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Blending new beats, along the lines of the country-pop sounds of Keith Urban and the Dixie Chicks, with the twangy sounds of early 1970's country music. Unfortunately, their once promising career appears to have stalled with the entry of singer Charlie Angus into the political arena - having been elected to Parliament in 2004. It is hoped that once Mr. Angus has served his term that he will return to making music once again, however, at this time that prospect remains uncertain. One also cannot forget the irrepressible k.d. lang, though to refer to her as a purely country act would be selling her short. Lang's amazing vocal talents have been employed on everything from contemporary country to torch songs to pop standards and back again. Her versatility and vocal range are legendary and not listing of Canadian musicians would be complete without her.

Alas, this article is too short to be truly view inclusive, but I could not get by without listing two of my all-time favorites. Sue Foley and Diana Krall are two of the most impressive musical talents Canada has to offer, and as a citizen of the U.S., I must thank Canada for these two wonderful chanteuses. Foley, a blues guitarist/singer/songwriter from Ottawa, honed her chops primarily in Austin, Texas, but oddly enough, is rarely recognized in the U.S. except amongst blues enthusiasts. A true virtuoso on guitar with an unusual but delightfully reedy quality to her voice, she has managed to impress some of the biggest names in the business including, B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Koko Taylor.