In the spotlight
Woodstock’s Cory Gallant wins performance spot at Canadian Country Music Awards
Woodstock P.E.I.’s Cory Gallant is heading to a spotlight performance in Hamilton, Ontario during the Canadian Country Music Awards in September. The CCMAs announced Tuesday that Gallant has won the performance spot following 12 days of online voting. He was up against eight other solo and group performers from across the country. Gallant said he started to shake when he looked at his phone Monday afternoon and realized the incoming call was from the CCMAs. “I could almost hear her smiling through the phone,” he recalls. His wife, Destiny, and their oldest daughter, Chloe, were with him when he took the call. They started to cry and scream with excitement when they realized he was being congratulated for winning the contest. Then they had to wait until Tuesday morning before they could share their excitement. “The first thing I thought of was, ‘It’s pretty cool, that me, being from the smallest province, just won a national competition. I couldn’t get over that,” he reflected. Following an invitation for nominations, Gallant was chosen as Music P.E.I.’s representative in the national contest. “We are so excited and proud to see Cory Gallant winning and representing Prince Edward Island for the CCMA Spotlight Performance Contest,” said Music P.E.I. executive director Rob Oakie. “Cory has dedicated his life to music performing across Canada, internationally and in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry, entertaining thousands along the way.”
“I have a lot of great support from tip-to-tip in this country, I think,” Gallant admitted. He had received texts and inbox messages from fans and music industry people throughout the contest. Gallant is currently working on an album of original material at Up West Productions in Alberton, and while he hopes to have the project completed in time for the CCMAs, he insisted he is even more interested in having it done right. “We’re going to try our best,” he said of meeting the September target. In the meantime, the paramedic keeps busy with performing, either solo or with his local band, Old Doctor Young. “Yesterday I booked for gigs for August alone. Right now, I’m averaging three shows a week, either solo or with the band.” Gallant launched his music career at the age of 19 with a 1998 trip to Nashville. He fronted for an Ontario band, Bareback Riders from 2002 to 2008 and launched a career as a Tim McGraw tribute artist, touring alongside a Faith Hill tribute artist for five years. For the CCMA performance, Gallant said he hopes to treat it as a reunion show with members of the Bareback Riders. “I don’t even know if it’s sunk in yet.” “It’s pretty cool. I’m looking forward to it. It’s probably going to open some more doors to get on that bigger stage.”