It’s been quite a while since my last Blog Post, but I am happy to let you All know that my Producer and I have recently put all of my Music back up online, for streaming and downloads. All 3 of my Singles, the Original “Cool and Careless”, my remakes of 80’s Classics “I Want To Know What Love Is” and “(Keep Feeling) Fascination “as well as my full CD, are now available again.  My CD “I’m Beginning To See The Light” ( with Big Band/Swing/ Lounge/Jazzy Classics ) is also available to physically purchase on Amazon. ( All links are on my Music Page )

     Please visit my Website, and go to the “Music” Page to check it all out: https://heatherdore.com/music-2

     It feels great to have it all back up again, and to be working on a new Song, as well. More about that later…

     Thanks so much to all my Family, Friends, Fans and Supporters for continuing to be there for me, on my Musical Journey.

     Happy New Year to all of you!  I hope that this will be a great year for us all.  Now that the new year is upon us, I’d like to take a few minutes to reflect on some of the good things that happened for me in 2013.

     The biggest things that happened for me involved music – the thing I love most. 🙂  For much of my life, I have considered myself to be primarily a singer. ( and I do still play the piano, occasionally ) I love to sing, and there isn’t much that brings me more joy in life than singing something I love in front of an appreciative audience. It’s a really good feeling.  I sing simply because I enjoy it, and it makes me feel happy – I’ve never had any delusions about fame or fortune.  This past year, however, I branched out and started writing lyrics with a new close friend, who writes music.  We wrote 2 songs together so far, one of which is currently being re-mixed by another mutual friend. We got together several times each month to work on music, have long chats, and a few laughs. I also became a Member of SOCAN , which was pretty exciting. I look forward to a lot more songwriting this year, and being able to share the results with you all.

     We continued  going to Karaoke fairly regularly, as it really is good practice to keep the voice in tune, and help get over the nerves. Every time you go, you are faced with a new audience, and another opportunity to try different genres, and build your confidence. This is especially good for those of us that are innately shy.  We brought a lot of new friends out with us to these fun nights last year, and had a lot of really amazing times, both singing and dancing. It is always a good crowd – supportive, down to earth, and fun-loving.

     As always, we did a lot of hiking during the year – probably more than the previous ones. We still favour Francis Point,  still go to Smuggler’s Cove once in a while, as well as the Skookumchuck, but we went on a new one this year: The Tetrahedron.  This was very different than any of the other hikes we’ve been on up here – and I will write a post about it soon, with some pics. 

     On days when we didn’t have the time to go on long hikes, we went on a lot of walks at nearby Davis Bay. 

Davis Bay Walk

     It is always a pleasant walk – the scenery is gorgeous, and the people you meet always have a smile for you.  We often follow our walk with a coffee and snack at Pier 17 across the way – we sit at a little Bistro Table overlooking the water – so relaxing. We have witnessed many a glorious sunset over Davis Bay, from that vantage point.

     As of last year, my Husband and I now both have Kayaks. This was one of the best decisions we’ve made in the 5 years  that we’ve been living up on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast, hands down.  As I have mentioned several times before, I have mainly been considered a “City Girl”, both by my friends, and myself, in the past.  I have to tell you, though, there is something absolutely mind-blowingly amazing about being out in a kayak on a sunny Summer’s Day.  Not only is there the obvious fact that you are getting fresh air, exercise, sunshine etc., but it is just the most incredibly peaceful and therapeutic thing, as well.  It didn’t matter how bad my week had been, or how stressful – I simply could not wipe the smile off my face each time we paddled up the Inlet.  The scenery was incredible – the wildlife abundant: we regularly saw Eagles, Seals, Salmon jumping out of the water, Sea Stars and Sea Cucumbers and so much more. We found some little beaches that are water-access only, where you can go and have your Lunch, and relax for a while before you continue on your journey. Some of these places even have places to camp, and portable washroom facilities.  I have to say that the times we went out kayaking this past Summer were definitely some of the happiest times we had all year. ( and now that we have the Kayaks, this fun doesn’t cost a thing )

Sechelt Inlet Kayaking

    We had a family member come for a nice visit in the Summer time, as well, and I went on a Road Trip with some good friends for a few days in September.  There were many Dinner Parties, Barbecues, Fundraisers, nights of dancing and singing and visiting with friends and family …

     So, once again, the year was filled with music, enjoying the great outdoors, and spending quality time with the people we love the most … not a bad year at all, if you ask me. 🙂

     I wish you all a healthy, happy, joyful New Year in 2014 – may it be the year that your dreams come true !!!

