Country Music Alberta Award Nominee Tommy Charles To Release New Single “Love Train”
Edmonton-based country-Americana artist Tommy Charles is set to release his new single, “Love Train,” on February 28th.
Blending 70s’70s disco-soul with vintage country, the track showcases Tommy’s signature crooning vocals. Nominated for Horizon Male Artist and Album of the Year at the 2025 Country Music Alberta Awards, Tommy continues to shine with his unique sound and dynamic live performances across Canada and Texas.
We chatted with him about the single and his musical journey.
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Tommy Charles, singer-songwriter, at your service. I’m from Quebec, lived all over the Americas, and I am now based in Edmonton, AB. I’m doing music that is right on the line between country-music, Americana, and soul, and I have a new single called Love Train. Check it out.
“Love Train” has a unique blend of disco-soul, classic country, and 70s-inspired grooves. What was the inspiration behind the song?
Nothing like a good, soulful song! Man, I just felt it that day. I was grooving to something,, and I needed to put it down on paper. I realized, a few minutes later, that what I had was kind of disco, kind of country?! I really liked it and I kept it. The rest is history.
You’ve drawn comparisons to legends like Tom Jones, Conway Twitty, and Fleetwood Mac. Were there any specific artists or records that influenced this track?
Not a specific one, no, but songs like “You make loving fun” (FWM), “Raining in my heart” (Tom Jones), and “Slow Hand” (Conway Twitty) really got me in the right mood.
You were recently nominated for the 2025 Country Music Alberta Awards Horizon Male Artist of the Year and Album of the Year—congratulations! What does this recognition mean to you?
It’s awesome! This Albertan community is really special and has been very welcoming to me since I moved here 3 years ago. All over that room, at the awards show, I could see the faces of people who gave me my first shot at a show, bandmates, co-writers, and a ton of individuals who trusted me at some point along the way. It was meaningful for me to be there, playing for them.
You first gained national attention as a finalist on La Voix in 2019. How did that experience shape your career?
It has made me understand the importance of delivering a good, well-rounded performance to an audience. My philosophy is that people come to see a show, and they want to be entertained. I make it a point to entertain them and to build a show that will take them on an emotional roller coaster. Humor is important for me, too, and I think shows like La Voix are really big on creating these little dramatic moments.