Everyone knows the Comox Valley has the highest number of artists — in all genres — per capita in B.C., perhaps even Canada.
Late last month, Cheryl Homan and Kenny Shaw added to the Valley’s artistic reputation when they were inducted into the B.C. Country Music Association (BCCMA) 2011 Hall of Fame.
The April 23 ceremony at the Red Robinson Theatre in Coquitlam honoured 10 inductees, noting that “their contributions were and are paramount to the ongoing tradition and success in all areas of country music in B.C.”
Both Homan and Shaw were surprised and delighted by the recognition.
“Cheryl is most deserving of this honour,” says Shaw. “The general public probably doesn’t know it, but in addition to starting Country Wave, she spent years as a BCCMA board member and volunteering with the organization. She’s been a real ambassador for country music in B.C.”
Homan, now owner of Retroactive Consignment in downtown Courtenay and bass player in the band Outlaw Fever, learned to love country music early.
“I grew up in a musical and performing family,” she says. “It’s always been part of my life.”
But in the 1980s, Homan switched her primary focus from making music to the media side of the business. She started writing a monthly column about country music in a Gastown newspaper called Nite Moves. Then, after further developing her skills at Twang Magazine, she launched Country Wave.
The magazine covered national and international country artists and, over the 10 years Homan owned the magazine, expanded from a Western Canada production to national distribution.
Even though she was busy, Homan found time to volunteer with BCCMA, serving on the board for 15 years and chairing many committees. She was also on the advisory board for the Canadian Country Music Association.
In a press release the BCCMA noted, “Cheryl has been involved in the country music industry provincially and nationally since the early 80s. Her work and support of the B.C. country music industry is extensive and far reaching. As founder of Country Wave Magazine and past director of the BCCMA, her contributions are both significant and ongoing.”
“It was all a lot of fun, and I never expected to be inducted into the Hall of Fame,” says Homan. “It really means a lot to get that pat on the back and recognition from the industry.”
During his speech at the induction ceremony, Shaw told the audience, “When I was in Grade 8, I was the class clown. My mother and teacher kept asking where I thought that would get me. Well here I am being inducted into the BCCMA Hall of Fame.”
Shaw says he’s a musician who became a comedian out of ignorance.
“In the ‘80s, I played a lot of neighbourhood lounges. I thought everyone did everything so I added some jokes to my act. The next thing I knew, I was really busy. I found out later that most musicians just play music.”
“In the ‘80s, country music was trendy,” he says. “That’s where I honed my craft, at rodeos and other gigs. I always sang about the blue collar, working class lifestyle.”
Thirty years later, Shaw’s still going strong as a musician and comedian, playing at a variety of festivals, corporate gigs and other events. He’s MCed the Dauphin (Manitoba) CountryFest, Canada’s longest-running country music festival, for 21 years.
And even though Shaw’s introduced some classic rock and roll and pop to his music, he’s never given up his cowboy hat.
“A multi-talented entertainer, Kenny enjoys a well-deserved reputation for drawing his audiences into a wacky world of high-powered comedy and music,” says a press release from BCCMA. “Kenny’s superb showmanship won him the BCCMA Entertainer of the year four times. He was also selected to open the CCMA Awards in Vancouver in 1987, Ottawa in 1989, Edmonton in 1990 and Hamilton in 1991.”
“The induction ceremony was overwhelmingly warm and fuzzy,” says Shaw. “I haven’t been that involved with country music in recent years so was really touched that the BCCMA board remembered and honoured me in this way.
“My advice to aspiring musicians? Join the music associations. You’ll learn a lot and increase your chance of getting recognized.”
