Some songs are worth waiting for. Canadian country music artist Alex Runions has years of experience writing his own songs, but his latest single “Take It out on Me” (written by Nashville songwriters John Ozier, John King, and Brad Tursi) came to him from a different direction. At the time, he wanted a song that was faster, cool, and upbeat but hadn’t really considered recording someone else’s song until Ozier, president of Ole’ at the time, pitched it to him.
“Personally, I look for pretty melodies,” he said, “even if it’s a fast song. That’s what drew me to the song almost instantly at the time.” As he got ready to take it to the studio, two of the writers signed off on the song, but one publishing company held off.
“Right before we were going to record it, we had to pull the plug. I was pretty disappointed,” he said, “but four years later, I was ready to release another single, so I decided to check on that song one more time, and sure enough, they all signed off on it and here we are,” said Runions.
For Runions, part of the appeal of the song, which deals with “power and passion dynamics in a relationship” is that it comes from the perspective of a woman in the power position, which Runions points out is often the exception in country music.
“This guy’s in trouble,” he says. “As the song progresses, she’s in control and he’s doing the explaining. I think it’s relatable. People do have these fiery relationships, and it works for him.”
Runions opted for a virtual launch of the single, his first livestreaming since the Covid outbreak. He had worried about oversaturation on social media, but his PR team suggested setting up the launch from his living room. The livestream was well-attended and continues to draw viewers. Alex said it was such a great experience, and with people chatting throughout the show, he thought, “Yeah, this is why I do this. I thought I was going to miss out [on the interactive experience] but I didn’t.”
The song was produced by CCMA award-winning producer Bart McKay, with a sleek, full-band sound. They originally planned to release a “full-on video,” says Runions, set to release around April; however, the videographer was in Ecuador when the Covid shutdown began and decided to stay there. Runions and his team decided instead to do a “live, off-the-floor, unplugged” version on video.
“We came out with something nice and raw that shows the song is more than big production. We can strip it down, and it still sounds good,” says Runions.
The Kipling, Saskatchewan, native came to Nashville for the Americana Festival several years ago, when he was selected to perform for some industry professionals and PR representatives in Music City. “It was my first experience, and I absolutely love Nashville. It’s truly my favorite place to visit.” While still based in Saskatchewn, Runions tries to come to Nashville at least once every year. His most recent visit with his fiancé singer-songwriter Erin Hill was a writing trip. They worked on several co-writes while in town, some expected on Hill’s next album.
As a singer-songwriter, said Runions, it’s fun to be in Nashville “with people who are living the same life, who have the same aspirations—and it’s just such a vibrant city. I always leave thinking I can’t wait to come back here.”
Runions’ interest in music started young. In grade school he made up songs and thought other kids must do the same. He would turned up the stereo in the basement of their home and pretend to hold concerts. Then in high school, he joined a pop rock band.
“I always loved country music, but when I was a teenager, country wasn’t cool. For those few years, I started writing music with the guys. That was my first experience of writing a real song and having a structure to it, but the band kicked me out in high school because I didn’t have a rock enough voice,” Runions says.
He was devastated at the time and stepped away from music for two or three years before realizing he could be a solo artist. He starting putting a band together that evolved over the years until they found their direction and established the members. “I can’t believe anybody booked us at first, let alone brought us back and paid us money,” he says.
Around that time CCMA-award-winning singer Brad Johner was touring and playing small venues and theatres around Saskatchewan. In each town he played, he asked the committee if they know of someone local who would like to open for him.
“He was more or less giving kids an opportunity,” Alex says. “I was probably 18 at the time, when this small town close to where I grew up needed an opening act and asked me to come out. I did it, and after the show, Brad said he loved my voice and gave me an open invitation to open up for him for the rest of the shows.”
He met Johner’s keyboard player Bart McKay, also a CCMA-award-winning producer, and brought him eight or ten songs he had written.
“I asked him, ‘Is there anything good here?’ and he liked three of them,” says Runions, “so we went into the studio and started recording a 3-song EP there in 2005 and then a full-length self-titled album in 2009.”
Around this time, the band was playing more, he says, and getting better, finding players that fit the mold. “We developed something and really clicked with this group. I’ve been playing with a couple of the guys for 15 years and a couple more for five to seven years. We developed something special that resonates with people. We started getting booked on bigger shows. As time went on, we did some opening acts.”
In 2015, after the band won a competition, they recorded an album called South of the City in 2015 in MCC Studio in Calgary, which gave them a financial award that came in handy for the group. “That’s one of those little things that definitely didn’t come from just sitting around hoping things would happen,” he says.
While Runions is influenced by 90s country, he says he is most drawn to love ballads and considers Vince Gill one of his favorite influences, not only his music but his demeanor.
“I love his ballads and I love his voice,” says Alex, who admits he used to be a little embarrassed that he didn’t have a “big baritone voice. . . but I started listening to guys like Vince Gill and Colin Ray who can hit those big high notes, and I tried to emulate them. I practiced their songs, and it strengthened my voice. That’s how I practiced.”
He has continued to develop his songwriting, noting, “The songwriting process is kind of strange. It starts from anything. It could be something on the guitar, it could just be a line in my head, or it could be just a nice little melody I get a feeling from and try to write around.
For now, Alex Runions isn’t thinking about his next single release, preferring to enjoy the reception of “Take It out on Me.”
“Right now, I’m just seeing how this song plays. I’ve had enough singles out now that aren’t on albums that I’ll probably end up putting together maybe a 7-song EP. Eventually I plan on doing more of a stripped-down singer songwriter album of mostly ballads.
He says he has found his niche in singer-songwriter venues in Canada and in the U.S., like The Listening Room and the Bluebird Café. Those are more appealing, too, he says, now that he prefers getting home before 2 a.m.
Like everyone in the music business, Alex is strategizing for live music’s return. He looks forward to the return of festivals, always a great experience with big, attentive audiences. He also has some plans he’s still keeping close to the vest, but thinks things are going to look a little bit different post-Covid, more focused on venues where crowds can be controlled, such as theater venues or casinos with listening crowds. As soon as travel opens back up, he looks forward to heading back to Nashville, and he knows from experience that some things are worth waiting for.
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