     As many of you know, both my Husband and I have watched “The Voice” since it first came on the air.  Obviously, as a singer, I find it interesting, but he does, too. We both like the fact that during the “Blind Auditions”, the judges cannot see the contestants. This eliminates the tendency to judge people based on what they look like, how they dress, carry themselves,  how old they are, amongst other things. We are not generally fans of “reality T.V.” per se, as there is a lot of garbage out there, clearly. This show, however, deeply engages us week after week.

     One of the reasons we enjoy watching the show so much is that the coaches – Christina, Blake, Adam, and Cee-Lo – genuinely seem to care about their teams. ( not just because they want someone from their team to “win” the show, but because they truly want to help nurture them as artists ) It is always interesting watching the process, as the artists learn, grow, conquer fears, and try new things that the coaches suggest.

     Both of us tend to root for the “Underdogs” – the shy, quiet people without much self-confidence – often the ones that have had a very hard life, or are a bit older.  I fully understand what it feels like to love to sing more than anything else in the world, but to be painfully shy, and doubt yourself constantly. It isn’t easy, and I commend these people for having the guts to do this, even though it likely terrifies them. I find it very emotional watching their segments, when they talk about how much music means to them, and how much doing well on the show could change their lives. I can only imagine how mind-blowingly awesome it would be to have the opportunity for that kind of exposure and mentoring. ( sadly, there is still no equivalent of this show in Canada )

     Although there are a lot of shy competitors, there are also some that come across as over-confident, ( yes, this may just be false bravado ) even cocky. Some of these people tend to say things in the clips that we don’t think are very nice, especially during the Battle Rounds.  We get that it is a competition, but there is never any need to say bad things about others. Nothing is more of a turn-off than a loud, obnoxious, in-your-face person who basically says they are going to beat the other person, hands down. We always smile when these over-confident people lose to the shy, quiet polite ones. 🙂 Perhaps they will learn to keep their ego in check, in future.

     As for Season 3 so far, there is a lot of talent !  The Blind Auditions and the Battle Rounds are complete, and on Monday, the Playoff Round began. ( The second part of that will be airing tomorrow night. ) The teams right now are narrowed down to 5 members each.  Blake and Adam’s teams performed on Monday, and tomorrow night, Christina and Cee-Lo’s teams sing.  Starting this week, the audience ( in the U.S.) will  have a say as to what happens – they are able to vote for their favourite contestants now .

     So far, our favourite on Christina’s team is De’borah – she has an incredible voice, a great vibe, and she is completely ” herself ” all the time. It’s like she doesn’t even have to try – she’s just such a cool person. ( and what’s even more appealing is that she is modest and humble about her talent )

     On Blake’s team, my husband and I like Michaela Paige for her unique style, consistently good voice, and her stage presence. Liz Davis is the perfect Country singer, in so many ways, and Terry McDermott is the classic “rocker” that keeps the audience engaged.

     We feel the strongest players on Adam’s team are Melanie Martinez, who has a hauntingly beautiful voice, and fabulous style, and Amanda Brown, who comes across as a seasoned pro. They both seem to be “the total package” – phenomenal voices, they know how to present themselves, work the stage, and capture the audience’s full attention at all times.

     Ceelo’s best team members, in our opinion, are the smooth-as-silk Trevin Hunte, and the funky, soulful Nicholas David.  Both of these guys have unreal voices, full of emotion and conviction, when they sing.

     It will be interesting to see how things play out, over the next few weeks.  One thing is for sure: it will be very entertaining and inspiring, and we will be watching!

     As I have mentioned before, my husband and I are usually lucky to see our friend Brandon Isaak maybe once a year anymore, if that.  Well, 2012 has been a good year so far for “catching up” with our buddy. We saw him playing his solo gig in June at the Garden Bay Pub, then we had the good fortune of seeing him again on July 9th at the very same venue.  This time, he was playing with his friend ( and “Twisters” bandmate ) Keith Picot, as a duo.

