Troy Kokol is a songwriter, producer, solo artist and a member of the duo Scarlett Butler. Uncle Trent had a conversation with Troy about his early career success, what it’s like to perform with your spouse and the importance of national Indigenous Peoples Day as a Metis artist. You can listen to the interview here:
Troy Kokol is an award-winning Canadian singer, producer, animator, video director, and songwriter with over 250 cuts to his name in a variety of music genres, TV, and film. Troy is a recipient of the SOCAN Award for Country Music and a 2-time CCMA Songwriter of the Year nominee.
As a songwriter, Kokol has had cuts with many artists, including Australia’s Hayley Jensen, Warner Music’s Brett Kissel, Jerry Sereda, Jake Mathews, Don Amero, and Shane Yellowbird, who’s single “Pick Up Truck” (written w/ Joni Delaurier) was listed #6 all-time on Canadian country radio by Billboard. https://troykokol.com/
Scarlett Butler is a new Canadian music duo comprised of Troy Kokol and Joni Delaurier. But ask anyone in the Canadian country music industry and they would be known better individually for crafting songs you have probably heard on the radio.
After a decade writing songs for country artists (250+ songs over the last decade) with and for artists like Shane Yellowbird, Brett Kissel, Tenille Townes, The Higgins, Mike Plume and others, this talented duo stands on a solid foundation of well-crafted songs backed up by a soul-warming blend of harmonies.
As recording artists, both have released solo records with Kokol earning himself solo nods for Male Artist of the Year at the Indigenous Music Awards in 2018. However, forming a duo is an evolution from the songwriting rounds they have played over the years, where they would sing harmonies on each other’s songs and records, and the million times they were told “you guys should start a band”.
During the pandemic, having sidelined some of their solo music ventures, it seemed like the perfect time. The pair wrote “Looking for a Lockdown With You” with some radio friends as a gag, which they recorded with Aaron Goodvin, Michelle Wright, Duane Steele and CBC Heartland’s Amber Marshall, raising funds for the Unison Benevolent Fund and garnering them their first top 50 on Billboard Canada charts. It also garnered the pair “Songwriters of the Year” at the recent Country Music Alberta Awards.
Comments