Victoria Banks
Encyclopedia
Victoria Wenonah Banks is a singer/songwriter from Port Carling, Muskoka
, Ontario
, Canada
. Her self-produced debut CD When You Can Fly
was released on the On Ramp/EMI Canada
label in April 2009. The CD earned Banks a 2010 Canadian Indie Award nomination and six nominations at the 2009 Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMAs) including Album of the Year, Producer of the Year, Single of the Year ("The Wheel"), Songwriter of the Year ("The Wheel"), Female Artist of the Year and Rising Star, making Banks the most nominated female artist of 2009. The album's first single "The Wheel," reached the Top 20 on the Radio & Records
Country Singles chart earning her a 2010 Canadian Radio Music Award nomination. Music videos for "The Wheel" and "When You Can Fly" received airplay on CMT Canada.
Banks was named both Female Artist of the Year and Songwriter(s)Of The Year at the 2010 CCMA Awards.
both went to high school in Bracebridge, Ontario
where they performed in a band together. She went on to complete a degree in Zoology/Anthropology at the University of Toronto
before moving to Nashville
, Tennessee
in 1998, where she signed her first publishing deal. From 1998-2002 she was a staff songwriter for Fame Music (aka House of Fame), from 2002-2007 she was a writer for Full Circle Music (Circle C Songs), and in 2007 she signed a contract with Nashville's Sony/ATV Publishing.
As a staff songwriter in the country music market, Banks has had songs featured in movies and TV and recorded by a variety of country artists including Jessica Simpson
, Sara Evans
, Cowboy Crush
, Marty Raybon
, 3 of Hearts
, One More Girl
and Johnny Reid
. She has won International Unisong and USA Songwriting Competitions in 2006 and 2007, played acoustic guitar for Pam Tillis
, Crystal Shawanda
and Rachel Proctor
, shared the performing stage with Julie Roberts
, Jamie O'Neal
, Alabama
and Billy Currington
, and has co-written with artists such as Carolyn Dawn Johnson
, Jessica Simpson, Gretchen Wilson
, Danielle Peck
, Amy Dalley
, Julie Roberts and Gary Nichols
. She co-wrote the top Canadian country singles of 2009: Johnny Reid's "Dance With Me" and One More Girl's "When it Ain't Raining". She is best known for her Jessica Simpson hit "Come on Over
" (which was the highest debuting first single for a new country artist in the Billboard chart history and earned a 2009 ASCAP Country Music Award) and her solo-written Sara Evans hit "Saints & Angels
", which earned her a 2003 ASCAP Country Music Award and a SOCAN International Achievement Award.
In May 2010, after completing a tour in Canada, Banks penned the song City Of Dreams whilst traveling back home to the devastating and historic Nashville flood. Her song came to life in a video, when two weeks later, over 40 Nashville artists and musicians, from legendary voices to new faces, joined forces with a production/engineering team and film crew to record it as a flood relief song. This single was released as a digitally download. All participants and facilities donated their services and all proceeds from the song and music video City Of Dream-Artists for Tennessee Flood Relief will benefit the American Red Cross
.
awards.
She was also nominated for a 2009 Canadian Radio Music Award for Country Song of the Year for her breakout single The Wheel and nominated for a 2009 Indie Award for Independent Country Artist of the Year.
On September 11, 2010 in Edmonton, Alberta at the Canadian Country Music Association Gala Dinner it was announced that Banks was one the recipients of the Songwriter(s) Of The Year for the song Dance With Me
(written by Victoria Banks/Johnny Reid/Tia Sillers; recorded by Johnny Reid). The following day Sunday September 12, 2010 at Edmonton’s Rexall Place
, she was presented with the Female Artist of the Year award, broadcast on CBC Television
and CMT Canada
.
