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Kenny Butterill Talks to Ireland's Country Music Plus Magazine By PeeBea Mac - Country Music Plus Magazine |
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| October
15, 2000
Kenny Butterill, a talented Canadian songwriter/producer, is finding that
he is increasingly sought after in the world of country music.
Hailing
from Ajax, a small town on the shores of Lake Ontario, he now resides
in Scotts Valley, California, where his successful other business involved
in High Technology and Computer Software, supported his 'noodling in
songwriting.'
"I sort
of had a match lit under me," he told PeeBea Mac recently. "I am basically
a songwriter, but when IUMA (Internet Underground Music Archive), decided
to run some ratings, the music did very well in their inaugural charts.
IUMA hosts about 5,000 artists and bands, not only that, they were recently
bought by 'E-Music', a company that is a major player in E-Commerce.
"Anyway, those charts provided me with the catalyst I needed. I thought
that maybe I should get a collection of some of my songwriting demos,
put them on a CD, and see what happens. Then we ran a radio promo project
in Europe, and we did surprisingly well there. We got great airplay
over most of Europe, and were very successful." "When I look back at
my heroes, I think "Hey, maybe that'll be me someday." I love John Prine,
J.J Cale, I like Chris Smither, Gordon Lightfoot. I grew up with Neil
Young's songbooks, and there are some relatively newer artists, relative
to Gordon Lightfoot and Neil Young, that is, that I really like, Kevin
Welch and Kieren Kane, who are on the record label, Dead Reckoning,
and have done very well with their music."
PeeBea
asked him if he had considered touring. "We are tiptoeing in that direction.
I didn't know how the music would be received, and the CD I put together
was recorded with some studio musicians. So right now I am practicing
with some musicians out here and we are getting our chocks out to play
some gigs around California and then we'll see about spreading our wings
past the borders of California. I might do some gigs in Canada, where
we have had a radio promotion going on since late August. While in the
United States, I will do the major centres like New York, Nashville,
Texas, Chicago, L.A. In Canada, I've been told there would be a good
reception in British Columbia and Toronto. As you know, one of the tracks
on the album is called "Balsam Lake." Well, that song was written
about a family cottage we have in Canada, just north of Toronto, so
in that area, it's about a sixty mile corridor, I think we'd have some
fun playing there too. But I would have to consider my business interests,
which, as you know, has been the source of my funding for some of my
music.
My business
has been doing very well and has actually been quite a dichotomous life,
for at the same time there seemed to be a good reception for my music,
the business which had been moving at a certain rate, for some reason,
tripled over the same time frame. It's a very, very busy time, but fortunately
my partner has been able to pick up some of the load. The business takes
up quite a bit of my time, and it is one of the reasons why I haven't
actually 'hit the pavement running', right after the success of the
CD. I do believe it was purely coincidental that both my business and
music took a sudden upsurge."
PeeBea
then asked Kenny if the political lyrics of 'Our Liberty' and
'Back To Canada' reflected his own convictions. "I guess we all
keep our ear to the ground, to see what's going on. It's interesting,
being a transplanted Canadian living in the U.S, I need to write my
thoughts and feelings about Canada, now that I'm on the outside, looking
in. So I wrote about home in 'Back to Canada'. Also, being Canadian
and living in America, I have no rights to participate in the politics
of this country. I don't have a vote, so I sort of am on the outside
looking in, here as well. Hence the song 'Our Liberty'. I intend
to remain Canadian, I don't have any plans to become an American citizen,
I like being part of the commonwealth. I may return to Canada, I may
go to Europe. Who knows how things will evolve - but I would like to
keep those options, and I believe I can do that more easily if I remain
a Canadian citizen, than if I was a U.S citizen."
Kenny
then began to talk about his favourite musical styles. "I like country,
folk, and certainly the early influences of Gordon Lightfoot and Neil
Young, have coloured my musical thinking. It's not straight ahead country,
and in fact, that is one of the problems I have had with radio, in the
brains of what format Butterill actually fits into. It is more modern
country. I like blues, not loud blues, but the more laid back style.
I also enjoy Americana, and that is usually one of the stations that
I will have on as background music. There are only about 150 stations
that play Americana, but they are very loyal. Also, these stations are
not dominated by the large record companies, so they can play what the
listeners request."
Finally,
PeeBea asked him if any singer, other than himself had recorded his
music. "There are local bands who have recorded it," replied Kenny,
'but so far, none of the big stars. But that is certainly something
that would be flattering, to say the least. Chris Isaak is the first
name that springs to mind. I would like to see him record my songs,
I think there could be a fit there. I am hoping for a trip to Nashville
later in the year to do some co-writing with some of the songwriters
there. It would be wonderful."
In the
meantime, Kenny will continue to write his songs and look after his
business. Readers can get more information on Kenny by visiting his
website at: http//www.nobullsongs.com
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