Changed To: Jason McCoy

Birth Date: August 27, 1970

Hometown: Minesing, Ontario

Family: Married to longtime love, Terrine Barnes, May 1, 1999

Influences: Merle Haggard, George Jones, Webb Pierce, Dwight Yoakam, Garth Brooks

First Three #1 Hits: "This Used To Be Our Town", "Learning A lot About Love" and "Candle"

Hobbies/ Interests: Flying, motorcycling

Favourite Garnish: Ketchup on everything.

Favourite Cookie: Shortbread

On "Elvis" to the Edmonton Sun: "I've always thought that Elvis went out saying, 'I can't go out anywhere in public - I'm a prisoner of my fame.' Well the reason he couldn't go out anywhere in public is because he took six bodyguards and wore a cape."

First Performance: "If Drinkin' Don't Kill Me, Your Memory Will" at the Minesing Hall for a talent show.

First Song Written: "Greatest Times of All" - age 12

Started Playing Guitar: Age seven

Turning Point: Won a talent contest in Toronto in 1988, went to Nashville to record an indie album with Ray Griff

On "Creative Growth" to the Ottawa Sun: "I think you have to set your own benchmarks to achieve and in realizing those achievements, probably the greatest demon is yourself. As an artist you just want to make sure that each CD outweighs the previous one because there's that old adage - you're only as good as your last record - and that's about the way it is. The trick is to be very careful not to put too much pressure on yourself or else you'll stunt the creative side."

First Album for MCA: Country...Closer To The Edge, 1994

Near the end of yet another era stood a man with a guitar. Country music you see, was choking on itself once again as it always had over and over through time. This go-round, bubblegum pop was doing it, 10-year-old kids singing old Hank Williams songs and sex and bare midriffs are everywhere. Tradition was alluded to, but hardly understood. It was a thing tacked on at best. Well, the man with the guitar is JASON McCOY a Canadian from Minesing, Ontario no less. And while he doesn't claim to be country music's salvation, there is a definite sense of something old and real in the way he plays on his new album HONKY TONK SONATAS.
-- Jason McCoy --

Three years have passed since Universal released PLAYIN' FOR KEEPS. This gold record was Jason McCoy's sophmore CD. Three years have made a difference. McCoy is more of a straight singer now. He's cleaned things up some, written and chosen songs with more meat on them. "You get older," says the CCMA Songwriter of the Year award winner (for No. 1 song/video "Born Again In Dixieland"), tuning 30 in late 2000. "I'm a late bloomer. I was chasing radio before, now I'm chasing me, finding out what I do best. It's the most country album I've ever done. Past records were a little more pop influenced. This album I finally got to put together all traditional tunes. There's a Roger Miller feel on "Kind Of Like It's Love", gives it that cheesy sound by some standards, but listen to it. It's a great song. And I never cut a shuffle before."