Muskoka District Municipality, Ontario
The District Municipality of Muskoka, more generally referred to as the District of Muskoka, or simply Muskoka, is a Regional Municipality located in Central Ontario, Canada. Muskoka extends from Georgian Bay in the west, to the northern tip of Lake Couchiching in the south, to the western border...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Her self-produced debut CD When You Can Fly
When You Can Fly
When You Can Fly is the second studio album by Canadian country music artist Victoria Banks and her first album with record label distribution, which earned Victoria a 2010 Canadian Indie Award nomination and six nominations at the 2009 Canadian Country Music Awards including Album of the Year,...
was released on the On Ramp/EMI Canada
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
label in April 2009. The CD earned Banks a 2010 Canadian Indie Award nomination and six nominations at the 2009 Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMAs) including Album of the Year, Producer of the Year, Single of the Year ("The Wheel"), Songwriter of the Year ("The Wheel"), Female Artist of the Year and Rising Star, making Banks the most nominated female artist of 2009. The album's first single "The Wheel," reached the Top 20 on the Radio & Records
Radio & Records
Radio & Records was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It originally started out as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006, up until its final issue in 2009.-History:The company was founded in 1973 and...
Country Singles chart earning her a 2010 Canadian Radio Music Award nomination. Music videos for "The Wheel" and "When You Can Fly" received airplay on CMT Canada.
Banks was named both Female Artist of the Year and Songwriter(s)Of The Year at the 2010 CCMA Awards.
Music career
Banks and Canadian country artist Deric RuttanDeric Ruttan
Deric J. Ruttan is a Canadian country music artist from Bracebridge, Ontario. Signed to Lyric Street Records in 2003, he made his chart debut on the U.S. and Canadian country music charts that year with the release of his single "When You Come Around"...
both went to high school in Bracebridge, Ontario
Bracebridge, Ontario
Bracebridge is a town and the seat of the Muskoka District Municipality of Ontario, Canada.The town was built around a waterfall on the Muskoka River in the centre of town, and is known for its other nearby waterfalls . It was first incorporated in 1875...
where they performed in a band together. She went on to complete a degree in Zoology/Anthropology at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
before moving to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
in 1998, where she signed her first publishing deal. From 1998-2002 she was a staff songwriter for Fame Music (aka House of Fame), from 2002-2007 she was a writer for Full Circle Music (Circle C Songs), and in 2007 she signed a contract with Nashville's Sony/ATV Publishing.
As a staff songwriter in the country music market, Banks has had songs featured in movies and TV and recorded by a variety of country artists including Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...
, Sara Evans
Sara Evans
Sara Lynn Evans is an American country singer and songwriter.Evans was one of the few traditional-styled singers to emerge from Nashville in the late 1990s, according to Allmusic. Since emerging in the late 1990s, Evans has made five No. 1 Country hits and Gold and Platinum-certified albums by...
, Cowboy Crush
Cowboy Crush
Cowboy Crush is an American country music band signed to Curb Records' Asylum/Curb division. The group is composed of Trenna Barnes , Debbie Johnson , Becky Priest , and Renaé Truex . Until 2006, Darla Perlozzi was also a member of the group...
, Marty Raybon
Marty Raybon
Marty Raybon Marty Raybon Marty Raybon (born December 8, 1959 is an Award Winning American country music artist. He is known primarily for his role as the lead singer of the band Shenandoah, a role which he held from 1985 to 1996. He recorded his first solo album, Marty Raybon, in 1995 on Sparrow...
, 3 of Hearts
3 of Hearts
3 of Hearts was an American country music trio composed of Blaire Stroud, Katie McNeill, and Deserea Wasdin, all natives of Fort Worth, Texas. Signed to RCA Records in 2001, the trio released its debut album in July of that year. Two of its singles entered the U.S...
, One More Girl
One More Girl
One More Girl is a Canadian country music duo composed of actor-singers Carly McKillip and Britt McKillip, who are sisters. The duo signed to EMI Canada in 2008 and released their debut album, Big Sky, in 2009. In 2010, they won the Rising Star award at the Canadian Country Music Association Awards...
and Johnny Reid
Johnny Reid
Johnny Reid is a country music artist who has charted several hit singles in Canada. Reid moved to Canada in July, 1988 when he was 13. His father, a diesel mechanic, wanted to give Reid and his brother opportunities he did not think they would have in Scotland...
