I’ve made many references over the years to my time spent growing up in the UK and becoming disillusioned with mainstream commercial music in the early 1990s. Ditto for reminiscing about satellite television becoming part of our household back in the late 1980s, and with it, the influx of US music channels that brought a whole wave of new sounds and genres into my orbit. And, of course, how the arrival of CMT Europe steered those listening pleasures to the new sounds out of Nashville, before nudging me onto the Americana path (where I have resided ever since). These memories certainly prompted my musings here today…
I cannot recall exactly when CMT Europe hit our shores, but know for certain that it was around the summer of 1994 when I discovered the channel. Raised in the 1970s by a mother who often had 60s and 70s era country music spinning on the household turntable, the Nashville sound was already in my DNA – and this new music (I often consider the late 80s through late 90s the ‘revival’ era of country music) was like a breath of fresh air. And while I’m more the Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood crowd than my mom’s old Charlie Pride and Tammy Wynette preferences, that early exposure to the genre has never truly left me.
One thing I have rarely mentioned here, however, is that CMT Europe also introduced me to many of the great Canadian country music artists of that era. This brand of music was not being made solely in Texas and Tennessee, but also further afield in many Canadian provinces too (and thanks to CMT, Blue Rodeo came into my life, as did Prairie Oyster and The Cowboy Junkies). And while names such as Terri Clark, Paul Brandt, Michelle Wright, Shania Twain, and The Rankin Family led the way for Canada’s take on this new music revival, none had the honor of being the first Canadian country artist that I discovered on this channel.
Dropping a pair of video releases in late 1994 for her catchy singles “Take That” and “Give Me A Ring Sometime,” Surrey, BC artist Lisa Brokop earned the distinction of introducing me to new Canadian country music. Following with a third single shortly after, the powerful ballad “One of Those Nights,” Lisa’s sophomore “Every Little Girl’s Dream” album would wind up in my CD collection during my first visit to Nashville a few years later – one that remains (with a few others) in that collection still today!
Circling back around to the present day, this trip down memory lane was prompted in part thanks to the recent announcement by the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) that Lisa Brokop shall be (finally, IMO) inducted into the 2025 Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame – with the ceremony taking place as part of Country Music Week this September in Kelowna, BC. “Country Music Week is a celebration of the talent, passion, and perseverance that define our industry,” shares CCMA president Amy Jeninga. “Lisa’s unforgettable voice and artistry has helped share the sound of Canadian country music for generations.”
I must confess to smiling much more about those memories of discovering Lisa’s music back in 1994, and how the artist truly has turned her album title into her own personal reality – her own “Every Little Girl’s Dream.” “What an honour to be chosen to be included in the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame,” Lisa shares via the official press release. “I feel so grateful and blessed for the career I’ve been given, and I’m truly humbled to be added to the list of all of our Hall of Fame greats!” This nomination is a fitting award for an underrated talent and name that has more than earned this recognition. Good for you Lisa, and for any of the naysayers, well, you can “Take That!”
Photo Credit: CCMA / Artist Website
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
