Corb Lund finally making dent in U.S. country scene

By Renato Pagnani, edmontonjournal.com

CCMA PREVIEW

CORB LUND

Nominations: Fans' Choice Award, Album of the Year, CMT Video of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Roots Artist or Group of the Year

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"It's always fun to get called an emerging artist 18 years into your career," says Corb Lund.

The local alt-country superstar is speaking about his New and Emerging Artist nomination at this year's Americana Music Awards, where he's the only international act nominated for a trophy, as well as the only one performing at the awards.

The nomination is a tangible sign that Lund is finally making a dent in the American country scene, where his popularity has steadily been growing over the last few years.

"It's kind of funny because that award is usually given to younger artists, but it makes sense because we are still emerging in that world," Lund says on the phone from Texas, where he and his band, the Hurtin' Albertans, were in the midst of a three-week mini-tour through the southern state. "America's still getting to know us."

A little Canadian presence at the AMAs, which recognizes the best in Americana and roots music in the United States, is something that Lund is proud of.

"They might have to start calling it the North Americana Awards if this keeps up," jokes Lund.

"But being nominated is a real surprise. I'm still a bit shocked, actually."

The Americana Awards will be given out Sept. 9, just a few days before another important awards show for the Taber-born singer-songwriter -- the Canadian Country Music Awards -- where Lund is up for five trophies, including the Fans' Choice Award, Male Artist of the Year and Album of the Year, for last September's Losin' Lately Gambler.

Perhaps just as important as his flurry of nominations is the fact that this year's CCMAs are being held in Edmonton, which Lund has called home for more than a decade.

What do the CCMAs being in Edmonton this year mean for Lund?

"Home-field advantage," he laughs. "Seriously, though, it's a huge compliment. It certainly doesn't hurt to get the city splashed all over national TV, and I'm always happy to see Edmonton get some attention."

The CCMAs will turn the spotlight toward one of the biggest country and roots scenes in the country while celebrating the wealth of country artists from all across the nation. Because the Canadian country market is smaller than the American, the CCMAs serve double duty, recognizing the more mainstream country artists alongside the independent -- i.e. "underground" -- roots musicians, as Lund describes them. In the U.S., roots music is the realm of the Americana Music Awards, with everything else falling under the territory of the bigger Country Music Awards.

"There's a greater distance between the two in the States," says Lund, who's up for Roots Artist of the Year at the CCMAs. "In Canada you can have an independent act all over CMT (Country Music Television) and selling records. There's a wider gap between rich and poor artists.

"I think it's really important to acknowledge the roots part of the music, the older style of country. And the CCMAs don't have to -- they could do the show without it. But they always include it, and I think that's something to be commended."

Corb begins his Australian tour on September 24. For tour dates, click here.

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