I want to personally congratulate Saint John’s Katey Day, now known to many as Katey Day Reick, who is now based in Shediac, on her winning the Canadian finals representing Eastern Canada. Katey will go next to Japan for the world karaoke finals.
She told me “Over the years I’ve truly enjoyed hanging out with friends and singing karaoke, having fun, etc.; and of course as you know for more than three decades I’ve been playing music in bars, festivals, and with bands, musicians, as a soloist and duet, special guesting, running events, staging my rock musical Deception; it’s been an amazing time and continues to blow my mind every single day.
“When I moved to Moncton, I hooked up with Kathy and Alex LeGood who run the most popular Karaoke business in NB, Alley Katz Karaoke….what a lot of people don’t know is that I was in a foster home when I was 11 and 12 that was run by Kathy’s Mother so hooking up after 30 years was quite something! Kathy and Alex have been huge supporters of mine, my original compositions and my music in general since I’ve been here and it just so happens that the Karaoke World Competition’s National Director Sharon Quinn contacted them asking “if there was any talent in the Maritimes who may be interested in entering the competition?”
“Kathy and Alex suggested contacting me and a few others. So that was beginning. Next I received a phone call and had to be approved by the National Karoke Board. Then, friends who own A-1 Lumpers (they offload freight at a warehouse or sites in Moncton, Halifax and NFLD) donated a ticket for me and also one for Katie, my wife to attend the competition and our friends and fans helped us with the rest of the expenses and of course Karaoke World Championships helped as well.’
Since this is modern times the Board used technology to select the representatives to sing in Calgary for the semi-finals. Katey needed four songs to perform and choose, Piece of My Heart- Janis Joplin; Make You Feel My Love- Adele; the Moulin Rouge version of Your Song by Elton John and as the fourth song, Elton John’s I Would Do Anything For Love.
“Once we all arrived they split all of us into groups A, B and C and they also had a Duet category which they divided them the same way. I just kept forging forward, sang to the best of my abilities and won 1st place in Canada,—soooo, at the end of November, I will represent Canada in Tokyo, Japan along with two other wonderful artists who will represent Duets. Their names are Kate Dion and Candace Miles – truly awesome singers…..but to me they were ALL awesome and brought so much to the table that it’s hard for me to believe I received the ‘number one’ spot…but I’m glad and honored of course.”
And that’s Katey’s story. The prequel started in Saint John. Since I’ve known her for many years I will always think of her as a teen, wearing a beret and singing Irish folksongs. She started broadcasting at CHSJ in Saint John as a news assistant and writing commercials when she was 18. Besides always singing when she had the chance she was also a DJ in Halifax, worked with 9.9 HalFM, lite 92.9 and the Maritime News Network among other jobs connected to music including writing her own musical, Deception.
The best example of her always singing her best was at a concert Barry and Valerie MacDonald organized in Hampton some years ago. Katey was the guest and although she had sung Danny Boy a hundred times or more, I will always remember her rendition that night. The way she sang it was very moving and memorable. She is a woman of many talents and I think New Brunswick should be very proud of her and her incredible win. We wish her all the best in Japan.
She has now embarked on a new career, selling real estate for Quality Remax in Moncton and has made her first sale, no doubt she sang them into buying.
And one last thing, Katey Day Reick says that in 2020 the World Karaoke will be held in the Maritimes in March. It will be interesting times for local singers.
Music at Dr. Snow Center Sept. 13
There’s a grand opening of “The Garden Room” at the Dr. Snow Center in Hampton, a new greenhouse that the patients and visitors can enjoy. The entertainment features Margie Stackhouse who has been in the music business since childhood and Greg Stevens. He plays keyboard, lead & bass guitar, banjo and sings– for this special opening at the Dr. Snow Center, Friday, Sept. 13, 2pm, 45 DeMille Court Hampton.
Margie lives in Hampton, sang with the Maritime Farmers on CHSJ TV and the S.J. EX in the 50’s, was part of the Springhill, NS 1958 Mine Disaster Benefit show, performed on radio shows as a teenager and years later Margie performed with Nashville star, Jean Shepard. When in Florida she performs weekly at the Orange Blossom Opry in Wiersdale, FL. and when home holds a monthly Country/Gospel show at Bradley Lake.
Breeze & Wilson at BMO Theatre Sept. 7
Stan Carew discovered them on a trip to England and invited them over to be on his CBC Saturday morning radio show. I saw them at Main St. Anglican Church, I think it the last time Stan appeared with them. It was a great concert. This time they have chosen the popular uptown Saint John BMO Theatre on Princess St. for their NB stop on their Maritime Tour, Sept 7, 7:30pm. Tickets $20 at door, call 652-7582 or visit www.ticketpro.ca
Eddy Poirier’s Grassline in Norton, Sept 8
A reminder that a great night of bluegrass with Eddy Poirier, Jim Collette, Laurie Chevarie, and Edgar Bastrashe will be at Norton Catholic hall, Sept 8. Doors open at 1 pm. Tickets $12 at door. For more info call Eddie at 384-8655 or email eddyfiddle@gmail.com
Brenda Best Plays New York
Speaking of country and also rock and roll, New Brunswick’s 2015 NBCMHF inductee, Brenda Best is still busy playing oldies for local fans in and around Nashville and is always branching out, happy spreading her brand of New Brunswick happiness in the oldest rock and roll club in New York– The Bitter End, established in 1961. It’s a club that legends have played, from Ramblin Jack Elliot to the Everely Brothers, from Joan Baez to Odetta. We’re proud of Brenda for being able to add her name to that distinguished list. http://www.bitterend.com/legends/ The Bitter End is located in the heart of Greenwich Village in the western end of Manhattan and you never know who or what you’ll hear next, but we do know Brenda Best played there August 26.