Organizers of the 2010 O’Brien Awards are pleased to welcome Kate Boothman’s unique sound to the stage for the singing of the Canadian National Anthem to kick off the O’Brien Awards celebration
on January 29.
Kate who has worked with Standardbred horses on Annelies Horn’s Kendal Hills Stud Farm, made the move to the big city to test the waters of the Canadian music community. She began the ascent to musical success as a member of the all-girl group The Real Priscillas, and the feverish hours paid off with an opening act invitation from Wilco at Massey Hall. She then went at it solo before finding chemistry with bassist Ian Russell and drummer Michelle Josef, completing alternative country band Sunbear whose most recent album was recorded with the help of Greg Keelor of Canada’s prominent country-rock band, Blue Rodeo.
They are touring across Canada and recently opened for Fran Healy- lead singer of the post Brit-pop band Travis at Toronto’s Mod Club. “I want to be on tour all the time,” Kate exclaimed, “I’ve always been a nomadic spirit…maybe that’s why I feel confined by the city.”
Featured in the January issue of Trot Magazine, Kate spoke fondly of the “total paradigm shift” between working on the farm and performing at venues like Toronto’s eclectic country bar Dakota Tavern. “Working with horses is the opposite of rock ‘n roll,” she admits, “my dream is to shoot a video of me riding him (her horse Neil) bareback through the streets of Toronto…to portray these conflicting worlds, which are my worlds.” Neil seems a fitting dub for Kate’s five-year-old grey charger, son of Gold Rush, named after the illustrious falsetto rocker Neil Young. In Neil, her two worlds fit together rather comfortably.
Escorted by her acoustic six-string, Ontario born country-girl Kate brings with her a sincere passion for both music and horses to help us celebrate this year’s harness racing champions.