Music: {allcanada} Chisholm gets CCMA boost

Sunday, August 1, 2010

{allcanada} Chisholm gets CCMA boost

Three more Canadian Country Music Award nominations should help keep Shane Chisholm's career nice and hot.

The Sault Ste. Marie native saw his career start to heat up last summer when he was nominated for best roots artist.

Now, the Korah collegiate graduate is up for his second nod in that category and his fourth nomination for best bass player.

A unique bass, crafted by Chisholm from a minivan fuel tank, received a nod for special instrument.

Ryan McKenna was nominated for best design for his work on Chisholm's Hitchhiking Buddha.

Interest in Chisholm began to pick up after he received his first nomination for best roots artist in 2009.

"I've noticed a huge improvement with everything. Everything seems to be going steady and forward. Forward is a good sign though," he said in a recent phone interview en route to Big Valley Jamboree.

"Rather than just sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring, I'm actually getting phone calls and e-mails. I can see it growing."

This year, he's appearing at just about every major country music festival in Canada.

Chisholm has already played Nashville North at Calgary Stampede and Dauphin Country Fest in Dauphin, Man.

He plays a hometown show Wednesday at G. Verdi Hall before performing at Manitoulin Country Fest this weekend.

The festival gigs, as a supporting act, are promising signs for more prominent appearances in the future, he said.

"I'd say for a first record, we're extremely proud of what my team's accomplished over the last year," he said.

"I'm just hoping that we can live up to that. That's my main goal right now."

A follow-up to Hitchhiking Buddha is expected out in early 2011.

Chisholm is writing material as well as collaborating with others including Patrick Ballantyne. All Hell for a Basement, written by Ballantyne and Gordie Johnston, was a bonus track on Chisholm's first disc.

Ballantyne has already offered Chisholm some of his material for album two. The two men plan to write together in Calgary this month.

"He's more from the rock school, but I think we might be able to come up with something," said Chisholm.

"The majority of people I know are in the country world. It would be nice to write with somebody from a different school."

With plans to record 30 songs for possible consideration for the upcoming album, Chisholm says it's too soon yet to just what the release will sound like.

"We'll just have to wait and see when we're looking at all the puzzle pieces there," he said.

His unique bass, dubbed Tank, serves as an out-of-the ordinary calling card. Others have asked how he made the instrument, but Chisholm is reluctant to share details.

"That would just ruin the uniqueness of it," he said.

After a year's service, Chisholm has an audience-interaction idea for Tank. He'll invite a fan per show, once they've donned safety glasses, to sign their name on the instrument using a grinder.

"Maybe we could have a contest," said Chisholm.

"Get your name on the tank."

Wednesday's show starts at 8 p.m.

Door admission is $15.

On the web: www.shanechisholm.com