November 14, 2005
Hey everyone!
Wow! It’s been a while! We’ve been really busy with school especially since Alex and I are in high school. We have homework almost every night!
This past week, we were busy with rodeo events because of Canadian Finals Rodeo. We sang at Northlands Park as the closing act for Country Vocal Spotlight this year. Andrea closed the night on the 5th for the Junior Finals, where our good friend Emily Seal won first place in the junior division! Congratulations Emily! Then on the 7th Alex and I sang at the Open Division Finals. Congratulations to Joanne Janzen on winning the open division finals! We appeared at other events as well, like CBC Center Stage and at City Hall for the River City Roundup.
Sunday, November 13, we performed at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove for the Tribute to Classic Country. It featured the Nash Ramblers, Leah Durelle, and Donny Parenteau.
One of the events that we have coming up is on the 19th. It’s a Santa Anonymous Concert. Freeburn, a local rock band, is putting on the fundraiser and other artists include R.I.M. (some of my friends from school), Mandy’s Band, Melissa Brennan, Amber Haydey, and Charlene Perraux. It will be at the Stony Plain Community Hall and the show begins at 7 pm, doors open at 6:30pm. The show will run until 12 am. I know it will be a blast with many different types of music. All you need to do is bring an unwrapped Santa Anonymous gift that is suitable for 14-17 year old teenagers and $5 for at the door.
For more information on our upcoming events, please visit our Schedule.
I’ll try and write again soon!
Cheerio,
Aleisha
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September 17, 2005
Hi everyone!
Wow, did we have an awesome weekend at Country Music Week in Calgary this year. It was so great, that we (the three of us) didn’t even want to come home! We met so many people, artists, industry members, and listeners alike. Even though it was pouring rain most of the weekend, we were pumped up to attend a number of seminars, awards shows, and showcases. Speaking of showcases…
We were featured at this year’s Gospel Showcase! Hosted by Carolyn Dawn Johnson, the show was on Sunday afternoon at Grace Baptist Church in Calgary, AB. We were among artists such as Gord Bamford, Amy Bishop, the Higgins (a family group out of B.C.), David Leask, and of course, Carolyn Dawn Johnson. The level of talent showcased at this event was amazing. Everyone had their own individual sound to treat the audience to. We really enjoyed playing at the church (the acoustics were fabulous), and talking to the other artists backstage. Thank you to the CCMA for selecting us as one of the Gospel performers this year, and thank you to the audience; everyone who came out!
Well, that’s about it for now… stay posted! And don’t forget to sign our Guestbook!
Cheers,
Alex and Aleisha
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August 31, 2005
Hello everyone!
Summer has gone by so fast! I can’t believe that I will be sitting in a classroom in two days!
On Saturday, the 27th, we were one of the opening acts for Gord Bamford at Clymont Hall for the Parkland County Alberta Centennial Celebration. It was such a beautiful day for an outdoor event.
On Sunday, we went out to Rimbey for the Annual Country, Corn & Music Festival at Harvest Moon Gardens. Again we had fantastic weather for the outdoor event. (By the way, Harvest Moon Gardens now has a website, www.harvestmoongardens.com)
Last night we were in Stony Plain at the Stony Plain Exhibition Grounds for the Stony Plain Alberta Centennial Celebration. Also performing there were some very talented local young ladies, the Command Sisters, and Rachel Petit. Great job girls!
Well, Aleisha and Andrea start school tomorrow, but before they arrive there, we will be singing at Edmonton City Hall for another Alberta Centennial Celebration. We sing very early in the morning, from 7:30 - 8:00 am. So to all you early risers, come on out!
We would like to send a huge Thank You to sound technician Don Waddle for all his assistance with the sound at a number of events. We really appreciate your help and knowledge.
Well, that’s about all for now!
-Alex
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August 26, 2005
It’s been a very short summer it seems. School starts in only six days and I’m very anxious. Andrea is going into junior high this year and Alex is in grade 12 (she says she is really excited to be finishing school), and this year I’m going into grade 10.
