PHOTO: Chad Brownlee and other Langley talent were honoured.
Again, a Langley quartet of artists has scooped up much of the hardware at B.C.’s country music awards night this past weekend.
As home-base to the BC Country Music Association and home to many of the province’s shining stars in the country music industry, it shouldn’t be a surprise to learn that so many of the industry accolades came home to roost in Langley after the awards event at the Hard Rock Casino in Coquitlam on Sunday night, said association vice-president and former Langley resident Linda Corscadden – who just so happened to be crowned country music person of the year.
Langley’s 37-year-old Dallas Smith stole the show, again.
He garnered the most bling including awards for the album, entertainer, fan choice, male vocalist, single, and website of the year awards.
He was joined in the spotlight, albeit briefly, by his friend and Willoughby neighbour Chad Brownlee, who earned himself the video of the year award for the song When The Lights Go Down. Brownlee also shared recognition with fellow Langley producer and musican Mitch Merrett, as well as Ben Glover, when accepting the Socan songwriter of the year award for the same song.
It was also a huge night – actually a big weekend – for Langley singer and songwriter Karen Lee Batten, who brought home her fifth female vocalist of the year award.
“This win is pretty special to me, it is my fifth BC female vocalist award that I have won, and is the most wins in this category in the history of the BC Country Music Association. I really can’t believe it!” she told the Langley Advance.
She first won this first award back in 2004, with the release of her first independent country album Every Moment. She subsequently won the title for the next two years, then “life happened, and I had to slow down for a couple years. I really do believe that it’s not what happens, but how you bounce back,” Batten said.
“No one let me stay down, my family and friend and the industry as a whole was right there all the time to say get off you a** and keep going. I owe this to them, they helped me believe in what I do and kept reminding me that it is truly who I am,” she explained.
In 2024, Batten released her sophomore independent album Cause A Scene, and is about to release her fifth single off that album, with plans to return to the studio early next year to work on her third album.
“There is nothing that makes me happier in my line of work than to be able to say that… Thank you B.C. Thank you for this award. Thank you for believing in me.”
Every industry has its conventions, but there are few that garner the level of attention that rains down on the entertainment world.
This past weekend, literally hundreds of folks from the country music industry in particular converged on the Lower Mainland to be part of thr 38th annual BCCMA’s weekend-long festivities that featured workshops, showcases, and the full-on red-carpet-like awards show.
In addition to scooping up some bling, Batten also hosted and performed at Friday’s BCCMA awards showcase event, led a workshop Saturday on how artists can book themselves for gigs, and performed during Sunday’s awards celebration.
Brownlee also took to the stage on awards night, while the Langley sisters Robyn and Ryleigh Gillespie performed at the Friday showcase.
PHOTO: Dallas Smith
