Your Favourite Musicians
In our March issue, as part of our feature about 10 hot new musical stars in Atlantic Canada, we gave our readers an opportunity to name their favourite male and female musicians from Newfoundland and Labrador. The poll was conducted through Downhome's Web site, www.downhomelife.com.
Now, the results are in:
Favourite Male Artist
Rex Goudie
No real surprise here. And in fact, this result resonates with the feelings of Rex Goudie fans across Canada. On March 10, Rex won Best New Solo Artist (Contemp-orary Hit Radio) of the Year at the 2007 Canadian Broadcast Radio Awards. Rex won for his first single, "Run," from his 2005 debut CD Under the Lights. That record went platinum in January 2006.
Rex was born in Dawson Creek, B.C., but moved to his father's hometown of Burlington, Newfoundland, with his family before he was two. Though he began his music career performing in Sunday school, and with his high-school band The Purple Monkey Bomb Squad, Rex found musical fame in 2005 on the real-ity TV show, "Canadian Idol." He was runner-up on the show to winner Melissa O'Neil, who he began dating during the competition.
Since "Idol," the launch of his first CD and its supporting concert tour, Rex has released another album, Look Closer, which debuted at #19 on the Canadian charts in December 2006. At press time, Rex was preparing to tour Eastern Canada to support the album.
Top 5 Male Runners-up:
Jason Greeley
Buddy Wasisname & the Other Fellers
Chris Andrews
Harry Martin
Ron Hynes
Favourite Female Artist
Karren Churchill
A below-the-radar choice. Karren Churchill was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and lived in Calgary, Alberta, for 18 years, before moving to Twillingate in 2006 with her husband Gus (a Twillingate native).
Karren sings all kinds of music, but old-time country is her forte. She plays guitar, five-string banjo, dobro, mandolin and autoharp. A professional performer for the past 20 years, Karren has toured all over Alberta, and has played a number of gigs in Halifax and around Twillingate. During her career she's independently made three CDs of traditional country music and is now recording a country gospel album.
This summer, Karren will be performing live shows in Twillingate for the tourist season, beginning in mid-June.
Top 5 Female Runners-up:
Damhnait Doyle
Kim Stockwood
Pamela Morgan
Jenny Gear
The Ennis Sisters
