Boats, Beers and Backroads

Karly Kryski: The Country Music Star Bringing Happy Hour Back After Heartbreak

From growing up in a hockey family in Vancouver to performing on some of Nashville's most iconic stages, Karly Kryski is quickly becoming one of Canada's most exciting emerging country artists. In this episode of Boats, Beers & Backroads, Jamie Allison sits down with Karly to talk about her journey into country music, developing her authentic songwriting voice, and why some of the simplest stories often become the songs people connect with most. Karly shares what it was like playing Nashville's famous Whiskey Jam, the Cloverdale Rodeo, how she channels a completely different personality once she steps on stage, and why her newest single "Happy Hour After You" has become the perfect soundtrack for moving on after heartbreak. If you love country music, cottages, summer road trips, and discovering the next generation of artists, this episode belongs on your playlist. * Growing up in Vancouver in a sports-focused family * Learning piano, guitar, the sax and songwriting * Building songs from titles and stories * Stage nerves vs. stage confidence * Behind the story of Happy Hour After You * Beaches, hiking and happy hour Follow Boats, Beers & Backroads 📸 Instagram: @boatsbeersandbackroads ▶️ YouTube: Boats Beers & Backroads 🎧 Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you listen. @karlykryski Website: www.karlykryski.com

Honky Tonk Summer Jam: Building Muskoka's New Country Music Tradition with Jason MacKenzie

What happens when a local guy sees a need in his community and decides to do something about it?In this episode of Boats, Beers & Backroads, Jamie sits down with Jason MacKenzie, co-founder and organizer of the rapidly growing Honky Tonk Summer Jam, taking place this July 3-4 at the Bracebridge Fairgrounds in the heart of Muskoka.What started as a one-night charity concert supporting Andy's House (Muskoka Hospice) has quickly evolved into one of Ontario's most exciting grassroots country music events. After raising more than $21,000 in its first year, the festival returns bigger than ever with two days of music, camping, line dancing, food vendors, community spirit, and an all-Canadian lineup of country artists.Jason shares the story behind launching the festival, the challenges of building an event from the ground up, why supporting Canadian country artists matters, and his vision for creating a Muskoka tradition that brings people together while giving back.Whether you're a country music fan, festival lover, camper, cottage-goer, or simply someone who loves seeing communities rally around a great cause, this conversation is for you.In This Episode✅ Raising $21,000 for Andy's House in year one✅ Why the event focuses exclusively on Canadian country talent✅ Camping, line dancing, vendors and festival experiences✅ Building a community-first event in Muskoka✅ Future plans for Honky Tonk Summer Jam✅ Why supporting local artists mattersEvent Information📍 Bracebridge Fairgrounds📅 July 3-4, 2026🏕️ Camping Available🎸 11 Artists🤠 Line Dancing🍔 Food VendorsFollow Honky Tonk Summer Jam and grab your tickets 📱 Instagram: @honkytonksummerjam🎟️ Tickets & Event Information:https://honkytonksummerjam.caFollow Boats, Beers & Backroads📸 Instagram: @boatsbeersandbackroads▶️ YouTube: Boats Beers & Backroads🎧 Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you listen.

From Pita Pit to Pints – Building Lightcaster Brewery One Community at a Time

What do you do after helping build one of Canada's most successful restaurant franchises?If you're Nelson Lang, you build a brewery.This week on Boats, Beers & Backroads, Jamie Allison sits down with entrepreneur Nelson Lang, co-founder of Pita Pit and now Managing Partner of Lightcaster Brewery & Tap House.Nelson shares the incredible story of launching Pita Pit in Kingston in 1995 and helping grow the brand from a single location into a global franchise with more than 600 locations across 18 countries. After stepping away from that chapter, Nelson found himself drawn to a completely different industry—craft beer.Today, alongside brewmaster Jim Gorey and his partners, Nelson is helping build Lightcaster Brewery into one of Ontario's fastest-growing craft brewery brands, with locations in Bowmanville, Kingston, and Orangeville, and plans for future expansion.The conversation explores what makes the craft beer industry unique, why community matters more than ever, and how Lightcaster is creating neighbourhood gathering places built around great beer, live music, and local connection.In This Episode🍺 The story behind Pita Pit's explosive growth📈 Lessons learned from franchising and entrepreneurship🍻 Why Nelson chose craft beer after exiting Pita Pit🏭 Launching and growing Lightcaster Brewery🎵 Creating brewery spaces focused on community and live music🍺 How craft breweries collaborate instead of compete🚤 Cottage life on Stoney Lake🍺 Nelson's favourite Lightcaster beers🎙️ Why local gathering places matter more than everWhether you're an entrepreneur, beer lover, cottage owner, or someone who enjoys hearing how great Canadian businesses are built, this episode delivers plenty of insight and inspiration.Follow Boats, Beers & Backroads📸 Instagram: @boatsbeersandbackroadsFollow Lightcaster Brewery📸 Instagram: @lightcasterbreweryhttps://linktr.ee/BoatsBeersandBackroads