During the last week of July we were at the Big Valley Jamboree, Klondike Days, and the Band Ranch. We also entered the Blueberry Bluegrass Open Stage competition in Stony Plain this year. There were two prizes: the Fan’s Choice (votes from the audience) and the overall winner (chosen by a panel of judges). The audience voted on the four acts that entered and we were very honoured when we received the Fan’s Choice Prize.
During August things slowed down a bit. We performed at the Innisfree Agricultural Society 50th Anniversary on the 10th. The weekend after that, we were down in Red Deer for the World Professional Chuckwagon Championships on the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Thank you to the WPCA and Steve Fountain for having us out there! On the same weekend, we went to Bashaw for a Global Country evening performance. It was for the Young Rodeo Association.
This coming week we are singing close to home for many Alberta Centennial celebrations.
Congratulations to Samantha King on her RCA Nashville Recording Developmental Deal! Things are really happening for you.
Well that’s about all for now, don’t forget to sign our Guestbook!
-Aleisha
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July 28, 2005
Wow! It's been a while since we've written, but we've had quite an action-packed summer.
We kicked off our summer agenda with a Global Country show in Killam, AB. We were supposed to be performing outdoors, but a spectacular thunder and lightening storm decided to steal the show instead. So... the show was moved indoors to a community hall because like everyone knows, "the show must go on!"
The next day was Canada Day! We had a full schedule that day including five different events. Our first appearance was at noon, singing the national anthem in Spruce Grove, AB. From there we drove to Edmonton for a 2pm show at Victoria Park, and then to Danzer's Hill for a 4pm performance. We headed back to Spruce Grove to be a part of an evening of entertainment before heading out to the Darwell area (a.k.a. Hillbilly's Homeside) for a private function. By the time our heads hit our pillows that night, we were already asleep! Happy Canada Day!
The next couple of weeks consisted of a family wedding to attend to, a performance at Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, another at Lac La Biche, and a very early morning (4am) on the 15th leading up to a Calgary performance... oh, and of course, guitar lessons. On the 18th, we had the pleasure of being part of an interview on Big West Country (in Drayton Valley) to help promote an upcoming festival called the Band Ranch. We will be appearing there on the 29th at 9pm in Evansburg, AB. Wednesday, the 20th, we had a chance to be part of the Mayor's Klondike Days Senior Tea. The next few days included singing the anthem at the Home Depot Grand Opening in Spruce Grove, closing off the night at the junior Talent Explosion competition, and a Global Country show in Lamont, AB.
So... Tuesday we went to Northlands Park to sing the national anthem for the Chuckwagon Races-- in the pouring rain. Thank goodness we hadn't curled our hair, that's for sure! Yesterday we had a Global Country show at Northlands Park during the horse races. It was an event for the World Master's Games.
We have been very priveleged to have Aleks Argals accompany us on upright base for many of our shows. It adds that bottom end to the mix. So, thank you, Aleks! We would also like to thank Lisa Seal for all the hours of hard work she has spent on our site. We were having some problems with it over the last few days, and it is up and running smoothly again all thanks to her! Thank you, Lisa!
Well, it's time to get ready for our next show, so we'll talk to you later! Oh, and please sign our Guestbook!
-Alex and Aleisha
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June 22, 2005
Well, we had an amazing weekend! It was the annual Global Country Festival of the Stars. Sunday morning we had the privilege of performing for the Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association's annual charity breakfast. Karen Matthews did a terrific job of organizing the event. It ran very smoothly and was a lot of fun!
Sunday afternoon we took part in Fanfest at the HMV Stage in West Edmonton Mall. 2004 CCMA Male Artist of the Year Jason McCoy was the host, along with 790 CFCW's Jackie Rae Greening. It was "guitar-pull" style, so we were up on stage with fellow Rising Stars Brett Kissel, Julia Vos, and Shawn and Dee Ouelette. Thanks to Jackie Rae for inviting us out to the event, and thank you so much to everyone who came out to join us. It was AWESOME!
So Monday night was the actual concert. It was a successful show filled with top Canadian talent. We felt so honoured and privileged to be invited to be a part of the show. It was truly an amazing experience. That evening we performed "Fishin' in the Dark". Thank you to the Poverty Plainsmen for playing with us. It was so great to play with a full band! Congratulations to everyone who performed that night!
