OS5 and Rachael Chatoor, just for Peggy!

Life is really funny sometimes. The way one thing leads to another, how unexpected twists and turns can bring you to places that lead you to people who eventually come together for one perfect moment.

I think I captured one of Peggy's perfect moments a couple weeks ago, and maybe a few other people's come to think of it. Dave certainly had a great day because he pulled off a wonderful surprise 50th Birthday party for the woman he loves.

It was a long time in the making too.

Dave contacted me early in the year through my website, he introduced himself and told me that he and his wife had followed my contest win on Jack FM the year before. He said he was planning a surprise 50th party for his wife and he thought it would be so great if I would be willing to play for the party.

I was touched by his sincerity and obvious desire to make an incredible day for his love, I wanted to help him make it a special day. The first thing I did was tell Dave to bring Peggy out to see me play live, suggesting that if she went home having enjoyed the music that evening, then he would know for sure he had the right act for his party.

So he brought his wife out to see me play and I wound up sitting at their table chatting with them, getting an idea of the kind of songs Peggy liked so I could plan the event accordingly. I so liked her warm energy, right away I noticed it, some people just have that warmth. I sat with the group for my entire break, so comfortable and fun was the conversation, and having now met Dave and Peggy and their engaging friends (all of them in on 'the secret' by the way), I was really looking forward to the gig myself.

Suddenly this was looking like it was going to be much more significant than just a night at work, it was going to be an event.

Dave contacted me the next day and confirmed he wanted me to play his wife's party and we started to plan how to make it happen. Though Peggy loved the duo she saw me play in, Dave wanted something bigger and more exciting for the party, he wanted a band. So I started thinking about the band I would use.

There was this one group whom I met indirectly through Jack FM, they are called OS5, and I first noticed them on facebook through the postings of their super promoter Shauna, who herself had found me through the Jack Contest and added me as a FB friend after I won it.

So on my facebook feed and in my mail messages was a regular stream of posts raving about her favorite band. One day I decided I had better check it out and am I ever glad I did because I really dug their stuff and became a fan quite straight away. In looking at their website, I finally understood what OS5 stood for. The Other Side of Five. They call themselves that because they all have day jobs and they practise, well, on the other side of five.

LOL, I liked that, and I wrote them an email saying so. Good for you, family guys. That was cool to me. And so began an online friendship and sharing of links and show info. One night when I was not working I came across an invite to a venue that OS5 was playing, which was not too far from me so I organized with the band to go see them play and sit in for a tune or two. I got up for my songs but wound up staying up on stage for rest of the night backing them up with vocals because we were all having some fun with the collaboration.

Shortly after that, we collaborated further as I was asked to sing background vocals on one of the songs OS5 was in studio recording for their CD. It right was around this time that Dave contacted me so the timing being what it was, I thought OS5 was the natural choice. I suggested Dave check out the bands website. Coincidentally, there was even a connection between the band and Dave and Peggy somehow. All the ingredients were looking ideal to make the day perfect.

After months of planning, a couple of rehearsals and a gig where I came to sit in with the band again, the big day arrived and it was so fantastically perfect in every way that I decided to take all the photos and footage from the event and use the song I sang on the OS5 CD to make a keepsake video of Peggy's party. It's a lovely memory of the collaboration between myself and the band. I think it turned out quite nicely and I want to share it with you.

Without further adieu, I say thanks to Dave and Peggy, and cheers to the awesome folks at the party who made it so much fun that night.

Special thanks to OS5 for asking me to be on their album, and for collaborating with me on this wonderful event. I love your music and I do want to invite everyone reading to check out the fabulous new CD here.

I'm too Young for this Stupid Cancer CD released!

Cancer took my fathers life in 2007.

