For the first time in more than two months, Patricia Conroy has slept in a bed.
The singer/songwriter has been touring non-stop throughout the United States before stopping in Calgary this week to perform at Nashville North on the Stampede grounds. "It's been hectic with dates in Canada and all over the States. We average about 600 miles on the bus a night,'' says Conroy.
Curled up on a couch in her hotel room Monday, Conroy is dressed in skin-tight black stretch pants and a white blouse tied at the waist. She has been a feature at Stampede for at least eight years, performing at several venues around town. "Playing at Stampede is a real party. It's complete mayhem. People here are definitely country fans.''
Her fashionable look breaks away from the tradition of country singers clad in cowboy garb and fringes. This, says Conroy, is inevitable. "The retro-look is just a trend. Part of the fun about being on stage is being aware of the fashion change. This is the '90s after all.''
Even the style of country music has seen a change, says Conroy. "I'm not dismissing my country roots, but there's room for both soft ballads and country rock.'' It's not surprising that Conroy intertwines the two -- her idols range from Patsy Cline to the Rolling Stones. As for her own style, Conroy will say only that it leans towards contemporary country music. "I don't really have my `own style.' ''
With three albums to her credit, numerous Canadian Country Music Awards, including Album of the Year in 1993 and Female Vocalist of the Year in 1994, Conroy decided to try to break into the U.S. market. The song Keep me Rockin, from her current album You can't Resist, was released in the United States in March.
"It was really hard to break in. They say, `Well you already have a record deal in Canada. Why do you need one here?' But the songs have met with success and I'm in heaven over it.''
It also helped that she moved to Nashville three years ago.
"It's hard if you don't live in the States. You have to go banging on people's doors. That's why I moved there.'' Conroy believes that Nashville is now more willing to take a longer look at Canadian artists. "Their eyes are now turning to Canada. It's like they're saying, `Hmmm . . . I wonder what else is up there.''
Although Conroy sometimes feels like she's starting from scratch in the U.S., she's generally satisfied with her career. "I'm not sure if Shania Twain and selling millions of records is me. I'm enjoying the struggle as well as the successes. It gives me a chance to look around.''
