Fara Palmer: Video/Bio
"Fara Palmer is a shining example of what can be achieved through hard work, determination, talent and good will” - ~ Phil Fontaine, National Chief
VIDEO PERFORMANCE FOOTAGE
Me singing "To Bring Back Yesterday", a song i wrote about my moms experience at residential school. I sang this for the 2007 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards in Edmonton, Alt
Fara Palmer
2008 was a hot year for Pop/R&B recording artist Fara Palmer
Her newest cd, entitled Phoenix, received a phenomenal 11 nominations from over 8 individual music award shows across Canada and the United States with wins for “Best Pop Recording”, “Best Producer /Engineer”, “Outstanding Musical Achievement In A Contemporary Field” and three top ten singles which charted on Independent Canadian and US Radio stations. Impressive, considering the fact that she took a 7-year holiday from the music industry scene to create a family. Prior to taking the better part of a decade off of music, Fara enjoyed National success with her first two cd’s “This Is My World”, released in 1998 and “Prettybrown” released in 2000. All of Fara’s albums have yielded her multiple nominations at numerous award shows, including the Canadian Juno Awards (the equivalent of the Grammy’s in the US), and the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards. In 1999 she won her first awards for “Best Female Artist” and “Best Song of the Year” at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, a feat that paved the way for her second win in 2000 of “Best Female Artist” at the same awards for her follow up cd “Prettybrown”. A bonus that year, was she hosted the award show along with acclaimed rocker Derek Miller. A star on the rise, Fara has been quoted as “An Electrifying Talent” (Weekend Outlook) and “A Powerful, Independent Voice” (RPM Magazine).
Blessed with a love of music and a powerful set of pipes, Fara got her first taste of stage-life at the age of twelve when she sang at an outdoor concert alongside artists such as: Buffy Ste. Marie, Floyd ‘Red Crow’ Westerman, Morley Loon & Winstun Wuttinee. Since then she has been acknowledged as a powerhouse vocalist, a heart and soul inspired songwriter, role model and a dedicated workshop presenter.
Fara has performed for audiences across North America and has shared the stage with artists such as: Shania Twain, Ray Charles, Sarah McLoughlin, Jann Arden and many others. She has sung national anthems to open games for the NBA, WWF, and the North American Indigenous Games. Fara has been a prominent entertainer on the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards and has performed on several shows over the last 12 years. She says her favorite NAAA appearance was the 2007 show where she sang “To Bring Back Yesterday”, a song she wrote about her mothers’ experiences at residential school. A number of Fara’s songs have been placed in movies, television series, and made for TV special movie presentations.
In 2008, Ms. Palmer received the following music industry nominations for ‘Phoenix’:
2008 Juno Awards (CAN) “Aboriginal Recording of the Year”
2008 FAITA Awards (USA) “Outstanding Musical Achievement in a Contemporary Field”
2008 WCMA Awards (CAN) “Outstanding Aboriginal Recording”
2008 ISMA Awards (USA) “Best Pop Recording”
2008 APCMA Awards (CAN) “Best Producer/Engineer”
2008 NAMMY Awards (USA) “Female Artist Of The Year”, “Best Pop Artist”
2008 CAMA Awards (CAN) “Best Female Artist”, “Best Songwriter”, “Best Producer/Engineer”
2008 Saskatchewan First Nations Awards (CAN) “Arts & Entertainment”
She dedicates the album to her brother Gabriel, who was murdered in 2002 and chose to call the album Phoenix because of the symbolic nature of the Phoenix bird. When a Phoenix dies, it is engulfed in flames and is reborn through its ashes. Fara relates the grieving, recovering, and healing process that she and her family went through to the life cycle of the Phoenix. In a way, her family has risen from the ashes of the loss of their beloved Gabriel, and been reborn.
Fara’s passion is writing songs that promote empowerment and songs that reach the heart! Delving fearlessly into social/personal issues that are a part of today's reality, Fara uses her voice and her lyrics as a catalyst for positive change, as a tool to promote self-awareness, and as a means of educating and sharing with the public her First Nations culture and history. A woman of Aboriginal descent, Ms. Palmer believes in supporting community and culturally oriented initiatives, and therefore has participated in and/or volunteered her time and talents to many different events. To name a few:
*Children Of The World recording project featuring singers Susan Aglukark, Shingoose, Willy Dunn & others. A video was made with the purpose of encouraging Native youth to be proud of their Aboriginal heritage and to stay in school as a means of achieving independence and self reliance.