Lucas Mason: From Viral Zach Bryan Moment to Country Music's Next Big Voice

What happens after a viral moment changes your life? This week on Boats, Beers & Backroads, Jamie sits down with one of Canada's most promising emerging country artists, Lucas Mason. Many first discovered Lucas when he joined country superstar Zach Bryan on stage in a moment that generated more than 15 million views online. But as Lucas explains, the viral moment was only the beginning. In this candid conversation, Lucas shares how growing up in a musical family shaped his passion for songwriting, why he chose authenticity over chasing quick success, and the journey of creating his debut album while balancing school, performances, and life as a young artist. They also discuss his powerful single "Tethered," the emotional challenges of pursuing a dream, the importance of authentic music in an AI-driven world, and his upcoming release "Stay," inspired by a relaxing cottage getaway in Norfolk County, Ontario. If you love country music, campfires, backroads, and great stories, this is an episode you won't want to miss. In This Episode: 🎵 Growing up in a musical family 🎹 Learning piano at age six and discovering guitar 🎤 The Zach Bryan moment that changed everything 🎸 Building a career based on original music 🏟️ Playing a sold-out Scotiabank Arena 📝 Writing "Tethered" and the realities of chasing a dream 🏡 The cottage-country inspiration behind his new song "Stay" 🎶 Why authenticity matters more than ever in music 🤠 Influences including Zach Bryan, Tyler Childers, and Ocie Elliott 🔥 Recording a debut album 🚤 Rapid-fire questions, country music, campfires, and backroads Follow Lucas Mason 📸 Instagram: @lucasmasonmusic 🎵 Spotify: Lucas Mason 🎥 TikTok: @lucasmasonmusic 💬 Join "The Campfire" fan community on Instagram Follow Boats, Beers & Backroads 📸 Instagram: @boatsbeersandbackroads 🎥 YouTube: @boatsbeersandbackroads 🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.

How Cooper Gallant Turned a Fishing Obsession into a Dream Career

What does it take for a kid growing up fishing Ontario waters to compete against the best anglers in the world? On this episode of Boats, Beers & Backroads, Jamie Allison sits down with Bassmaster Elite Series pro Cooper Gallant, one of Canada’s fastest-rising professional anglers. Growing up in Bowmanville, Ontario, surrounded by an outdoors family and the incredible fisheries of Lake Ontario, Rice Lake, and the Bay of Quinte, Cooper developed a passion for fishing that quickly evolved from weekend outings to tournament competition. Today, Cooper competes on the Bassmaster Elite Series—the highest level of professional bass fishing in the world. Along the way, he’s learned that success requires much more than catching fish. Modern professional anglers must be businesspeople, content creators, marketers, and entertainers, all while competing against the best anglers on the planet.In this episode, Cooper shares his journey from local Ontario tournaments to the Elite Series, discusses the role of technology like LiveScope, offers practical fishing advice for weekend anglers, and provides an honest look at the challenges of life on the road chasing a dream. * In This Episode Growing up in an outdoors family * How local tournaments shaped his career * What life is really like on the Bassmaster Elite Series * The growing celebrity status of professional bass anglers * Best bass fishing tips for weekend anglers * Country music, campfires, and life beyond tournament fishing Whether you’re a tournament angler, a weekend cottage fisherman, or simply someone who loves the outdoors, this episode offers an inside look at one of the sport's brightest stars. ⸻ Follow Boats, Beers & Backroads 📸 Instagram: @boatsbeersandbackroads https://linktr.ee/BoatsBeersandBackroads ⸻Follow Cooper Gallant 📸 Instagram: @coopergallantfishing