Quiet time at Poplars
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Biography
Originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Kate Ashby-Craft started off as a
classical voice and theatre major in University but wanting to experience other kinds of music Kate went on the road performing everything from country, rock to folk and blues
and jazz touring parts of Canada and the U.S.A.
In the late 70´s Kate recorded her first album called "The Many Faces Of". The first single "Situation Blue" received considerable airplay on Adult Contemporary radio stations.
During the 80´s Kate won a province wide talent search in her home province of Nova Scotia. At that time
she was performing country music so she recorded two country singles, both of which made the charts. Also at that time she co-wrote a song called "Was It Easy" which was number 11 for the year 1986.
In the 90´s wanting to pursue her song writing, Kate left the
road and settled in the St. Marys, Ontario area. Kate's music is a
fusion of her rock, blues, country, jazz and classical influences.
Her powerful voice accentuates the often issue-oriented lyrics. In the fall of 1995 she released her debut CD, "The Heart and The Mind"
which fit very nicely in the Country/Folk/Pop genre. The first single off the CD, "A Song For Lorian" was well received by radio and garnered airplay on numerous
Adult Contemporary stations as well as the CBC and Campus radio. Out of 3,000 entries from twenty different countries "A Song For Lorian" received a certificate of merit for placing in the top 10 % in the 1997 International UNISONG song contest. Kate is also receiving Internet, community and commercial radio airplay around the world.
In May 2003, Kate started
working with a radio promotion company out of Nashville and released
the second single from her debut CD called “ You’re My Addiction “.
She received commercial country radio airplay all across Canada,
U.S.A. and Europe. This resulted in a nomination from American
Country radio for the “ Golden Microphone Award “ as part of Airplay
International’s “ King Eagle Music Awards” held in Nashville on
September 27,2003.
In September,2006 Kate released her second CD called "Love Is All
There Is". This album is a concept album and all twelve songs
explore a different dimension of love. Musically this album ventures
into the AC/Soft Pop genre with a Latin/Folk flavour. Also at this time Kate started
working with a publicist and they launched a media campaign all
across Canada seeking CD reviews in newspapers and other media. Full
Reviews are available upon request or you can see excerpts on the ACCLAIM
page. In January 2007 Kate and her publicist started a radio
campaign all across Canada targeting the CBC, Campus radio and
Smooth Jazz stations. A station list is available upon request . This CD has now been on several
radio charts. In October 2007 Kate was nominated for four music
awards in the 2007 Toronto Exclusive Magazine Awards for all of
Canada and won the
award for Best Adult Contemporary Website. In September 2008 Kate
accepted the role of June Carter Cash in the touring show "The
Legend In Black" which is a tribute to the music of the late Johnny
Cash and June Carter Cash. This show tours in both Canada and the
US. In August 2009 Kate's CD "Love Is All There Is" was licensed
to W.O.A. Records for all of India. In September 2009, out of
6,000 entries, the song "You Are My Woman/You Are My Man" from the
album "Love Is All There Is " was chosen as a semi-finalist in the
prestigious UK Songwriting Contest.
Kate Ashby-Craft has been seen and heard on radio and various
TV shows such as City TV's "Breakfast Television" Global TV's
"Entertainment Desk" and CBC Radio's Ontario Morning. Kate has performed at such notable venues as the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto,
Waterloo's Festival Of Lights, Canada Day celebrations in London as well as the
Songwriter's Association of Canada's Bluebird North in Toronto, The Canterbury Folk Festival in Ingersoll
and The Stratford Festival of Canada.
Kate lives in the country with her husband Mark, Rourke the cat and lots of wild life.
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