. She has won International Unisong and USA Songwriting Competitions in 2006 and 2007, played acoustic guitar for Pam Tillis
Pam Tillis
Pamela Yvonne "Pam" Tillis is an American country music singer-songwriter and actress. She is the daughter of country music singer Mel Tillis....
, Crystal Shawanda
Crystal Shawanda
Crystal Shawanda is a Canadian country music artist. CMT documented her rise to fame in the six-part series Crystal: Living the Dream, which aired in February 2008. Signed to RCA Records in 2007, she released her debut single, "You Can Let Go," in Canada in January 2008...
and Rachel Proctor
Rachel Proctor
Rachel Christine Proctor is an American country music artist. Before signing to a record deal, she co-wrote Martina McBride's 2002 single "Where Would You Be". By 2003, Proctor had signed to BNA Records, releasing her debut single "Days Like This" that year...
, shared the performing stage with Julie Roberts
Julie Roberts
Julie Roberts is an American country music singer. Signed to Mercury Nashville in 2004, Roberts made her debut that year with the single "Break Down Here", a Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts and the first track from her self-titled debut album...
, Jamie O'Neal
Jamie O'Neal
Jamie O'Neal is a contemporary country singer and songwriter who has had success in the United States. She was born Jamie Murphy in Sydney, Australia, to parents Jimmy and Julie Murphy, who were also professional musicians...
, Alabama
Alabama (band)
Alabama is a country music and southern rock band from Fort Payne, Alabama, United States. The band was founded in 1969 by Randy Owen and his cousin Teddy Gentry , soon joined by Jeff Cook...
and Billy Currington
Billy Currington
William Matthew "Billy" Currington is an American country music artist. Signed to Mercury Nashville Records in 2003, he has released four studio albums for the label: 2003's Billy Currington, 2005's Doin' Somethin' Right, 2008's Little Bit of Everything, and 2010's Enjoy Yourself...
, and has co-written with artists such as Carolyn Dawn Johnson
Carolyn Dawn Johnson
Carolyn Dawn Johnson is a Canadian Juno Award winning country music singer-songwriter. Johnson first rose to fame by co-writing Chely Wright's 1999 Number One single, "Single White Female," which reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in September 1999...
, Jessica Simpson, Gretchen Wilson
Gretchen Wilson
Gretchen Frances Wilson is an American country music artist. She made her debut in 2004 with the Grammy Award-winning single "Redneck Woman," a number-one hit on the Billboard country charts. The song served as the lead-off single of her debut album, Here for the Party...
, Danielle Peck
Danielle Peck
Danielle Marie Peck is an American country music artist. Signed to the independent Big Machine Records label in 2005, Peck released her self-titled debut album, which produced the Top 30 country hits "I Don't", "Findin' a Good Man", and "Isn't That Everything"...
, Amy Dalley
Amy Dalley
Amy Dalley is an American country music artist. Signed to Curb Records in 2003 she left the label in 2008. Dalley has released seven singles, of which five have entered the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, despite never releasing an album. Her highest-peaking single is "Men Don't Change",...
, Julie Roberts and Gary Nichols
Gary Nichols
Gary Nichols is an American country music singer. Signed to Mercury Nashville Records in 2006, Nichols made his debut that year with the release of his single "Unbroken Ground", which reached #39 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
. She co-wrote the top Canadian country singles of 2009: Johnny Reid's "Dance With Me" and One More Girl's "When it Ain't Raining". She is best known for her Jessica Simpson hit "Come on Over
Come on Over (Jessica Simpson song)
"Come on Over" is a song by Jessica Simpson and is the first single from her first country and fifth studio album, Do You Know, which was released on September 9, 2008...
" (which was the highest debuting first single for a new country artist in the Billboard chart history and earned a 2009 ASCAP Country Music Award) and her solo-written Sara Evans hit "Saints & Angels
Saints & Angels
"Saints & Angels" is the title of a song written by Victoria Banks and recorded by American country artist Sara Evans. It was released in September 2001 as the third single from her album Born to Fly...