I would just like to extend a big Thank-You to all the sponsors who supported the event this year: 790 CFCW, the Edmonton Journal, Cat Country, Swanburg Air Inc., The Coast Edmonton Plaza Hotel, and the General Store Design Company. Thank you!
On another note, thank you to Radio Rucphen FM, and BRTO Radio in the Netherlands for playing our music! We really appreciate the support.
Please check back to our Schedule for where we are playing at this summer. It is constantly changing and growing. And don't forget to stop by and drop us a line at our Guestbook!
Ciao for now!
-Alex
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June 14, 2005
Hi everyone!
Just thought I'd give a quick update on what's all happening with us!
First of all, our CD, "Bend in the Road", is now available at Massive Music in Spruce Grove, CD Plus in Spruce Grove and through Spirit River Distribution. Check out our Music page for more info on how to get one.
Thursday, June 9, we were down in Red Deer at the Red Deer Memorial Center. The show started off with Brett Kissel and ended off with John Wort Hannam. Thank you to Ken Norring for the fantastic hospitality and for organizing the show. We had a great time!
So this coming weekend we will be quite busy with the Global Country Festival of the Stars. On Sunday, we will be singing at the Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association Charity Breakfast, which will be held at the Continental Inn in Edmonton. In the afternoon we will be heading on over to the HMV Stage at West Edmonton Mall for the Artist Fanfare. We will be performing sometime between 1:00pm and 2:00pm. There will be a whole bunch of other artists there throughout the day, all hosted by Jason McCoy, so please come out and celebrate 100 years of Alberta country music with us! It will also be a time to celebrate the opening of the 790 CFCW new studio location at West Edmonton Mall. Thank you to Jackie Rae Greening for inviting us to come out and be a part of the event!
Monday night is the 7th Annual Global Country Festival of the Stars Concert! It is at the Winspear Center in Edmonton. I am really looking forward to the show. There are going to be so many other artists performing that night, including all of the Global Country Rising Stars... I can't wait!
Well, summer holidays are approaching quickly, and I know that I'm excited! Check back to our schedule often to find out where we will be performing this summer... and please sig our guestbook. We would love to hear from you!
Bye for now!
Luv Alex
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May 12, 2005
Well we made it home safely, and now it is back to reality! School work and the whole bit. I had to study for my Rudiments II Theory exam today, and I will be doing the same tomorrow probably, considering my exam is on Saturday.
Tomorrow we are singing for a STARS Air Ambulance benefit. Check out our "Schedule" page for more info on that.
Thanks again to everyone who helped make our stay in Ottawa enjoyable, and to Epcor for sponsoring the trip! We had an awesome time.
Anyways, bye for now!
Luv Alex
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May 10, 2005
Hello everyone!
Day four of our Ottawa trip. Tonight we saw George Canyon, Emerson Drive, and Carolyn Dawn Johnson at the Central Arts Theatre here in Ottawa. We were so proud to be Albertans! It was an awesome show.
Also today we went to see the Canadian War Museum, which just opened this past week I believe. There is so much to take in there... it really is quite fascinating. There are all sorts of different displays and so much history! It's all so real when you walk through. I would recommend, however, that if you are going to go see it, make sure you have a few days to do it in... my mom and I didn't even finish going through it! There are so many amazing things to read about, including an art gallery full of Canadian, British, and Australian art depicted by war artists during the wars. I guess it well be an excuse to come back!
Tomorrow is our last day in Ottawa. Our flight leaves sometime around 7:30pm, and then it will be back to reality!
Luv Alex
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May 9, 2005
Well this was our last full day in Ottawa. We visited the War Memorial, the Parliament Buildings, and the Peace Tower. We went to the top of the Peace Tower to overlook all of Ottawa. We did a tonne of walking today, so I'm pretty tired. Plus, I couldn't sleep very well last night, so I was up at 4:30am this morning! So during the wee hours of the morning, I pulled out my songwriting book and did some writing, while the rest of my family snoozed until 9am. I have three new songs on the go, one of which is almost finished, so it will be awesome to have some new material to perform. I can't wait!
