Two-Time Canadian Country Music Association Female Artist Of The Year
Discusses Career, Love Of American Whiskey & The Great Outdoors
Country music star Meghan Patrick joined Fred Minnick—the world’s leading bourbon authority—for the latest episode of The Fred Minnick Show podcast, available now via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart, YouTube, Google Podcast and TuneIn.
During the hour-long Zoom conversation with Meghan in Nashville and Fred in Louisville, the two talked about their shared love of bourbon, dislike for vodka, Meghan’s rising music career, her love of the outdoors and interest in ethical hunting. Meghan revealed that–although born and raised in Ontario–she actually prefers American whiskey to its Canadian counterpart.
Listen to The Fred Minnick Show podcast here: https://pod.link/1490483021 and watch video of the new episode here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgjcukSXKYc
The Canadian performer, whose recent album Wild As Me came out last year and was named Juno Canadian Country Album of the Year, is more than just a singer and songwriter – she has hunted everything from wild turkey to bear. It’s a country lifestyle that sometimes plays out through the music she makes, right down to the whiskey she drinks onstage (and on other occasions).
But sometimes she faces Internet backlash about her love of hunting and game meat. On the show, she reveals how she handles the criticism and tries to spin it in a positive way.
“I have always gotten a lot of backlash about hunting on the internet,” Meghan told Fred on the show. “I try to have a conversation with people…and I try to explain and educate people as best as I can.”
She went on to say that when she hunts, it’s never for trophies – the animals are appreciated. Much of the bear meat from her bear hunt in Manitoba, for instance, was donated to a local village – and it was in a part of Canada where black bears are overpopulated, making the hunt a part of local conservation. There still has been criticism, she said, adding, “At the end of the day, I just had to accept I cannot please everybody and that’s OK.”
In addition to a two-year reign as the Canadian Country Music Association Female Artist of the Year (2017 & 2018), Meghan Patrick has been nominated for 8 CCMA awards including Album of the Year nominations for both of her studio albums.
Meghan also recently made history by becoming the first solo female artist to take home the Fans’ Choice Award at the Country Music of Ontario Awards. With her debut album, Grace and Grit, generating four Top 20 singles and a Top 10 hit with “Still Loving You,” Meghan released her sophomore album Country Music Made Me Do It in 2018 to great fanfare. The first single from the album, also titled “Country Music Made Me Do It,” reached the Top 5, while “Wall Come Down” rocketed to the #1 spot on the country radio charts. In concert, she’s shared the stage with superstars like Lady A (formerly Lady Antebellum), Dwight Yoakam, Kip Moore and Martina McBride, as well as performing a duet with Keith Urban at the Timmins Stars & Thunder Festival.
Fred Minnick, a Wall Street Journal-bestselling author and television personality, is a renowned drinks writer who started The Fred Minnick Show in January to showcase his two passions: music and whiskey. Look for IMAJ, Lee Brice, Craig Campbell and Derek Trucks to appear on upcoming episodes of The Fred Minnick Show. Past guests include Daryl Hall, Mick Fleetwood, Chase Rice, Ashley McBryde, actor Harry Shearer, tennis legend Andy Roddick, Slipknot’s Clown, Johnny Christ of Avenged Sevenfold and Lindsay Ell, among others. It pairs musicians, athletes and actors with good drinks, and airs every Friday.
For more information on Fred Minnick and The Fred Minnick Show, and to sign up for his “Drinks” e-newsletter for future podcast updates, visit: www.fredminnick.com.