Hit-maker lends hand with country musician’s latest single
Teenage country singer from Penticton releases upbeat new single
For his latest single, Beamer Wigley brought in a big gun, hoping it will be the song that advances his career to the next level.
The teenage country singer from Penticton released “Rollercoaster,” an upbeat country tune, Friday. He cowrote the single with Keith Follese, who also handled production duties.
“I always love working with the Beams,” said Follese, whose association with Wigley goes back 18 months. “He’s tenacious. He has a great attitude and takes direction well. He has creative ideas and he’s a super kid.”
While you might not recognize the name, Follese has written or co-written four songs that hit No. 1 on the Billboard country charts: “Something Like That” by Tim McGraw, “I Love You” by Martina McBride, “Smile” by Lonestar and “The Way You Love Me” by Faith Hill, with the latter earning Follese a Grammy nomination.
“A great song does one of three things,” he said. “It makes you want to cry, it makes you want to laugh, or it makes you want to turn the volume way up.”
“Rollercoaster” was recorded at Arc House Studios in Kelowna in early June. In addition to singing lead, Wigley played guitar and banjo on the track. Follese’s wife provided background vocals, and Kelowna teenager Jack Friesen played bass.
“I never know if a song will be a hit,” said Follese, “but I think ‘Rollercoaster’ is a fun and well-written song.”
Like many of the hits Follese has written, “Rollercoaster” will likely have crossover appeal to pop and rock fans. (“The Way You Love Me” also reached No. 6 on the Billboard pop charts in 2000.)
Wigley considers “Rollercoaster” the strongest track he’s ever recorded, and it was well received when he previewed it at the recent Rotary Ribfest in Penticton.
“I think people are going to like it,” he said. “It’s a lot different from my previous songs, and I think it has a great beat.”
“Rollercoaster” has nothing to do with amusement parks, but is a somewhat comical track about the frustrations of an up-and-down relationship.
The single is now available from all streaming services. A music video was shot in Vancouver and is now posted on YouTube.
“Working with Keith is fantastic,” the teenager said. “He’s an amazing writer and a fantastic producer, and I’ve learned a lot from him.”
This summer, Wigley will play the festival circuit, including this weekend’s Kootenay Country Fest in Castlegar. His next Okanagan date is Aug. 11 at the Penticton Peach Festival.