", which earned her a 2003 ASCAP Country Music Award and a SOCAN International Achievement Award.
In May 2010, after completing a tour in Canada, Banks penned the song City Of Dreams whilst traveling back home to the devastating and historic Nashville flood. Her song came to life in a video, when two weeks later, over 40 Nashville artists and musicians, from legendary voices to new faces, joined forces with a production/engineering team and film crew to record it as a flood relief song. This single was released as a digitally download. All participants and facilities donated their services and all proceeds from the song and music video City Of Dream-Artists for Tennessee Flood Relief will benefit the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
.
Albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| You Don't Know Me |
|
| When You Can Fly When You Can Fly When You Can Fly is the second studio album by Canadian country music artist Victoria Banks and her first album with record label distribution, which earned Victoria a 2010 Canadian Indie Award nomination and six nominations at the 2009 Canadian Country Music Awards including Album of the Year,... |
|
| Never Be the Same Never Be the Same (album) Never Be the Same is the third studio album by Canadian country music artist Victoria Banks. It was released on April 26, 2011 by On Ramp Records/EMI Canada. Banks co-wrote the first single, "Come On," with The JaneDear Girls. "Remember That" was previously recorded by Jessica Simpson on her 2008... |
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | "The Wheel" | When You Can Fly |
| "When You Can Fly" | ||
| "Kiss Me" | ||
| 2010 | "This Old Halo" | |
| "Don't Leave the Leavin'" (with Jason Blaine Jason Blaine Jason Blaine is a Canadian country music singer/songwriter from Pembroke, Ontario. The winner of Project Discovery 2002, Jason's top 10 singles include "Rock In My Boot" and "Flirtin' With Me."-Career:... ) |
||
| 2011 | "Come On" | Never Be the Same |
| "I'm Gone" | ||
| "Never Be the Same" |
Guest singles
| Year | Single | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "City of Dreams" | Artists for Tennessee Flood Relief |
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | "The Wheel" | |
| "When You Can Fly" | Warren P. Sonoda | |
| 2011 | "I'm Gone" | Troy Niemans |
Singles written by Banks
| Year | Title | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | "Arizona Rain" | 3 of Hearts 3 of Hearts 3 of Hearts was an American country music trio composed of Blaire Stroud, Katie McNeill, and Deserea Wasdin, all natives of Fort Worth, Texas. Signed to RCA Records in 2001, the trio released its debut album in July of that year. Two of its singles entered the U.S... |
| 2001 | "Saints & Angels Saints & Angels "Saints & Angels" is the title of a song written by Victoria Banks and recorded by American country artist Sara Evans. It was released in September 2001 as the third single from her album Born to Fly... " |
Sara Evans Sara Evans Sara Lynn Evans is an American country singer and songwriter.Evans was one of the few traditional-styled singers to emerge from Nashville in the late 1990s, according to Allmusic. Since emerging in the late 1990s, Evans has made five No. 1 Country hits and Gold and Platinum-certified albums by... |
| 2008 | "Come On Over Come on Over (Jessica Simpson song) "Come on Over" is a song by Jessica Simpson and is the first single from her first country and fifth studio album, Do You Know, which was released on September 9, 2008... " |
Jessica Simpson Jessica Simpson Jessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and... |
| "Remember That" | ||
| 2009 | "Tomboy" | Krista Marie Krista Marie Krista Marie is an American country music artist, signed to Broken Bow Records subsidiary Holeshot Records. She has charted twice on the Billboard country singles charts. She plans to release an album via Broken Bow in the near future; the original release was planned for 2009 but has been... |
| "It's a Girl Thing" | Jesse Lee Jesse Lee (singer) Jesse Lee is an American country music singer. Signed to Atlantic Nashville in 2007, she released her debut single "It's a Girl Thing" in 2009, which debuted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated for June 6, 2009. A second single, "Like My Mother Does," was released in 2010, which failed... |
|
