Heidi Munro, who is originally from Kennedy, has recently been nominated for the Saskatchewan Country Music Awards’ (SCMA) Country Music Person of the Year, and her music partner Scott Patrick has also been nominated for Guitar Player of the Year. Together the two of them have been nominated for Group of the Year and Interactive Artists of the Year.
A few of Munro’s accolades include: multiple SCMA awards, national MuchMusic vocal awards winner, recording artist, songwriter, performances for national television, numerous stages, festivals and theatres across Canada, international corporate events, as well as opening performances for international artists.
Scott Patrick is an eight-time SCMA award winner and lead singer/ guitarist/songwriter for the Canadian country rock group Wyatt, which garnered two top-40 singles on Canadian country radio. Patrick has played countless stages across Canada, and shared the stage with artists such as Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts and Kenny Rogers. He continues his solo career and involvement in multiple music projects.
“We’ve been really busy … music has probably been 75 per cent of my living,” explains Munro. She also does recording session work and vocal coaching. Munro mentors other artists on how to get started and how to get their promotional packages together. It’s a great way of passing her knowledge along to the newcomers in the business.
Munro and Patrick started working together approximately three years ago and started writing together as well.
“We made really great music together,” says Munro. “Scott and I work on many projects together with a focus on our duo and original work. We are very grateful to have opportunities for these shows, especially during the pandemic.”
“Our album is coming out on Spotify and Apple Music and all of those platforms just after we perform at The Happy Nun Café in Forget but we will have copies for digital download at The Nun. We are super excited. We are having our video released of the title track a week prior to heading out to The Nun.”
“Gayla and Leon (owners Gayla and Leon Gilbertson) at The Happy Nun Café have really gone above and beyond to keep supporting the arts,” explains a very grateful Munro.
“I’m so happy to be going back to my home stomping grounds,” states Munro as she thinks about performing at the Happy Nun Café in Forget in March.
“I’m quite excited … Scott and I are very happy to share our music….it’s all we’ve ever done,” says Munro.
“I received some messages from some old friends down that way that I’m really excited to see,” says Munro.
Munro got an early start with her singing career.
“I remember my Dad and Mom talking and Dad was telling Mom ‘You better get that girl singing’,” she explains. Munro’s first public performance was at age 10.
“I was 13 or 14 when I got my first paying gig; I think I made 50 bucks which was absolutely wonderful,” reminisces Munro. “I also did some work with an old-time band out of Moosomin and Lane Easton and Eli Barsi. Lane and I spent many years singing together through high school. We did shows together. We had a lot of fun.”
Over the past 30 years, Heidi has embraced the stage with fellow entertainers at music festivals, highlighted in venues and put on some memorable concerts including The Big Valley Jamboree, Toronto, Calgary Stampede, Klondike Days, TCU Place, performs at the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival and done some recording down in Nashville.
“All of that history years and years ago is great and wonderful but as artists we tend to concentrate what is happening in the moment. The industry is much different now than it was then.”
Munro goes on to explain:
“Technology – the way music is made and the way music is performed and it’s much more accessible more quickly. We don’t have to travel as much. I’m really excited about the work that Scott and I are doing together. I’m super proud of the songs that we’re writing. As you get older you have a different perspective and that comes through in the music.”
Although Munro can’t quite put into words her favourite thing about performing live she says, “You just feel like you’re home and that’s just where you’re supposed to be when you can’t imagine doing anything else.”
Although Munro has loved having her music career she says “sometimes it frustrates the hell out of me.” She goes on to explain “There are times you feel totally burnt out. The business end of it is exhausting.”
“If we could spend as much time on our music as we have to on the business end of it, the social media end of it, the organizing and the promoting, etc., the rehearsal and the technical end of everything it’s just mind-blowing some days and it gets very, very stressful.”
“But after the fact it’s all worth it when we get on stage and we do a show and people love what we do,” says Munro.
Munro and Patrick can be reached on www.facebook.com/munroandpatrickmusic/or Instagram.
Munro and Patrick are scheduled to perform March 19 and 20 at The Happy Nun Café in Forget. The Café was nominated as Music Venue of the Year for the SCMAs. The second performance is sold out but tickets are still available for the first.