     As an added bonus, Brandon had told me that his parents were going to be there, too. I was so excited to hear that, as they still live up in the Yukon, and I hadn’t seen them in many, many years. Ed and Donna took really good care of me that Summer long ago that I spent in the Yukon, and I will never forget their kindness.

     He also mentioned that I was finally going to meet his “Girls” – meaning the lovely Patti, and their beautiful Daughter, Kiko.  ( you just have to hear his song, dedicated to her – “KIKO” )

     As always, we arrived at the Pub early to make sure we were able to get good seats. We chatted with Brandon and Keith a bit, then Brandon told me to go over to the Dining Room side.  His parents were having dinner over there before the show, and he knew we’d be anxious to see each other after all these years. I totally welled up with tears when I saw Ed and Donna – they looked wonderful – just as I remembered them. We did a lot of hugging and talking, and it was so great to see them – brought back so many happy memories. Patti and Kiko arrived at their table a few minutes later, so I got to meet them for the first time – both such beautiful ladies ! Shortly thereafter, their dinner arrived, so I headed back over to the Pub side – it was almost show time.

Donna and Ed Isaak and Heather Doré

Keith Picot, Ed Isaak, and Brandon Isaak

     I had to work the next morning, so we hadn’t planned on staying too late, ( it’s about an hour drive home on a very long, winding road ) but we were having such a fabulous time, that we just couldn’t leave. I was so happy to be spending time with Ed and Donna, as well.  As usual, we stayed until the end, then I got my traditional pics with the Boys.

     It was really hard to say “Goodbye” to Brandon’s parents, as I don’t know when we’ll see them again. ( but we agreed that it wouldn’t be nearly as long next time ) There were many more hugs, and I struggled to hold back tears once again.  What an amazing night !  This is what life is all about – spending time with good friends, listening to fantastic music, food, drinks, the perfect venue, and a warm Summer breeze … it doesn’t get any better than that.

Brandon Isaak, Heather Doré, Keith Picot

     If you are new to my blog posts, then you may not know who my friend Brandon Isaak is. ( a.k.a. “Yukon Slim” )  To give you a little bit of background, you may wish to read my two previous posts about him: Yukon Buddy , and Yukon Buddy Part 2 – The Twisters.   That way, we can just continue with the story …

     So, the last time we’d seen Brandon was in 2010, with the Twisters, at the Garden Bay Pub.  We didn’t get a chance to see him play at all in 2011, so that was a bit of a drag.  Brandon is always posting his upcoming gigs on Facebook etc., and when I see these, I always ask him, “When are you coming to play on The Sunshine Coast ( of B.C. ) again? “.  Well, a few months back, I got a response: he was going to be playing a solo gig at Garden Bay for the Pender Harbour Blues Festival.  It was going to be a “Dinner Show”, on the restaurant side of the Garden Bay Hotel. ( we usually see him on the Pub side )

     My husband and I thought this would be pretty cool for several reasons: we’d never seen Brandon play on his own before, we’d never eaten on the other side of the venue, and it would mean a really nice night out for us.  June 2nd was a sunny Saturday, and the drive up to Garden Bay was absolutely wonderful.  We got there a little early,  I had a drink on the pub side first, then we moved to the Dining Room.

     We had a lovely little table with a great view of the water.

Our Table At Garden Bay Restaurant

Yukon Slim and Heather Doré

     I recorded my first CD back in 2005, called “I’m Beginning To See The Light“.  Most of the songs are 1920’s – 1950’s Big Band/Swing/Lounge, and by far, my favourite song on that CD is “You Belong To Me”.  I’m sure the first version I ever heard of that song when I was a little girl was Dean Martin’s.  It was only a few years ago that I heard the version I would come to love most – that of Jo Stafford.

     Of all the songs I have recorded, this is the song I get asked about most.  A friend in White Rock told me he heard my version of it played at someone’s Wedding, and it seems to be a favourite at Karaoke – especially for the people who were around when the original was recorded. I was asked to sing it at a Wedding last year, as well. It was recently put on a Jazz Lounge Compilation CD in Taiwan and China, which was pretty cool.  ( Disc 2 Track 8 )

     A D.J. in Buenos Aires, Argentina dedicated half an hour to my CD shortly after it was released.  José Luis Ajzenmesser had a radio show called “La Guagua” , and it was mostly Jazz. He contacted me to let me know he wanted to feature my CD, and he played several songs from it during the show. He mentioned that he loved my version of “You Belong To Me” a lot, and that was evidenced by the fact that he played it twice that day. 🙂 I thought that was pretty awesome of him – a complete stranger, doing so much for me, simply because he enjoyed my music. That made me feel really good.

