Airdrie was well-represented at this year’s YYC Music Awards on Sept. 18, with local singing sensation Kyle McKearney taking home the trophy for Songwriter of the Year and country music star Brandon Lorenzo being nominated in the Best Solo Artist category.
McKearney took to social media right after his win to thank all those who have supported him over the years.
“Wow,” he wrote. “Winning songwriter of the year is an amazing honor and I don’t take it lightly. Huge thanks to my fellow nominees and to my amazing team who help get my songs out to the world. It feels great to (be) recognized and I’m gonna take this inspiration and go write a bunch of songs.”
While Airdrie’s own Brandon Lorenzo did not win in his category this year, he said it was a blast to once again be nominated for the YYC Music Awards.
“We didn’t take the win, but being nominated in itself is a win,” he said in an interview. “I won the People’s Choice Award through the YYC Music Awards back in 2020, and (this year) it was actually the first time I was able to attend the YYC Music Awards in person … It was really cool to get to see everybody and get together.”
Lorenzo said it was also cool to be able to fly the Airdrie flag on the Canadian music scene alongside his good friend McKearney.
“There is a lot of talent here and it feels good to know there are a lot of us (musicians) who are being recognized for doing things that are making waves,” he said. “Maybe there are other musicians in town coming up, and are starting to do more with the music scene. It’s kind of cool to be that spokesperson, that face, where people think ‘Oh, maybe I could do that too.”
The consolation prize for Lorenzo is he keeps selling records and is busier than ever as a whole new generation of country fans are tuning in to hear his music on the radio and buying tickets to his shows. His latest single “Another Round of You” just broke the Top 100 on country music radio this past weekend.
“I always loved that feel of that old school country (from the 1990s),” he said. “I would always listen to it, but I never really got into singing it until junior high and high school. It was a bunch of my friends that pushed me into country music when I moved to Airdrie … They said, ‘You definitely gotta do country– you have the twang and you have the voice.’ I always like to say I got corrupted by country music and Airdrie, but in a good way.”
Lorenzo will be making an appearance at the upcoming “Homecoming Festival” in Airdrie on Oct. 1. He, McKearney, Julian Austin, Lisa Brokop, Scarlett Butler, and Blake Reid Band will be playing the festival’s “Music on the Main Stage” concert at Ed Eggerer Athletic Park.
“It is going to be good to celebrate and have live music come back to Airdrie,” said Lorenzo. “Airdrie has been supportive of me. I have a big fan base here, and it just feels really good to play a hometown show … Everybody is rooting for you and everybody has got your back. And that feels great.”
For more information on the City of Airdrie’s Homecoming Festival visit City of Airdrie - Homecoming Festival. For more information on Brandon Lorenzo’s music and other concert dates visit brandonlorenzomusic.ca.
