Meghan Patrick admitted it was a different feeling heading into last night’s Juno awards with two nominations, for Country Album of the Year and Breakthrough Artist, compared to the moment two years ago just before she won four Country Music Association of Ontario awards and before being named Female Artist at last year’s Canadian Country Music Awards. “It’s kinda amp’ed up,” she said on last night’s red carpet. “I’m actually a lo…t more nervous….This just seems so big, you know, and so out of reach to me.”

Just four short years ago, it did seem out of reach for struggling singer/songwriter from Bowmanville, Ont. Back then in Hamilton, she remembered, “I didn’t have a record deal or anything.” Her drive and passion pushed to her go to the Junos as a spectator. “I had this old ‘98 GMC pickup truck. It was diesel and it had straight pipes, so it was really loud.” It had another feature: black smoke rolling out. Meghan recalled, “And I remember pulling up, to this like super fancy hotel and there was no parking, so I had the valet.” With everyone noticing, Meghan played it cool. “I gave my keys to the valet and he kind of looked at me like, ‘Are you sure you’re in the right spot here, redneck. I think you need to go to the motel way down the street.’”

“I didn’t know anybody. I had really nothing going on.” Reflecting on the short time from then to now, Patrick, understandably, was becoming emotional. “I just had a lot of dreams and a lot of hopes and now I’m in this beautiful dress on the red carpet. I’m gonna start crying now. Dammit, Randy!” I apologized.

Attitude, in the right measure and at the right time, got her through that remarkable display in 2015 of her guts, courage and inner faith in herself.

And Meghan had the right attitude, in the right measure and at the right time last night just before the show. “So, I’m just trying to soak it in,” she said on the carpet. “It’s always about managing your expectations, too. You want to wish and hope for the best but also understand if it doesn’t happen, it’s OK….It’s not the be-all, end-all judgment of your work that you’ve done.”

She didn’t win a Juno last night. Seeing her in her beautiful dress as she stood on the red carpet sharing that story, a thought came to me. If the Junos ever have a country music category for “grace and grit,” Meghan Patrick wins.

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Randy Makes Meghan Patrick Cry on the Juno Red Carpet

Originally Aired: March 18, 2019