Gayle Ackroyd

Fourth time is the charm for local musician
The Brampton Guardian
Tuesday September 2 2008
By LORI SHERMAN

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BRAMPTON - From her melodic speaking voice to the CDs stuffed in her bag, even when not performing, it isn't hard to tell Gayle Ackroyd is a musician.
In fact, almost every day of Ackroyd's life has been filled with music.
Now this local talent is preparing for her fourth album release - a mixture of original and cover adult contemporary tunes that she feels is destined to hit radio charts.
Her love of music began, of all places, on a dairy farm in north Brampton. There, in her family's red brick house, she began playing piano and writing songs.
As a teenager, she took on guitar lessons at a local music store. That's where she received a lucky break and her love of singing and songwriting really started to bloom.
"One day I was waiting for my guitar lesson when somebody wandered into the store looking to buy a guitar. I said 'well this is a nice one' and I sat down and started playing it. That's when the boss who owned the place offered me a job there."
At 16, Ackroyd became a salesperson for the Quartet Music Centre in Brampton. She grew as a musician and, that same year, formed a band called The Villagers.
"We all lived in Peel Village," chuckled Ackroyd. "We mostly did covers - Proud Mary, Joy to the World. That sort of thing."
A government grant allowed The Villagers to play local gigs at shopping centres and retirement homes.
She admittedly wasn't earning a lot of money, but from that very first gig until now, Ackroyd has supported herself through music.
"I've always been doing this professionally.”
Ackroyd's music covers a variety of genres, with influences from blues, country, gospel and rock and roll.
Between recording sessions and gigs, Ackroyd also teaches piano, guitar and singing lessons in the evening at Long & McQuade in Brampton.
Ackroyd has traveled with her music - songwriting in Nashville, The Caribbean and Europe and even seeing some of her blues songs hit the music charts in Europe and the States.
Her crooning skills have allowed her to perform with Jimmy Rankin of the Rankin Family, she had a speaking roll with some of Hollywood's elite like Rob Lowe, Lou Diamond Phillipes and was a Stand In for Nicole Kidman. She was personally invited by the late Jeff Healey to play with him and his band at Healey’s Roadhouse in Toronto.
"That was so great. He was so nice to me and gave me the most wonderful introduction. I'd been on the scene in Toronto for so many years, so he'd known of me for some time."
It hasn't always been easy, she admits. But this new album, mixed with the recent flux of concert gigs and her past successes, has Ackroyd geared up now more than ever.
"It's mostly about family, love and belief in one’s self," said Ackroyd of her new album, which has been two years in the works. "Mostly it's about things that happen to me in my life. Something hits me and I feel inspired. I have to run home and grab my guitar right away."
She has also started pitching songs to other artists. At the moment, Ackroyd is pitching to last year's Canadian Idol finalist Tara Oram; who she helped select material last year for the next round of auditions during her trying out stage.
"I ‘m just trying to stay in the game by performing, writing and recording and I'm getting a lot of positive response so when that happens you really feel like you're doing something right."
Ackroyd's next local concert will be at the John Elliot Theatre in Georgetown on October 4, where she will be performing material from all of her albums.
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at www.town.halton-hills.on.ca/theatre or by calling the box office at 905-877-3700.
Ackroyd's albums can be purchased online from iTunes or CD Baby.
For more information visit www.gayleackroyd.com

- Brampton Guardian

FRONT PAGE




JOHN LAWSON/ For The Banner
Blues and Jazz Festival
Tulips guitarist Gayle Ackroyd sends out a song to an appreciative Sunday afternoon audience in Alexandra Park. The third annual Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival brought dozens of musicians and thousands of music lovers to Orangeville last week.




- Orangeville Banner

TO Nites Toronto Entertainment Magazine


Gayle Ackroyd wowed P.K. Creek
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By Kim Dowson

A well established and respected artist on the [Image]
Local Blues scene, guitarist/vocalist Gayle Ackroyd
is an extraordinary talent that must not be overlooked by
music fans. Her recordings include a CD entitled, Anything
But Blue, and a cassette album Hard Luck Town. Copies of
both can be obtained at any one of Gayle's gigs in and
around the GTA.

