Chad Brownlee

Chad Brownlee (born July 12, 1984) is a Canadian country music artist, songwriter, actor, and former ice hockey defenceman. He has one #1 Canada Country hit with "Forever's Gotta Start Somewhere".

Chad Brownlee
Brownlee in 2015
Background information
Born	(1984-07-12) July 12, 1984 (age 41)
Origin	Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
Genres	Country country pop country rock
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, actor
Instrument	Guitar
Years active	2003–present
Labels	Universal Music Canada • MDM Recordings
Website	Official website

Sports career

Ice Hockey
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Defenceman
Shot	Right
Played for	Idaho Steelheads
NHL draft	190th overall, 2003 Vancouver Canucks
Playing career	2007–2008

Brownlee was a draft pick for the Vancouver Canucks in 2003, going in the sixth round No. 190th overall.^[1] After four years of playing for the NCAA's Minnesota State Mavericks (located in Mankato, Minn.), Brownlee made his professional debut with the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads playing a lone season with the club in the 2007–08 season before ending his playing career.^[1]

Music career

Following a series of injuries, he turned his attention to music the following year.^[1] His first single, "The Best That I Can (Superhero)", was released in November 2009. Brownlee's self-titled debut album, produced by Mitch Merrett, was released in August 2010 via MDM Recordings.^[2] He followed it up with Love Me or Leave Me in 2012. Brownlee was nominated for a Juno Award for Country Album of the Year on February 19, 2013. The awards took place on April 21 in Regina, Saskatchewan.^[3] Brownlee's third album, The Fighters, was released on June 3, 2014.^[4]

Brownlee landed his first No. 1 hit with "Forever's Gotta Start Somewhere" in April 2019.^[5] It was included on the EP Back in the Game, which was released on June 21, 2019, via Universal Music Canada.^[6] Brownlee extended that to become his fourth album on January 10, 2020.^[7] A July 2020 Nielsen Music study found Brownlee to be the eighth-highest played Canadian artist on domestic radio in the first half of 2020, ahead of Brett Kissel and JP Saxe, and behind Dallas Smith and Drake.^[8]

In 2023, Brownlee ended a prolonged hiatus and released the single "The Country Kind".^[9]

Acting career

Brownlee's first role as an actor came in 2010 film Tooth Fairy as an unnamed hockey player with no lines.^[10] He appeared in the 2021 film Range Roads as Bruce, the ex-boyfriend of the main character Frankie.^[10]

Discography

Albums

Title	Details
Chad Brownlee	Release date: August 31, 2010 Label: MDM Recordings
Love Me or Leave Me	Release date: February 14, 2012 Label: MDM Recordings/EMI
The Fighters	Release date: June 3, 2014 Label: MDM Recordings/Universal Music Canada
Back in the Game	Release date: June 21, 2019 Label: Universal Music Canada
Reason to Love	Release date: TBA Label: Chad Brownlee Music Inc.

Extended plays

Title	Details	Peak positions
		CAN [11]
Hearts on Fire	Release date: April 29, 2016 Label: MDM Recordings/Universal Music Canada	48

Singles

Year	Title	Peak chart positions		Certifications	Album
		CAN [12]	CAN Country [5]
2009	"The Best That I Can (Superhero)"	—	20		Chad Brownlee
2010	"Hope"	—	47
	"Hood of My Car"	96	14
	"Day After You"	—	9
2011	"Carried Away"	—	19
	"Love Me or Leave Me"	—	8		Love Me or Leave Me
2012	"Smoke in the Rain"	74	8
	"Listen"	85	9
2013	"Crash"	91	10
	"Where the Party At?"	100	13		The Fighters
2014	"Fallin' Over You"	66	10
	"Just Because"	98	11
	"When the Lights Go Down"	81	11
2015	"Thinking Out Loud"	—	34		—
	"Hearts on Fire"	—	8		Hearts on Fire
2016	"I Hate You for It"	—	8	MC: Gold[13]
	"Somethin' We Shouldn't Do"	—	7	MC: Gold[13]
2017	"Might As Well Be Me"	—	14
	"Out of the Blue"	—	17
2018	"Dear Drunk Me"	90	3	MC: Gold[13]	Back in the Game
2019	"Forever's Gotta Start Somewhere"	89	1	MC: Platinum[13]
	"The Way You Roll"	—	3	MC: Gold[14]
2020	"Money On You"	96	7
2023	"The Country Kind"	—	—		TBA
2025	"Reason to Love"	—	46
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Other charted songs

Year	Single	Peak chart positions	Album
		CAN Country [5]
2012	"Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)"	37	Non-album single