I'm pretty tired now, basically just chill-axing in front of the TV. We mostly watch CMT (a luxury we do not indulge in at home considering we have "peasant vision"; like 5 channels). So tomorrow we have the concert to go see.
I hope everyone is doing well!
Luv Alex
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May 8, 2005
Well, today we sang at the Library and Archives Canada building. It's near Parliament Hill. Also performing during the show were Maria Kaneko Millar, and the Rimbetika Hipsters. The crowd was really great. Thank you to everyone who came to check out the Alberta talent! And thank you to Chris White and Al Chapman for arranging for us to showcase in Ottawa.
So after a stop for some cheesecake, we headed back to our hotel! We've been up pretty late, so I'm beat! Tomorrow we hope to tour around Ottawa more, visit the Parliament Buildings, the Canadian War Museum, and others. Then the next evening, we will have the pleasure of seeing George Canyon, Emerson Drive, and Carolyn Dawn Johnson in concert! I can't wait!
Bye for now!
Luv Alex
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May 7, 2005
Reporting from Ottawa...
Well, we got here yesterday afternoon. It's really warm (compared to at home). Last night we had a chance to take part in the Open Mic jam session at our hotel. We were up really late, but it was all worth it! We had the chance to get up on stage like many other talented Albertans who are here to strut their stuff in Ottawa. Among them were the Corb Lund Band, Ann Vriend and many others (including us! ha ha). It was pretty cool.
Today we drove all the way to Montreal. It was so cool. This is our first trip to Eastern Canada, so we want to make sure we get to see as much as possible. I loved the narrow, cobblestone streets of old Montreal. There is so much history in the old buildings. I think the biggest highlight was visiting the Notre Dame Basilica. It is such a beautiful church, so intricate in detail-- a must-see if you ever visit Montreal. We also went on a half-hour carriage ride along the old streets. One thing I noticed... there are so many restaurants! There are fancy French restaurants you can find lining every street.
I really loved Montreal. It would be cool to go back again someday and actually spend some more time there. I only wish I spoke French! When we went to leave the parkade we were parked in, we couldn't figure out how to pay because the instructions were all in French, and my French is probably at a grade 5 level, so we had to finally ask someone how to do it!
So now we are back at our hotel. We sing tomorrow afternoon at the Library and Archives Canada. I look forward to that!
Thank you to Epcor for sponsoring the trip for Aleisha and I in this year's Country Vocal Spotlight prize pack.
Talk again soon,
Luv Alex
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May 2, 2005
Hey everyone!
We are getting ready for our trip to our nation's capital, Ottawa, Ontario, which is quickly approaching. We will be leaving on May 6 and will get back on May 10. I am really looking forward to taking in the Alberta Scene Showcases, and of course, doing some performing ourselves! We will be performing at the Library and Archives Canada for an Alberta Scene Showcase. It's presented by the Ottawa Folk Festival. If you'd like to find out more about that, you can visit our "News" page and click on the link.
Hopefully we will have some time to take the drive to Montreal. I've heard that it's really cool to see. We've never been to Eastern Canada, so Andrea, Aleisha and I are really looking forward to the trip.
I will definitely let you know how the trip goes, but until then, talk to ya later!
-Alex
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April 25, 2005
Hey everyone!
I guess we are well overdue for a new journal entry! It's been a long time since any of us has written anything... too long! So, I have a lot to tell! The last few weeks were crazy busy! (Just the way I like it!)
March 20 we were in Holden, AB. It was a great show, and our first performance with bassist Aleks Argals, which made it even better! Then, Aleisha had her school play, the Little Prince, at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove for three days in a row! She was pretty tired by the end of the week as there were sometimes three shows a day! I went along for a couple of days to do her elaborate stage make-up because she was the fox in the play. I was really impressed by the effort that all the students put in to make the production a success.
Then, on March 30, we were on A-Channel's Big Breakfast! We had to get up really early to be there for 7:30, but it was well worth it. It was pretty cool! After that, we had a performance at the Farm and Ranch Show at Northlands Park, along with the other Global Country Rising Stars. We performed on the Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. It's always fun to see our singin' friends! Also that weekend was the first International Sledge Hockey Tournament (put on by Alberta Hockey) in Spruce Grove, AB, where we had the privilege to do the American and Canadian national anthems for a couple of the games.
