Nice Horse, consisting of Tara McLeod, Krista Wodelet and Brandi Sidoryk and Katie Rox, formed in 2016.Phil Crozier/Supplied
All-female country music act Nice Horse is having a productive summer.
The Calgary-based band, which formed in 2016, played events such as the Cavendish Beach Music Festival in Prince Edward Island and opened for Lindsay Ell at Nashville North during the Calgary Stampede. And Nice Horse recently racked up five nominations for the Canadian Country Music Awards, including for Video of the Year for their 2021 single High School.
Brandi Sidoryk, who sings in the band and plays bass and keyboard, says she and bandmate Krista Wodelet (vocals and drums) conceived and produced the video for High School during the tail-end of pandemic-related restrictions, using community submissions of old high school photos to bring everything to life.
“Instead of just assuming we couldn’t make a video to share our music in the conditions created by the pandemic, we asked, ‘How do we make this happen?’ ” says Ms. Sidoryk. “And then we did.“
She says she is proud of the video, because she and Ms. Wodelet made their directorial debut, and grateful to be in a band of women who are willing to “learn new skills and try something a little bit crazy.”
Each member of the band is also up for Canadian Country Music Awards this year for their respective roles in the group.Codi McIvor/Supplied
Nice Horse, which formed in 2016, also includes Tara McLeod (vocals and electric guitar) and Katie Rox (vocals, banjo and acoustic guitar). While most of the band is based in Calgary, Ms. Rox calls Vancouver home, though she does spend a substantial amount of time here. Prior to assembling in their four-piece state, the women had found success in their own rights in different pockets of the Canadian music industry.
The band has won eight Country Music Alberta Awards since 2019 and last year they were named Country Artist of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards.
Each member of the band is also up for Canadian Country Music Awards this year for their respective roles in the group – Ms. Sidoryk for Bass Player of the Year; Ms. Wodelet for Drummer of the Year; Ms. McLeod for Guitar Player of the Year; and Ms. Rox for Specialty Instrument Player of the Year.
The last time every member of a band was nominated in this way was 31 years ago, when Toronto-based Prairie Oyster did the same thing. There has never been an all-female act to have five nominations in one year.
“That was a very special moment that I just can’t quite articulate the feeling when we first heard the news: shocked, humbled, thrilled, proud,” Ms. Rox says of the nominations.
Ms. Wodelet is the first female nominee in her award category.Katherine Colwell/Supplied
Ms. Wodelet is the first female nominee in her award category and hopes to see both established and emerging female drummers continue to be recognized down the road.
“There are many incredible female drummers that I’ve looked to as sources of inspiration along the way, so it’s both humbling and thrilling to think that I might be able to inspire more women to pick up the drums too,” Ms. Wodelet says.
Ms. McLeod cut her teeth in the industry over the years playing in the famed heavy metal group Kittie, as well as Fefe Dobson’s band. Ms. McLeod has found a home in country music and is honoured with her 2022 nomination.
She is also the first openly queer woman to be in the running in this category and she hopes her nomination further increases the visibility of queer professionals in country music.
“When I began spending time in the Alberta country music community, and especially after moving to Calgary, one of the first things I noticed was the support that artists and industry leaders have for one another. I think with a lot of females in music people tend to focus on a scarcity mindset – ‘there can only be one’ – and that creates an environment of competition,” Ms. McLeod says.
The band has won eight Country Music Alberta Awards since 2019 and last year they were named Country Artist of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards.Codi McIvor/Supplied
Nice Horse isn’t the only Alberta act hoping to take home trophies when the CCMA Awards roll into Calgary Sept. 8-11. Edmonton’s Hailey Benedict is being considered for both Interactive Artist and Rising Star of the Year, Alee – in addition to being an established singer – is nominated for Creative Director of the Year for the artwork of her 2021 album Feels Like This.
Then there’s MacKenzie Porter in the running for Female Artist of the Year alongside the (equally) chart-topping Tenille Townes, who leads with seven nominations including Single of the Year and Entertainer of the Year.
Ms. Townes has won a variety of awards over the years both provincially via Country Music Alberta and nationally through the CCMA.
“I grew up playing the Family Stage at Big Valley Jamboree and breakfasts at the Calgary Stampede and so many different events throughout Alberta that gave me a stage to stand on to start chasing my dream,” Townes says. “Feeling the support of both the provincial and national music communities here at home truly means the world to me.”
Canadian Country Music Week kicks off on Sept. 8 and the Canadian Country Music Awards will be handed out Sept. 10 and 11.
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