Music videos

Year	Video	Director
2010	"Hope"	CMT
	"Day After You"	Antonio Hrynchuk
2011	"Carried Away"
	"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
2012	"Listen"	Carolyne Stossel
2013	"Crash"
	"Where the Party At?"
2014	"Fallin' Over You"	Carolyne Stossel
	"We Don't Walk This Road Alone"
	"Just Because"
	"When the Lights Go Down"	Joey Boukadakis
2015	"Matches"	Joel Stewart
	"Hearts on Fire"	Stephano Barberis
2016	"I Hate You for It"
	"Somethin' We Shouldn't Do"
2017	"Might As Well Be Me"
	"Out of the Blue"
2018	"Dear Drunk Me"	Ben Knechtel
2019	"Forever's Gotta Start Somewhere"
	"The Way You Roll"

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Result	Ref
2010	British Columbia Country Music Association	Male Vocalist of the Year	Won	[15]
		Songwriter of the Year – "Hood of My Car" (with Mitch Merrett, Kelly Archer)	Won
	Canadian Country Music Association	Rising Star	Nominated	[16]
2011	British Columbia Country Music Association	Album of the Year – Chad Brownlee	Won	[17]
		Entertainer of the Year	Won
		Fans Choice Award	Nominated
		Male Vocalist of the Year	Won
		Single of the Year – "The Day After You"	Won
		Video of the Year – "Carried Away"	Won
	Canadian Country Music Association	Rising Star	Won	[18]
2012		Male Artist of the Year	Nominated	[19]
		Interactive Artist of the Year	Nominated
	British Columbia Country Music Association	Entertainer of the Year	Won	[20]
		Album of the Year – Love Me or Leave Me	Won
		Single of the Year – "Love Me or Leave Me"	Won
		Fans Choice Award	Won
		Male Vocalist of the Year	Won
		Songwriter of the Year – "Love Me or Leave Me" (with Mitch Merrett, Ben Glover)	Won
		Video of the Year – "Listen"	Nominated
2013	Juno Awards of 2013	Country Album of the Year – Love Me or Leave Me	Nominated	[21]
	Canadian Country Music Association	Male Artist of the Year	Nominated	[22]
2014	British Columbia Country Music Association	Album of the Year – The Fighters	Nominated	[23][24]
		Entertainer of the Year	Nominated
		Fans Choice Award	Nominated
		Male Vocalist of the Year	Nominated
		Single of the Year – "Fallin' Over You"	Nominated
		Songwriter of the Year – "Just Because" (with Mitch Merrett, Brian White & Phil Barton)	Won
		Video of the Year – "Fallin' Over You"	Nominated
		Humanitarian of the Year	Nominated
2015	British Columbia Country Music Association	Entertainer of the Year	Nominated	[25]
		Fans Choice Award	Nominated
		Male Vocalist of the Year	Nominated
		Single of the Year – "When The Lights Go Down"	Nominated
		Songwriter of the Year – "When The Lights Go Down" (with Mitch Merrett, Ben Glover)	Won
		Songwriter of the Year – "Leave Your Lights On" (with Jeff Johnson & Phil Puxley)	Nominated
		Video of the Year – "When The Lights Go Down"	Won
		Humanitarian of the Year	Nominated
2016	Canadian Country Music Association	Album of the Year – Hearts on Fire	Nominated	[26]
		CMT Video of the Year – "Hearts on Fire"	Nominated
	British Columbia Country Music Association	Album of the Year – Hearts on Fire	Won	[27]
		Male Vocalist of the Year	Won
		Entertainer of the Year	Nominated	[28]
		Fans Choice Award	Nominated
		Single of the Year – "I Hate You For It"	Nominated
		Songwriter of the Year	Nominated
2017	Juno Awards	Country Album of the Year – Hearts on Fire	Nominated	[29]
	Canadian Country Music Association	Fans' Choice Award	Nominated	[30]
		Male Artist of the Year	Nominated

Ice hockey career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2001–02	Vernon Vipers	BCHL		55	6	12	18	62		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Vernon Vipers	BCHL		58	8	16	24	63		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Minnesota State University, Mankato	WCHA		35	2	1	3	44		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Minnesota State University, Mankato	WCHA		36	1	1	2	60		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Minnesota State University, Mankato	WCHA		29	1	1	2	47		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Minnesota State University, Mankato	WCHA		34	0	4	4	50		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Idaho Steelheads	ECHL		35	1	2	3	41		—	—	—	—	—
WCHA totals				134	4	7	11	201		—	—	—	—	—