KIM WEMPE’S STAR RISING FROM COAST TO COAST

Prairie born songwriter’s career taking off thanks to East Coast support

February 19, 2010

HALIFAX, NS – February is a busy month for Kim Wempe, and one she’ll probably never forget. The Halifax folk/roots artist recognized for a voice as fierce and powerful as a North Atlantic storm has been thrown into a whirlwind of her own, crisscrossing the country with a series of winter festival dates and a two-week residency at Atlantic Canada House for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Pavilions.

But it doesn’t end there. The Saskatchewan born songwriter, whose most recognized song tells her story of falling in love with Atlantic Canada and her move to Nova Scotia, returns from her last Olympic gig just in time to finish rehearsals for performances at the East Coast Music Awards where her May 2009 release Where I Need to Be is nominated for Female Solo Artist and Rising Star Recording of the Year.

“The support for emerging artists on the East Coast is amazing,” says Wempe. “Everyone appreciates music, it’s such an important part of culture out here, and that is reflected all the way up to industry organizations like Music Nova Scotia, the ECMA and the funding partners.”

After a digital release of the record in May, Wempe hit the road with pal and musical soulmate Carmel Mikol (the pair formed their bond travelling together to last year’s ECMA’s) on their “Guess Who’s Driving?” Tour – an ambitious series of more than 50 dates from Newfoundland to Gabriola Island, BC and back to Nova Scotia. The adventure netted them new friends and fans, endless stories and a Canada-wide co-write that will be featured on Kim’s upcoming full-length release, Painting With Tides.

Kim hibernated in Halifax’s Echo Chamber with producer Charles Austin (Joel Plaskett, Thom Swift, David Myles) through January to record the new album which follows her more alt-country Where I Need to Be with a folk/roots sound and added influence from some of Atlantic Canada’s best players including Joel Plaskett, Thom Swift, Chris ‘Old Man’ Leudecke, and David Bradshaw. Currently in mixing, the record has so far been funded by fan support and the Province of Nova Scotia through the Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage and is currently available in one of five custom pre-order packages at http://kimwempe.com/help.

While no release date has been set for Painting with Tides, Wempe is offering free downloads of three tracks from her ECMA Nominated Where I Need to Be. The entire EP can be downloaded for $4.99 or fans can purchase a limited edition CD + poster package with an instant digital download for $9.99 + shipping. All are available at buy.kimwempe.com where the record can also be streamed for free.

Kim’s music is also featured on this year’s ECMA Rising Star compilation (Where I Need to Be: The East Coast Love Song), the Atlantic Film Festival Music & Image Compilation (Oh Heart) and Spincount Music’s Best of the East Coast Volume One digital download card (Out of My Closet).

Stream Where I Need to Be
Pre-Order Painting With Tides

Myspace: myspace.com/kimwempe
Twitter: kimwempemusic
Or search “Kim Wempe” on Facebook

Painting with the Tides of 2010…

Heya Folks!

Even after a week it’s still weird to write 2010…it makes me gulp, slightly panic, want a drink, and want to book a flight to Mexico..but there are a lot of awesome things happening already this year so I really don’t want to escape..it’s just stressful lol.

First on that list is my new album “Painting With Tides” which I’m recording right now! I have a lot of friends joining me on this album which makes it mean that much more. I’m also recording with Charles Austin who is the most chill, down to earth dude and he’s an absolute joy to work with. Echo Chambers is my kind of place…the kind of place where recording is just what you do live being documented in a room full of random instruments and dim lighting from 70′s lamps….the kind of place where the best takes are the first takes where you were completely in the moment. It’s like a little dungeon I can escape to immerse myself in music and not think about anything else.

I have fallen in love musically with so many people since moving to the East Coast and there are so many musicians that I truly respect. Old Man Luedecke and Joel Plaskett are definitely on the top of that list and I am so excited to say that they are both a part of the album! It means a lot to have these two on “Painting With Tides”…I can’t even tell you.