*2007 & 2008 BC Elders Gathering. Fara was honoured to volunteer her time to entertain her First Nations elders. 2007 BCEG was held in Vancouver, BC and 2008 BCEG in Prince Rupert, BC. Fara states that she feels privileged to be in the presence of so many teachers and keepers of Aboriginal cultural knowledge.
*Sing, Move, & Read featuring Fara Palmer. This children’s music cd is intended to teach Aboriginal students between the ages of 3-7 basic reading skills and combines Aboriginal musical influences (ie: drumgroup, flute, native chanting/singing) with contemporary sound-styles. Music, rhyming patterns, and movement are combined to create an easy format for children to learn the basics of reading. The cd has been piloted in elementary schools and is accompanied by a teachers’ manual. Besides being the lead vocalist on the project, Fara also contributed her songwriting skills and was one of the three main songwriters. For further info, visit: www.singmoveandread.com
Since the release of “Phoenix”, Fara has been involved in a number of other recording projects as a vocalist and songwriter and is currently working on her fourth album due to be released in the summer of 2009. With all of this on the go what else does Fara have planned for 2009? How about a North American Tour, the release of her fourth cd, and workshop presenting galore!! This dynamic soul sista intends on creating music for a long time to come and aspires to share the knowledge and experience she has gained, both in life and in the music industry, with individuals who are interested in self-empowerment and a career in music.
Ms. Palmer is currently accepting bookings for her 2009 calender year.
Be it a 30-thousand plus audience or an intimate gathering, Fara Palmer consistently wins crowds over with her own brand of positivity, humor, spirituality and her unique singing ability. If you’ve heard Fara’s music but haven’t ‘experienced’ her live show, make sure to visit her calender on The Official Fara Palmer Website to learn more about upcoming events. Fans say “she sounds great on cd, but seeing her sing in person is a whole different ballgame! She rocks!”. And if you’re already a FARA PALMER fan, don’t forget to join her Mailing List by heading over to: www.musicfarapalmer.com
AWARDS, DISCOGRAPHY, & CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS:
2008 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards Winner:
"Best Producer/Engineer" - Phoenix
2008 Native American Music Awards Winner:
"Best Pop Cd" - Phoenix
2008 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards Nominee:
"Best Producer/Engineer" - Phoenix
2008 Indian Summer Music Awards Nominee:
"Best Pop" Nominee - Phoenix
2008 Western Canadian Music Awards Nominee:
"Outstanding Aboriginal Recording"
Phoenix
2008 FAITA (First Americans In The Arts) Winner:
"Outstanding Musical Achievement In A Contemporary Field"
Phoenix
2008 Canadian Juno Award Nominee:
Aboriginal Recording Of The Year
Phoenix
2008 Saskatchewan First Nations Awards:
"Arts & Entertainment"
2007 Canadian Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music
Awards nominee:
Album cover design of the year(Phoenix album)
2000 Canadian Aboriginal Music Award:
Female Artist of the Year- Prettybrown
2000 Juno Award nominee:
Best Music of Aboriginal Canada
"PRETTYBROWN"- Prettybrown
1999 West Coast Music Award nominee:
Best House/Dance/Techno Release
"ANGEL"- This Is My World
1999 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards:
Female Artist of the Year- This Is My World
Best Song of the Year- This Is My World
1999 First Nations Awards:
Arts & Entertainment category
1998 Juno Award nominee:
Best Music of Aboriginal Canada recording
"WALK AWAY"- This Is My World
1997 John Lennon Worldwide Songwriting Contest:
8th place, R&B category
"I'LL MAKE IT UP TO YOU"- Prettybrown
DISCOGRAPHY:
This Is My World(1997) - Blackmoon Records
Prettybrown(1999) - New Hayden Music Corp.
