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Brian John Harwood is a full-time musician who does renovations on the side.
Harwood appreciates the everyday in life and is happy to call Barrie home, even though Nashville regularly beckons as do warmer climes, especially in when it’s cold at home.
And while he’s been able to make a living in music, he likes keeping busy in between travelling, and that’s where the renovation work comes in.
“I’m just a normal guy who loves music and loves to write and loves my family and loves to travel,” says the 40-year-old musician, who’s been nominated as male artist of the year by the the Country Music Association of Ontario – his very first nomination.
“Barrie will always be a piece of me. I grew up here… the love for it is still there.”
Harwood went to St. Peter's Catholic Secondary School and still lives in Barrie where he is raising his three-year-old twin girls and has also found a community.
While he doesn’t envision leaving, he admits not being a fan of Canadian winters and is looking at some place much warmer for the colder months.
Harwood describes himself as a self-taught musician.
“I started when I was 11, I picked up my first guitar… I kind of taught myself to play and sing and I started writing my own songs,” he recalls.
He had founded a country-rock band and had signed with Universal before the pandemic.
But he ultimately decided to go at it on his own.
The learning curves, he adds, were many. He is no longer with a label and takes great pride in being involved in just about every creative aspect of his work. He does the graphic design and photos, and also acts as his own agent and manager.
Through his music, he has generated a strong following, with more than six million online streams.
His song, Hotter than Summer, made the top-40 in Australia, and he’s had seven top-100 charted songs in Canada.
He considers himself very fortunate. He’s able to have a family where he, himself, grew up while having access to the music world.
And when he returns home, most recently from Las Vegas, he works in custom renovation, even though music provides him with a decent living.
And it is here, at home, where he’s developed important friendships and collaborations. He’s been working and writing songs with Jason McCoy, another homegrown country musician from Barrie who is a member of the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame and radio host at Pure Country 106 in Orillia.
Together, they wrote Saving up for a Friday, which Harwood describes as two Barrie boys creating an upbeat Barrie song.
“We started playing some of the same shows and we just started writing together,” says Harwood. “He was somebody I looked up to when I came into the music world, especially in the country music world.”
Harwood has also collaborated with Canadian singer-songwriter Jason Blaine, who played at his wedding. And he’s written music for other artists, including four songs on Canadian country music singer-songwriter Alli Walker’s latest album.
McCoy will be hosting the Country Music Association of Ontario Awards, which take place June 1 at The Music Hall in Hamilton.
Harwood has been nominated for one of the toughest categories — male artist of the year — and will be competing against some friends in the industry.
“When I saw that, I thought there’s no chance I’m winning that,” he says with a chuckle.
But he considers the nomination a great honour and takes pride in the fact that he’s the only independent artist in that category.
A highlight of Harwood’s career so far was being able to play in his backyard at the Boots and Hearts Music Festival in Oro-Medonte Township, considered Canada's largest camping and music festival.
You can check out Barrie’s newest country star locally at Kempenfest on Aug. 3 and the Kee to Bala Aug. 21.
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This story was made possible by our Community Leaders Program partner.
Thank you to Independent Living Services of Simcoe County & Area for helping to expand local news coverage in Barrie. Learn more
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