There is no date set for the release yet but I can tell you that you will have to wait a couple months at least! Let’s just say recording is the easy part..and it’s not easy. lol… I’m also opening up pre-orders Painting With Tides today, so you can help me out by ordering a special, just-for-you personalized copy of the new album here right now!

Also! In the Dead of Winter is approaching fast! Ani Difranco, yes..the woman who is the second greatest female influence in my life besides my mom and sisters, is opening the festival to a sold out show on the 26th! I play:

Thursday, January 28th at 9:00pm
FRED on Agricola
with Jon Bryant before me at 8:00 and Ria Mae after at 10:00!

It’s gonna be a killer night at FRED so I hope to see you t here…I’ll also have some special guests joining me.  Find out more info and get a list of the full the schedule at www.inthedeadofwinter.com!!!

For those of you in the Wakefield, Quebec area, In the Dead of Winter is also coming to the Blacksheep Inn for February 4-7th!  18 of us in fact! Find out more information and the list of performers at www.inthedeadofwinter.com! I’ll be playing a song circle with Ruth Minnikin and Pamela Underwater Saturday afternoon at 3:00pm and a solo set Sunday afternoon at 5:30pm where I will bedazzle you with my newly learned skills such as flame throwing and I’m just kidding but I have a few new killer songs from December that I’ve been meaning to share! Ah! I can’t wait to show you the new album!!!

Ok…focus Kim…after Wakefield, I’ll be heading Toronto for a festival called Winterfolk! Check out all info at www.abetterworld.ca !!!

Now…back to recording.  Anyone interested in booking a house concert for the upcoming album release, please feel free to shoot an email to booking@kimwempe.com!  I have some free dates in southern Ontario between Febuary 8th and 11th and am starting to put together dates across the country for the spring! Hope to see you all soon…and my best wishes to all of you for the year 2010. Much Love.

Kim

P.S. – Don’t forget to pre-order Painting With Tides.

Time flys when you’re makin’ music with friends…

Hola Folks!

Here I am, morning coffee in hand watching Canada AM and contemplating first thing Monday morning how time is flying so fast that I can’t keep up nor do I have time to sufficiently soak up the joy from every amazing experience I’ve had lately! This…is not something you want to think about Monday morning! Believe me! lol….(siggggghhhh)…

Since Newfoundland, I’ve been chillin’ out, writing, making album plans, recording, and planning the tour out West with Carmel. This music thing is always being able to plan for at least 3 months ahead of now, which means sometimes you get so focused on the months ahead that you forget about the “now”. And then when you take a vacation, like I did this weekend, and forget about the months ahead, Sunday rolls around and smokes you like a brick in the face and you feel behind!! I’m sure a lot of people feel this same way. Now what we need is a solution lol…a multitasking mind that can enjoy every inch of the “now” yet plan months ahead at the same time!! …Next time maybe lol!

This past weekend my Mom and Auntie came to visit me and we hit up the Cabot Trail! What a beautiful weekend. I’ve done the Cabot Trial four times this year and it was still super beautiful, especially with a great soundtrack to listen to! Traveling music is key and so is letting my Mom and Auntie in on the East Coast artists so they can bring these artists back to Saskatchewan and Alberta and say hey! Check this out! We had a little Old Man Luedecke playin’, of course, a little Rose Cousins, a little Norma MacDonald, Joel Plaskett, David Myles, Ian Sherwood, Amelia Curran, Christina Martin, my partner in crime and touring, Carmel Mikol, and the new Atlantic Voices collection blaring the whole trip. We even showed them some history with Stan Rogers Home in Halifax live album. Sunday we hit up Louisbourg, since I’ve still never been, in the pouring rain with ponchos and flip flops…way to go Kim…I thought this one through real hard! What made me even more mad was that my runners were in the car! Anyways…despite the rain, wind, puddles, and rocks between my toes that sliced my feet every time I walked, it is something to see! Very cool…the fog, mist, rain factor may have just added to the feel.