Phoenix(2007) - CdBaby.com, Indie
Violet Femmes I(2007) - RPW records
Sing, Move, & Read 2(2008) - Indie
VIDEO'S:
I LIKE IT- This Is My World
SEXUALITY- This Is My World
PRETTYBROWN- Prettybrown
"CHILDREN OF THE WORLD" Single (see info below)
HIV/AIDS TV Commercial -to promote HIV/AIDS awareness to all First Nations people
CAMEO'S/COLLABS/OTHER:
2004-2007: Co-writes and recordings with the SDS crew featuring Geo AKA the Voice, RyeOptiks, Rapsure Risin, Alias, Mama S, Genetics, Phase1, and Think Twice
2006 - "Prettybrown" used as theme song for the Aboriginal Foster Parents Society
2000/01 Co-hosted the Canadian Aboriginal Awards with Derek Miller
2000 -Guest appearance on the album entitled:
RIEL'S ROAD -Sandy Scofield
2000 -Guest appearance on the album entitled:
LOOKING BACK -Henry Young
2000 - Co-wrote "WHEN YOU'RE DANCING" off the album: LOOKING BACK with Henry Young
1994 - "Children of the World"- Song and video recording project. Written by Willie Dunn, the song was recorded to encourage native students to Stay in School as a means of attaining the skills with which to pursue their dreams and career-ambitions and to instil Aboriginal pride amongst First Nations youth. The song features First Nations artists and Inuit singers: Willie Dunn, Susan Aglukark, Don Ross, Shingoose, Fara Palmer and Sylvie Bernard. The "Children Of The World" video was distributed to many First Nations Schools throughout Canada.
National Aboriginal Achievement Awards:
Performed on the show in -1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2007
Vocal/Studio Coaching:
Diana(vocal lessons) from Vancouver, BC, Staci Spence(vocal/studio coaching) for the original recording "DEAL WITH THE RAIN".
WORKSHOP TITLES:
Besides performing, i also enjoy sharing the knowledge I have learned in life and in my career with others, especially the youth! I’ve been very blessed to be invited to speak at a variety of conferences here in Canada, and also in the United States. I believe we are all teachers and that we are also students! And so i give workshops and presentations on topics such as:
1) My Life & Career: A personal journey.
“From the rez where I was raised, to the big city where I began my recording career, to shooting music video’s, winning awards, making babies and everything in between”.
Running Time: Approx. 30minutes - 1hour
2) I Have A Voice: Expression of Self Via Music.
“Find your voice and let it be heard. Join Award-winning recording artist Fara Palmer in a workshop focused on using music as a form of self-expression. We will discuss a number of ways in which a person can use music to express themselves(verbal, vocal, oral, written form, production, beatmaking, etc), some common roadblocks to self-expression(stage-fright, low self-esteem, lack of ‘how to’ knowledge) and ideas on how to overcome them(building self-confidence, experience & skill development, goal defining)
Running Time: 1 Hour +
3) Who Am I?: The importance of Native identity, culture, and spirituality in my life.
“From being ashamed of the colour of my skin and wanting to “fit” in, to accepting and loving me in all my Indian beauty, to reclaiming my culture, getting responsible and honest, empowering myself, and transferring the lessons I have learned to my children”.
Join Award-winning recording artist Fara Palmer in an interactive workshop open to audience sharing, Q&A’s, and “whatever is meant to come up”.
Running Time: Approx. 30 Minutes – 2 Hours
4) Handle Your Biz: Music Biz Basics
“A workshop designed for those who want to know where to start. Award-winning recording artist Fara Palmer will guide you through some important music-biz basics, such as: Resumes, Bio’s,
Presskits (hard copy vs. Electronic Press Kit), Websites, Promotion (business cards, flyers, etc), Management, Agents, Copyrighting your songs & why it’s a good idea, Independent vs. Major Recording Label, the benefits of computer skills, Songwriting: lyrics and music, Funding & Recording”.
Running Time: 1 Hour +
5) How To Carry A Tune: A workshop for singers.
“You don’t have to be a great singer to be able to sing a song well. There are a number of singing skills such as vocal style, vocal phrasing, vocal delivery, individual interpretation of a song, onstage performance of a song and ‘mood singing’ that all play a part in how good you’ll sound when you sing your song. Join Award-winning recording artist Fara Palmer as she shares some personal singing tips and sheds some light on “How to carry a tune”.
Running Time: 30 Minutes – 2 Hours
6) The Challenges and Blessings of Balancing Career & Motherhood.
“A home-schooling mother of four daughters aged 6 and under, culturally involved First Nations woman, award-winning recording artist, singer/songwriter, guest speaker, and student of life, Fara Palmer strives to have it all and will share with you how she manages to do just that”.
