When he was 15, Jamie Byron won the Canadian Open Country Singing Competition in Simcoe.
Ten years later, the Lively musician said “that was kind of a sign that maybe I was on the right track. The year after that, I won first again. So then I was pretty sure I was on the right track.”
About two months after releasing his debut album, Dreamin’ Don’t Get it Done, on May 1, the 25-year-old said “it (still) sounds very cool” to hear his first single, Song in There Somewhere, on the radio. “You don’t really expect it,” he added.
The Sudbury Secondary School graduate said the first time the song played on the country station in Sudbury, his manager texted him to tell him it was coming on. Luckily, Byron turned his phone off after that.
He missed 11 messages during the time the song was playing. “A lot of my friends called me to say it was on,” Byron explained.
He still gets excited when he hears it on the radio, but he said he “hears it enough as it is.“I love the song, but when I rehearse it, I hear it enough,” Byron said, with a smile.
The single is played on radio stations across the country.
Byron, a Canadian country music fan, said he would love to make a full-time career out of music.
“When I can do this full-time, without a job,” Byron said he will be where he wants to be. “It’s hard to break into the music industry. It takes time.”
It’s hard to break into the music industry. It takes time.
Jamie Byron,
musician
The idea to release a CD came up about four-and-a-half years ago. After searching for a producer to work with, Byron finally met up with Thomas Wade. Two months later, the project was underway.
Despite his short career in music so far, he has already played with some big-name Canadian country artists like Jamie Warren and Sean Hogan, and has spoke with other artists like Paul Brandt about how they made it to where they are in the industry. He said their advice helped him tremendously along the way, and thinks it can help other aspiring musicians, too. “Go to the (Canadian Country Music Association awards),” he said. “Go to the Junos. Talk to people, interact with as many singers and songwriters as you can.”
Dreamin’ Don’t Get it Done was recorded at Inception Sound Studios in Toronto.
Although Byron also plays the guitar, piano, bass and drums, he only sang on his album, and “left everything else to the pros.” The musicians playing on the album have all performed with the Canadian Country Music Association.“(When I) listen to a song, (I) can still remember when the band was in the studio live playing it.”
Byron wrote two out of the 10 songs on the album himself.
With a busy summer schedule of shows ahead of him, he said he will perform covers, and many of his own songs, too. “I actually prefer to do my own stuff,” he said. “I always enjoy doing originals.”
When Byron’s not busy working towards his music career, he said he enjoys being “a normal” person. He isn’t left with lots of spare time though. Between booking gigs, rehearsing and taking care of paperwork, Byron said “it’s like having literally another whole full-time job.”
In the free moments he has, Byron said he enjoys swimming, spending time at the beach, going to concerts and festivals and watching hockey. “I do whatever a teenager does,” he said. “I like to go out and have a good time.”
For more information about Byron or to purchase his album, visit www.jamiebyron.ca