     The very first time one of my songs was played on the radio in Canada – it was “You Belong To Me”.  Well-known Bandleader Dal Richards kindly played it on his radio show in Vancouver one night, and gave me a nice little intro.  ( His wife used to be a regular customer of mine when I was a Cashier at a grocery store – a very lovely lady. ) Heather singing on the radio

     I have sung a lot of songs before that one, and since, but to this day, I think it is still my favourite one to perform. It has always meant a lot to me.  That is why, for my 100th Blog Post, I chose to write about this song I love so much.  Thanks for listening.

     My good friend and Producer Jarome Matthew and his amazing team at Pro Soul have just sent out a Press Release for my most recent song, “Cool and Careless”, to various press and media.

     If you haven’t heard the song yet, you can listen to it here. Here’s a bit of background to how the song came about.

     I just found out about this, and there are already several links to it online. I’d like to thank Jarome, and the Pro Soul Team, for all their hard work in promoting my latest track.  I would also like to thank all of you that have already downloaded the song, and written so many amazing e-mails to me about it.  It’s always great to hear your feedback, and your continued support is much appreciated!

     You can read the Press Release here.

     We have known Rose Schwarz and her family for about 3 years – we met them shortly after we moved up here to B.C.’s Sunshine Coast.  They are good, decent, hardworking, kind, generous people, and they have been through so much in the last few years.  We care very much about them, and that is why I am writing this post.

     Rose suffers from a very rare disease called gastroparesis, and as a result, is unable to eat. ( she survives via a feeding tube )  She is constantly in pain, and suffers a variety of symptoms – none of which are pleasant.  Because she is so tiny, people wrongly make assumptions that she has an eating disorder. If they only knew the truth, perhaps they would be more compassionate.

     Rose has endured many procedures and surgeries in the quest to find a way to make her life less difficult, but so far, nothing has really helped.  It has all come down to a surgery that is booked for April 25th in Calgary – a gastroectomy, which will mean removal of her stomach. Her esophagus will be attached to her small intestine, and eventually, she’ll be able to actually eat small amounts of food for the first time in ages.

     The bottom line is: the family needs help with funds to get to Calgary, meals, accommodations etc.  They don’t like to ask for help, but this is their daughter’s life at stake, quite literally.

     Next Saturday, there will be a Fundraiser for Rose at Robert’s Creek Hall, from 7:30-11:00 p.m.  Tickets are $20 each, and include entertainment by some wonderful local musicians, as well as a Silent Auction.    Tickets can only be purchased in advance at: Gaia’s Fair Trade in Gibsons, MELOmania in Roberts Creek, or Strait Music in Sechelt.  It will be a fun night out, for a very worthy cause.

     If you are unable to attend but would like to help, cheques can be made out to “The Rose Fund” at the Sunshine Coast Credit Union, P.O. Box 375 Sechelt, B.C. V0N3A0.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

     Here are a couple of more in-depth articles recently written about Rose: in the Coast Reporter , and in The Province.

     As I’ve mentioned, we know Rose personally, and think the world of her. She is beautiful, intelligent, creative, funny, and has so much to give to this world.  I hope that some of you out there are able to help out – it would mean so much to them, and to us.

     Thankyou for taking the time to read this, and for your kindness and compassion.

     We love you, Rose !!!

     As you may recall, I was really excited last year when the show “The Voice” debuted.  I felt it was about time that there was a show that gave artists of varying ages and appearances a fair shot at being “heard” as a singer. Since the judges’ chairs are turned away from the contestants during the “Blind Audition” rounds, they must decide only by what really counts: the voice.  People can not be discounted simply because they may be perceived as “too old”, or because they may not “look the part” for whatever reason.  ( yes, it’s sad to say that even in 2012, some people still judge others based on first impression/looks – hard to believe some are still that shallow/superficial ) This show caught our attention because it was different, and focused on the singing.