I took my grief, processed it, and turned it into a song. (There is a blog post about it and a video of the rough draft here . )

The recorded version of the song found its way to Matthew Zachary, a talented and inspiring young man who fought and won a mighty battle with a brain tumor. Matthew is the founder of Stupid Cancer, I'm too Young for This ( i2y), a youth advocacy website who assists young adults, living with cancer. Stupid Cancer does endless good for young adults around the world, helping them shed their fears by giving them real tools, leads, and advice, as well as connecting them with resources and support. Stupid Cancer (i2y) has been awarded and named as a top charity website on the worldwide stage. (one of Time magazines top 50 websites in 2007)

One of the many, many things that Matthew does is he assembles musicians from around the world who are willing to donate a meaningful song to his cause, and he compiles these songs onto a single CD which is sold globally, through CD Baby. The proceeds, 100% of which, go to the support of youths with cancer. Volume 2, has just been released, and I am very proud to be a part of it.

This is an excerpt from the CD baby blurb.

I'm Too Young For This! Volume 2 features 20 original tracks composed by a brand new community of young adult recording artists who have been directly affected by cancer, either through their own personal diagnosis or that of a loved one. This album, in particular, is toned to specifically address the darker realities of cancer survival in the young adult population in that three of the musicians – Katie Reider, Jeannie Kauffmann and Michael Minton – are being recognized and memorialized posthumously.

Founded in 2007 by young adult survivors and for young adult survivors, the I'm Too Young For This! Cancer Foundation is a global leader in the fight against cancer working exclusively on behalf of survivors and their care providers under the age of 40. A TIME Magazine Best 50 Website for 2007, we have helped bring the cause of 'cancer under 40' to the national spotlight and rallied a brand new generation of activists to improve early detection, advocacy, research and support for this forgotten population.

"I wanted to create something radically different than other cancer benefit CDs," says Matthew Zachary, i[2]y Founder and young adult survivor. "Instead of simply slapping a pink ribbon on an existing compilation of songs by random pop artists, this project has deeper meaning and purpose as a practical educational tool that not only raises awareness for our mission but fulfills it simultaneously."

What a delicious and diverse album, there are artists from all around the world expressing a wide variety of music. Matthew, being an accomplished concert pianist himself, has excellent taste in music and an eye for quality, they are all recording artists in this bunch. I am honored to be included with these incredible people on this compilation. On the very first listen I thought, wow, I am part of this. Each song I heard impressed me in a new way.

Sometimes albums are criticised for having no theme, feel, or continuity in the music, and some would say that musically there is no real identity to define this CD because it is so diverse but in fact, I believe it is perfectly appropriate to have a collection such as this. I think the diversity of the music is reflective of how invasive cancer actually is in our society. It touches all of us, no matter who we are or what sort of rhythm we dance to, cancer affects us deeply as humans, and our humanity is the tie that binds.

And this is a beautiful CD.

I hope you will share this post with anyone and everyone, who might wish to support this very worthy cause! Just click the underlined words in my blog and you should be directed to the relevant websites, such as CD baby where you can purchase a CD online.

If you wish to know more, you can meet Matthew Zachary here:

You can also check out Rebecca Bollwitt's E! Online post on me if you missed it, the links there will also take you to Stupid Cancer!

To hear my song which is on "I'm too Young for This" CD you can go here:

http://rachaelchatoor.com/Showcase.html Credit to: Mick Dalla-Vee for instrumentations and arrangements, and to Millennia Sound Design for the production and recording. Thanks Mick, for taking my You Tube rough draft, and turning it into something I could send to Matthew for his project, you have been very helpful in my growth as a singer/songwriter. http://www.mickdallavee.com/

I will leave you with this.....I am constantly amazed at how music can be used to connect people, share a message, build a community, bring a smile.

This is one of the reasons I choose to play/write music, its not just because it is good for my soul, but its good for everyone, the language of it is so universal. And it's for this moment right here, right now, where you sit at my blog reading about someone who is doing something wonderful for other people.

I hope it inspires you, moves you, touches you. This isn't a song to chase fame, it was written to be told in the village square, around the campfire, at the kitchen table.

