While the world may look a little different these days, for Canadian Country star Dallas Smith, some things never change — pun intended.
This year, however, there’s more to celebrate than the usual musical accolades.
In addition to logging his 10th No. 1 hit with Like A Man, as well as a fifth Juno nomination for Country Album of the Year — not to mention starting up the Sticks and Stones Podcast alongside 604 Records President Jonathan Simkin — Dallas recently became a dad for the third time with the birth of daughter Everyn.
Fact is, spending more time at home with the family has been a blessing for the always-busy musician, as the little ones have been keeping him just as busy as ever — and he’s loving every minute.
We recently sat down with Dallas via Zoom to talk about what it’s like to work from home and how technology is changing the game, as well as reminisce about years of Juno memories past.
This is the fifth time you’ve been nominated for Country Album of the Year, one for every record you’ve released in the genre. And you’ve taken home that trophy for Lifted in 2015. How did that feel to get up there and win big on your second album?
The first year I was nominated I was actually playing a charity gig that night, but in 2015, I was there. To hear my name called and that record being called up — and have my entire team there and celebrate that with them — was amazing. Back then it wasn’t the situation like it is now, in an arena with lots of fans. This was when the country category was presented at the gala the night before. But still being the Juno’s, it was all music bigwigs and a lot of very famous people that you’re talking to. It was a very different experience. I’ll never forget that.
In London, we’ve been lucky enough to host the Juno’s as well as the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards — clearly, you’ve been a staple at both. Is it much different to be surrounded by industry people from so many different genres versus a purely country-based community?
No, I think it’s fun either way. I mean, there’s a lot of the same music industry people that are there that cover all genres — media, record label people, managers, etc. And you make friends across the board. I’ve been in the Canadian music industry for almost 20 years now (both with rock band Default and as a solo country act) so I’m always happy when I get the chance to see a lot of friends from different genres over the years.