So now onto April...
On April 7, we performed on the CBC Center Stage at Edmonton City Center. It was a great crowd and a lot of fun, (especially since we got to miss school!).
On the 12th, our CD arrived (FINALLY)!!!!! I couldn't wait for the CD Release Party!
April 18, Andrea and I were featured on CFRN News at Noon. Unfortunately Aleisha had the flu, so she wasn't able to come, but we sent her "Get Well" wishes during our interview. Andrea was totally psyched because "we got to wear those little black mics* that you hook onto your shirt!" (*otherwise known as a lapel microphone). I have to admit, it was one of the highlights of the month... but an even bigger highlight was... our CD RELEASE PARTY!
Thank you to everyone who came out to support us on April 25 at Horizon Stage! We had such a good time and it was really special for us to see so many familiar friendly faces in the audience! We had guest performers Emily Seal, Leah Durelle, and Jake Peters, who did a phenominal job of opening the show for us... I only heard good things about you. I hope you guys had as good a time as we did! Thank you to Alberta Foundation for the Arts and 790 CFCW for their sponsorship, Lisa Seal for doing such an awesome job on our new website (I love it, I love it, I love it!) and everyone who came!
Now we will be preparing for our trip to Ottawa in May! I can't wait!
-Alex
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March 19, 2005
Well, we are back from our trip to Tennessee, back to reality. We had soooo much fun down there, especially for our first trip ever out of Canada. Also on the trip were Tiffany Dowhan, Katie Mission, and Julia Vos. We arrived in Nashville on the afternoon of the ninth. We got to drive down Broadway and Music Row, and then we went to a place called the Wildhorse Saloon where we learned how to line dance.
On the next day, we drove for 3 hours to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This is where the North American Country Music Association International competition was to be held, at the Country Tonite Show Theater. We toured around a bit in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg and did a little shopping of course.
All of us sang in the morning or afternoon on the Saturday for the competition. Then in the evening we got to showcase. We met a lot of really nice people and ate a lot of deep fried food! On the Sunday was the awards show, which started at 1:00pm and ended at approximately 7:30pm. To open the show there were some performances by some country legends, including Stonewall Jackson, T.G. Sheppard, and Jim Ed Brown. All of us went home with awards.
My favourite day was on our last day in Nashville. We got to tour the Ryman Theater and the Grand Ole Opry House. During our Grand Ole Opry tour, we had a chance to play a song on the stage. Even though there were no microphones in front of us, it was still a magical moment for us, knowing that one day maybe we'll get the chance to actually play on the stage in front of a crowd. We also got to go through the Country Music Hall of Fame. There are a whole bunch of instruments and facts and outfits from a wide aray of country artists, new and old. My favourite part was when I got to see Elvis' car. To think he actually sat in there! Unfortunately they did not allow photos to be taken.
We had an awesome trip in Tennessee and I can't wait to go back some day.
Our CD Release Party is on April 23 at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove. Tickets at Ticket Master or the Horizon Stage Box Office.
-Luv Alex
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February 28, 2005
This weekend we sang at Boscombe, near St. Paul, with the Global Country Rising Stars. It was a full house, which is always special, and what an appreciative crowd it was. It was also nice to play in an area that we've never played before. Then on the Sunday my mom and I attended the Music Management 101 put on by ARIA. I was really tired because we had arrived home at 2:00am the previous night! A couple bottles of Coke and I was fine.
Our trip to Tennessee is coming up quickly, along with my birthday on the 3 of March! I'm very excited to get my drivers' license.
-Luv Alex
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February 22, 2005
Well, it has been a busy week! I was in the studio last week mixing for our new CD on the 15, 16, and 17. On the 14 we were finishing up some back-up vocals. I can't wait to have the finished product in my hands!
Then on the 19 we performed at our first Global Country Rising Star Show for the 2005 Tour! It was a lot of fun, especially with having a band behind us and all. We sang in Fort Saskatchewan at the Dow Cenntenial Theater. Wow! What a beautiful set-up they have there, and the change-rooms were huge, which is very important to me considering how many girls are in the program!
