Sask.-based producer wins CCMA studio of the year award

Behind all great musicians are people working to make the performers sound their best. One Saskatoon-based producer has been recognized at the Canadian Country Music Association Awards for just that: he's taken home the recording studio of the year prize.

Bart McKaywon the award on Friday night, as the first CCMAAwards were handed out in Saskatoon. More awards will be presented Saturday at at CCMA gala dinner before the televised awards show on Sunday night.

McKay, who is also nominated for keyboard player of the year at theCCMA Awards, has worked with everyone from Gord Bamford to Brett Kissel.

He grew up in Manitoba just outside of Winnipeg, but he got his start in the music production scene after playing a show in Estevan, Sask. That's where he was introduced to Saskatchewan band the Johner Brothers and he soon became part of the band.

"My first week with [the Johner Brothers] in the studio just outside of Saskatoon, I would watch the engineer and I would watch the producer to see what they do," said McKay.

After studiously observing, McKay took the leap and got his own recording system. He has since developed relationships with many country musicians, with the artists often coming back to work on more projects with McKay.

"I always appreciate when people come back, because they have many choices these days," he said.

McKay said that as country music has changed and lines between genres blur, the job of the producer becomes more integral.

"I think the load on the producer is to stay relevant, so that when you deliver the song to radio it'll get played," said McKay. "I'm finding I'm doing a lot more programming now."

He said that today's country music has a lot more synthesizers and layers than traditional country music.

"The production is much more diverse. We have such a diverse genre to be in. I think it draws in a lot more listeners that way and it's going to make our music stronger."