Good for you Matthew Zachary, thanks for including me in this project, I am so glad my song found a home! I had an inkling of this when I wrote the song, a sense, lots of signs along the way, but the picture was not clear until recently. Thats how it seems to work. If I was ever asked to share a story of hopeful divine intervention, I could easily tell this story.

And with that, I will say this, hey Daddy, I love you, I miss you. Thank you for showing me the way. I am learning to swim in the deep end finally, keeping my head above water and everything.

xo Rachael.

League of Rock ($1000 Membership giveaway CONTEST)

I have the opportunity to make someones day, I mean, really make someone day, and very soon!

Rachaelpachelwasmyname, (my blog) has been given a full membership to the League of Rock, to giveaway in a contest!

People, could I BE any luckier?? Could you?

I am a girl who likes to spread the 'warm and fuzzy' around, and I have been asked to administer the single, thousand dollar membership prize to one lucky musician.

This is perhaps the coolest opportunity that's ever found me.

If you haven't yet done so, please take a moment to read the post below this one and browse the videos, information, and links to the League of Rock. Prepare to be impressed with everything you see, plan to be excited and want to join. (and for those of you who are going to skip that step, here are the footnotes )






So, without further adieu, I will tell you how you can win the ($1000) membership prize, but first I will explain that I have never run a contest or given away anything like this before, so I immediately thought of sharing the prize with tech savvy internet goddess and personal hero Rebecca Bollwitt (who is also very well known as Miss 604 and is one of Vancouvers most influential bloggers). Thankfully Rebecca was excited to jump on board, so together now, we will give away the prize through both of our blogs.

There are actually two memberships to be won and two ways to win them, the rules are simple:

The first membership draw has excellent odds because the only entries will be from the people who actually register and join the league before July 17th, so basically, all joiners will have a chance at winning their registration fees back.

[It's your first and best shot at winning a prize, and if you are interested, you need to really look at the program and decide to participate. Once you register for the course, you are automatically entered (with ONLY the other registrants). There are only 40 spots for all of Vancouver so the odds are good to win, but do take note, spots are already being reserved so if you wait too long, you'll have to wait for the next session. ]

SIGN UP for the L. O. R. HERE

Now if you don't manage to grab a spot at registration time, there will still be a chance. Because the big membership giveaway is where Rebecca and I come in. We are collecting entries through each of our blogs and one lucky entry will win a membership for an entire season (value $1,000).
REBECCA's BLOG


Enter by simply leaving your name and info in the contest box at the link provided here:

CONTEST ENTRY FORM


BONUS: You can gain an extra entry if you Tweet about this contest using the hashtag #LORvan and link to either mine or Rebecca's contest blog post. Or, you can post our contest link to your own blog. Just make sure to come back here and post YOUR link in my comments box below, so I can find it and count it as another entry!


On the big League of Rock Vancouver launch party night at the Yale on July 22, Rebecca and I will bring all the collected entries with us and make the draw in person. You must be at the Yale when the draw is made to collect the prize.

Please note,

Deadline for entries is on JULY 14th!
(but you can still register all the way up until July 17th provided spaces are still availalable)


Make sure to listen for more LOR info on Rock 101!

And I want to send a special shout out to LOR corporate sponsor Long and McQuade , who have been the source of more awesome guitars and music gear over the years than I care to admit! For more LOR sponsor info go here.. SPONSORS


Good LUCK, and Rock on!

League of Rock comes to Vancouver.

Yes indeed, Erica Ehm is very inspiring (see post below for context), and so it was no surprise for me to learn that she is married to a man who also spends time inspiring people, and even cooler still, he does it for musicians.

Erica is married to rocker Terry Moshenberg who founded the hugely successful League of Rock. When I saw Erica in Vancouver last month, she told me the League of Rock was coming to Vancouver soon, and I made her promise to give me the scoop on when, because I told her I would love to talk about it on my blog.

So here it is, I have just received word, the Vancouver Launch of LOR is July 22, and will be taking place at the famed Vancouver Rockspace.