On the 20, we took part in the CKER Radio Talent Search at West Edmonton Mall on the HMV stage. Our good friend Emily Seal was also in the competition. Congratulations to all of the contestants. I was so impressed with the calliber of talent I saw there. It really was a fantastic show.
We are anticipating the arrival of our CD Release Party. Keep posted for more updates on that.
Bye for now! We love you all.
-Alex
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February 12, 2005
Well we haven’t written in a while so here is a quick update of what we have been doing.
On February 5th Alex, Mom, and I went to a songwriter’s workshop called Songposium. We learned a lot about writing songs so we are going to get started on some more song writing. When it came to the part about the business of music I started to nod off but the huge cookies and tea kept me awake for the 6 or 7 hours.
The night before on February 4th we sang in our home town, at the Settler’s Cabin. It was a small but fun gathering and some of my friends were even there. It’s nice to perform in our home town once in a while.
Well today was Alex’s and my last drivers training class. We spent 18 hours in the class room. At the end of the 18 hours we write a test, which you have to pass with 80%. If you pass then you get to go onto in-car driving. Alex passed with 100% and I passed with 88% so we are very excited about starting our driving time after we return from Tennessee.
Speaking of Tennessee we leave in exactly 24 days! We can’t wait especially since Dad gets to come with us. We have saved up our money so that we can shop till’ we drop. Well Dad will drop after half an hour but us girls can go all day.
We’ll keep you posted!
- Aleisha
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January 20, 2005
Hey everyone,
Well we've had a great new year so far!
We sang in Brooks, Alberta on the 8th. It was a long drive, about five hours each way. In Brooks we sang at the Young Albertan's Showcase. It was really fun and the audience was just great!
On the 16th we were down in Stettler for another young Albertan's Showcase. There were all sorts of different performers. There was a violinist, a magician, a native American dance group, and a group of sisters who sang 30's and 40's music. Again, the audience was very receptive, which makes a performer's job a lot easier!
Well, we recorded some of our vocals on the 12th and 13th! So far it sounds really good. We are really happy with how things are going. We have to get back into the studio to finish recording the last two songs, so I'm really looking forward to that.
Well we'll keep you posted and please sign our Guest Book!
-Aleisha
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December 27, 2004
Well I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!
We had a busy vacation with the recording of our new CD. We recorded at Homestead Recorders with Barry Allen. We had three extremely talented musicians play on it. Chad Melchert (drums), Dustin Froggatt (bass), and Jake Peters (guitar, mandolin, resonator guitar, and banjo). The three of us also played on the CD, so I'm really happy about that. I produced it with Barry Allen and Jake Peters.
All we need to do is record vocals now. I got quite sick on the 21st with a sore throat (perfect timing right?), and neither Aleisha or Andrea were quite 100% healthy, so we thought we'd wait a week. My cold still hasn't gone away, so we might have to postpone it for a little longer. Hopefully we will have it ready to go by February. I can't wait for everyone to hear it! I'm really quite proud of how it sounds. Our sound has evolved to express our own style.
We were invited to perform on CBC National Television for their New Year's special, on which we will be performing a song from our new CD. Check out our News component for more information.
Anyways, keep updated and please sign our Guestbook! Happy New Year everyone!
-Alex
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December 14, 2004
Hello again!
I'd just like to say Merry Christmas to everyone. Actually, on Sunday we sang at the Hope Church Cowboy Gospel Christmas, which was held at the Hope Christian Reform Church just north of Stony Plain. It was a full house, so that was just great! It's always so nice to play to a full audience. Also showcased were Windi Scott, Carmen Lindsay, Mary Kieftenbeld, Shawn Jonasson, Stewart MacDougall, and the cowboy preacher Bryn Thiessen. It was a great show.
We are getting ready for recording our new CD. We will be starting on Monday, Dec. 20. I can't wait, especially for the finished product, so we have something new available for all of you who already have our first CD. Keep posted on updates!
Merry Christmas!
-Alex
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December 10, 2004
Hi everyone!
We have had a couple pretty busy weeks. We sang the anthem at the Spruce Grove Saints game on the first, and that was really great. Unfortunatelly we couldn't stay for the game, but we still had a lot of fun (except for the part where I nearly fell on my face while on the ice).
