CUT KNIFE—The annual Sirius XM’s Top of the Country contest is in full swing, with eight up-and-coming artists looking for your votes. The Top of the Country contest runs April 1 – 8, where fans can vote every 24 hours from various devices for their favourite new country artist. This year, Jake Vaadeland of Cut Knife is one of the finalists and is hoping for your vote.
Although he was a bit hesitant to take part in the competition, Vaadeland was happy to work with the satellite radio station.
“Over the past couple of years, Sirius XM has been adding some of our songs to their stations, which has been really good of them to do. I knew being a part of their contest would be a great way to further maintain and build a relationship with them,” said the young artist.
With all expenses paid, Vaadeland and his band, The Sturgeon River Boys, traveled to Toronto, Ont. to record their single, Everybody Loves My Little Darling. The group worked with professional studio and film crews for this project, as well as worked alongside the other competitors.
While the group awaits to hear their fate with the contest, they are still in shock from their first-ever win at the Junos, March 30, for Traditional Roots Album of the Year. For the Cut Knife artist, it was a whirlwind of a week.
“We worked the night before in Yorkton, so after the show, we drove to Regina before flying to Vancouver, B.C. for the Junos. It was interesting to be around that many people with that much glitter and shining lights when you're working on two hours of sleep,” said Vaadeland.
After their win, the group had standard interviews and photoshoots before going back to their table.
“I was too scared and nervous to eat, so I ate my cold meal afterwards,” laughed Vaadeland.
Even after the awards show, their work was not done as they played a 40-minute show before joining Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo at a jam session.
“I remember coming up into the green room and my banjo player was laying on the couch, face down, plowed into the pillows, fast asleep because he was so tired. I enjoyed making good relations with everyone, stayed out a little later than I wanted, then I slept for a long time,” said Vaadeland.
The group will be taking some time off from performing over the next few weeks before hitting the road again to promote their new single, Don’t Go to the Valley, which will be released April 4. Then, on April 25, the new album, One More Dollar to Go, will be released.
“It’s been doing well for us at our live shows. I think there’s a lot of stuff on there that people are going to really like to hear,” added Vaadeland.
Jake Vaadeland and the Sturgeon River Boys will be performing across the east coast before coming back to the prairies for a few local shows, including Biggar, Melfort, Shellbrook and Rosthern, before hitting the summer festivals and traveling back to Europe.
to check out Everybody Loves My Little Darling and to vote for Jake in the Sirius XM’s Top of the Country contest.
