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Juno winner bringing the country to Sidney

Rising star Brett Kissel plays three shows in Sidney
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Award-winning country music artist Brett Kissel arrives in Sidney later this month for three shows at the Mary Winspear Centre, March 20, 21 and 22. Photo contributed

Some would imagine that Brett Kissel is settling perfectly into the role of one of the nation’s leading country music creatives, but settling is not a word in Kissel’s vocabulary.

In fact, with his new album in tow as he gears up for three sold-out shows at the Mary Winspear Centre on March 20, 21 and 22, just ask him: he’s only just begun.

Over the past few years, the country crooner from Flat Lake, Alta. has received an armful of Canadian Country Music Association Awards, (including two straight wins for Male Artist of the Year and the coveted Fans’ Choice). Kissel was the recipient of the Allan Slaight Honour from Canada’s Walk of Fame, the Breakthrough Artist of the Year winner at the Juno Awards, and was recognized as the International Artist of the Year at the Worldwide Radio Summit in Hollywood (an honour bestowed upon Ed Sheeran and Adele in the last two years, respectively).

Keeping his own ear to the ground, Kissel has learned the art of entertaining and ultimately gives his listeners what they want to experience – especially with his latest album – We Were That Song. Production of this album brought the mastery that is Grammy Award Winner Luke Wooten (Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Chris Stapleton), long-time collaborator Bart McKay (multiple CCMA Award Winner), as well as Kissel’s own bandmates, Justin Kudding, Spencer Cheyne, and Matty McKay; to co-produce and complete the studio team.

Kissel has also impressively established himself as a creative entrepreneur in the music industry. As the only Canadian to ever tour with Garth Brooks, one of the world’s top-selling artists, Kissel notes, “Playing with Garth is impossible to effectively describe. I really appreciate his willingness to take me under his wing and teach me so much about what it means to be an entertainer in this business.”

With the arrival of his second blonde-topped daughter, while surrounded by so much support, Kissel’s approach to music creation has a new sound and a maturity only found when life ripens with busy-ness and babies. This is evidenced in the sexy tracks “Between You and Me” – a smouldering date night favorite, and the powerful ode “Cecilia,” affectionately named after his wife. “God Made Daughters” is destined to be the next great wedding song as Kissel gets raw and emotional sharing a true lyrical masterpiece that describes every parents’ never ending love.

While writing about family is something at which Kissel is adept, he often finds himself far from the grounding cattle ranchlands of his childhood home in Alberta, as he and his crew of award-winning and mad-skilled bandmates continue to tour coast-to-coast-to-coast.

editor@mondaymag.com