Biography
It’s not just the awesome emotionally-charged songs, but the great stories she tells between each song. You find yourself becoming part of her family, laughing and crying, while her powerful voice and unique piano style captivate you. With her band, the fun is amplified and the interaction between these friends makes for great entertainment.
It is Nicole’s fourth CD project, but Nicole and the Prospects are currently working on their first CD project as a group. It is expected to be released in June, 2008. This CD features 4 songs by long-time friend and songwriter, Bakhus Saba, and 5 of Nicole’s originals.
Her previous releases include: “First”, a special charity 4 song CD to raise funds for the child-sponsorship charity, REACH International. (www.reachint.org); “Upstairs At Jack’s”, recorded live at Jack’s Pub in Kingsville, Ontario; “Empty Fields”, special promo radio release; and “Pelee Music” DVD/CD package featuring the song “Keep The Song Alive” for the Friends of Point Pelee, Point Pelee National Park.
Once this current CD project is released, they’ll be diving right into another one, completely consisting of originals composed by Nicole.
Nicole’s songwriting stands out as powerful, evocative, and true to life. Nicole received Honorable Mention in the 2006 Billboard Song Contest for her poignant and timely song about war, called “Children of Peace (The War Song)”. And she was selected to co-write and perform the very special song for Canada’s Point Pelee National Park, as a fundraiser and promotional tool for the group, called the Friends of Point Pelee, that tends the Park. The song is called “Keep The Song Alive”, and is the basis and soundtrack to the documentary for the CD/DVD package entitled “Pelee Music”.
She’s played such a wide variety of events, ranging from your typical restaurant, pub and patio performances, to great outdoor concerts on the area’s only amphitheatre, to the Canadian Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life, to the official swearing-in ceremony of new Canadian citizens, to full weekend performances in central New York State. Nicole also has a passion for charities and plays countless fundraisers.
A real flexible performer, she can carry out most any style music and make it her own. Musical styles include, but are not limited to: pop, southern rock, blues, smooth jazz, 60's-70's folk rock, and country.
With Nicole, you get, bass-y rhythm piano with funky fills combined with her soulful voice that can be raw and powerful one minute and delicately innocent the next. Nicole’s sound is highly influenced by several of music’s most memorable female singers. It’s a powerful intoxicating mix of Linda Ronstadt, sweet Amy Grant, some casual-Carole-King, Carly Simon attitude with some well placed power-growls. Every song is delivered with such compelling emotion.
Add in the band and you get extra power, passion and fun in 3 and 4 part harmony.
The newly formed band, Nicole Barron And The Prospects, features some excellent seasoned and new performers. John Moran, on bass guitar, has been around for many years. At the age of 16 he traveled with a touring gospel group. During that time, his band opened for the famous country group, called the Oak Ridge Boys on two occasions when they were touring Southern Ontario. (This is back when they were called, “The Oaks”). Both times they invited John to play bass guitar for their performance that night.
He’s played in many bands over the years, and even played in a band with Prospect’s lead guitarist, Fred Garant. Fred has also been active in the music business for many years, playing in several very successful rock bands, touring clubs and bars. He has played steadily for the past 20 years. Both these players bring experience and tons of humor to the group. And young Corey Parish, drummer for the Prospects, seems to have talent oozing out his pores. Currently in Bible College, Corey works very hard organizing and leading tons of church youth events, including big youth rallies that encompass several cities across Southern Ontario. And drums, although his first instrument, is not his only instrument. It seems that any instrument Corey picks up, if he works hard at it, in a week he plays it like a pro. Some of the songs on the new CD feature guitar solo’s performed by Corey. Says Nicole, “It’s really too bad we can’t have Corey play both drums and guitar at the same time, I wish everyone could see his immense talent!” And then there’s Dale. Ah, Dale…Nicole’s “big brother”, inspiration and mentor. The very special, occasional 5th band-member, Dale Butler, is an extremely popular singer/musician in Nicole’s hometown of Leamington, Ontario. Dale, a performer in his own right, has been there from the beginning. He has backed Nicole up on several songs for her CD’s. He’s contributed several of his own recordings on “Upstairs at Jack’s”, played numerous concerts with Nicole, and it is Dale who is responsible for finding several of the musicians who have played in bands with Nicole over the years. Dale’s story is a long one, but the most important thing about him, is his encouraging support of Nicole and her group. Nicole and the Prospects are always thrilled to have Dale sit in on any one of their performances and recordings.
And life just keeps getting better.
To book Nicole Barron And The Prospects, please email: info@nicolebarron.com
or call (519) 324-8146.
Instrumentation
Nicole Barron - Singer/songwriter, vocals, piano – as a single performer
or
Nicole Barron and the Prospects - Nicole's band, the Prospects usually features 4 pieces: Nicole’s amazing piano; plus John Moran on a funky bass guitar; Corey Parish playing spectacular, in-the-pocket drums; and Fred Garant on his sweet lead electric guitar; and occasionally we’re graced with the unique Dale Butler’s finger-picking and romantic acoustic guitar.
Styles include, but are not limited to, southern rock, blues, pop, smooth jazz, 60's-70's folk rock, and some country.
www.nicolebarron.com
www.myspace.com/nicolebarron
Discography
CD- "First" released September, 2005, a special charity 4 song CD to raise funds for the child-sponsorship charity, REACH International. (www.reachint.org)
CD- "Upstairs at Jack's" released July, 2006
Single - "Million Dollar Man", cowritten by Bakhus Saba and Martin Wall, arranged and performed by Nicole Barron, released December 2006
CD - "Empty Fields" A special radio release, featuring the songs: "Million Dollar Man", “Eyes of Love”, and the title track “Empty Fields”, all cowritten by Bakhus Saba and Martin Wall,
arranged and performed by Nicole Barron, released May 2007
CD/DVD Package - "Pelee Music" featuring the song, "Keep the Song Alive", cowritten by Brian Sweet and Nicole Barron, special promotional song and music video for Canada's Point Pelee National Park, released September 2007
Links
| http://www.nicolebarron.com |
| Nicole's myspace page |