We also sang at the Rotary Carol Fest in Stony Plain. This really amazing womens' choir sang before us and it was so beautiful.
On the fifth I had my Christmas piano recital, and then last night we had the privelege to perform at the Northlands Park Volunteer Appreciation Awards. I'd just like to thank Northlands Park for the opportunity, and man was the food good! Congratulations to everyone at Northlands. You guys do a phenominal job.
We are going to be starting our new CD on the 20th of this month. I'm just thrilled and can't wait until it is finished. So keep posted for more updates! Oh, and for those of you who haven't already signed our guestbook, we would love to here from you, so please drop a line or two.
-Alex
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November 28, 2004
Hello again!
Last night we had a performance close to home, 4 miles away to be exact. Our good friend, and "Honourary Vissia Sister" (ha, ha), Ian Van Dusen came along to play standup bass for us, and he also brought along a D-28 Martin guitar for us to try. It was a beautiful guitar, and it played like a dream. I'm trying to look for a new one because we will be playing on our new CD and we need something that sounds really great. Anyway, last night was a great success. It was the Stony Plain Seed Cleaning Association's 50th anniversary. Thank you to all those in attendance. You were a wonderful audience!
-Alex
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November 17, 2004
Well, we had a very full week last week!
From Nov. 5-8 we took part in Country Vocal Spotlight, which is a program put on by Northlands Park in conjunction with Farmfair International and Canadian Finals Rodeo. Andrea was in the finals in the Junior Division (ages 5-12), and she came out as the winner! A good friend of ours, Emily Seal, was a runner up, and she did a fantastic job! Way to go, Emily!
Aleisha and I were in the semi-finals for the Open Division (ages 13+) on Saturday and Sunday. Aleisha's solo, my solo, and our duet all qualified for the finals! We were really excited about that. Then, on Monday we performed in the finals for the Open Division, and our duet placed first! The runners up were two very talented and all around really great guys, Matt McKay and Dylan Gillett, who are members of the local band, Fast Lane. Our congratulations goes out to all of the finalists.
All three of us received entry into the Global Country Rising Star Program, which includes one year mentoring and career development, one professional photo shoot and press kit developed. Global Country also sponsored airfare to the North American Country Music Association Conference and entry into the associated music competition in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee with a stop over in Nashville (March 2005)
We will have many showcase opportunities in the coming year including: Canadian Finals Rodeo, Big Valley Jamboree, Klondike Days, Calgary Stampede, Ponoka Stampede and other summer events in 2005. We will also have showcases throughout the year on Global Country Stages/Events including: Global Country’s Festival of the Stars (June 2005) at the Winspear.
In addition Aleisha and I also received delegate Registration to attend Country Music Week (Calgary, September 2005) and delegate Registration to attend Western Canadian Music Week (Vancouver, October 2005) . Plus, an expense paid trip to Ottawa to take in the Alberta Scene Showcase in May 2005. This year there was also a personal enhancement package put together by Kat Brandon courtesy of Planet Beach, Dr. Ross N. Donison – family dentist, World Health Club, Salon on 6th and Dante’s Bistro. We can't wait to get our braces off (we just got them on in October) so that we can use the teeth whitening kit. Both Andrea and our duo received a beautiful trophy which now sits on the mantle at home and barn board commemorative frames. Andrea received a $100.00 Lammle’s Western Wear & Tack Gift Certificate and Aleisha and I received a $1000.00. We had a great time spending it, we felt like we were rich! If we had been 18, we would have also moved directly into the second call of Nashville Star.
So as I'm sure you can tell it has been a very exciting time for us. After the competition we were kept busy performing at different CFR events throughout the week. We only went to school for 1/2 a day that week (it's a good thing there was no school on Thursday and Friday), unfortunately there was a lot of homework to catch up on. The most exciting performance was during the Rodeo. Andrea sang in the middle of the arena at the Saturday matinee of the CFR and Aleisha and I sang at the evening performance in front of over 16,000 people.
