Country star Steven Lee Olsen returns home to perform at Casino Rama
Fans packed into Casino Rama Resort Saturday night to see country music star Russell Dickerson take over the stage, with hometown hero Steven Lee Olsen as the opening act.
The singer-songwriter grew up in Newmarket and lived in Barrie before moving to Nashville 17 years ago.
"After high school, all my friends went off to college, and I started really leaning into my guitar, and I realized that I needed to move to Nashville to learn how to write songs, to be the artist that I always dreamt I would be," said Olsen in an interview with CTV News on Saturday.
Since moving south, Olsen has had a rise in international success, with two number-one hits in the U.S., including his Grammy-nominated song 'Blue Ain't Your Colour' performed by country superstar Keith Urban.
Olsen said it's one of his greatest career achievements to date.
"I was bringing my mom to the Grammys and it was a three-time platinum song that completely changed the trajectory of my career as an artist and as a songwriter," Olsen said.
Now Olsen is working on new music, including a special song about his roots.
"We're working on our next single right now which something that, I basically wrote it about Barrie. I wrote it about Barrie, I wrote it about Newmarket, about Aurora, all the places that I lived, all these small towns. It's a song I hold really dear," he described.
Olsen shared some advice for young artists after years of highs and lows.
"It's super important that when everybody loses faith, or maybe when the chips are down that you have to keep this much belief at least in yourself to keep going and just not quit. You live to write or perform another day, just stick with it and if you're passionate about it and truly love it, do it for those reasons."
While Saturday's show was the last stop on the Canadian leg of Russell Dickerson's tour, Olsen will be heading out to the West Coast this summer for shows in British Columbia and Alberta.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ukraine's army chief reports tactical retreat in the east, and warns of front-line pressure
Ukraine's troops have been forced to make a tactical retreat from three villages in the embattled east, the country's army chief said Sunday, warning of a worsening battlefield situation as Ukrainian forces wait for much-needed arms from a huge U.S. aid package to reach combat zones.
Ontario to ban use of cellphones in school classrooms starting in September
Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools.
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Laurentian University to spend millions on recommendations in second budget post insolvency, but nothing new to reopen pool
Laurentian University's board of governors approved a budget of just over $201.7 million for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
Murder charge laid after man falls to death from Toronto apartment balcony
One person has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of a man who fell from a balcony following an altercation inside a Toronto apartment building.
Dozens in Italy give a fascist salute on the anniversary of Mussolini's execution
Dozens of people raised their arms in the fascist salute and shouted a fascist chant during ceremonies Sunday to honor Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on the 79th anniversary of his execution.
'Do not consume': Gift Chocolate recalled due to undeclared milk, soy
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a recall for a specific chocolate brand sold in Ontario and Quebec.
Zendaya tennis movie ‘Challengers’ scores at weekend box office
Zendaya and castmates Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor have been on a globetrotting press tour to get the word out about Italian director Luca Guadagnino's original film, which opened in 3,477 locations in the U.S. and Canada.