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Writer's pictureThe Sound Cafe

Calgary-Based Kyle McKearney Has Released Much Anticipated Debut Solo Album


By Jason Schneider.



Following a string of warmly received singles over the past year, Calgary, Alberta-based singer/songwriter Kyle McKearney has released his new solo album Down-Home. Produced by the renowned Russell Broom (Jann Arden/Leeroy Stagger/Joe Nolan/Mariel Buckley), Down-Home is poised to be one of the year's most hotly anticipated Americana debuts.


Further proof of that was revealed when McKearney was recently named one of Project WILD’s Top 12 for 2021. Project WILD is Canada’s largest Artist Development fund, administered by Alberta Music and supported by Calgary’s Wild 953FM.


Born and raised in small-town northern British Columbia, Kyle McKearney grew up immersed in Country and Bluegrass music. He followed that passion by first moving to Nashville upon finishing high school, where he absorbed the city’s atmosphere and learned how much of its classic music was made. Taking these lessons back home, where he’s now settled near Calgary, Alberta, he began applying them to his work on stage and in the studio, all while honing his skills as a singer/songwriter.


From there he formed the alt-pop band The New Electric with his brother Shade, finding success at radio in 2016, which led to a Canadian Radio Music Award nomination and a national touring spot with Backstreet Boy Nick Carter. The New Electric evolved into the band KROWNS in 2018, with its harder edged sound attracting the attention of Queen drummer Roger Taylor. Kyle’s relationship with Taylor resulted in the pair writing a song together and Kyle being tapped to join the touring cast of Queen’s musical theatre show We Will Rock You in 2019.


Following that six-month run, Kyle returned to his Americana roots, launching a series of cover song videos that have tallied over 600K views on Facebook alone. From there, he gathered the best musicians he could find to help craft his new signature sound, one in line with the current revolution underway in country music spearheaded by artists such as Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile and Jason Isbell.


Kyle is also proudly Métis, and his heritage plays a significant role in his new music, further setting him apart from his peers. It is all leading up to the arrival of a new and important voice in the Canadian roots music world, and one that is sure to resonate with listeners everywhere.







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