Lisa Brokop is proving to be the little country singer who could.
The big-voiced Brokop has been down several times, but she keeps bounding back.
When she visited the Sun recently, she was beaming -- she's landed a record deal with Curb records in Nashville, the label that also produces such stars as Tim McGraw, Jo Dee Messina and LeAnn Rimes.
"I'm pretty excited about it. They have lots of great people," says the Surrey, B.C., native who plays Frank Sisson's Silver Dollar Casino on Thursday.
The 29-year-old admits the best description she's heard about her career is: "If at first you don't succeed, talk to Lisa Brokop."
While still a teen, Brokop was signed to Capitol. When the bloom went off that rose, she re-teamed with Sony. Her last CD, Undeniable, was released independently.
"Things have been pretty wacky. The business takes weird twists and turns. Everyone has bad days, but I just felt like I wasn't done. I had this little voice saying I had more to say.
"And, what else would I do -- so I better stick it out."
RUMOUR MILL
Brokop, who has called Nashville home for nearly a decade, was sticking it out and writing for Curb.
About a year ago, she started to hear rumblings that she might get signed as a recording artist.
"I heard tidbits of rumours that Mike Curb was liking the songs ... and wanted to sign me.
"But I've been in the business long enough to know not to get excited, so I put it aside."
In August, the talk became a reality and she's now working on a new album that ideally she'd like to see released as soon as March -- March 3 to be exact.
"It would be 3/3/03 and I hope three (major record deals) is the charm. And the number three just seems to pop up for me a lot."
The Canadian Country Music Association's independent female artist of the year isn't scrimping on her dreams.
"I want the big thing. I want international success.
"I would really like to crack the U.S. market."
They are goals many in the Canadian country music scene would also like to see for Brokop -- she has the voice, her songwriting is strong, she has the look, she's obviously hard working and dedicated, and to boot, she's a nice person.
She also admits that her rocky career road may have been a good thing for her.
"I wouldn't change anything. I probably wasn't ready for it (stardom) ... I started when I was pretty young.
"I think often you're put in an adult world when you should just be a teen. I was 15 when I was on the road -- but I loved it and you couldn't have stopped me.
"Now, I feel like an adult for the first time. I know how rare it is to have a record deal and I know to appreciate it. If I do get big success, I will appreciate every album sold."
