In the short span of a decade, his name has become synonymous with Alberta, independence, and quality. Paul Brandt is the voice of Country Music in Canada. But these accolades haven't come without a few twists and turns along the way. Ask Paul Brandt, and he'll tell you they've been the product of years of give and take, faith, and grace, words from the first single, "Didn't Even See The Dust", off of the forthcoming album "Risk".
Paul Brandt was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and spent many of his formative years in Airdrie, Alberta, which at the time was still a very small town North of Calgary. He had an interest in singing from an early age, influenced by the Gospel music he heard at the church his family attended. At age 13, Paul picked up the guitar, and immediately began writing his own music, playing the songs he'd write for family and friends. While pursuing his dream to be a doctor, Paul entered talent contests as a hobby, including the "Youth Talent Showdown" at the World Famous Calgary Exhibition and Stampede. On his third try, he was awarded first prize at that contest, and went on to garner attention from Warner Brothers Records in Toronto, Canada. Not ready to quit his day-job as an RN at the Alberta Children's Hospital, the 22 year-old turned down Toronto's offer of a record-deal, but told them he'd be interested in hearing what the Nashville office thought about his music.
"I still remember coming home to my parents place on that day", says Paul, "My mom and dad were sitting, stunned, on the living room couch. My dad just pointed at the answering machine, and said ‘Push the button'."
He pushed it. The voice they heard was that of Paige Levy, famed for discovering Dwight Yoakam for Reprise Records Nashville. She flew to Calgary to see Paul perform at the now defunct Longhorn Saloon. He was offered a development deal that evening, signed the next day, and began making trips to Music City USA, Nashville, Tennessee.
Within the short time frame of a year, Paul Brandt was making major waves internationally with his music. His debut album "Calm Before The Storm" was recognized as Billboard magazine's Best Selling New Male Artist Album of 1996, and spawned hits "My Heart Has A History" and the #1 charting "I Do", which went on to become a wedding standard. At the peak of the wedding song's success, Paul met, fell in love with, and married the love of his life, and now bride of 10 years, Elizabeth Brandt. After a week-long honeymoon, the couple
courtesy of Brandt-T Records
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hit the road together for the next few years in the bus with their band, Liz singing background vocals on-stage with her husband. "I Do" was the first song to chart #1 by a male Canadian Country artist since the days of Hank Snow. 1997 was a banner year at the Juno Awards and Canadian Country Music Awards. The consequent seven albums created momentum that has continued to gather steam over the last ten years and set this multi-platinum selling artist apart as the most-awarded male Canadian Country Artist in history. Paul has toured North America and Europe, and his music and involvement with international aid organizations and support of the military has taken him to Ethiopia, Malawi, Uganda, Chile, Belize, South Korea, Cambodia and Bosnia.
In 1997, Brandt, amidst record company and music industry turmoil during the advent of the Mp3 and online music delivery, left Reprise records due to creative differences, and ventured out on his own forming Brand-T Records and delivering 2002's ground-breaking live-acoustic album "Small Towns & Big Dreams" producing hits such as "I'm Gonna Fly" and the title track. During the rise in popularity of ‘Small Towns', In 2003, the Paul Brandt/Steve Rosen penned song "For You" was recorded for the Mel Gibson epic movie "We Were Soldiers" soundtrack as a duet by rock superstar Dave Matthews and the legendary Johnny Cash. This event, and the success of "Small Towns" continued to confirm Paul Brandt's relevance to Country Music culture, and his contribution to the rich history of the genre. Now considered by some in the industry to be a "Nashville outsider", such accusations only seemed to build Brandt's popularity, especially with his rural fan following. The follow up, platinum-selling studio project "This Time Around" continued the landslide success for the start-up new label spinning off radio hits "Leavin'", featuring Keith Urban on guitar courtesy of Capitol Records, "Rich Man", "Alberta Bound", and the re-make of the 1974 C.W McCall classic, "Convoy". Both projects were co-produced by Paul Brandt and his long-time music partner Steve Rosen, and both went on to top honours in the CCMA Album of the Year category.
After a nine-year stint in Nashville, TN, the Alberta-born-and-raised artist, and his wife Elizabeth, made a path for home.
Now focused on the single release of "Didn't Even See The Dust", and the September 11th release of the album "Risk", Paul reflects on shooting the video for the first single in Barcelona, and the meaning that the song and album hold for him.
"Shooting the video in Spain gave the video a very unique look that I think captures people's attention. It's not something you see everyday in a Country Music video. 'Dust', the song, is about looking back at the past, but not dwelling in it. It's about living in the moment. I think that for some ‘the dust' referred to in the song will come to symbolize negativity, hardship and struggle. These things are inevitable in life, but how we respond to them defines us. I'm excited about that message. I also like the song because it makes me want to speed in my truck!"
"Liz and I had accepted the idea that the move to Calgary a few years ago might be career-limiting, but we felt pulled back to family and friends. We just decided that when we weren't on the road, we wanted to make our family, friends and Calgary a priority in our lives. Whether leaving Nashville would hurt us or not, we had to take that risk. Like a line from the song ‘Risk', the title track on the album says, sometimes we need to ‘build our wings on the way down'. I'm learning how to do that a little better each day. I'm realizing that the more I worry about things in my life, the more I look back at those anxious moments and wonder why I still have so little faith."
The move turned out to spark a number of new directions in Paul's career, from new collaborations with Canadian super-producer Dave Pierce on the 2006 Christmas collection ‘A Gift', to Paul's development as a spokesperson for The UFA, John Deere, and Ford. The couple have set their sights West and never looked back.
"I don't take the credit for where I am in my career. I truly believe that God has blessed it with the support of my fans and friends. Liz and I still have dear friends and creative connections with Nashville; the new album, ‘Risk' album was recorded there, but there's no place like Alberta. There's no place like home."
Brandt and his wife currently reside in the foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains to the west of Calgary. They enjoy hiking, fly-fishing, and most outdoor pursuits, and are passionate about their involvement with the Alberta Children's Hospital, Samaritan's Purse and Operation Christmas Child, and Centre Street Church in Calgary.
