Kendra Gale Band

Kendra Gale made the most of a second chance at this year’s Galaxie Rising Star competition. The event took place at Fredericton’s annual Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival yesterday afternoon.

Her two-piece band from St. Andrews, NB received a $2500 cheque and an opportunity to open for the Francophone pop band Radio Radio on Friday night at the Galaxie Barracks tent.

Gale, the band’s front woman, said the win surprised her. Last year, she left the competition empty-handed.

“I never really expected this, but last year was really fun too. But I was just really happy they chose me a second time, that made me feel like someone saw something in me. In terms of winning I don’t really have any words for it, I’m blown away,” said Gale.

“The artists are so different I don’t know how the judges judge different styles and stage presence. Everybody today was awesome so I don’t how they decided [a winner], it’s crazy,” she added.

Winning a competition like this is a stepping stone for up and coming New Brunswick musicians. Gale hopes that her win will help her as she looks to release her fifth album next year.


Gale performing yesterday afternoon. (Photo Credit: Alex Solak) The winner is decided by both online and text votes, as well as five judges.

The winner of the yearly competition is decided by online and text voting, as well as a ruling made by five judges.

This year’s competition also included Florenceville, NB rock trio Andrew Hunter and the Gatherers, Saint John/St. Andrews collective Mike Trask and the Precious Memories. 19-year-old Miramichi singer-songwriter Jimmy Lingley took home $500 for receiving the most online votes.

The competition is regarded as an avenue for further exposure for several New Brunswick musicians. It helped foster the careers of past winners such as Andy Brown and Ross Neilsen.
- The New Brunswickan Beacon

The KGB, Kendra is a singer/songwriter with a unique voice signature and vocal style, a
multi-instrumentalist, playing drums, guitar, singing and write and compose their own music and lyrics.



http://www.reverbnation.com/kendragale
MySpace
Last.fm
Reverbnation
Facebook
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- Canada Indie Week.com

Gale Band Grabs Galaxie Rising Star Award At Harvest

Sat, Sep 14, 2013.



The Kendra Gale Band from St. Andrews, NB, is the latest winner of the Galaxie Rising Star contest at the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival. The group took the crown Friday afternoon in a battle of the bands show held at the Barracks Stage before a strong crowd for the matinee event. The group grabbed a great payday, a cheque for $2500, but even more important, the bragging rights and the recognition that goes with the award.


There's certainly a fair amount of prestige that goes with winning the contest. Since it's very first year in 2001, the Harvest contest has attracted an exceptional amount of talent. The initial winner was the group Flattop, featuring a young Matt Andersen. Other winners over the years have included Andy Brown, Ross Neilsen and Keith Hallett. And each year, organizers are overwhelmed with applicants for the contest.

This year four finalists were selected: Gale, Andrew Hunter and the Gatherers from Florenceville, Jimmy Lingley from Miramichi, and Mike Trask and the Precious Memories, featuring members from St. Andrews and Saint John. Each group gave a twenty minute performance before the judges and audience. Earlier on-line votes had already been placed, audience members were then asked to text their votes, and the panel of six judges added their say, which counted or 50 per cent of the vote.

Lingley took home the $500 prize for on-line voting. The Gale group also was given a mainstage showcase later in the day, opening the show in the same venue a few hours later that featured headliners Radio Radio. Also, the group will have its music played on one of the Galaxie TV channels and be featured on galaxie.ca.

Speaking after the contest, Kendra Gale confirmed the cash prize would go towards moving the band forward. In the next few weeks she and drummer Warren Beatteay (I kid you not) will go into the studio with a batch of songs already written. The producer will be Moncton's ECMA winner Chris Colepaugh, and the sessions will start when Colepaugh gets off the road from his duties as Roch Voisine's guitar player
- East Coast Music with Bob Mersereau

by Tess Allen | Arts | September 18, 2013

Despite grey skies and an ample dose of liquid sunshine, the stars of this year’s Galaxie Rising Star competition lit up the Galaxie Barracks Tent on Friday afternoon – with one shining just a little bit brighter than the rest.