Her most recent appearance was at P.K. Creek in Mississauga
Sun. Jan. 6 as special guest of hosts Robbie Lane and the
Disciples. Gayle wowed the audience with classic covers and
brilliant originals. The crowd danced graciously to her
on-stage abilities and offered overwhelming applause at the
end of her performance. Even surprise guest Jeff Healey was
taken by her incredible vocals.

For Blues fans, I strongly recommend you keep an eye out
for this lady. She is an incredible talent; both classy and
professional. Although there are no dates confirmed as yet,
she will be back as a guest at P.K. Creek and will soon be
showcasing herself at Healey's in Toronto. I also recommend
that if you are able to pick up a copy of her work that you
do so. Do not miss this lady, she'll knock your socks off
and set your feet on fire. For more info on Gayle go to :
http:www.gayleackroyd.com, www.myspace.com/gayle.ackroyd
- T.O. Nites

Blues featured at Folk Series
TINA DEPKO
Gayle Ackroyd and Blue Dog Chase Rabbit will heat up a chilly fall night with sizzling blues at Brampton Plays the Blues on Nov. 25.
The double bill is the third concert of the Friday Folk Night Series hosted by the Brampton Folk Club.
The concert will entertain blues and music enthusiasts of all ages, according to Glenn McFarlane, president of the Brampton Folk Club.
"Blues is one of the most accessible types of folk music," he said. "A lot of people love the blues and when you think about it, blues is one of the parents of rock''n' roll and that makes it a grandparent of today's rap and hip hop music."
This is the first time either act has been featured in the Friday Folk Night Series, but this doesn't mean that they are new to the scene.
Ackroyd has been in the music industry for more than three decades. She started out as a country singer in the 1980s, but changed her tune to the blues in the early 1990s.
She has toured extensively on the Toronto blues circuit as a vocalist and guitarist. A highlight of her career to date was playing a set with the Jeff Healey Band.
"To me, the blues seemed to be something I felt at home doing," she explained. "These are songs about real people with real issues."
Ackroyd is a familiar face locally, playing weekly gigs and performing at the Brampton Folk Festival. She will be taking out her electric guitar at the upcoming concert, backed by pianist Michael Stevenson and a bassist.
"For this show, I'm going to be playing old blues tunes with a funny twist to them, some BB King and some songs that I wrote," she said.
Ackroyd has also compiled some of her favourite blues recordings with a few new songs she's written on special CD that will be for sale at the concert. She said you can hear her musical influences on the album.
"My favourite for years was Bonnie Raitt, because she is an amazing guitar player, as well as a great singer," she stated. "I also love Etta James, just for being an incredible singer. All the cover tunes I've learned definitely have an influence on my writing."
- Brampton Guardian

Hi Gayle,

My wife Michelle and I made it out to your show in Georgetown on
Saturday and had a good time....great show! All your tunes are good,
but some of them are really, really good!

I hope I get a chance sometime to pick your brain about putting together
that type of intimate concert.

Cheers,
Les H.

PS: Hey, where was the Tele? I came to see a Tele...a '64 Tele!!!!! :-)
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Hi Gayle,
Congratulations Gayle on a great show! We all enjoyed ourselves! The band really was fabulous too and the songs stellar!

Laura
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Hi Gayle
Great show. I really enjoyed it. Bob

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Hi Gayle
Good job tonight
The musicality was excellent tonight.

Bobbie
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Visit us at:

http://www.haltonhillsradio.com


On Mon, October 6, 2008 9:47 pm, Dave wrote:
>
> This is Dave here,
>
> Unfortunately, a family emergency arose, so I was not able to attend the
> concert, but a good friend of mine went in my place, and she tells me it
> was quite good and that she enjoyed it immensely.
> Talk to you later,
>
> ciao,
> cd dave
>
>
> Visit us at:
>
> http://www.haltonhillsradio.com

Hi Gayle
btw- the cd sounds great! I'm really happy with my parts on it and everyone did a great job. Best of luck with it!!!
Steve Goldberger

Hi Gayle,
Wendi and I were at the show last night and we thought it was great. You are a very talented performer. Kudos also to the band. I had hoped to see more Folk Club members there but I intend to tell them that they missed a very fine production and they should consider supporting fellow musicians when they undertake large productions like your's. We bought a CD and really enjoyed it on the way home from the theatre. The production quality is very good and the levels are even throughout the entire album.
We wish you the very best on your future endeavours.

Hugh and Wendi


- Gayle Ackroyd Oct 4,2008