The sign on the way into town says it all: “Where City and Country Meet.”
That description of Langley rang particularly true on Sunday, Dec. 2, when a trio of local artists and a downtown club were honoured at the B.C. Country Music Awards.
Singers Chad Brownlee and Dallas Smith and songwriter/producer/guitarist Mitch Merrett walked away with hardware for their musical efforts, while Gabby’s Country Cabaret was named Country Club of the Year.
The night’s big winner, though, was Brownlee, a former professional athlete who traded his hockey stick for a guitar and quickly shot to fame on the country music scene.
He picked up six awards, including Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, Singer of the Year, Fans’ Choice and Male Vocalist.
He also shared the SOCAN Songwiter of the Year award with fellow Langleyite, Merrett and Ben Glover, for Love Me or Leave Me.
Smith, meanwhile, who first hit music fans’ radar as the lead singer of Default, before becoming a solo country artist, took home honours for Video of the Year, with Somebody Somewhere.