     Season 2 began a few weeks back, and I have been so busy recently that I’ve had to play “catch up”, watching taped episodes.  A couple nights ago, we finally watched the first of the Battle Rounds, which was interesting.  The teams are led by Christina, Adam, Blake and Cee-Lo again, and they each have 12 singers.  Now that we’re into the Battle Rounds, each team will go from 12 down to 6 via weekly duet battles. ( over 4 weeks ) Once again, the artists work with both their coaches, and celebrity advisors to prepare.  This year, they are: Lionel Richie, Jewel, Alanis Morissette, Robin Thicke, Miranda Lambert, Kelly Clarkson, Babyface, and Ne-Yo.

     Each coach hand picks 2 members of their team to “battle” by singing a song together, then they must decide who goes home at the end of the round.  Last week, Christina’s team saw Chris Mann vs. Monique Benabou singing “The Power Of Love” ( Celine Dion ), and Christina felt that Chris did a better job.  We felt that Monique showed more emotion, but it’s not up to us. The best battle of the night, by far, was when Anthony Evans  and Jesse Campbell sang “If I Ain’t Got You” ( Alicia Keys ). Christina chose Jesse as the winner of that round, which we also disagreed with.  That one was pretty close, but we felt that Anthony did a better job. Either way, it was definitely the most interesting part of the whole show that night – both guys really “brought it”, with power and emotion, and connected with the audience – beautiful stuff.

     Adam pitted Tony Lucca against Chris Cauley, and they sang U2’s “A Beautiful Day”.  Tony came out on top in that round – again, a fairly close one, but we felt Tony was slightly more “polished”, so we agreed with Adam.  We felt the song choice was kind of boring, though.  ( don’t get me wrong – I like U2 – I just feel they have a lot of much better songs )

     Blake decided that Adley Stump and RaeLynn from his team would sing “Free Falling” ( Tom Petty ) ( another song we aren’t crazy about ) and he chose RaeLynn as victor.  We felt he made the right choice: Adley definitely has a bit stronger voice, more experience, stage presence etc. but RaeLynn has this incredible quality to her voice. She is also just so young and fresh and brimming with promise. I’ll be interested to see how things go for her. Next, he paired Jordis Unga with Brian Fuente on “Ironic” ( Alanis ), and Jordis took that round. ( as an aside, I have to say that I absolutely loved the scarf that Brian was wearing !!! )

     Cee-Lo chose Cheesa ( pronounced “Chessa”, despite the spelling ) to perform with Angie Johnson, doing “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” ( Bonnie Tyler ).  Both ladies did well, but Cheesa came out on top in that one, which we felt was correct, as well.

     So, we basically agreed with all of the judges’ decisions, with the exception of Christina’s, on this particular night.  It was a good show – again, some song choices were rather – how can I put it – not very exciting, but that’s all a part of it, I guess. If you can make even a somewhat “dull” song sound interesting, then you have something special, right?

     The Battle Rounds continue for 3 more weeks, and the Live Rounds begin Apr. 2nd.  The Official NBC site for “The Voice” is here. Please check out the show, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on how things are going.

Now that 2011 is coming to an end, I’m thinking back on this year, and trying to pick out the “highlights”. I don’t want to focus on the bad things, because we all know there are plenty of those in each of our lives, and far too many people dwell on those things. I refuse to be one of those people. Life is difficult enough on its own without wasting even more time being negative. ( Life is also far too short and precious for that! ) So, I choose to mention a few of the good things that happened in 2011, in my life.

We all know that when a new year comes, we promise ourselves that “this will be the year” we start to take better care of ourselves. We simply want to be healthy, and fit. The older we get, the more we realize how important getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, and exercising are. Most years, we get back into our exercise routine, and that lasts maybe a month or two. I am happy to say that my husband and I worked out regularly for the first 6 months of 2011 – a big improvement over past years. When we got tired of the gym workout, we began getting out for more frequent walks, and did a lot more hiking this year, as well. There is room for improvement, but we absolutely did more than in past years.