Last night I also got my new t-shirts in! They are awesome! Seriously…I said I would never wear my own t-shirt but I might go back on that. There are women’s and men’s and they are the most comfortable t-shirt you’ll ever put on! If you want one, then email me!

Today, I’m going to take my mom and Auntie out to Peggy’s Cove and hopefully it stops rainin’! They go home tomorrow so today is my last day with them It’s hard to be away from them but it was wicked they came to visit and I got to spend a week with them!! Now they understand why I’m in love with the East Coast so they’ll come visit more now for sure!

Alright people! Keep your eyes out for gigs…they are far and few this summer due to recording. People out West! Be prepared when me and Carmel roll through ’cause we’re gonna blow your minds! We are super excited to see you and I’m excited to see those mountains and prairie fields again!!! Can’t wait to see you…

I hope you have a wicked week and enjoy the “now” will you! Lots of love from East to West…

Kim

Did someone hit me with a bat in my sleep?

Hola People!…well..it’s Monday…and I hit a brick wall with my head today. I was just cruisin’ around on my bike enjoying the sun and thinking it was Sunday when I turned around to look behind me for a second so I could cross the street safely. As I turned my head forward, the word reality flashed before my eyes and this wall came out of nowhere!

Ok..so…I have alot of stuff to do this week and I’m having a little trouble following my to do lists after an amazing, relaxed weekend..the last one I will have for awhile. But for the record…this hitting the wall thing actually happened when I was about ten but instead of a brick wall, it was a parked trailer…ahahahhahahaha! I had a concussion for 3 days and puked my guts out. I also still have a scar on my forhead to prove it ..and it’s not the one below my eyebrow..that’s a whole other story lol!

So..this week..Tuesday I head to the studio to hang out with Dale Murray and try out a little more recording! It’s going to be wicked..I will not tell you what song we’re doing though..that’s a surprise. Then Thursday night I’m gonna jam with the Stanfields! This will also be an frickin’ riot! Watch out..Kim Wempe and the Stanfields tour coming soon lol…check them out! and if you ever have the chance to see these guys live..don’t be ridiculous…I wanna see you there!

So these are the two exciting things this week..the rest…well..the rest is lists upon lists of little small details that probably don’t matter and just give me more of a chance of having that huge indent between my eyebrows that makes me look like I frowned my life away but I will try to concentrate on smiling while doing computer work for hours and hours a day lol…I hope you all have a great week though..I didn’t mean to put a dent in it but rather wanted to make you giggle and possibly relate.

Don’t forget about the Ana Egge gig on Saturday at the Company House! This is going to be an amazing show! Like I said..she on tour with Joel Plaskett right now…Check..her..out!

See you soon folks! “Keep your feet on the ground and your head outta Friday, it’s only Monday today.” bahahahahahahah..Til then..Hope you’re “Havin a time!”…especially you Adam! lol

Howdy Folks!

Well everyone…I’m opening up for Ryan Cook and Sunny Acres tomorrow night, Saturday at 8:00 at the Chester Playhouse! This is goin’ to be a good ol’ show so don’t miss it! Check out www.chesterplayhouse.ca for more info!

Also… Next Saturday I’m opening up for Ana Egge at the Company House! This is also goin’ to be a killer show. She was off the hook at In the Dead of Winter and is now on tour with Joel Plaskett. Make sure you get to the Company House on the 25th by 8:00!

Check out the shows link for all the other gigs coming up soon! The Kim Wempe and Carmel Mikol tour is another trip that’s going to be amazing!!! I’m so excited to tour with this gal…she’s an amazing person and musician and songwriter!!!
I’ve just picked up my sister from the airport, so we’re going to go out to eat at the Wooden Monkey, an amazingggg restaurant, so you should check it out, and then hit up a secret musical show.

Hope to see ya’ll soon folks!! “Keep your feet on the ground and your eyes on the stars!”

-kim