Codie Prevost

Codie Prevost

by Craig Silliphant

September 1, 2010

Singer-songwriter Codie Prevost is barreling through the Canadian mainstream country music world like the proverbial freight train. He’s been gaining speed since the release of his first record in 2005, which was aptly named The Road Ahead. If Prevost had a personal carpenter, that tradesperson would be the bling wearing envy of the carpentry community: Prevost has an ever-expanding need for more shelving units to display the growing pile of awards and kudos that he has been picking up since he began his journey. For starters, he was awarded Song and Single of the Year at the Saskatchewan Country Music Awards for his track “Spin”. After the release of his second effort, an EP called Spin 6-Pak Vol. 1., Prevost won Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Album of the Year.

Thanks to his success with country fans at home as well as being a business savvy artist that isn’t afraid to shoot for the stars, Prevost has had some pretty amazing opportunities. Like seeing his song performed at the country music mecca, The Grand Ole Opry, and hanging out with big names like Steve Fox, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Emerson Drive. Shortly after the release of his latest full-length album, called Get Loud, I caught up with Prevost for In Session and got the skinny on what these experiences meant to him as well as his take on mainstream country music in Canada, and of course, in Saskatchewan.

SASKMUSIC: Let’s start off simple: How did you get into music?

CODIE PREVOST: Growing up, my mom and my uncle would always perform acoustically at family functions. Seeing how much fun they had entertaining everyone I was inspired to teach myself to play guitar at the age of 14. Ever since then I have been playing, singing, writing, and performing. Music was an important part of my life growing up.
SM: What was your first guitar?

CP: In high school I wanted to start a rock band, so I went out and bought an electric guitar. It was a Degas, which at the time I thought made me look pretty cool. A few years back I passed that guitar down to one of my cousins who wanted to learn how to play. I think he still has it.

SM: How would you describe your sound? Do you feel that you’re pushing the boundaries of the country genre?

CP: I’d describe my sound as country with an edge. When I record, I try to pick songs that are a little different from everyone else; songs that have something unique about them lyrically or musically. I don’t know if I’m necessarily pushing the boundaries of country music, but I’m continually evolving and I feel I’ve evolved as an artist with “Get Loud”.

SM: “Get Loud” is your third album now --- how has your sound progressed since 2005?

CP: My sound has certainly evolved since my [debut]. With every CD, I’ve gained more knowledge and experience to put into my next project. I’m very proud of “Get Loud”. It definitely shows a maturity in me as an artist. Producer Tom McKillip really pushed me to improve, not only as a singer, but also as a performer. When you listen to “The Road Ahead”, “Spin 6-Pak Vol. 1” and “Get Loud” in succession you can hear the progression that I’ve made from album to album.

SM: What themes reoccur lyrically across the album?

CP: I aim to record songs that evoke a variety of emotions: “Get Loud” is meant to inspire, motivate, and encourage. One song I wrote that is close to my heart is called “I’m Okay”. It was written for a friend of mine who was having a tough time dealing with the loss of her brother. The song seems to connect with everyone when I perform it, and as an artist and songwriter there’s no greater feeling than knowing that you’ve made a difference in someone’s life through your music. “Get Loud” also features “Honky Tonk Groupie” and “Famous” that are some of the more fun, upbeat songs.

SM: You were also featured on Ellen DeGeneres’ website --- how in the world did that come about?

CP: We had received an email from the producers of the show through our publicist. They were looking for the best Ellen birthday greeting from Canada. I wrote and recorded a birthday song for her and posted it on social networks like YouTube and Facebook. Then I asked my fans to share and promote the video, and thanks to their efforts about a week later the video was posted on the front page of Ellen’s Warner Brothers website.

SM: You’ve been able to spend a bit of time in Nashville in the last few years. What is it like when a country artist from Canada gets to take this trip? Is the history overwhelming? What have your experiences been like?

CP: Having arrived in Nashville for the first time on my own, I must admit I was pretty nervous! However, once I got there, everyone made me feel right at home. I found the experience to be incredibly inspiring. From getting the chance to take in a show at the Grand Ole Opry to visiting the numerous legendary clubs on Broadway, I knew this was a place that was soon to become my second home. I’ve made frequent trips since and every time I visit the city, I gain new experiences through songwriting sessions and networking with industry professionals. 