Running Time: 30 Minutes – 2 Hours
7) Alcohol, Drugs & Me: A Cycle of Abuse/Healing.
“The role Alcohol & Drugs have played in my life. Addictions, Dysfunction, Death, Losses, Treatments, Awakenings, Dreams, & New Beginnings”.
Running Time: 1 Hour – 2 Hours
8) Preserving & Practicing Aboriginal Culture: Lahal/Stickgames Workshop
OVERVIEW OF A LAHAL GAME: Each team gets a set of sticks. Who gets to go first is determined by both team captains ‘calling’ eachothers bones. Two bones are held, one in each hand. The purpose is to find the bone with no markings on it. If you pick well, you will find the bone with no marking on it and if you keep doing that, you will eventually win all the sticks. Once all the sticks have been won, the game is over. The fun part is guessing who has the non-marked bone and in which hand?? You can psyche out your opponent by laughing, drumming & singing HARD!! and by staring them down.
During the game team members sing and drum their hearts out, meet with old and new friends, learn lahal songs, and are taught by the captains many of the responsibilities involved in being a captain.
"Join Fara Palmer( a lover of stickgames!!) in a culturally informative & educational First Nations game. Learn how oral traditions and cultural teachings are transfered to participants in the wonderful social activity called "Stickgames" !!"
9) The Importance & Benefits of First Nations Subsistence Practices: Food Harvesting
“In a modern world First Nations peoples have adapted to their changing environments and social structures. Government policies, Residential School, and a variety of influences have altered how First Nations People gather and harvest food. Fara was raised between the reservation and the city, and in her mid 20’s re-connected with her cultural roots and subsistence practices. Over the last 10 years, Fara has learned how to harvest, home-can and preserve traditional First Nations foods such as: Salmon, Venison, Fruits, Berries, and Wild roots & herbs. Fara has learned that in the act of ‘doing’, a journey of self-discovery ensues. Join Fara in a workshop designed to outline the subsistence knowledge she has acquired, and her opinion of why this knowledge is important.”
Running Time: 30min – 1 Hour +
Family bio: music & culture
I love my family very much, and believe we are truly blessed to possess unique talents and skills. Even more blessed to have the opportunity to share these talents and lifeskills with others. Let me break it down, family member by family member and the talent associated to each individual:
Me: (see my personal bio) Aside from the information contained within my personal bio, i also am involved in co-creating & collaborating with other artists, and have appeared on a number of other artists' cd's. From hip-hop to blues, to jazz and pop, i love it all!! I also enjoy giving workshops on a wide range of topics relating to music, motherhood and career, empowerment of First Nations Peoples, the importance of culture & tradition in the ever-changing life of an "Indian", and mentoring(workshop titles listed directly underneath my bio on this page). I am a lahal-playin', home-schooling mother who also loves to home-can & preserve healthy foods for her family.
Jay Coutts: Jay is a carver, a fisherman, a hunter, a gatherer, a builder, and a co-creator of females!! A father of six daughters & husband to Fara Palmer, Jay is of Carrier First Nations ancestry and hails from the Nakazdl'i Indian band(Fort St. James). Jay on MYSPACE at: www.myspace.com/okimaw_drums. Jay's Official Website with bio, photos of his artistry, and more!! at: www.okimawdrums.com
Jay presents workshops on all of his skill areas. To learn more, check out his website or contact jay by email at: jay@okimawdrums.com
Geo AKA The Capital G: George Ignace is a talented young rapper, producer, visual artist, and published author. He has engineered and recorded approximately 16 Full length CD's to date, shot 2 music video's, and has toured Canada and Europe. His music touches on a diverse range of topics, from First Nations cultural issues to plain kickin' it with his peeps. Geo has a MYSPACE page under the url:
www.myspace.com/thecapitalg. George is my younger brother. I'm proud of him because everything he's ever achieved musically has come from his own hard work. Hardly anyone knows that he is my bro! He is known as: The Voice. Geo. The Capital G.......
Lahal Exhibitions: My family are lahal, more widely known as stickgame, LOVERS!!! We will describe & demonstrate how to play lahal, while spreading awareness of the social and cultural importance that lahal has in our societies. This exhibition will start out with a demonstration, followed by audience participation!! For more info, photos, & pricing contact Fara Palmer by email at: phoenix@musicfarapalmer.com