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This article was published 27/11/2021 (1415 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The days of chasing that neon rainbow have come one step closer for Troy Flamand, a guitarist from Portage La Prairie.
Flamand recently took home the 2021 Manitoba Country Music Award for Best Guitarist in the All Star Band of the Year category and his first ever win was an indescribable feeling.
“Honestly, I was absolutely ecstatic,” Flamand exclaimed.
“There was an unbelievable list of very talented guitar players up there and I keep saying I was honoured to have my name alongside those musicians, it was definitely something new for me.”
This was Flamand’s second year being nominated in the same category following a nomination in 2019. Flamand said he was able to enjoy the moment even more by his relation to the rest of the people in the category.
“One of them was a cousin of mine growing up, Brad Moggie, and the rest of the guys, Jordan Day and Brennan Wall, I’ve met and they are all great guys and musicians all around,” Flamand told The Headliner.
Flamand is no stranger to learning music, having picked up the fiddle at age 12 which first got his interest in music. After a little while, the fiddle player turned to the guitar and by the time high school came, Flamand was playing in a few local bands.
“I was doing a lot of rock music, kind of like any guitar player starting off,” Flamand said.
“Then I started to hear some guys playing with a country sound, and just the tone that came from a country guitar player blew my mind and so I turned my focus towards that.”
Flamand said he also found inspiration from Moggie after watching him play in local country bands in the area.
“Just the way it gets a crowd going, it really drew me to it,” Flamand said.
When he’s not working his regular job on Monday to Friday, Flamand has been able to stay busy in the Manitoba country music scene by performing with fellow Manitoban artist, Kendra Kay. The guitarist said he is a grateful to have an employer that understands his music career, especially while he prepares for upcoming gigs.
“I’ve been playing with her for seven years now, and I’ve been fortunate to travel across Canada with her and play guitar and love every minute of it,” Flamand said.
“I’m in Ontario right now for the (Canadian Country Music Awards) and my employer said go out there and do your thing and take the time off. The dream for any musician is to do it full time and I’m working my way there. I’m enjoying life with what the guitar has brought me.”
Flamand was Kay’s lead guitarist during her shows at the event in London, Ont. The guitarist said he was able to take his playing skill to the next level after years of listening to country stars like Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban and Vince Gill.
“I always heard my older cousin playing them and I thought Brad Paisley was one of the best guitar players I had ever heard,” Flamand explained.
“I’ve picked up a lot of Vince Gill’s technique in guitar playing especially moving into more of a lead guitar role with the bands I play with.”
At the start of the pandemic, Flamand like many musicians took some time to dig deep into songwriting and is grateful to have had opportunities to do a lot of local shows in Portage while he soaks in the impressive award he won.
“Portage has been a great place to grow up and chase my aspirations for everything,” Flamand said.
“I’m a very fortunate guy to have the things I have going on right now and I’ll see where they take me.”
The days of chasing that neon rainbow have come one step closer for Troy Flamand, a guitarist from Portage La Prairie.
Flamand recently took home the 2021 Manitoba Country Music Award for Best Guitarist in the All Star Band of the Year category and his first ever win was an indescribable feeling.
SUPPLIED
Nov. 25, 2021 - Growing up in Portage La Prairie, Troy Flamand (centre), started out playing the fiddle before he got into guitar lessons as a teen. Flamand has found inspiration to become a better country guitar player through the music of Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson, Vince Gill and Keith Urban. (SUPPLIED PHOTO)
“Honestly, I was absolutely ecstatic,” Flamand exclaimed.
“There was an unbelievable list of very talented guitar players up there and I keep saying I was honoured to have my name alongside those musicians, it was definitely something new for me.”
This was Flamand’s second year being nominated in the same category following a nomination in 2019. Flamand said he was able to enjoy the moment even more by his relation to the rest of the people in the category.
“One of them was a cousin of mine growing up, Brad Moggie, and the rest of the guys, Jordan Day and Brennan Wall, I’ve met and they are all great guys and musicians all around,” Flamand told The Headliner.
Flamand is no stranger to learning music, having picked up the fiddle at age 12 which first got his interest in music. After a little while, the fiddle player turned to the guitar and by the time high school came, Flamand was playing in a few local bands.
“I was doing a lot of rock music, kind of like any guitar player starting off,” Flamand said.
“Then I started to hear some guys playing with a country sound, and just the tone that came from a country guitar player blew my mind and so I turned my focus towards that.”
Flamand said he also found inspiration from Moggie after watching him play in local country bands in the area.
“Just the way it gets a crowd going, it really drew me to it,” Flamand said.
When he’s not working his regular job on Monday to Friday, Flamand has been able to stay busy in the Manitoba country music scene by performing with fellow Manitoban artist, Kendra Kay. The guitarist said he is a grateful to have an employer that understands his music career, especially while he prepares for upcoming gigs.
“I’ve been playing with her for seven years now, and I’ve been fortunate to travel across Canada with her and play guitar and love every minute of it,” Flamand said.
SUPPLIED
Nov. 25, 2021 - Troy Flamand won the 2021 Manitoba Country Music Award for Best Guitarist in the All Star Band of the Year category. It was Flamand's second nomination in the category, and the musician couldn't believe his years of hard work paid off after learning he had won the award. (SUPPLIED PHOTO)
“I’m in Ontario right now for the (Canadian Country Music Awards) and my employer said go out there and do your thing and take the time off. The dream for any musician is to do it full time and I’m working my way there. I’m enjoying life with what the guitar has brought me.”
Flamand was Kay’s lead guitarist during her shows at the event in London, Ont. The guitarist said he was able to take his playing skill to the next level after years of listening to country stars like Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban and Vince Gill.
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“I always heard my older cousin playing them and I thought Brad Paisley was one of the best guitar players I had ever heard,” Flamand explained.
“I’ve picked up a lot of Vince Gill’s technique in guitar playing especially moving into more of a lead guitar role with the bands I play with.”
At the start of the pandemic, Flamand like many musicians took some time to dig deep into songwriting and is grateful to have had opportunities to do a lot of local shows in Portage while he soaks in the impressive award he won.
“Portage has been a great place to grow up and chase my aspirations for everything,” Flamand said.
“I’m a very fortunate guy to have the things I have going on right now and I’ll see where they take me.”