If you are a musician who has a busy family life and a day job that prevents you from hitting the road or finding people to jam with, if you put aside those old dreams just because they just were not practical...... I understand, I've been there. I put down my guitar too, when I was building my family, I did so for nearly 10 years.

I am proof you can pick it up again. And if you are not crazy and motivated like myself to make music your living, but would still love to be in a band, you are very much in luck, because here is a great reason to dust off your chops and get rocking again.

The League of Rock, is the musicians version of an adult Hockey Club, or Softball League, only you join a band, and work together to perform live and record a CD.




Take a moment to check out the videos and website.

This is what I know so far, the Toronto branch of the League is consistently sold out session after session, and there are surprisingly not a huge amount of spots available for the Vancouver sessions, so I predict it will sell out fast.

In fact Rock 101 is going to be adverstising the LOR next month on their radio station, so before the rest of the city hears about it, I suggest you go check it out and get your name down on the list!

You can thank me later. :)

Special note:

In looking for videos for my blog I discovered that the League of Rock also does amazing team-building events for large corporations. If you work for, or have a large company, please take the time to view this video, it speaks for itself.








Rock on rockers!

from Yummy Mummy to the League of Rock

In the fall of 2007 I was a part of a baby store in Vancouver and a large portion of my duties were to get the name of my store known and out there in the public.



Poking around online, I had come across Erica Ehm's Yummy Mummy Club which was putting on a nationwide video contest. Two things immediately went through my head, first I thought, Erica Ehm?, how cool! Next, I saw the possibilities. A video contest which would be broadcasting to Mother's all across Canada? So I bought a camera and made my submission, and after it was all said and done, I wrote and told Erica why I had joined, and I thanked her for letting me share the name and news about my store.

Erica wrote back to me personally and told me I should keep making videos.

Just a handful of sentences but that is all it took to leave an impression on me. It was the moment that she took to see me, that meant the world to me. So of course, I was inspired to make more videos.

This all happened by the way, in the weeks following my father's death. It was a timely time to receive a lifeline. I had really fallen into a rut of sadness. Losing my Dad was my first deeply meaningful loss, and it ran nearly parallel to the ending of my marriage and the rebounding of personal relationships. I was suddenly very numb, and felt like I had lost all of my guideposts.
With that one simple email however, I was set on a new course. And the writing of the songs that were required to make more videos, helped me to find and guide myself. It is where I was forced to stop fearing Independence, its where I got brave, it's where I continue to find my voice, and it is where I am finding my strength.

It's just a form of expression yes, but I am an expressive being, so its a good outlet. For that I will always be grateful to Erica, and I am only one of the hundreds upon thousands of women who have been inspired by her to do something for themselves.

This story detours at this point, but it also comes full circle because it goes right back to the basics for me, music................

See next post for more details!

R~

Rick Tippe and Don Adams behind the scenes All Access Pass.

The latest videos from Kelly & Rach's All Access Pass are up on You Tube and I thought I'd post them here because they are such a big part of the *fabric of my life that they should be included in my personal blog!

I blogged about Rick Tippe earlier this year, and even back then I had the feeling that this day would come. You see when he told me he was looking to start helping out other artists and songwriters by sharing his own 'on the road' and 'writing/recording' experiences, I knew I wanted to make a video about it and that there would come a day where I would be posting a video of us writing a song, and talking about his new website, I just saw it. I saw it because I know he is such an inspiring person, and that he will help a lot of people. I know there will be a grateful audience who will relate to how authentic and real he is.

Including me, and for those of you who have followed me since my lazy, painful, awkward beginnings on this blog, you will recall my promise to myself that I wanted to do some songwriting with someone who would pose no confusion for me on a personal level. So with that in mind its how I have set myself up. This is exactly how I have been making my music, its carefully crafted with people I trust, and whom are very much 'attached' to someone! I have no idea if I am a little smarter, or just less dumb, but either way its been a very peaceful and easy process so far!

