by Jeffrey "JR" Reed

If anyone needed proof that Country music is alive and well in Ontario, then all they had to do was visit The Stampede Corral in Kitchener on October 26. Five outstanding acts, including (ironically) Owen Sound group, Standing Room Only, packed The Corral to the rafters. There was an electric feeling on this afternoon of music which created memorable moments for all in attendance.

The Opry North Country Music Showcase had never been better than on this Saturday, featuring a handful of acts the like of whom I am sure Kim Jamieson and Wayne Tozzi had in mind when they envisioned this monthly show over a year ago. Every genre of Country music – from traditional Bluegrass to New Country – grabbed the spotlight on the fabled Corral stage. Three hours of the best Independent Country music has to offer ended much too soon, but not without making a lasting impression on friends, family and fans – old and new – of five fantastic acts.

A familiar face, steel guitar player extraordinaire, Smilin’ Joe Allain of the Bareback Riders, performed one of many duties this day as he emceed the festivities with style and grace audiences have come to know over the years. Shortly after welcoming the audience to the show, Allain took his seat at the pedal, and helped the Bareback Riders kick off the showcase. Allain, brothers Chris and Mark Mancini on bass and lead electric/acoustic guitar respectively, Kurk Bernard on acoustic, and Colin Connors on kick never sounded better.

The first guest act actually includes Allain and the Mancini brothers. The eight-member family group, Hamilton-based Homestead, are widely known as, "Canada’s best kept Country music secret." It’s no secret why fans fall in love with this family act, featuring the Stead family: they sing from the heart. Stead patriarch, Sterling, and his son, Ryan, write most of the group’s original material, and are masters on the guitar. Sterling also performs well with the sax and fiddle, wowing crowds with his versatility. And, he produced Homestead’s début CD, Blame It On Me. Sterling’s sister, Diane, lends her strong vocals to the group, as well as her experience performing on an international stage. The remarkable violin sound of Joanne Hart-McDonald, and drums of Kevin Sommerville, round out this one-of-a-kind group.

Homestead showcased their Country/Folk/Rock sound with four strong tunes which left the crowd clapping for more. They opened with, Kayla, a song Ryan wrote for his niece. Chicago was next; the song earned its name after Homestead performed at the Chicago Blues Festival. Sterling wrote the third song, Trouble With The Truth, and he played sax during, Blame It On Me. Already having shared the stage with legends Waylon Jennings, George Jones and Loretta Lynn, and artists such as Prairie Oyster, Jamie Warren and Michelle Wright, Homestead are stars in their own right. There is no doubt new material from this remarkable group will earn them additional accolades.

The second performer of the afternoon is only 24, yet she has more than 70 original songs to her credit. Danielle Hainer of Delhi has performed with her band – guitarists Rick Loucks (bass), Fred Lewis, and Dwayne Friesen, and drummer Charlie Agro – for just over a year, but together they are very polished. With a CD in the works, Hainer is a can’t-miss vocalist with incredible range and professional stage presence. She has been singing since she could walk, and without any formal vocal training has been grabbing audiences by the collar with her act. Hainer has already opened for Jason McCoy at Brantford’s Sanderson Centre, and will headline at that same venue on December 6. She’s a natural talent with enormous potential.

Hainer opened her performance with Martina McBride’s, Two More Bottles Of Wine; The Wilkinsons’, Yodelling Blues; and Faith Hill’s, It Will Be Me. But the Corral crowd was mesmerized with Hainer’s original tune, Illusion, which she actually wrote at the tender age of 15! With original material like this, Hainer is sure to make more headlines soon – she’s definitely a hidden gem on the Canadian Country music scene.

Speaking of gems, the next performer to hit the stage is no stranger to sparkling performances. Newmarket’s Chad Slade, a formidable force with his tall frame (further accented by his boots), continues to captivate audiences as a solo performer. The former front man for Young Country is planning to assemble a new band in time for Summer 2003 touring, while continuing to write and record on a daily basis, in preparation for a March/April CD release.

With songs receiving radio play even in Europe and Australia, and performances shared with artists including McCoy, Warren, The Good Brothers, John Landry and Beverley Mahood, Slade is another homegrown Independent star ready to shine on a larger stage. With Young Country, he received three Best Bar Band In Ontario awards, in 1997, 1998 and 2000, as well as a Group of the Year award, and Male Vocalist of the Year award, all awarded by the Ontario Country Music Association.

