Maple Ridge’s Tom McKillip is preparing for the honour of a lifetime – he is to be officially inducted into this year’s Hall of Fame at the 45th annual BC Country Music Association Awards this weekend.
McKillip found out about the honour about 10 days ago after getting a call from the country music association.
“I was quite surprised and taken aback, but very honoured,” said the legendary country artist, who is also nominated in multiple other categories including: the Mike Norman All-Star Band for Special Instrument award for saxophone; for the Don Adams BCCMA Industry Supporter of the Year award for the Demo Xperts project with his wife Lynda; Producer of the Year; and Album of the Year for his work on All Over The Road with the group The Lyin’ Bastards.
McKillip gave props to his wife Lynda whom he said was the one really behind their nomination for Industry Supporter of the Year.
Lynda, he said, was the one who went to bat to get CreativeBC to help fund Demo Xperts, a project to help songwriters and artists during the pandemic to help them record their original music with session players in studios across the Lower Mainland. It was a time when artists were not making a lot of money.
“We cut five songs in a day for aspiring songwriters and help them make their music sound better,” he explained.
McKillip said he was most proud of his involvement with the group The Lyin’ Bastards and their nomination for Album of the Year for All Over The Road.
“We created that album all online during the pandemic,” he said. “With everybody at home, doing their part, and sending it to the next guy. We did it back and forth for months and months and ended up writing and recording an entire album,” he elaborated. “We’re really honoured to get that nomination.”
Making an album without an engineer or a recording studio during the pandemic was a challenge, McKillip said. He said he learned a lot from working on that album, specifically the art of mixing.
“I had always hired a guy to mix my albums that I produced, and in this case I had to do it myself. So I had to learn a lot about it,” he said, adding he took an online course.
McKillip chuckled about his nomination for Special Instrument, noting, there’s not a lot of saxophone in country music.
“But it is a different instrument, and it is used, so I get that nomination from time to time,” he said.
He is also proud of his nomination for Producer of the Year, an award he has received around seven times during his career.
McKillip is the music director for the upcoming awards at the Vogue Theatre, downtown Vancouver – a role he has taken on for more than 15 years – and he will be playing with the house band that will be backing up all of the artists that will be performing on stage.
“It’s a group of really top-shelf professionals that can read and play right on the spot like that. They’re really good,” he said.
“It’s fun to do,” said McKillip. “We have a wonderful band, it’s a seven-piece band,” he said.
READ ALSO: The Judds, Ray Charles join the Country Music Hall of Fame
In addition to the McKillip’s there is more talent being recognized from Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows. The McKillip’s son-in-law, Darren Savard is up for the Mike Norman All-Star Band award for best guitar player along with fellow Maple Ridge guitar player Jay Buettner.
Pitt Meadows country star Danielle Ryan has been nominated in multiple categories including: Interactive Artist of the Year; Video of the Year for her song Weather Man, the Ray McAuley Emerging Artist award; Songwriter of the Year for Weather Man, Middle of Madness, and Good Times; and Female Artist of the Year.
McKillip is impressed with the songs and the people in this year’s show this year are very impressive.
“There’s a great crop of young singers and songwriters that are just making a mark,” he said.
ALSO RELATED: Country music star Madeline Merlo shares her ‘experience’ with Nashville tornado
“It’s come so far in the last 20 years, it’s absolutely mind-boggling,” added McKillip.
There’s great studios in the province and great musicians, and song writing community.
People are making great records in B.C., he said, adding that the future of country music in the province is, “bright, very bright”.
The 45th annual BC Country Music Association Awards are taking place at 7 p.m. on Sunday June 12 at The Vogue Theatre, 918 Granville St., downtown Vancouver, with special performances by Aaron Pritchett, Tyler Joe Miller, Danielle Ryan, and Taylor Rae.
Tickets range from $40 to $50 for the all-ages show. Doors open at 6 p.m..
To purchase tickets go to voguetheatre.com/all-events.
For more information about the BC Country Music Association go to bccountrymusic.wildapricot.org.
Have a story tip? Email: cflanagan@mapleridgenews.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.