I actually met Rick's wife, before I met Rick, and I love Bonnie like I love cherries (which are the best fruit in the world). In fact I sold her a couple of my hotwheels T-shirts which I designed a few years ago, they feature my drawings of vintage toy cars on them. (They were very limited in numbers, less than 30, and I am proud to say that Dave Schools from Widespread Panic also has two of my shirts!!).

So anyhow, I won't digress any further, fast rewind back to the workshop, my idea, and then to a meeting with Kelly who loved the idea, and well, we made it happen. So without further adieu....we give you..... Rick Tippe......


Watch for the part where Rick calls me a 'brat' right near the end of the clip, hehe, its a bit of a blooper roll actually, that was not intended for airplay, but Rick gave me the OK to add it. For me, it really sets the tone of how fun and easy he is to work with.

So the final news, is that Rick and I wrote a song, and I love it! He took an old song idea I had and helped me develop it, he matured it. And I am recording it to include it on the CD I am making which are of songs I am getting ready to play live at the Merrit Mountain Music Festival.

This will be my fourth trip to Merrit, but it will be my first time as Rachael, playing my original music. It's the first time I've really had original music. Last year I was on the mainstage singing background vocals for Kelly, and that was SUPER thrilling. This year I am in a tent singing alone with my guitar, in a songwriter circle, with three other songwriters, and in some ways I am even more excited.

I was given a spot on the bill through Don Adams, its quite incredible what happens sometimes when you just ask. Long time friend and sometimes hero, Don Adams, is THE go-to guy at the Merrit Mountain Music festival, as well as at the BCCMA, and he is likely to have been the man in charge at many of the large concerts you (the reader) may yourself have been to.

Kelly and I both have known Don Adams for years, and both of us simply adore him (much like most of the female population in the country music industry), and we thought he would be a wonderful subject to cover behind the scenes for our video channel because Don really is the heartbeat behind a lot of what you and I see in country music.

Yes, I know you all come to see the performers, I realize they are very compelling, and I promise I am with you on that. But the other side of it, the behind the scenes that WE get to see, are filled with amazing people like Don (and the people he works with to put it all together). They do it so that artists at all levels of the game have a platform to present their music, and we are very grateful to them all.

So if you have ever wondered who puts it all together and how? Let me tell you, it is one hell of a job, and anyone who can pull it off and still look so damn cool, is something pretty awesome in my book!

So folks, please meet Don Adams, an unsung hero in country music!

(Special note for all of you industry folks who know and respect Don Adams already, I am confident you will recognize and appreciate the little 'roast' we prepared for him, hehehehe)









*btw; The reference to "fabric of my life" it must be credited, is something I picked up from Mike Reno. While I was talking to Mike for the Loverboy All Access videos, I noticed he had described their music as being a part of the 'fabric of our lives', and I loved that, because it is so very, very true.



All the very best to you! Rach

CD cover pictures, what look should I go for?

~~~~~~~~

I am making a CD to sell at my gigs! (Yay, it's about time, slacker. )

So I've been playing around with my camera, taking self portraits to get an idea of the sort of shot or look I might want to achieve for the picture that will go onto my CD artwork.

I am not sure which direction to go.

( Warning, if you are tired of looking at my image at this point, I suggest you click the back button right now before scrolling down the page any further! If you keep going, there is a silly amount of ME on this post,.........................consider yourself warned.)

So, do I go with this thoughtful and deep sort of vibe?

Perhaps a little smile, I know a secret........





Clearly I can't pull off the sexy siren just out of bed look without looking goofy and riduculous,

so lets scrap this idea right out of the gate.







I'm kinda partial to this look myself, but someone would surely say its completely unprofessional.


Not sure why THAT should be a problem however, I mean, isn't this the age
of the all-natural, be yourself Dove girl ?

Ok, then, perhaps in order to 'fit in' I should consider this sort of image?

I just don't know for sure. Its all a puzzle, but it will surely come together over the next few weeks , and if you wish to throw your few cents into the soup, feel free to let me know (here or on my facebook) if you have a favorite shot!

Mucho Grassyass my friends. xox Rach