One of Lacombe’s most powerful voices, Randi Boulton, recently was awarded for a year of hard work at the 2019 Red Deer Entertainment Awards.

Boulton took home the Singer/Songwriter of the Year Award, beating out some amazing local musicians that included Melody Stang, Ryan Langlois, Devin Cooper, Thomas Hutlet, Nathan Danser and Ryan Carnduff.

“To be acknowledged by your peers for doing something that you love is so rewarding. You are doing it because you love it, but to get that positive feedback is a great boost,” she said.

Boulton said the loaded field is indicative of a growing music scene in Central Alberta.

“There was so much talent and there is a lot of people not nominated that are very talented. Their years are coming and we will have to go even bigger. Maybe one year we will be able to host it at the Centrium — I think that would be really cool,” she said.

Playing the main stage of the Centrium during Westerner Days was one of the highlights of 2018 for Boulton, which also included releasing her new music video Anywhere With You from her album Randi With An I and travelling to Nashville to write music with Buddy Owens — who has written songs with Gord Bamford and Blake Shelton.

Boulton credits much of her recent success to a growing support group from Central Alberta.

“When you have support from the community, it allows you to have the freedom to write,” she said.

“It is a difficult career because sometimes you think, am I going to eat this month? You are putting all of your money into recording so anytime you birth a song — it is a bit of a burden. For anyone who has an artistic craft, it is expensive.

“You have to up your game to do what you do and that all costs money. Support to keep you going helps you stay on track and you are able to keep your excitement about it.”

The Awards event this year grew to the point that it needed to be hosted at the larger Bo’s Bar and Grill.

”They really upped their game,” Boulton said. “That is the great thing about Bo’s Bar and Grill. It is a great venue for live music and a production like that.

“It is a great gathering of community. We have all our musicians; we have all of the sound people — they all come together. Us musicians cannot do this without them.”

After taking home the Award for the second time, Boulton is looking to expand her career even more in 2019 — saying that Nashville is calling her name

“I’ll be working on new music, recording and hopefully doing more writing with Buddy Owens. I want to also hook up with Byron Hill, who just got inducted into the Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame. I can’t wait to work with them.

“David Huff and I have been in talks and I also have been talking to people with Sony Music Nashville.”

Boulton will be performing at the Lacombe Memorial Centre on March 21st.

“All I’m doing is continuing to work hard and hopefully this year will be the year,” she added.

todd.vaughan@lacombeexpress.com
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