Country artist Jaida Dreyer likens her life on the road to a Hank Snow song.
Although born in Thunder Bay, the 24-year-old left the city at an early age often traveling from state-to-state in the United States. She traveled from Iowa to Florida–to-Georgia-to-California-to-Wisconsin before eventually calling Nashville, Tenn. home.
“I’m a walking Hank Snow song,” she said.
“I definitely had a Gypsy lifestyle. It taught me to grow up quickly but it also gave me a lot too. When I moved to Nashville I was 17-years-old. I didn’t realize that other 17-year-old girls didn’t have these things. That crooked road has essentially given me a living.”
Despite living on the road, Dreyer said that she doesn’t feel she missed out on much and believes to be a songwriter you have to be in the right town such as Nashville.
She returned to her hometown community to perform at the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition on Saturday. She said she’s proud to be from Thunder Bay and glad to see her family and friends.
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Dreyer started writing when she was 12-years-old. Her stories and poems later became songs and she learned how to play the guitar in order to bring them to life.
Her hard work appears to have been paying off as she released her debut album in February and is a nominee for the Canadian Country Music Association female artist of the year award.
The local country singer is going up against Terri Clark, Kira Isabella, Carolyn Dawn Johnson and Michelle Wright for the prestigious award.
Dreyer said being named a nominee blew her mind.
“It’s weird because I’m good friends with all those ladies,” she said. “I’ve looked up to them my entire life. The nomination came as a complete surprise. Carolyn Dawn has taken me under her wing sing I very first moved to Nashville. She always joked that ‘one of these years we’re going to the CCMAs and I’m going to hand that award down to you’.”
