a rude awakening to the fact that life is fragile and you never know when you’re going to hit your head and almost die in the hospital. I had a lot of downtime recovering after that and the urge to pursue music became stronger and stronger. My wife and I decided that life is too short to not follow what has been put in your heart, so from there we walked toward my dream of being a country artist one step at a time. Music has always been an inspiration in my life and watching artists like Dirks Bently, Eric Church, Hardy, and Lainey Wilson go after their dreams and have their music impact so many lives is so inspiring and makes me want to have that same impact on people and just maybe, have my songs become a part of the soundtrack of their lives.
How does receiving a CCMA nomination for Songwriter of the Year feel so early in your career?
It is truly an amazing feeling! Songwriting is at the core of my passion for country music and to be on a short list of names representing the craft I hold so dear is an honor I will never forget. I am soaking it all in, cause ‘You only get so many days like this’!
Can you share the story behind “Whiskey In Colorado”?
The intense desire to be out chasing this dream is all too often met with the fact that chasing this dream means being away from the people I love. It brings a unique cocktail of emotions up and this song explains that feeling and how it just can’t simply be ‘whiskey’d’ away. When I sat down to write with Dan Swinimer, Wes Mack, and David Borys, it was a sentiment we could all relate to. Once the work tape and demo were finished, I knew this was a song that I wanted to cut and release.
Are there any particular lyrics in “Whiskey In Colorado” that you find especially meaningful or significant?
“One Star Motel” is the first lyric in the song. My wife has made our house feel like home and the places I’ve had to stay are in some cases a complete departure from that. From the smells to the condition of the rooms, it just makes me miss home.
“I put the phone down cause you’ve gone to bed now”, on the road, the only connection to family is through a phone, and in the silence of the room after those calls can be very loud.
“Singing songs about you without you around”, most of my songs are inspired by the places and people I have to leave in order to pursue this career. So every time I sing the songs it is another reminder that I’m not with them.
What was the recording process like for “Whiskey In Colorado”? Were there any memorable moments or challenges during the production?
When we made the work tape after we wrote the song, the music had a totally different feel to it. After Dan and I did a demo vocal take, I was pretty excited to hear the result, but he texted the guys and I and prefaced it with, ‘This is a lot different than the worktape’. He had half-timed the beat and something magic happened. All I could think was, ‘Yup, this is it’.
Finally, what’s up next for you?
I’ve got a busy fall with some tour dates with The Washboard Union, I’m so pumped! You can also expect new music as soon as this fall or early winter with an EP release on the horizon.