The f ,alaia Chami ria, UM, 17 20063 - 81 A .R.,Te"SI Brooke eagerly awaits release of second CD Local country singer seeking uine dancers for her new video By Stephanie Thiessen CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF I ls been a whirlwind vear for local singer and songwriler Alysha Brooke. Tours, concerts, records and fans are ail pari of ber still fairly new flfe as she contin- ues her forax' int the country music busi- ness. And she wouldn'î trade any of îî - except maybe the lack of sleep, she told The Champion good-naîuredly. Ever since the 19-year-old rural Milton residenî released her fîrsî CD, Nuthin' but a Cbevy; in 2004, theres been no îumîing back. Now shes gearing up for the release of her second CD, I Talk Country, and ts panîicular- ly exciîed about the release parly April i aI IHot Roda on Chisholm Dnive. Not only will fans be îreated 10 a concert backed by Brooke's own band, îhey'll have a chance 10 appear in an upcoming music video. Scouts will be waîching the dance floor for 20 10, 25 fine dancers t0 be featured in a music video 10, be shot in early May "If you wanî a cbance 10 gel out there, ils a lime to gel noticed," Brooke said, adding, 'd love to0 bave aIl local people in the video." As a former dancer, Brooke said sbe knows Ibere are plenty of talented performers in Milton, as well as people wbo jusî line dance for fun. Party-goers must be 19 or older. Newcomer Jamie Thomne will open for Brooke and fiddler Scott Woods will be accompanying ber. Sam Cook from Country 95.3 will also be on band. Doors will open at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $15. I Talk Country is Brookes firsi CD on ber current label, Cedar Trail Recorda, bo wbicb sbe was signed last year. Tbe new CD will bave sometbing for every country music lover, Brooke said, from old country 10 new country, rockin' country 10 ballad country "liîs still very traditional. country, witb a cou- ple witb a good southeru rock feel," she said. its a more mature sound îbaî listeners will bear on tbe new CD, Brooke said, owing mucb of tbat 10, ber vocal coacb wbos been witb ber escb sîep of tbe way Naturally, tbe GRAHAM PAINE CANADIAN CHAMPION COUNTRY GIRL At the young age of 19, Alysha Brooke is already making a name for hersef on the country music scene. lyrics are also more mature, sbe said. "As I gel older, the s'ongs grow witb me." Brooke wrote îwo of tbe songs berself, and wrole the lyrics t0 two more. She co- wrote somne of the others witb Mike Belobradic, president of Cedar Trail Music. Brooke said she makes ber songs person- aI in an attempt 10 draw ber audiences in. "A lot of flfe experience is written mbt the songs. Ils good because people can relate t0 îbem. Thats wby I love country (music) - almost every country song bas a story I can relate 10 aI somne point in my life." Her ouîlook on the music business bas cbanged somewhaî over tbe past year, sbe said, as reality sets in about just bow diffi- cuIt il is te, gel ber foot in tbe door. The facî shes a Canadian musician nry- ing 10, make it in Canada only makes il harder 1kt casier 1<) gel your music played in Canada if you're froin the States," she said. "It's almost impossible tb gel on Canadian radio.' But already her resumeé is impressivc. One ol the singles off her first CD reached number one on a Canadian on-line radio sta- nion, and in the States the tîtie song off that CD reached fourth place on an unsigned artist radio show In fact, 78 radio stations were playing Brookes music tn the States. Soon, HMV and Sunrise Records will be sell- ing Brookes CD in their stores. "That'Il be weird, to go into a store and have my own CD sitting on the sheif," she said. Brooke recently performed on CHTV on Smith 'In Hayes, promoting the upcoming release parîy. Lt was jusî one of the appear- ances that keep her so busy. This summer, Brooke will be performing for the first lime in the U.S. aI a country music henefit in Penosylvania for cancer research. Her favourite part of the music scene has 10 be the fans, young and old, Brooke said. She has some who show up aI almost every performance. "Witbout the fans, theres no point in having music," she said simply. Since she first began performing, Brooke has expressed her love of cbildren and singing for îhem. That hasn'î cbanged a bit. One of ber most memorable performances tc0 date was at Torontos Hospital for Sick Children. "To go and have a day 10, help cheer the children... thats more meaningful than anyîhing," she said. Some of ber fans are as young as five years old, and Brookes Web site is full of admiring letters from hatle girls - several of them exciîedly telling ber tbey share the samne first name. Since the upcoming release party is limit- ed 10 those 19 and older, Brooke has arranged for cbildren to0 be able 10 comne out te, Hot Rods in the afternoon April 1 10, waîch tbe sound check and rebearsal, and 10 visit witb ber afterward. As for tbe future, Brooke aid sbe dreama of performing with one of ber favourite singers. "'d love t0 play witb Reba (MeEntire)," sbe aid wistfully. Tickets 10 the CD release party~ are avail- able aI Hot Roda, ProClips in Campbellville or at royalacresmusic@botmail.com. Stephanie Thiessen can be reached at sthiessen@miltoncanadianchampion.com. If you received a blood transfusion or blood product before 1992, you may have been infected with hepatitis C. Hepatifis C is a blood-borne virus that slowly damages your liver. Symptoms do flot show up for years but you will eventually get sick. Before 1992, screening for this disease was flot consistent and many patients becamne infected through the blood system. So ask your doctor about getting tested. Detection is key to controllmng the virus and you may be entitled to financial assistance. 1-877-222-4977 r'aid for hy the Govcrnmcnt of Oitiro www.health.gov. on.ca/biepe Hepatitîs '. Find out if you have it. --fet fested. @5 Ontario