Following a strong rendition of the classic tune, Don’t Close Your Eyes, Slade performed an original tune – It Takes Two, a heartache ballad which he wrote for his wife, Tara. Next up: Do You Believe Me Now, another achy breaky ballad written by Vern Gosdin. Slade finished strong with Conway Twitty’s, Lay You Down. Entering a new era as a performer, Slade is ready to take on the world with his style not unlike Montgomery Gentry. Here’s betting Chad Slade becomes an even bigger star on the Canadian Country music scene.

From a solo act, to a five-member group, the afternoon showcase switched gears from New Country to Traditional Country/Blues with a Rockabilly flavour. Standing Room Only truly entertained the troupes this afternoon, tossing in comedy which had them rolling in the aisles. Jim Ceaser and Colleen Given on lead guitar/vocals, Blaine Cramm on bass/vocals, Kelly Weatherall on drums, and featuring the unforgettable Teddy Forbes on lead guitar/violin/vocals, Standing Room Only is truly a good-time band.

However, look past the anecdotes and jokes, and you experience the music of some serious musicians. Perhaps the most memorable moment from this show was the fiddle solo of Forbes during the Classic Country hit (and staple of any fiddler worthy of mention), Orange Blossom Special. Forbes didn’t disappoint, as the scores in attendance found themselves stomping their feet and clapping their hands as he played on the dance floor.

Cramm joked during their performance that Standing Room Only performed "redneck" versions of songs. Don’t let him fool you. This is a solid group of entertainers. Their self-titled CD is an exercise in professionalism and versatility, with songs like, I Fall To Pieces, featuring Given’s beautiful vocals, a Rockabilly version of Queen’s, Fat Bottom Girls, and Forbes’ own song, 12 Bar Teddy Bear Blues. If you get an opportunity to watch Standing Room Only perform, make sure you take in their show. It’s a given, you’ll shout for an encore – and leave laughing.

The final performer of the day is no stranger to Country music in this part of Ontario. Scott Weston – known by local audiences as radio personality, The Singing Cowboy – is a true showman with endless energy. Donning his trademark Stetson and dark sunglasses, Weston ended the showcase with a dynamic act which had them dancing in the aisles and on the dance floor. Just 20 years old, Weston is a multi-talented artist possessing the drive necessary to succeed in the music industry. A singer/songwriter with a knack for giving his audiences what they want, Weston is ready to climb the ladder of success.

Weston, born in Stratford now living in Cambridge, opened with David Lee Murphy’s, Dust On The Bottle, a staple of Weston’s performances. This song really fits his energetic style. Next up was a wonderfully-written song, Halfway Home, a Keith Thompson original. A strong supporter of Indie music, the Guelph-based Thompson was again in attendance on this day, cheering on his fellow performers. Incidently, Thompson, Opry North, and The Stampede Corral are already experiencing overwhelming success with their new weekly collaboration, Opry North’s Songwriter’s Café, held every Tuesday night. Artists interested in strutting their stuff can contact Thompson at keith@keiththompsonmusic.com.

Before finishing his set with Tracy Byrd’s, I’m From The Country, Weston delivered a special treat with help from artist, Tara Oram. Their duet, Let’s Kiss And Make Up (a Mahood-Ken Munshaw hit) brought down the house. In fact, you had to look twice at Oram or you would think she was Mahood herself, thanks to beautifully strong vocals. Oram, 18, is another can’t miss artist with all the tools needed for a successful career.

Weston is well on his way, too, with an impressive bio already to his credit. He has opened for Mahood, Warren (a regular at the Tuesday night cafés), and Thomas Wade, and has shared the stage with Adam Gregory, The Ennis Sisters, and Brooks and Dunn, just to name a few. He has written with some of Canada’s best, and continues to reach for the stars.

As always, when the artists were mingling with the folks in attendance, the sounds of other Canadian artists who have graced the stage of Opry North, filled the Stampede Corral loudspeakers. Included on this day: Vince Roy; Brenda Lynn; Kyla; Jaclyn & Cassandra; Mark Blayney; Teagan Beedell; Laura Rose; Cory Gallant; Erin Fleury; and Mia Kulba.

The 12^th edition of the Opry North Music Showcase ended on a very strong note, with people already abuzz about the November showcase slated for The Stampede Ranch in Guelph. With an unlimited pool of talent available to Opry North, here’s to future showcases, and to the sweetest music this side of Nashville.