The latest single released by Ivan Daines is turning into a bit of a Christmas miracle for the Central Alberta cowboy singer.
His sweet seasonal tune Why I Wrote this Song for You has popped up in the Top 10 list of all Canadian independent singles that were downloaded by radio stations over the week of Dec. 11 from the digital distribution service Yangeroo.
That means Daine’s song is up there — at least in radio popularity — with Jess Moskaluke’s Thank God for Christmas, The Hunter Brothers’ version of Joy to the World, and Dashboard Confessional’s We Fight.
“I’m amazed,” said Joe Wood, of the distributor RDR Music of Toronto.
He believes it’s very rare for a lesser-known indie artist’s music to be picked up as often as tunes by Moskaluke, who’s had platinum-selling singles and won a new artist award from the Canadian Country Music Association.
Whether Why I Wrote this Song for You is played a lot by radio remains to be seen, but “it’s literally one of the Top 10 most downloaded singles of the week — and that’s from all genres of music, not just country,” added Wood. “It doesn’t happen very often.”
“If Joe’s amazed, then I’m amazed,” said Daines, who never thought that particular song would strike a chord with listeners. He wrote it many years ago for someone special but hopes its universal message will resonate with people in their own lives.
Woods feels the heartfelt tune about a guy who can’t afford to give his girl a big present, so he writes a song for her, is a popular download because of the season. It’s also one of Daines’s best written tunes, and is unique in today’s market.
Daines said he spent almost “a whole lifetime” in music, and is glad that persistence and hard work is reaping some benefits.
While he hasn’t heard the tune yet on radio, “its out there, apparently” because fans have been approaching him. “A lady came up to me the other day and said, ‘Sing that song!’ … I’ve also had some emailed congratulations and salutes.”
The song is from Daines’s Songs of My Life CD. It can be heard on YouTube. For more information about the CD, please email dainesivan03@gmail.com.
lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com
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