Four talented musicians vied for this year’s top prize – $2500 in cash and the honour of opening Friday night for Acadian hip hop trio Radio Radio. The winner also had the opportunity to have their music played on one of the Galaxie TV channels and be featured on Galaxie.ca.

A $500 prize was also granted to the musician who garnered the most votes online.

This year’s finalists – Andrew Hunter & The Gatherers, Jimmy Lingley, Mike Trask & The Precious Memories and The Kendra Gale Band – were judged on talent, originality and stage presence by a panel of music industry experts. An online voting campaign took place before the event, and votes were also taken from members of the audience that afternoon.

Up first to make their case for the top title were Florenceville, N.B. natives Andrew Hunter & The Gatherers, a power trio with several mega claims to fame.

Their 2009 debut single “The Feel Good Song” made it onto the national top 40 and their track “Remember” was featured in ABC’s TV series Rookie Blue. They have also toured Canada and shared stages with such musical masterminds as The Trews, Joel Plaskett and Matt Mays. In 2011, they released the critically acclaimed Warhorses.

Comprised of guitarist and lead vocalist Andrew Hunter, drummer Brian Page and bassist Sam Nijjar, the trio presented a super-charged set that included such toe-tapping hits as “The Good Old Days” and “Run For Cover.”

Up next was The Kendra Gale Band who, from start to finish, had audience members captivated by enormous talent and magnetic stage presence.

Hailing from St. Andrews, N.B., Kendra Gale is a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with three albums under her belt. Complemented by energetic drummer Warren Beatteay, the duo enchanted spectators with everything from audience sing-alongs about the joys of stalking to ditties about zombie attacks.

Taking the stage after The Kendra Gale Band was soloist Jimmy Lingley of Miramichi, N.B., a talented singer, songwriter, musician and performer known for his eclectic fusion of pop, country and soul.

Lingley wowed audience members with his hypnotic vocals, mastery of the acoustic guitar and quirky anecdotes (“Did you know that Moncton, N.B. is home to the busiest Dairy Queen in the world?”).

Last but certainly not least were Mike Trask & The Precious Memories of Saint John/St. Andrews, N.B., who were as much a treat for the ears as they were the eyes.

A visual spectacle in a denim vest and coonskin cap, Trask showcased a slate of catchy beats alongside artist Ben Allain, who painted to the group’s rhythms on an easel in the middle of the stage.

After what judges called an extremely difficult deliberation, it was The Kendra Gale Band who walked away with the top prize, $2500 and the opening slot in Friday night’s “Turn Up The Radio Radio” show. Jimmy Lingley earned the second place prize: $500 cash.

Gale is now part of an exclusive club of past winners of the prestigious title including Ross Neilsen, Keith Hallett, Andy Brown and Matt Andersen
- Brunswickan

Saturday night was a showcase from St. Andrew's Kendra Gale, and I've been going to her gigs since she was 16 at these kind of conferences. I knew what to expect, I thought. Nope. Right from the start, it was a big surprise, as Gale strapped on an electric guitar, brought out a drummer, and wailed. Previously a singer-songwriter, somewhat quiet and shy, now she was all of a sudden coming on like the White Stripes. Full of confidence, now 22, she's doing what she wanted to do all along apparantly, she just wasn't ready. The music was big and loud, and gutsy. She even did a couple of Grace Potter songs, if you know that rocking blues performer.
- Bob Mersereau

Kendra Gale is notoriously soft-spoken, but on stage it's a different story.

1 of 2

Top left: Kendra Gale is most comfortable performing on stage. Photo credit: Magee Photography. Above: The quiet Saint Andrews girl strums on the beach. "Once I'm singing I'm completely comfortable. That's where I feel the best."

This duality can blindside fellow musicians, "Especially when I talk to them first. I'm really quiet," she says, noting a gig she had opening for the Jimmyriggers. The band approached her after her set to express their surprise with her performance, admitting that they'd expected it to match her quiet nature.

