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Cross-country
tour includes home stop for award-winning Wilkinsons
At bottom
of page, the Wilkinsons share a moment with
long-time friend Rick Kevan, a Belleville DJ
who has helped promote their career. From left,
Steve Wilkinson, Kevan, Tyler Wilkinson, and
Amanda Wilkinson. |
by L. CHRYSTAL DMITROVIC
Special to The Independent
Steve, Tyler, and Amanda Wilkinson have plenty to smile
about these days. After leaving Trenton only three short
years ago, the father-son-daughter trio is now regarded
as one of Canada's most successful country music acts.
On the brink of international acclaim, their
story unfolds like a long and winding country
road. Belleville-born Steve Wilkinson worked
as a carpenter and freelanced as a songwriter
for several Canadian artists. Amanda, 18, and
Tyler, 16, remember that singing was something
the family did for fun around the kitchen table
and summer campfires.
Relatives always asked Steve to bring his guitar
to family gatherings, which, he recalls, soon
evolved into performing at weddings and anniversaries. "Then
about 10 years ago we began getting paid to
do fairs and festivals; (that's) the point I
figure we truly went professional. It was a
growth experience where we learned how to be
onstage and project to an audience."
Steve regards the Wilkinsons' style
as an amalgamation of all their musical
influences. They were inspired by The
Everly Brothers, the Carters' 'hill
music', Jim Reeves, even the Beatles.
At seven, Amanda adored Dolly Parton
and her song, Coat of Many Colours. "We've
sort of grabbed little pieces of a lot
of different sounds, which has helped
to make our own style so unique," Steve
explains.
The resulting, finely honed lyrics
and upbeat music turned The Wilkinsons
into a winning combination. Soon they
took to the Grand Ole Opry stage, where
their appearances bristled with energy.
The trio moved to Nashville in 1997
and landed a recording contract within
two weeks.
Listeners found it hard to ignore Steve's
heart-humble lyrics, Amanda's bayou-spiced,
coming- of-age, lead vocals reminiscent
of a young Linda Ronstadt. Tyler's sturdy
back-up and occasional solo gave the
trio its sharp finished corners. The
icing on this cake is the family's bang-on
harmonies. So there's little wonder
that their giant debut album, Nothing
But Love , is chock-full of A-and-B-side-quality
songs. Under siege by major record company
suitors at the time, they signed with
Giant because of the label's willingness
to let them represent themselves as
sincerely as their values-oriented music
- as a family.
They've certainly made a super jump
to stardom, taking home five of six
Canadian Country Music awards for 1999,
including Album of the Year, Nothing
But Love debut, Group of the Year, and
Single of the Year (#1 hit 26¢).
"We were totally overwhelmed, because
we thought our only good shot was for
the Horizon Award for Newcomers," Steve
recalls. "We couldn't believe winning
best single. The night just got crazier,
award after award. If you ever see a
tape of the show, that's not pretend
shock and surprise on our faces, it's
the genuine thing."
The family recently took some
well-deserved R&R recharging
batteries on a boat cruise before
embarking on their cross-Canada
tour, which started January
23 to sell-out crowds.
As opening act for superstar
Paul Brandt, stops include the
Ottawa Civic Centre on the 19th
for The Arthritis Society 'Country
Kicks' Charity Gala, which will
also launch Juvenile Arthritis
Month, and a February 28 appearance
at the Quinte Sports Centre.
In between those dates it's
expected they'll take the stage
by storm at the Peterborough
Memorial Centre on February
18.
Best of all, they're able to
keep it all in perspective.
"We're living in tight quarters,
and we're self-policing."
says Amanda. "Nobody needs to
get a big head about where we
are on the ladder." Adds Steve: "the
world doesn't need three more
idiots."
Wife and mother, Chris,
travels with them on
the road and ensures
they eat right and that
school studies are done.
Steve considers her
to be the hardest-working
family member. But don't
expect to see her on
the stage one day. "Believe
me, I've tried, 10 years
and longer," Steve says. "Chris
won't even open her
mouth at family do's.
She's got a great voice,
but she's scared skinny,
worse than Carly Simon."
Returning home
two or three
times a year,
Steve and family
still like to
take off into
the bush around
Trenton, or
go fishing along
the Bay of Quinte,
or at Steenburg
Lake, north
of Madoc. They
also like to
scuba dive,
and stay on
the road, bringing
along footballs,
baseballs and
gloves bicycles
and rollerblades.
When at home,
they also make
sure to stop
by the Quinte
Broadcasting
CJTN/CJBQ studios
to visit longtime
friend DJ Rick
Kevan. Their
most recent
get-together
was Christmas
Eve day 1999
for an open-line
show. Kevan
relationship
with the family
goes back 20
years. "I first
got to know
the family when
they used to
clean the station
on 31 Quinte
Street," he
recalls.
Their paths
have crossed
in remarkable
ways. Both Chris
and Kevan's
wife gave birth
to sons, Tyler
and Alex, on
the same day,
April 30, 1984;
sharing the
same semi-private
room at Belleville
General.
Kevan watched
the children
grow up. "They
made early names
in the community.
In the 80's,
CJTN would broadcast
out front, doing
'patio parties.'
Amanda and Tyler
at ages six
and five would
come by and
sing their hearts
out, dad on
a six-string,
totally unplugged."
A few
years
later,
Steve
began
writing
lyrics
seriously,
using
the
DJ as
a sounding
board.
They
discussed
what
would
make
a hit
song.
"In
country
music," says
Kevan, "the
lyrics
have
to be
especially
good.
Steve's
always
had
an immense
talent
for
putting
words
together;
as a
trio
today
they
have
the
potential
to record
a #1
song
every
time
they
step
into
the
studio."
At
one time Steve was going to
pack it in (but) Amanda pushed
for a 'let's not give up'
attitude, Kevan recalls. Since
then, like Steve says, 'It's
been quite a ride, and the
train hasn't stopped."
The
Wilkinsons' new CD
scheduled for April
release is still untitled.
A hit-pick single,
'Jimmy's Got a Girlfriend'
is airing nationwide.
The video, filmed
in LA less than a
month ago, premiered
on CMT (Country Music
Television) January
30. The trio will
also be CMT's featured
Artist of the Month
for April.
For
now, the tour's bussing
from city-to-city.
Amanda and Tyler on
the road are likely
doing their studies,
with Steve scribbling
chorus ideas into
a notebook. Yup, looks
like they're on the
right country road,
that's for sure....
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