A Grammy-nominated country band with a decade of chart-topping music already under their belt, Emerson Drive recently released their latest album, Decade of Drive: 10 Years of Hits. The album features a number of the band’s greatest hits, including “I Should Be Sleeping” and “Fall Into Me”, both of which peaked in the Top 5 on the Billboard charts, as well as “Moments”, Emerson Drive’s first #1 single in the USA, and their latest single release, “Let Your Love Speak”. Since their smash debut on the country music scene, Emerson Drive has received multiple awards and/or nominations, including the Canadian Country Music Association Group of the Year award and Billboard Magazine’s Top New Artist award. The band has toured with Toby Keith, Shania Twain and Big & Rich, among others.

In addition to Emerson Drive, the Hoedown will also feature Jason McCoy, “the best tribute show to John Cash on the planet” – The Legend in Black, and local talent Dani Strong, as well as The Simcoe Country Ramblers and the Jaymor Dancers. The event will be hosted by Ken Shaw and Beverley Mahood.

About The Hoedown

The 2011 Hoedown will take place on Saturday, September 10 on the Magna campus in Aurora under the largest tent in the country. The event will run from 5:00 p.m. to midnight – rain or shine – and features a Texas-style BBQ dinner, cash bar and Prospector’s Raffle.

The Hoedown started out as a backyard BBQ fundraiser at the Stronach family farm and has become York Region’s largest annual community fundraiser, generating proceeds of more than $4 million for local community groups during its 23-year history.

Twenty local charities and community groups, serving a wide range of residents and community needs, have been selected as recipients of this year’s Hoedown funding.

For more information on the 2011 Wild Wild West Hoedown, please visit www.hoedown.ca .

For more information, please contact:

Steve Hinder
Tel: (905) 726-3737 or (905) 751-9328
Email: steve_hinder@magna.on.ca

2011 Hoedown Entertainer Profiles 

Emerson Drive

A Grammy-nominated country band with a decade of chart-topping music already under their belt, Emerson Drive recently released their latest album, Decade of Drive: 10 Years of Hits. The album features a number of the band’s greatest hits, including “I Should Be Sleeping” and “Fall Into Me”, both of which peaked in the Top 5 on the Billboard charts, as well as “Moments”, Emerson Drive’s first #1 single in the USA, and their latest single release, “Let Your Love Speak”. Since their smash debut on the country music scene, Emerson Drive has received multiple awards and/or nominations, including the Canadian Country Music Association Group of the Year award and Billboard Magazine’s Top New Artist award. The band has toured with Toby Keith, Shania Twain and Big & Rich, among others.

Jason McCoy

Jason McCoy is a singer-songwriter-guitarist who has racked up an impressive amount of awards over the year, including multiple Canadian Country Music Awards and JUNO nominations, three SOCAN Song of the Year Awards, a CMA Award for Global Artist of the Year, as well as number one singles and Certified Gold records for both his solo work and The Road Hammers self-titled debut album. Born just outside of Barrie, Ontario, Jason grew up to the sound of his dad's country radio channel and was influenced early on by artists such as Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash. Jason’s latest album, Everything, was released earlier this year. The rollicking collection of tunes includes the swinging “I’d Rather Be Happy Than Right”, the honky tonk shuffle “Heartache” and the blues-tinged barnburner “Little Bit of Lovin’”.

Dani Strong

Dani Strong is a talented up-and-coming Canadian country singer and songwriter. Born in Ontario and raised in interior B.C. on a small farm, Dani came back to Ontario to attend music studies at York University. Dani met her bandmates playing at local jam nights in Newmarket, and has been writing and performing with them ever since – and even married the drummer. In 2006, Dani was the only Canadian to make the finals of Nashville Star, country music’s equivalent of American Idol, and was one of 56 contestants out of the 20,000 performers who auditioned to make it to Nashville.

The Legend in Black

Called “the best tribute show to Johnny Cash on the planet”, The Legend in Black features the songs and stories of country music icon Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. The tribute show stars veteran country music performer Bill Cayley (who happens to share the same birth date as the country legend), as well as a three-piece back-up band. The Legend in Black brings to life the history, the music and the passion that Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash produced for fans all over the world.

Simcoe County Ramblers

Hot pickin', cool vocals and catchy originals characterize this new Ontario Bluegrass band. The Simcoe County Ramblers feature Jill Jones on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Randy Brethour on mandolin and vocals, Doug Cornish on banjo and Gene Gouthro on bass and vocals. The Ramblers cover traditional Bluegrass favourites and mix it up with a number of their original tunes. The band just released its first CD this summer.

Jaymor Dancers

Jaymor School of Dancing was established in Aurora in 1969 and has since grown to include four studios. Under the direction of owner/director Nancy Dinner, and a team of professionally qualified teachers, the studio has become known for its high level of technique and unique choreography in all disciplines, including tap, ballet, jazz, lyrical, modern, musical theatre and hip hop. Jaymor's competitive team, the Aurora Aerials, compete regionally each year and have travelled and performed internationally. 

Hosts 

Ken Shaw

News anchor Ken Shaw is a popular television news personality with an impressive professional background and an exceptional record of community service. Since April 2001, Ken has been the co-anchor for CTV News Toronto at 6 PM, Canada's most-watched local newscast. He joined CTV Toronto as a reporter in 1979, while holding the position of Canadian correspondent for a number of prominent US network news programs, including Good Morning America, Nightline and The Today Show. He began anchoring the 11:30 pm news at CTV in 1981 and was named the National Editor in 1998.

Ken devotes a great deal of his time and energy to various local charities, including Ronald McDonald House Charities of Canada and ProAction Cops & Kids. He is Chair of The Abilities Centre, which seeks to develop a series of programming centres across Canada to assist people of all ages with special needs. Ken is a 2010 recipient of the Order of Ontario, awarded for his track record of excellence in volunteer service.

 Beverley Mahood

One of Canada’s most dynamic entertainers, Beverley burst onto the music scene in the late 1990s with her debut CD, Girl Out of The Ordinary. The CD garnered 7 Top 10 hit radio singles and a #1 video. She was also named Country Music Television “Top New Independent Recording Artist” in 1997 and won the Big Country (RPM) Award for “Rising Star of the Year” in 1998. Beverley’s hit single, Come To Me, was performed by Celine Dion on her 2005 Miracle record and gained worldwide attention. In addition to being an acclaimed singer and songwriter, Beverly was host of the hit reality TV show Project Mom/Project Dad, and most recently starred as the anchor judge on the Country Music Television show “CMT Chevy Karaoke Star.” Beverley is an avid supporter of a number of charitable causes, including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the David Foster Foundation and the CIBC Run for the Cure.