Gale is a young singer-songwriter from Saint Andrews. Born hearing impaired, she had three corrective surgeries and by age four her hearing was nearly restored. It was her older brother Keith who introduced her to music. He'd play guitar while she played beats on Fisher Price drum sets and pots and pans. Eventually he gave her his old acoustic guitar and she taught herself how to play using a chord poster.

Her self-titled debut album came out in 2006 to positive reviews by CBC's Bob Mersereau. She issued her sophomore album Moments of Nothing in 2008 and her newest album, Paper Blankets was released in September 2010. She's received multiple awards from the Toronto Exclusive Magazine Online Awards for her releases, showcased at Music New Brunswick Week and has performed several times at the ECMAs.

Her latest release has a rock'n roll edge that complements her powerhouse voice, and her songwriting skills are still very much intact. She still writes about relationships: crushes she doesn't want and friendships gone awry.

Now, after playing solo shows for some time, she's playing with the Kendra Gale band. She says that having the backing band has been good for her. "There's definitely a different energy on stage. I always have fun playing, but it's fun to have people up there with you."
- HereNB

An impressive calling card for kendra Gale


Bob Mersereau
Backbeat
Published Wednesday January 31st, 2007
Appeared on page D3



Sessions Café has built quite a name for itself as a leading promoter of live music in the Saint John area. It's deservedly been nominated for an ECMA in the industry awards category for Venue Of The Year. Not only does the café bring in fine entertainment like Toronto's Bob Wiseman (Sunday, 2 p.m.), it's also a great backer of local music as well. St. Andrews Kendra Gale is one such performer.


Kendra Gale (Independent): Singer-songwriter Kendra Gale will be at Sessions Saturday with songs from her new self-titled CD. It's a strong debut, the work of a confident songwriter, offering a rocking edge to her acoustic-based tunes. All are written by Gale. It's impressive, considering she's still a Grade 12 student.

Though many of the songs are unadorned - strictly guitar and percussion - her words and performance are honest. She's described as shy and hardworking. That work has paid off. This disc is a calling card that she can present to anyone with pride, and she's heading to the ECMAs in Halifax in February to do just that.
- The Telegrapgh Journal

November 18, 2008
Teen songwriter releases second CD.
Kendra gale writes, sings, plays guitar and drums on sophomore release.

By Barb Rayner
barbrayn@nbnet.nb.ca

St. Andrews - Kendra Gale is only 19 but the young St. Andrews singer/songwriter is about to launch her second CD, which will take place at the Legion hall Saturday Dec. 6, starting at 9pm.

The 2007 graduate of Sir James Dunn Academy has written all 14 songs on the new CD, Moments of Nothing, also the title of one of the song. Her fist self-titled CD was released in August 2006 and her voice has become familiar thanks to the heavy play on Calais radio station WCRQ-The Border.

Born hearing impaired, Gale underwent three corrective surgeries in her early years and by the time she was four her hearing had been restored to almost 100 per cent. She was introduced to music at a very young age by her brother, Keith, and she picked it up very quickly using pots and pans as drums to accompany him.

"He got me started playing drums on an old plastic set then I bought a bigger set when I got older but I couldn't write songs to the drums so I bought a guitar and taught myself to play", she said. "I started playing guitar when I was 12. It's just something I really like doing".

She started playing percussion in the school band at the age of 10 and has been in a number of local bands since. Gale wrote her first song, Second Thought, when she was 13 and it is featured on her first CD.

On the new CD she plays both drums and rhythm guitar. Accompanying her on the album are her producer, Chris Hall on bass, brother Keith on keyboard and Jordan Grant and Allen Scot playing lead guitar. The CD was recorded in a home studio except for the drums, which Gale recorded at Sonic Temple in Halifax.

