“Hold on tight and love without regret. Take the good and leave the rest. Then when all is said and done. You can leave here dyin’ young.” ~CB

Merry Christmas!!

$20 (+ $5 S&H)

Best Defender Gongshow Cap

Be someones Best Defender while sporting the Official Chad Brownlee Gongshow baseball cap!
Available Qty: 13

Price: $20.00

Canadian country music star Chad Brownlee has dropped the gloves – and the rest of his hockey equipment – in the search of a music career and he will share his tunes in Grande Prairie at this wekend’s Bud Country Fever.

Brownlee is scheduled to appear Saturday from 6 to 7 p.m., warming the crowd up for George Canyon and Billy Currington who are scheduled to end the night.

“I think it’s great, every time I can share a stage with artists and songwriters that have a lot of years under their belts, it’s a great experience for me,” said the 2003 sixth-round draft choice of the Vancouver Canucks. “I sit beside the stage and try to pick up a few things here and there.”

Brownlee spent some time in the East Coast Hockey League with the Idaho Steelheads, but eventually chose country music as his full-time profession after an injury-marred career.

“I took some time in my last year to really figure out what it was I wanted to do,” said Brownlee.

“I lost my love for the game so that really pushed me out and all the while, I was working on my music and songwriting and I had such a strong passion for it, it almost made the decision for me.

“I haven’t looked back since.

“My body is thanking me for it.”

The 2011 CCMA rising star award recipient will also bring along Hayley (born Hayley Rita McLean), described as ‘‘the quintessential chick with a guitar’,’ to Grande Prairie as a part of his nation-wide tour with the young star.

“She’s an incredible talent, we have been very fortunate to have her as part of the band for the last year or so and it’s fun watching her career take off as well,” said Brownlee.

“She’s released her first single ‘Feeling California’ and it’s kind of nice being able to feature that song in my set.”

Brownlee’s songs, including his hit singles ‘Day After You’ and ‘Love Me or Leave Me’ have very personal tones, speaking to past relationships and hardships he has seen in his life, something he believes allows listeners to truly relate to his music.

“That’s what got me into music in the first place – being able to relate to the songs,” said Brownlee.

“I want to write songs so the listener can say ‘Yeah, he wrote this song about me’ and I draw from personal experiences to find authenticity within the song.”

Brownlee says country music fans that make the trip to Evergreen Park for Bud Country can expect a high-energy, fun show that is constantly evolving with him and his band.

“As long as I can see people singing back, smiling and dancing, we’ve done our job.”

Here’s a clip from the first show:

• Well.. Smoke in the Rain is #14 on the charts! Thanks to all the fans for requesting, Chad couldn’t be doing this without you!
• Chad will be playing the Calgary Stampede this year, catch him at 9:30pm on July 13th at Nashville North. Grab info and tickets on the Stampede’s site by clicking here.
• Look out for an upcoming announcement about Chad with the Tim Horton’s Children’s camps coming soon!

Thanks all we’ve got for now!… Team Brownlee

Spring is finally here, and so is this years last Toque! So get on out to the CBC Vancouver Broadcast Centre for another great FREE concert.

For the last show, this Friday, March 30th at 7:30 PM, it’s the fabulous, award winning country music singer-songwriter Chad Brownlee, fresh off a tour with Dierks Bentley ! Chad’s tunes are honest and real; he is an artist that clearly paints his experience and his heart.

Make CBC Vancouver your pre-weekend stop for great, entertaining music!
For more about the CBC Toque Session Concerts and to RSVP, please visit cbc.ca/bc/community or email rsvp.radio@cbc.ca

It’s 20 below and I’m standing in the middle of a Canadian winter. The wind is swirling snow directly into my face as I step off the bus. I can barely see where I’m walking, but I know that I’m exactly where I’m suppose to be…

It’s the Dierks Bentley “Country and Cold Cans Tour 2012” and I’m about to open the show in front of a sold out arena. This is the first time playing in a building like this without a sheet of ice in it.

“10 minutes to show time”. This is the moment where butterflies overtake my entire stomach. I pace back and forth, sing a couple lines, and take a few deep breaths. Excitement and anticipation become the theme of my emotions.

“5 minutes”. The band starts to make their way out to the side of the stage.

“2 minutes”. The MC grabs his mic and starts to walk on the stage. The crowd starts to buzz in anticipation as the arena goes dim and the spotlight shines bright.

“30 seconds”. I start to sway side to side like I’m standing on the blue-line in my hockey gear waiting for the National Anthem to finish.

“1,2,3,4.” My drummer Corbett counts in Carried Away….It’s go time!!

I can’t really put into words what happens next. It’s like I step into a different realm and get swept away by the energy and joy that people are giving off. It’s a moment that I try to soak in as much as I can, but I know in 40 minutes it’s all gonna be over. However, it feels more like 4 minutes to me.

I look in the front row to see a girl singing at the top of her lungs like she’s been waiting to sing this song her whole life.

A few rows back I see a guy in a cowboy hat, dip in his bottom lip, raising a beer to the sky in a toast to the melodies my guitar player Hayley is pulling out of her…..amp. The place is alive!!

Here is to all of you that came out to support Dierks and I on this tour! You were nothing less than amazing and made memories out of these last two weeks that I will forever replay in my mind. You’re the reason we do what we do and why we leave home to play our music. Thanks for making all of this so worth it.

Here is a fun video that Dierks and his crew put together after the tour. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to hit the road with.

Ps The prank at the end is amazing….I was completely stunned!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdsjAPW0DV4&feature=youtu.be

~CB