SM: A recent Nashville trip included a very special trip to The Grand Ole Opry, where someone was performing one of your songs. That must have been a pretty cool experience.

CP: I haven’t yet had the opportunity to perform on the Grand Ole Opry stage, but earlier this year a song I wrote called “Quicksand” was performed at the Opry by Randy Kohrs. When he called me to tell me that he was performing it on the show that night I was both honoured and excited.

SM: I bet! You’ve also had the chance to play with a few legends like Charlie Major and The Oakridge Boys as well as some contemporary names like Emerson Drive. What players or gigs really stood out to you? CP: It’s always a pleasure to perform shows with well established artists. It’s a great learning experience and getting to know them has been unforgettable. Having legendary artists like the Oak Ridge Boys compliment me on my performance is certainly a career highlight. Spending time with Emerson Drive and getting to know them on a personal level was very rewarding as well. They offered me a lot of encouragement with regards to continuing my music career.

SM: Wearing my filmmaker hat, I’ve worked with artist/producer Steve Fox on several music videos for CMT in the past, and he’s a totally hilarious and energetic guy! You’ve also spent time with him --- how was your experience working with him? What did you learn from him?

CP: Steve is not only a great songwriter, artist, and producer, but a genuine down-to-earth guy. He was instrumental in helping me develop my songwriting skills from the start of my music career. I learned a lot about the recording process, and his great personality, sense of humour, and continuous encouragement helped me develop confidence as a new singer-songwriter.

SM: What do you think of the contemporary mainstream country scene in Canada? Is it particularly strong in Saskatchewan or could it use growth?

CP: The fact that there are so many country music festivals across Canada shows that the scene is vibrant. Every province has a strong grassroots country music scene and Saskatchewan is no exception. The Saskatchewan Country Music Association continues to grow every year. They develop and give exposure to new artists across the province.

SM: It’s not all fun and games --- smart artists know the business side too. You had some pretty interesting help. Can you tell me more about Community Futures (CF) and how it helped you?

CP: Well, Community Futures is a government funded organization that lends money to small and micro-businesses in rural Canada. When I started planning to record my first CD I needed to fund the project somehow and that’s when my Manager, Alain Leblanc, suggested we contact Community Futures. We put together a ten year business plan and applied for a loan. Within a few weeks we got a call to come in and meet with the Board of Directors in regards to my application. They asked me to perform a few songs in the board room for them and they liked what they heard. The following week they contacted me to tell me my loan was approved. Since then, CF has continued to play an integral part in my career. Last year they created an ad campaign called The Road Ahead that was promoted in Alberta and Saskatchewan. They used my song as the theme and featured me in their print ads, radio spots, and TV commercials.
 
SM: Writing and recording is integral, but the live show is where an artist wins hearts. What is unique about a Codie Prevost live gig?

CP: Fun, energetic, [and] upbeat are some of the words I would use to describe my live show. Fans quite often come up to me after the shows and say how much they love our energy on stage. At the same time, I like to take a moment in the show to sing something acoustically that really connects emotionally with the audience. After the shows, I make a point of going out and meeting as many people as possible, and showing them my appreciation for being there. I want people to feel they have left with a very memorable experience.

SM: I think that’s very cool --- artists should go out of their way to show appreciation to the fans. Speaking of fans and the like, how do you measure your own success?

CP: To me, success is doing what you love and being able to make a living at it.

SM: I suppose it doesn’t need to be any more complicated than that, does it? -So what does the future hold for Codie Prevost (well, that which we can see from our crystal ball, anyway)?

CP: The plan is to promote “Get Loud” and tour as much as possible. We’ll be filming a second video this fall and are working on a Christmas tour for the holiday season. In 2011 I’d like to tour internationally.

SM: This has been interesting! Is there anything about the world of Codie Prevost that I’ve missed?

CP: The past few years have been pretty exciting and there are a few career highlights that I’ll never forget. Like the first time I saw my video on CMT, performing at SXSW in Austin, TX, being featured on ET Canada, and winning the Saskatchewan Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year two years in a row.

For more info, visit www.codieprevost.com.
 

By Craig Silliphant For SaskMusic. Originally published August 2010. 

This article is posted as initially published. For reprint/usage permission or any other questions, please contact SaskMusic.

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