Hometown proud: When Avril Lavigne was the toast of Napanee, Ont.

It was Grammy night in February 2003, and it seemed everyone in Napanee, Ont., was watching.

Their very ownAvril Lavigne had burst onto pop charts the previous summer withthe angsty, country-inflected songComplicatedfollowed byanother pop single, Sk8er Boi.

Noted for a look that wasa sassy teen-girl take on punk conventions, Lavigne was up for five of the American music awards.

Back in 2003, Lavigne's fans were still waiting to find out whether she'd be taking a Grammy home.

"So far she's still got a chance in one last category," said Alison Smith, asCBC's The Nationalwas broadcasting at the same time as the Grammys. "Win or lose, Napanee residents were celebrating the success of a hometown girl."

Humble origins

At a Grammy viewing party in a Napanee school gym, reporter Heather Hiscoxcaught the enthusiasm of very young fans waving flags and carrying signs in support.

Several of them were wearing red T-shirts branded with the logo for the Canadian hardware-store chain Home Hardware. Lavigne herself had sporteda version of the shirt during an appearance on Saturday Night Livethe previous month.

"She used to sing gospel in this church," said Hiscox, as the camera showed a local house of worship before cutting to home video of a 12-year-old Lavigneperforming.

Roadside signs and store billboards congratulated Lavigne and wished her luck withthe awards.

The CBC also visited Lavigne's favourite pizza joint, where owner Bill Cosmopoulos could hardly keep up with orders for the "Avril Special" mushrooms, olives and pepperoni.

The Avril effect

The local Home Hardware had also seen a boostin its T-shirt salesdue to Lavigne.

"We sold about 3,000 here in the store ourselves," said employee Sarah Chambers. "And about 6,000 have gone nationally and internationally into other stores."

Across the street, at Giant Tiger, the entire staff was "copying Lavigne's trademark look, and wearing ties," said Hiscox.

Sure enough, two middle-aged staffers could be seen with neckties knotted loosely over a T-shirt and sweater.

Mayor David Remington said Napanee had seen a tourist bump as well.

"Last week I had a boy from Argentina come to Napanee to see Avril Lavigne's hometown," he said.

'Dull and boring'

Back at the Grammy party, a teenage girlhad to shout into the mic to be heard above the din.

"It makes us look like not such a small town," she said.

The irony, as Hiscox pointed out, was that Lavigne herself had said many times in interviews that growing up in Napanee was "dull and boring."

In the end, Lavigne was shut out of the Grammysin 2003.

But she took home fourJuno Awards when Ottawa played host to the Canadian music awards a month later. Among them: Single of the Year, Album oftheYear, and New Artist of the Year.

Not a 'typical' teen

'I've definitely grown up really fast'

22 years ago

Duration 0:20

Avril Lavigne talks about being a teenager thrust into fame in 2002.

In October 2002, Lavignetalked to CBC about her then-recent appearance at the MTV Video Awards and other topics including the growing up she'd had to do since leaving Napanee.

"Being on the road has definitely, like, aged me andmatured me and whatever, you know," she said, her studded wristbands flashing as she made an air quote.

"Being in business, you know, I don't have a typical, normal17-year-old's life, or lifestyle. So I don't feel like a little kid around everyone."