It has always been her ambition to be a full-time musician and now that the second CD is complete she plans to hit the road to do more shows. She actually recorded 22 of her own songs for the CD then had to pick 14 so she had a wealth of material.

She described her music as folk/rock and said she gets the inspiration for her songs from anything - different things people go through, looking at other people and describing experiences.

Her first opportunity to perform some of her songs solo was as the Cithy of Saint John Rock Camp in 2004, which earned her a standing ovation.

She performed on the Members Only stage and the 72 hour Jam at the 2006 and 2007 ECMAs and on the Discovery Stage at this years ECMAs. Gale also showcased at the Music New Brunswick Week in 2007 where she received another standing ovation.

Gale placed 13th on the internet website "Olives Brain Indie Radio - top 20 albums of 2006" where Second Thought is at number one. She received Best Provincial Female Folk Artist from the Toronto Exclusive Magazine online awards for 2007 and Best Provincial Folk CD Album for 2008.

She will be performing Friday Nov. 21 at Thandis on Canterbury Street in Saint John then her next appearance will be in St. Andrews . When she appears at the Legion she will be performing with the band Hudson and will be playing selections from the new CD.

She has been asked to open for Chris Clepaugh and the Cosmic Crew at Studio 700 in Moncton on Boxing Day and she will be performing on her way to Corner Brook, Newfoundland, in February for the ECMAs.

Kendra's mother, Dawn Gale, who is her manager, is busy getting tour dates lined up and these will be posted at www.myspace.com/kendragale which will also list where the CD can be purchased.

It will be available at Guardian Drugs and Leighton's Music in St. George, Guardian Drigs in St. Stephen, My Favourite things in Calais, Cockburn's Drugs and Seredipin' Art in St. Andrews and can also be purchased online aat CDBaby and iTunes.

- St. Croix Courier

Jan 29, 2009
This week: Kendra Gale.
By Nelson ...
Jan 29, 2009
This week: Kendra Gale.
By Nelson Hansen

Imagine a life without music, a life without sound. Nineteen-year-old singer-songwriter Kendra Gale faced that reality as an infant. Fortunately for Gale a series of corrective surgeries restored her hearing and she embarked on her musical journey from a very young age.

Kendra Gale is a young up and coming artist. "Music is a really big part of my life and it's very important to me. I couldn't imagine a life without it so I never take my hearing for granted." Speaking with Gale from her home in St. Andrews it becomes easy to forget that this driven and talented musician has yet to reach her 20th birthday.

At only 19 years of age Gale has released two full-length discs, 2006's self-titled debut and her most recent Moments of Nothing released in December of last year. At age 12 she took up the drums and her musical adventure took off at a startling pace.

"I took up the drums at 12, but my brother had a guitar sitting around so I got a poster with all the chords on it and taught myself guitar." Before long she was writing original compositions and playing them for friends.

"I'd been listening to other people's music and playing songs I'd heard on the radio. I started paying attention to the lyrics and sometimes the lyrics would have an impact and touch me. I wanted to see if I could do that, write something that touched someone else." She caught the passion while attending Rock Camp in Saint John over summer break. As a drummer she had her stage debut playing covers. But when playing original songs on an acoustic guitar for friends during some downtime, Rock Camp staffers offered her the opportunity to play her original songs in front of a live audience. The experience proved to be a nerve-wracking affair, but gave her that first taste of showing off her original talents to an appreciative crowd. She hasn't relented since.

In 2006 Gale began working on her first disc with family support and encouragement.

"My mom's friend had a home studio and we made a demo of some of my songs. That turned out really good so we decided to do a bit more. I wrote some new songs and we started working on a full disc. My new record (Moments of Nothing) took about a year to make, we really worked hard on it." The experience has given Gale a unique point of view as a teenager.

"I'll ask my friends what they did on the weekend and they'll say that they hung out and stuff. When they would ask me I'd say that we were in Halifax laying down drum tracks. It's kinda weird sometimes." Things get weirder still when she hears her songs on local radio. Stations in both Maine and her Charlotte County area have been playing selections from her discs. She admits it's fun to hear her music on the radio, but can be at the same time pretty awkward.

