"Dean Brody to Brett Kissel: Troubadour Festival Headlines Downtown Barrie's Biggest Summer Yet"
Multi-platinum, iconic Canadian artist Dean Brody is celebrating the biggest years of his career. No country artist has owned the Canadian “Live” stage more than Dean in recent years with three national arena tours (2 breaking national ticket sale records), an acoustic national tour and as the only Canadian country artist to hold a 7-year residency at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage.
Not one to ever slow down, Brody has been busy setting records and marking major career milestones. 2021 saw the acclaimed artist land his sixth and seventh number ones at Canadian country radio on back-to-back duets with his history-making track “Boys” feat. country music’s fastest rising star Mickey Guyton and “More Drinkin’ Than Fishin’” with labelmate Jade Eagleson. He also secured his 18th CCMA Award, landing the “Top Selling Canadian Single” with his #1 track feat. The Reklaws, “Can’t Help Myself.” He kicked off 2022 by earning a JUNO Awards nomination for Country Album of the Year and securing his first TRIPLE-PLATINUM single with “Bring Down The House,” making him only the second artist in Canadian history to ever achieve this status on a single. He also landed his eighth #1 with his single “Where’d You Learn How to Do That.” Brody celebrated these moments with fans throughout the year with headlining stops across the country including Budweiser Stage (Toronto), Festival Country Lotbinière and Dauphin Country Fest, a 10-night residency at the Calgary Stampede as well as a show in his hometown of Fort Steele with the NHLPA.
A passionate storyteller and unmatched lyricist, Dean has risen and continues to remain at the top of the Canadian country landscape with an impressive 34 Top-10 singles (including 8 #1’s), 18 CCMA Awards, 2 JUNOs, more than 425+ million global streams and numerous gold and platinum certified singles (including 1 triple platinum and 3 double platinum). Only Shania Twain has more Canadian streams than Dean when looking at Canadian country artists “lifetime” results.
While a consistently celebrated entertainer, Dean also dedicates a large part of his life to philanthropic efforts through his charity, The Dean Brody Foundation. To continue his foundations’ mission, Dean has recently entered into a partnership with International Justice Mission (IJM), a global organization that shares the core values and goals of The Dean Brody Foundation. Working together to prevent violence and exploitation before it happens, the multi-year partnership with IJM will provide Dean the opportunity to work as an IJM Canada Ambassador and highlight his decade-long fight for justice on a global scale.
Saturday, June 14 – DEAN BRODY
● 11am – 10pm – TROUBADOUR FESTIVAL BEER GARDEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY FLYING MONKEYS, DONALEIGHS, THE QUEENS AND KENZINGTONS
● 6pm – 8pm – LOCAL OPENERS SHOWCASE
■ OPENER #1 – LANCE DOBINSON
■ OPENER #2 – REBEKAH HAWKER
■ OPENER #3 – CAM BROWN
● 8:30pm – 10:00pm – DEAN BRODY
These past few years having written and recorded “But It Ain’t That Easy,” “No One Else,” “Long Road” and “That Was All Part Of Me,” have certainly been great experiences for Lance Dobinson. Not to mention, having the opportunity to have “Long Road” being featured on “Sirius XM’s CBC Country” just a few years back, was certainly a milestone for Lance. Looking back from the year 2019, Lance had the privilege of singing with Country Music Artists, “Aaron Pritchett” and “Jamie Warren”, which certainly again, were milestones for Lance. This summer, Lance is truly honoured to be one of the supporting acts for Dean Brody, at this year’s “Troubadour Festival Summer Concert Series.”
Country-folk singer-songwriter Rebekah Hawker infuses stories of loss—of family, lovers, youth—with wisdom and resilience. Having established an impressive career at lightning pace through her late twenties—opening for acclaimed acts like The Good Lovelies, Rum Ragged, and Jim Cuddy; winning Mariposa Folk Festival’s Emerging Artist Showcase; and gracing world-class stages like Massey Hall—her latest EP Quit My Habitsees Hawker slowing down and reckoning with what really matters. Rooted in the rural stillness outside Barrie, Ontario, the EP features both powerful ballads and full-blown 90s country bangers. “I wanted to make songs my sisters and I could sing in the car together,” Hawker explains. Her open-hearted sound runs the gamut of country styles—from John Prine’s lore-spinning to Kacey Musgraves’s honeyed vocals to the vulnerable strength of Kathleen Edwards.Hawker’s music has been heard nationally on CBC and is currently in rotation on Sirius XM’s North Americana station. Known for her emotionally charged live sets—equal parts vulnerable and hilarious—she crafts songs meant to be belted with your friends or quietly felt alone. She finds herself at the intersection of country and folk, embracing the full spectrum the genres have to offer.
Born and raised in Barrie, Ontario, Cam Brown performs across local establishments, resorts, and private events throughout Simcoe County, York Region, and the GTA. Drawing inspiration from artists such as John Mayer, Chris Stapleton, Kacey Musgraves, Justin Timberlake, and Morgan Wallen, Cam fuses his passion for country music with his Pop/R&B background, creating a modern country edge with a sound that feels both fresh and unique. 2025 marks a major step forward as Cam shifts his focus to original music, starting with his debut single, “Pretty Lime Margarita,” which hit #1 on the Canadian Indie Country Countdown (CICC). With more releases on the way and a growing presence on streaming platforms and radio, he’s fully leaning into the next phase of his career—bringing his unique sound to a wider audience.
Saturday, July 26 – THE 99s
The 99s are a super dynamic 8-piece band that plays huge hits and sing-a-longs from across eras and genres with jaw-dropping talent and positive energy. They are loaded with top tier talent, including lead vocalist, Barrie-native, Carleigh Aikins. The band is musically directed by party band heroes Dwayne Gretzky. Cutting across eras and genres, their repertoire is vast enough to include hits from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s, for a show that can range from Tina Turner to The Killers, ABBA and Avril Lavigne.
Saturday, August 16 – HAWKSLEY WORKMAN
A critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, Hawksley Workman is a multiple Juno Award winner known for his theatrical stage presence and eclectic musical style that fuses rock, pop, and cabaret. With more than 15 solo albums, hits like “Striptease” and “Jealous of Your Cigarette” have cemented his place as a Canadian music icon.
Saturday, September 6 – BRETT KISSEL
Closing out the series is Brett Kissel, a country artist known for his charismatic personality, dynamic stage presence, and unique music style. With 23x CCMA awards, 3x JUNO awards, 2x Gold-certified albums, 11x Gold singles, 5x Platinum singles and an impressive track record of 19x Top-10 radio hits (including 4x #1 singles), his talent and popularity are undeniable. Kissel is one of Canada’s most celebrated and beloved entertainers.
Opening for Kissel will be Elmvale, Ontario’s own Dayna Reid. With powerhouse vocals, one-of-a-kind lyrics, and a tenacious attitude, Reid has been captivating audiences nationwide since the release of her debut country EP “Back To The Trailer”.
