FAN SUPPORT
P.E.I.’s Amanda Jackson Band is thrilled to be in CBC Searchlight Top 10
P.E.I.’s Amanda Jackson Band is thrilled to be in CBC Searchlight Top 10
Amanda Jackson was at home last Thursday when her phone rang at 4 p.m.
It was CBC’s Angela Walker letting her know that she should get in touch with her bandmates as she would need them on the air in about 20 minutes to talk about some good news.
That good news was the Amanda Jackson Band had made the CBC Searchlight Top 10.
“I was pretty shocked, I couldn’t believe it,” says Jackson, the lead singer of the band that also includes Dale McKie, Todd MacLean, Jon Rehder and Reggie Ballagh.
As the reality sank in, her shock turned into joy.
“We’re the smallest province, when it comes to voting and numbers on P.E.I. So, I thought we would have a hard time. But we didn’t.”
Looking back now, she credits the fans for the band’s Top 10 win.
“We’ve got such a loyal fan base here. It was amazing. Everyone was pulling for us. Even if I was walking into the store or the post office, people would stop me and say they were voting (for the band). And it was the fans that made it happen,” says Jackson during a telephone interview.
She also credits running an engaging voting campaign that involved everything from a rooster to voting cards and pop-up concerts in Charlottetown and the debut of their video for “Dance into the Light” by award-winning director John Hopkins.
All of their effort is paying off for the contemporary roots band.
“It means that our music will get listened to by people who have never heard us before. That’s a big deal for me and for all of us. . . it could also lead to the break that we’re waiting for or some national radio play,” says Jackson, who is celebrating her win with her fellow band members during their next songwriting session.
As for the next step in the CBC Searchlight Top 10 journey, she remains positive.
“I feel we have made a huge advancement in our career by making the top 10 for Canada regardless of the outcome. We have created a buzz about this band and our music, put our music out there to new listeners and have received national recognition. That’s a win in itself,” says Jackson, adding the voting has closed and everything now is in the judges’ hands.
This year’s panel of judges includes Kristen Burke, executive vice-president and general manager Universal Music, Ian Campeau, also known as DJ NDN, the co-founder and former member of A Tribe Called Red, and Allan Reid, president and CEO of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Juno Awards, MusiCounts and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
The winner will be announced live on CBC’s Q at noon on Monday, March 19. And Jackson will be listening.
“No matter if we win or not we will continue to ride this wave of attention, keep creating new music, expand our shows and keep on loving what we do.”