"I get excited when I hear my songs. I don't go looking to hear them on purpose but when I do hear them it's a thrill. What's weird is when my friends tease me about it. They'll joke with me like 'Oh, aren't you the big star on the radio?'" Music has given Gale exciting opportunities and experiences as a teenager. She's written and played her songs for people across the region and has been recognized as a talent to keep an eye on as she develops. Perhaps more importantly, her music has given her an outlet to express her true feelings in song by recapping her life in melody.

"I usually just write about stuff that happens to me or how I'm feeling. Sometimes I can write a song about something that happened when I might not have been comfortable saying it face to face. When I write (how I'm feeling) in a song I get to say it to them then and maybe only I know what I'm saying, but I got the chance to say it."

Kendra Gale will be attending next month's ECMAs for her fourth consecutive year looking to share her music with new fans and hoping to make the connections that will take her career to the next level.

For more on Kendra Gale check out her MySpace and sonicbids.com profile. - Herenb

October 2, 2007


NOMINATION ANNOUNCEMENT

This letter is to Certify that

KENDRA GALE

Has been nominated in the 2007 Toronto Exclusive Magazine Awards (online) in the following categories:

MUSIC – Folk (Provincial)
Best Provincial Folk CD Album “Kendra Gale�
Best Provincial Female Folk Artist

Congratulations and good luck,

2007 MAGAZINE AWARDS COMMITTEE
Toronto Exclusive Magazine

www.torontoexclusive.com Published by Canada Career Arts Corporation , Box 3, 617 Yonge St., Toronto, Ont. M4Y 1Z5


Best Provincial Female Folk Artist:

WINNER: Kendra Gale - St. Andrews, New Brunswick

- Canada Career Arts Corporation

October 31, 2008

KENDRA GALE winner "Best Provincial Folk Cd Album" for 2008!!

www.torontoexclusive.com Published by Canada Career Arts Corporation , Box 3, 617 Yonge St., Toronto, Ont. M4Y 1Z5

- Toronto Exclusive Magazine

CALAIS ST STEPHEN MACHIAS 102.9
WQDY 92.7 FM

WALZ 95.3 FM


January 26, 2007


Late last December ‘06, a woman dropped by a CD of her daughter to the main desk here at WCRQ 102.9FM. Her hopes were that I would at least listen to it, and m a~ he even give some of it airplay. We are in a small community, but in the past there have been no shortages of “The Next Great Thing,” to come across my desk. Skeptical was I? No, just prepared for what I expected it to be, average at best...

Well, I was totally wrong! Elated, shocked, impressed, yeah that’s close. Dawn Gale dropped by the CD of her senior high school daughter, Kendra Gale. I was blown away> AND I added “Memories” to the Heavy Rotation. I have “Wish” running Medium Rotation, and I shall be adding more in the future.

A week or so later I had her and her mum as guests on my morning show. She did a song live in the studio, which sounded equal to the recorded version on her CD. She has a natural, genuine voice that doesn’t need to he processed by a studio!

As you may know, to be successful in this industry, you need strengths on both ends of the formula. That is, the artist needs to be have a strong visual presentation equal to the sound and writing of the product. Kendra is that type of artist. If I may say respectfully, she is a very lovely lady, with a very unique voice signature. She writes her own music, from her own life experiences. She is her own worst critic, which keeps her very grounded.

Who is this Kendra Gale? Listen to her CD. SHE is in the music, her persona, her identity, her richness of life with its up and down experiences are in the writing and the song. Listen, and you will be hooked! I am!

I derive nothing, no personal gain, in writing this letter, other than the action of doing so. Kendra is that damned good! Now, go and listen to her CD and be hooked!

Signed,
Bill Conley ~
Operations Manager
WCRQ 102.9FM
Today ‘s Best Hits!
www.wcrq.com - Bill Conley