We would like to thank all the sponsors of Country Vocal Spotlight: Northlands Park, Global Country, 790 CFCW, Edmonton Examiner, Cat Country Radio Network, Epcor, The Calgary Sun, Planet Beach, Dr. Ross N. Donison, World Health Club, Salon on 6th and Dante's Bistro.
We would like to especially thank all the volunteers who put this event together and work tirelessly for months, from the prelimanaries right up to the finals: Terry Buchkowsky, Andrew Huntley, Dianne Brandson, Irma MacPherson, Kathleen McMurray, Leo Williamson, Linda Sellick, Liz Acker, Mary Stevens, Maryanne Gibson, Merilyn Thomas and Samantha King. We also know that there were many others behind the scenes.
We are really looking forward to the coming year and can't wait to ride in a plane (not once, but twice) for the very first time! Thanks to all our supporters, our family and friends who came out to cheer us on, and especially our parents, Christine and Michael Vissia.
- Alex
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October 26, 2004
Well, on the 24th we sang at the Valley Zoo in Edmonton. It was for their "Boo at the Zoo" event in celebration of Halloween. We were the entertainment for the "Scarecrow Squaredance", so of course we were dressed as scarecrows! There were so many cute little boys and girls, and a handful of fun and whacky mascots. We had a lot of fun even though it was quite a long day (the longest we've ever performed all at once). We had a chance to go around and see some of the animals, so that was interesting. Happy Halloween!
-Alex, Aleisha, and Andrea
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October 14, 2004
For those of you who have read our schedule I’m sure you saw that we were supposed to be recording this month, but we had a little trouble choosing our last song, so we have postponed it until later in November. We want to make sure that everything’s ready for when we hit the studio.
Aleisha and I are both getting braces next week! I know it’s going to hurt for a while, but all I think about is perfect teeth, perfect teeth, perfect teeth… I am really actually looking forward to getting them because the sooner I get them on, the sooner they come off. Aleisha wants pink elastics (pink being her recent favorite colour of course).
Our next show is an outdoor private venue, around a campfire. We’ll be doing some horseback riding before we get up to sing, so it should be a lot of fun!
-Alex
Halloween is coming up at the end of the month, and I’d just like to send out a little Halloween joke! Okay, here it goes:
What did Mr. Ghost say to his wife?
You look positively BOOtiful this evening!
Oh, and speaking of Halloween, we are going to be performing on the 24th for “Boo at the Zoo” at the Valley Zoo! We will be performing from 11am to 3pm. There will be a lot of activities for kids, so come out and join the fun! (For more information, visit our Schedule page and click on the link!)
-Andi
Thanks!
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September 25, 2004
Hi everyone!
I am so excited to see the development of our new website! I would like to send a huge thank you to Lisa Seal for all of the hard work she has done on this website. It's looking great!
Well, we are going to be heading into recording in late October, and I am really looking forward to producing some new material. It's going to have three of our own originals (all of which are written or co-written by myself), and two other new songs. It's going to take some hard work, but I can't wait to see the end product.
Keep posted for more updates!
Luv Alex
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September 20, 2004
Yesterday we sang at the Rotary Run for Life in our hometown. It was a 10 mile run (half marathon) to help support the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Suicide Prevention Program. We sang at 10:00am, but the runners had already been running since 8:00am! We're really glad that we were asked to entertain because it was for such great causes. Congratulations to all of the volunteers and the runners for making the first year of this event such a success.
-Aleisha
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September 15, 2004
Well, this past week has been a blast! We took in the whole Canadian Country Music Week in Edmonton. It was our family holiday for the year! To kick off the CCMAs, we sang at Edmonton City Hall on September 8th, opening for Samantha King, who, by the way, was nominated for the Chevy Trucks Rising Star Award. The crowd was really great, thanks to everyone who came out! It was really exciting because we got interviewed for radio and saw ourselves on the new that night. Our five seconds of fame!
Thursday wasn't very exciting because we had to catch up on the school work we had missed :P. That night we could barely sleep in anticipation of Friday night. We headed into Edmonton right after school and checked into our hotel (that was an event in itself). Friday night was the official kick-off party at the football game. It was our first time attending a game, believe it or not, and although cold, it was a lot of fun. |