I made a point this year of making more regular plans with girlfriends. We aimed for once a month – this didn’t happen, but we did get together more often than last year, which is great. We’d meet to share a few plates of appies and maybe a glass of wine, “catch up”, have a few laughs – you know, stuff that’s good for the soul. We are all very busy, but we all acknowledged the need for our “girl time”.

As always, Karaoke played a big part in my life this year. I can’t begin to tell you how many wonderful people I have met because of this night out – especially when it is at the local Legion. Where else can you go to sing and dance, be surrounded by wonderful, supportive people, and pay no cover? We have made some really good friendships from this, and have had a lot of fun!

This year, I was lucky enough to sing backup vocals with a couple close girlfriends for a friend’s band’s gig, as well as sing one of my favourite songs ( by their request ) at their Wedding. It’s always great to be given the opportunity to sing live in front of a new audience. Witnessing our friends getting married in a magical setting with the sun setting over the water was absolutely unforgettable. Everything was just perfect – especially the amazing people we got to spend the evening celebrating with – such special friends.

As many of you know, I love to dance. ( yes, that’s a HUGE understatement !!! ) I have already taken Ballroom, Swing and Jive, and Tap Lessons over the years. The one form of dance I have always longed to take is Bellydancing. I have looked long and hard, could never find lessons in the small town I live in, so decided to research instructional videos online. I found a good one, ordered it for myself, also acquired some jingling gold coin hip scarves and bracelets etc. and decided I would learn in the comfort of my own Living Room. I was tired of letting “roadblocks” keep me from my goals. I found a way around it. I will learn at my own pace, and practice on my own.

I recorded a new song in the Summer – our first non-cover. It was written by the talented Darryl Kromm of Canadian Band “Strange Advance”. I was so grateful that he let us use one of his original songs, that no one had ever heard. This was huge – no other versions to compete with on iTunes etc. It was great to see my Producer Jarome again – we met up in Vancouver to record, after he flew in from Beijing, where he now lives and works.

We had a visit from someone very special for 6 days in July. The 3 of us went on countless hikes, went out for lunches and dinners, took hundreds of photographs, talked, laughed, cried, and just thoroughly enjoyed every single minute of the time we had together. This was definitely one of the high points of the year! Talk about time well spent!

There were Barbecues and other family dinners with my husband’s family – lots of good times spent with wonderful people. I am so grateful to have them so closeby – they have accepted me and loved me unconditionally since day one. I can totally be myself with them – and they are amazing, kind, loving people – I feel so very lucky!

One of my favourite Gals at the Office is in Roller Derby – I swear the entire town went to their bout, and it was AWESOME !!!! It was so great to see the Community come together to support these phenomenal Ladies ! After the match, we all headed to the local pub to hang out, dance, and there was even Karaoke on the other side – sweet! One of the most fun nights of the year!

This was also the year I did something I have never done before – I planned a very last minute trip. ( literally 2 days in advance ) If you know me, you know this is not me at all. A couple of very special people made this decision a lot easier, and I have to admit, it was very liberating. I usually like things planned out in minute detail weeks, if not months, in advance. We didn’t even tell anyone until we returned home. ( o.k., almost anyone ) It was a fabulous holiday, much-needed, long overdue, and very close to my heart, for reasons that the special people involved know. Another promise kept to someone we loved very much. 🙂

The year started winding down, we had the most fun Office Party since I’ve lived here on The Sunshine Coast, followed a few weeks later by the Company Christmas Party, which was also loads of fun! It’s always good to see everyone out of the workplace, relaxed, letting loose a little, and getting to know each other as people, not just co-workers. I have met a lot of incredibly kind, lovely ladies this year because of work – we have a great group there! ( and yes, there are those that left that I miss terribly !!! )

2011 has been a year of changes for me, in so many ways. I have learned a lot this year, probably more than any year so far. The most important thing I have learned is that friends are the family we choose for ourselves. Sometimes, the people we think will/should be there for us, aren’t, ( or can’t be, for various reasons ) and sometimes, people we barely know can show us such kindness and compassion that it almost blows your mind. I have seen both.

My favourite people are the ones that care enough to ask how you are doing, the ones that give real, good, genuine hugs, and the ones that aren’t afraid to say “I love you” . These are the people that matter in my life, and I feel very blessed to know you. I wish you health, happiness, love, laughter, joy, prosperity, peace, and light in 2012!