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FYI

Country Pioneer R. Harlan Smith Writes His Memoir

Hardly a week goes by without a new biography or tell-all book coming out of Nashville. In Canada, we are lucky if we see one per decade by a Canadian country music personality, and that's what helps make this R. Harlan Smith grand story such a welcome addition to our bookshelf.

Country Pioneer R. Harlan Smith Writes His Memoir

By Larry Delaney

Hardly a week goes by without a new biography or tell-all book coming out of Nashville.


In Canada, we are lucky if we see one per decade by a Canadian country music personality, and that's what helps make this R. Harlan Smith story such a welcome addition to our bookshelves. Hitch Your Wagon To A Star is the kind of read that once you flip open the cover, you are hooked, and the book stays in your hands until you reach the final page.

Smith has pretty much done-it-all, seen it all, and heard it all...and now he tells it all, with a genuinely mesmerizing account of his life from boyhood years on the family's Saskatchewan farm, to the hierarchy in Canadian country music scene with many interesting stops in between.

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We also learn that Smith was much more than a country singer, songwriter and producer. His behind-the-scenes acumen as a businessman has been extraordinary, not the least of which was the creation of the Edmonton-based Royalty Records empire that includes a record label that has been home to almost every country artist from Western Canada...and beyond.

During his many years of involvement in the Canadian music business, R. Harlan was never viewed as a back-bencher...he was a leader, offering his progressive ideas, and just as quick to chastise the industry when it needed the voice of an ombudsman. The book goes into detail on such matters, some of which get revealed publicly for the first time.

Hitch Your Wagon To A Star (a term applied to R. Harlan Smith by his father) is more than a book about Smith's exploits in music. The pioneering country music maverick also relates touching stories about his childhood years (even confessing to being a diehard Toronto Maple Leafs fan); his ups-and-downs in finding employment, rubbing elbows with Canadian politicians and celebrities, and thoughts about environmental, political, and cultural issues at home and abroad.

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For music fans (and for historical purposes), the book takes on an even greater import with the inclusion of a myriad of photos, and listings of Smith's career accomplishments. His music industry credentials as an executive and the numerous awards he has earned are quite stunning, and equally impressive is the list of his recordings: more than 60 single releases, 14 winning national chart numbers, and 15 albums. R. Harlan's production credits are numerous, too–including Joyce Smith, Chris Nielsen, Gary Fjellgaard, and Laura Vinson. It doesn't stop there. As a songwriter, he has penned hits for himself and many others, including Jimmy Arthur Ordge, Glory-Anne Carriere, Chris Nielsen, and Greg Paul.

Books authored by Canadian country music personalities are few and far between. R. Harlan Smith helps fill the void with his memoir, Hitch Your Wagon To A Star.     

 

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EMPIRE's Tina Davis (left) and Girl Connected's Lola Plaku at Conversations with the Pros at Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto on March 28, 2025.
Courtesy of Girl Connected

EMPIRE's Tina Davis (left) and Girl Connected's Lola Plaku at Conversations with the Pros at Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto on March 28, 2025.

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EMPIRE President Tina Davis Gives Strategic Advice to Women in Music at Girl Connected's New Speaker Series

On Friday (March 28), the president of EMPIRE, the Bay Area-independent label and music company, came to Toronto for Conversation with the Pros offering tangible advice to the mentorship program's community. Davis also spoke to Billboard Canada about her impressive journey in the industry.

Girl Connected has launched a new series that connects the next generation of women in Canadian music with powerhouse executives for the global industry.

On Friday (March 28), Tina Davis, president of EMPIRE, sat down with Girl Connected founder and music industry veteran Lola Plaku at Toronto Metropolitan University for the first in-person Canadian edition of Conversations with the Pros (Billboard Canada was a supporting partner). The series brings in inspiring music industry figures from Girl Connected's international network to talk about their journeys and offer actionable information and advice to help the budding music professionals develop their skills and reach the next level of their careers.

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