| "Dance With Me" | Johnny Reid Johnny Reid Johnny Reid is a country music artist who has charted several hit singles in Canada. Reid moved to Canada in July, 1988 when he was 13. His father, a diesel mechanic, wanted to give Reid and his brother opportunities he did not think they would have in Scotland... |
|
| "When It Ain't Raining" | One More Girl One More Girl One More Girl is a Canadian country music duo composed of actor-singers Carly McKillip and Britt McKillip, who are sisters. The duo signed to EMI Canada in 2008 and released their debut album, Big Sky, in 2009. In 2010, they won the Rising Star award at the Canadian Country Music Association Awards... |
|
| 2010 | "Mine All Mine" | The Wilsons The Wilsons The Wilsons is an album by a short lived music group of the same name, consisting of Carnie Wilson and her sister Wendy Wilson, in collaboration with their superstar father Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys.-History:... |
| "Searchin' for You" | Hey Romeo Hey Romeo Hey Romeo is a Canadian country music group from Edmonton, Alberta composed of Stacie Roper , Darren Gusnowsky and Rob Shapiro . Their 2007 single "Second Hand News," a cover of the 1977 Fleetwood Mac song, reached the Top 50 on the Radio & Records Canadian country singles chart... |
|
| "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" | Doc Walker Doc Walker Doc Walker is a country music group from Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, Canada. They have won Canadian Country Music Awards and had radio hits with the songs "I Am Ready" and "The Show is Free" from the 2003 album Everyone Aboard. In 2001 they released the album Curve... |
Awards & Nominations
In 2009 Victoria was the most nominated female artist in Canadian Country music at the Canadian Country Music AssociationCanadian Country Music Association
The Canadian Country Music Association was founded in 1976 as the Academy of Country Music Entertainment to organize, promote and develop a Canadian country music industry. The association changed its name to the Canadian Country Music Association in 1987.-Awards:The CCMA held the first Canadian...
awards.
She was also nominated for a 2009 Canadian Radio Music Award for Country Song of the Year for her breakout single The Wheel and nominated for a 2009 Indie Award for Independent Country Artist of the Year.
On September 11, 2010 in Edmonton, Alberta at the Canadian Country Music Association Gala Dinner it was announced that Banks was one the recipients of the Songwriter(s) Of The Year for the song Dance With Me
Dance with Me (Johnny Reid album)
Dance with Me is the fifth studio album by the Canadian country music artist Johnny Reid. It was released on March 10, 2009, by Open Road Recordings. The first single, "A Woman Like You", reached the top 10 of the Radio & Records Canadian country singles chart...
(written by Victoria Banks/Johnny Reid/Tia Sillers; recorded by Johnny Reid). The following day Sunday September 12, 2010 at Edmonton’s Rexall Place
Rexall Place
Rexall Place is an indoor arena in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada situated on the north side of Northlands. It is currently the home to the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League, the Edmonton Rush of the National Lacrosse League and the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL...
, she was presented with the Female Artist of the Year award, broadcast on CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
and CMT Canada
CMT Canada
CMT is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel which airs country music and family-orientated general entertainment programs in the form of music videos, award shows, concerts, sitcoms and more...
.
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Canadian Country Music Association Awards | Female Artist of the Year | |
| Single of the Year for “The Wheel” | |||
| Album of the Year for "When You Can Fly" | |||
| Rising Star of the Year | |||
| Songwriter of the Year for “The Wheel” (written by Victoria Banks / Tia Sillers; recorded by Victoria Banks) |
|||
| Canadian Country Music Association Industry Awards | Record Producer(s) of the Year Victoria Banks, Producer - When You Can Fly (Victoria Banks) |
||
| Website of the Year victoriabanks.net (Victoria Banks) - Creative Juices, Webmaster |
|||
| 2010 | Canadian Country Music Association Awards | Female Artist of the Year | |
| Songwriter(s) Of The Year for the song “Dance With Me” (written by Victoria Banks/Johnny Reid/Tia Sillers; recorded by Johnny Reid) |
|||
| 2011 | Canadian Country Music Association Awards | Female Artist of the Year |