Portage la Prairie native Troy Flamand, known for his deep-rooted connection to the area, is celebrating a milestone year in his music career. From his early days with the local band Antic to his current role as a sought-after guitarist, Flamand's journey has been nothing short of remarkable.
Flamand reminisced about how his music career started, describing how his high school band, Antic, made waves in Manitoba and how local support helped pave his way.
"I was very fortunate to play with Antic back in the day coming out of high school because we were so young and we had the opportunity to play around Manitoba. A lot of support came from your radio station promoting any shows that we had in the area. That being said, it's still a mind boggling thing to think the highlights of a summer would be able to play a nice stage at Potato Festival or the Portage Ex which I still love dearly. But now to be able to travel the country with some of Manitoba's best artists is truly a dream come true for a young player coming from Portage."
Flamand's path has been characterized by perseverance and passion. Despite the challenges of life on the road and long hours of practice, he remained dedicated to his craft.
"It's definitely a grind going through pretty much all of my 20s on the road with the different bands and just loving every minute of it. There were times when you kind of wonder, are all these hours in the back of a pickup truck worth it? But when you're playing with great people and great musicians, that's when things started changing for my level of success. It was just amazing. This is the next step, this is a new part of my music career, and I've loved every bit of it."
His dedication has paid off, leading to successful collaborations with renowned artists like Kendra Kay and Quinton Blair. This year has been particularly eventful for Flamand. He has been heavily involved in Quinton Blair's tour, which has covered thousands of kilometres across western Canada in their aptly named bus, the 'Honky Tonk Heartbreaker.'
"We toured in his bus he acquired last year. We talked about that a lot. He brings it up on stage or on social media posts. The thousands of kilometres that we put on that bus in this year alone is crazy. I think we tried to calculate it one night. Each trip was a lot of miles on the road and we have our driver we call Roadman Jerry. He's the guy that gets us to and from safely."
He also spoke about the joy of playing in familiar settings in Manitoba, such as MacGregor and Westbourne, and seeing familiar faces compared to performing in new places across western Canada making new fans.
"Each is special in its own way, playing in the area where we recognize a lot of people and you see the love and support coming from them. That's something that as musicians and artists, we all love dearly because a lot of these people have watched the progress through our music career. That being said, when we go to Alberta and we find new fans and then new relationships are formed with the people that come to our shows or that hire us, both have their own perks that create such an amazing experience."
Flamand's accomplishments extend beyond live performances. He has been part of notable projects, including work with Nelson Little and Dave Rodgers on the song, "Just Make It Happen," which underscores the resilience needed in the music industry. The music video for the song, featuring Flamand and his best friend and local Portage la Prairie fiddle player Michael Audette, has garnered significant attention. That video and Michael are each up for a Country Music award.
Adding to his list of achievements, Flamand recently joined Doc Walker on stage, a highlight he describes as a bucket-list moment.
"I can't even describe the amazing feeling to not just be able to get on the stage with them, but to jump on their bus and share some laughs and share some stories. It's one thing to play a Doc Walker song and cover it with a band and have fun with it. It's another to go and actually play the song with them. It was pretty amazing."
As the Manitoba Country Music Awards approach, Flamand is once again recognized for his talent, being nominated for All Star Guitar Player. His recent experience at the Canadian Country Music Awards in Edmonton has further cemented his status in the industry.
Looking ahead, Flamand is excited about his upcoming performance at the 10th anniversary of Country 93 parking lot party.
"I'm looking forward to it. I've actually been working on some new music myself. My wife Danielle and I were chatting, maybe I'll showcase a couple of those and maybe throw in a couple Shania Twain songs or two."
Troy Flamand's journey from a local band to taking national stages is a testament to his hard work and passion. As he continues, his story serves as a testament and inspiration to many aspiring musicians.
With files by Ryan Simpson