I am excited to announce that my latest single “Why Can’t I Forget You?” has been released on all the streaming platforms Today. I would like to thank my good Friend and Producer, Jarome Matthew, ( of ProSoul Studios ) for writing such a meaningful song for me.  Anyone who has felt the pain of great loss will understand and connect with his carefully chosen lyrics.
You can give it a listen here: https://fanlink.to/wcify 

     It’s been a while since I was last in the Recording Studio, but after several challenging years, I’m happy to say that I was able to get back in and record a new Single with my Friend/Producer Jarome Matthew, back in June.

     The track is called “Why Can’t I Forget You?”, and both the music and lyrics were written by Jarome, as he knows I have had a hard time dealing with several losses over the past few years. In my Family, we lost both our Sister and Mother ( only 5 weeks apart ) a few years ago, then our Dad, last year. To say that these deaths left us devastated, would be a huge understatement. It makes you feel as though the rug has been pulled out from under your feet, and like your World no longer makes sense. Some losses in Life hit harder than others, of course, depending on the relationship, and the circumstances. I now feel as though my Life is divided into a “Before” and “After”.  Many People say “Time heals all wounds”, but Anyone who has lost a Loved One knows, this is simply not true.

     Whether you have actually lost a Loved One, or been through a painful breakup of a Relationship, this song speaks to that feeling of just not being able to “let go”, or “move on” in Life. I think it is something most of us can relate to. Grieving loss of Life ( or Love ) has no time limit. I find it sometimes feels as though Someone pressed the “pause” button, and you simply cannot go back to feeling many of the things you could before. We may want to move forward, so we can try and “live” again, but it is not always that easy… if only the painful wounds of the memories didn’t feel so raw and real. Jarome’s thoughtful lyrics certainly resonated with me.

     Jarome and I had a lot of fun spending the Day together, and recording the new song in his Vancouver Studio. It was great to finally be able to get together, as he had been away in his Beijing Studio the past few years.  My Husband snapped a few photos for us.

     The song will be released next week, and I’ll announce it with another post then.

     The past 3 or more years have been very different for most of us. I don’t think any of us thought our lives would be altered so much, or that we’d experience living through a Pandemic. It certainly changed almost every aspect of our everyday lives, and taught us a lot of things. Although things will never be the same again, it is finally starting to feel like we are getting closer to being able to experience some semblance of “Life” again.

     One of the hardest things about the Pandemic for me, personally, was not being able to sing, dance, or hug People.  All of these things make me feel happy, and bring me joy. Not being allowed to do them for such a long time was really hard for many of us.

     I didn’t sing for over 3 years, but this year, I am happy to say that I have been making up for lost time. A few of us that used to sing together with The Funtastics for several years ( mostly putting on Fundraisers for the local Seniors’ Centre etc. )  formed a smaller version of the group in the Spring, and have been putting on hour-long Shows at local Care Homes. We have done 3 so far, in March, April, and May, and have been invited back for a couple more, soon. This has been a great way to get back into it, and it has probably been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in a long while. I love to sing the “Oldies”, so this is the perfect Audience for it. There is something so special about seeing People seemingly “come alive” when they hear beautiful songs that truly mean something to them. It is so amazing to watch their eyes light up, and witness the big smiles forming on their faces. Many sing along, sway in their seats, and those that can, even get up and dance. Ah, the transformative power of music!

Singing at the Care Home

     In June, I performed with 15 other Female Vocalists in a special concert honouring The Legendary Ladies of Jazz, to kick off our local Jazz Festival. That was quite an experience with an amazingly talented and uplifting group of wonderful Ladies. Also in June, I was finally able to get back into the Recording Studio and record a new Single. ( more about that in my next blog post ) 

     I had really missed being able to perform, and am so glad that we are able to, once again. I think most of us can agree that a Life without music is not a whole lot of fun. I am so grateful to all the fantastic loving and supportive People in my Life who continue to give me opportunities to sing – there really is no other feeling quite like it.

     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.