SCOTT LEWIS AUTO A name you can trust DON’T FALL SHORT ON YOUR SERVICE Though he had a love of broadcasting and even attended Conestoga College’s Radio and Television Arts program, music kept calling. A pivotal moment came during his college years when he met producer Rick Hutt, a connection he credits with shaping much of his recording career: “Rick has been my producer for 43 years. We met in college and just clicked.” Still Strumming Strong: Jamie Warren’s Journey Through Country Music Jamie Warren may be one of Canada’s best-kept musical secrets, but within the country music world, he’s something of a legend. Regarded as the most awarded independent country artist in the country, Jamie’s accolades include Junos, Canadian Country Music Awards, and Ontario Country Music Awards. But if you ask him about his path to success, it starts not with a record deal or a big stage, but with piano lessons and a knuckle-rapping teacher. “My parents forced me into a life of music,” says Jamie with a laugh. “There was this lovely, little old lady who would wrap my knuckles with a ruler if my knuckles weren’t bent. I did that for three years until I was eight.” His parents eventually pulled him from piano, but with a caveat: “My mom said, ‘You will learn another instrument,’ and I picked guitar.” That led to eight years of conservatory guitar training, wedged in between hockey seasons and teenage ambitions. It wasn’t until he was 14 that things shifted. “That’s when I started writing songs,” he says. “It clued in that maybe this was something more. Playing guitar at parties was starting to feel more interesting than scoring the winning goal.” Writing gave him a sense of identity and expression. “I was a writer. Short stories, poetry, that was a release for me.”
In 1985, Jamie’s single Take Me Home Mississippi became a top ten hit and earned him the Canadian Country Music Association’s New Artist of the Year. “I was 25, and we had five hits on the radio in the 80s,” he recalls. Yet when the industry shifted toward more traditional country with the arrival of Randy Travis and Ricky Skaggs, Jamie found himself caught between genres. “People would say, ‘Sorry, man, you’re not country,’ and I’d go back to playing clubs.” Ironically, by the early 90s, Jamie’s style — once too con- temporary for country — was suddenly back in vogue.
AT KOOLEN ELECTRIC WE CAN DO IT ALL!
Rebates on now. Ask for details!
HEAT PUMPS Environmentally Friendlier option for both Heating & Cooling!
IN POWER. SINCE 1920
GENERATORS Power out? You can rely on a Kohler Generator!
Keep your vehicle running smoothly with expert repairs, honest advice, and dependable service you can trust, every season, every kilometre.
8–5 Monday to Friday! Call today to book your appointment.
A trusted name in Elgin County for over 50 years! 519-773-8951 or 519-631-0590 www.koolenelectric.ca
6728 Springfield Rd., Mount Salem 519-765-3834 www.scottlewisauto.com
Page 6 Real Living • Summer 2025
To advertise here, please contact Geoff@villagerpublications.com
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs