Raquel Cole

The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times have heralded SiriusXM’s “The Highway” for their progressive and groundbreaking programming. It’s no surprise they continue that trend with what USA Today reported as “a platform-wide music-discovery initiative,” and their exploration process has led them to Vernon, British Columbia’s fresh-faced country singing/songwriting sensation Raquel Cole. Deemed “one of SiriusXM’s Fresh Female Voices on The Highway (Channel 56),” Cole co-wrote the single “It’s For Real This Time,” now available on iTunes.

“What an amazing week. I am sincerely blown away to be included in SiriusXM’s Fresh Female Voices. My first message yesterday was a tweet telling me I was on The Highway! What!? I grew up idolizing so many artists, so to be recognized this week on SiriusXM is just surreal,” shares Cole.

Cole’s work as a songwriter has been recognized in USA Today and recently featured on americansongwriter.com. She has written with some of the most esteemed songwriters in Nashville including Stephanie Bentley, Tommy Lee James, Keith Follese, Bruce Wallace, Marty Dodson, Natalie Hemby, Deric Ruttan, Carolyn Dawn Johnson and more.

This fall she will be hitting the road with Grammy® Award-winning group Diamond Rio. Tour dates are as follows:

9/26 Concord, NC @ Cabarrus Arena
9/27 Asheville, NC @ US Cellular Center
9/28 Raleigh, NC @ Dorton Arena
10/17 Memphis, TN @ Agricenter
10/18 Nashville, TN @ Municipal Auditorium
10/19 Huntsville, AL @ Von Braun Center
12/5 Chattanooga, TN @ Memorial Auditorium
12/6 Johnson City, TN @ Freedom Hall
12/7 Knoxville, TN @ Knoxville Coliseum - Music News Nashville

Vernon’s Raquel Cole can now add a Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) award to her list of accomplishments.

The 22-year-old Vernon musician just wrapped up Canadian Country Music Week in Halifax with the announcement that she is this year’s CCMA Discovery Program winner.

Cole wowed the crowds, performing her original material on her electric guitar and backed by a band as part of the CCMA Discovery Showcase concert Thursday.

“I had so much fun jamming on stage with these amazing musicians,” said Cole, posting about the moment.

With the announcement of her win, Cole thanked the CCMA for providing such an amazing opportunity as the Discovery Program. She also received a shout out from Alberta recording artist Brett Kissel, who worked with Cole as part of the program.

Developed to educate and support Canadian country music artists in their pursuit of a career in the music industry, the CCMA Discovery award is bestowed upon one of six finalists and is based upon compiled scores from several major milestones of the program. Those include a panel interview, a written essay, and the showcase performance.

Cole ended Country Music Week walking the John Deere “green” carpet at Sunday’s televised CCMA awards, and had her picture taken with Jimmy Rankin.

She is about to resume a tour through the eastern U.S with American recording artist Josh Turner and will return to Nashville to continue writing songs for an upcoming album. - BC Local News

Raquel Cole is a young singer-songwriter from Vernon, B.C. She first started playing music as a child and never looked back. “I have my parents to thank for noticing my love for music at such an early age,” says Cole. “They bought me my first guitar when I turned nine, and I literally started writing songs as soon as I could play four chords.” At 12 she took home Best New Artist of the Year honours at the B.C. Interior Music Awards, and was soon shuttling between Los Angeles and Nashville, recording and writing music. This fall she opened shows for Grammy Award-winning band Diamond Rio on a U.S. tour. - See more at: http://magazinesocan.ca/en/features/faces-to-watch-raquel-cole/#sthash.QUQQyzwi.dpuf - magazinesocan.ca - Alex Laurence

Vernon, B.C., country singer-songwriter Raquel Cole won the SOCAN-sponsored 2014 Nimbus Recording Competition on April 25, at the Cellar Nightclub in Vancouver.

Cole will receive a three-song recording, produced by Futcher (The Be Good Tanyas, Fences, The ReAKtion) and engineered and mixed with the assistance of instructors and students in the world-class Nimbus Studios. Cole also will receive a $500 cash award from SOCAN, and an artist development plan and ongoing consultation with the Nimbus Music Business Program. Previous winners of the competition have included We Hunt Buffalo, Cobra Ramone, and Randy Ponzio.

A record 173 acts from around the world entered the contest, and were adjudicated by students in the Nimbus Music Business Program. The four finalists were Raquel Cole, Real Mad Decent, Mindil Beach Markets, and If We Are Machines. They were judged – by Garth Richardson, Futcher, and the students – on songs and composition, vocals, technical ability/tightness of band, originality, stage presence, audience reaction and clear branding/ image of the band.

All of the acts performed sets at the Cellar in the final, raising more than $900 in support of the Music BC Charitable Foundation and Music Heals. The Nimbus Recording Competition 2014 final was also sponsored by Vancouver radio station CiTR.
- See more at: http://www.socan.ca/news/raquel-cole-wins-socan-sponsored-nimbus-recording-competition#sthash.9RXYFn6E.dpuf - www.socan.ca

Indie Week Canada 2013 gives top honors to Toronto punk-metal band SUMO CYCO, Vernon country-pop songstress RAQUEL COLE, and Calgary hard-rockers OPEN AIR |

Indie Week Canada 2013 staged it’s annual Music Festival this past weekend, celebrating their 10th anniversary as an alternative, artist-friendly, Music & Film Industry shindig that encompasses four days & nights in the heart of Toronto. Scheduled Events included Industry panel discussions, the Reel Indie Film Fest (RIFF), Special Guest speaker John Densmore (drummer for The Doors), and of course an array of Music Showcases featuring local and int’l artists. Performances throughout the Festival were judged by various members of the music industry, and the top-scoring act was awarded Flight and Hotel accomodations to headline at INDIE WEEK IRELAND.

RAQUEL COLE - (1st Runner-Up)

Hailing from Vernon, B.C., this singer-songwriter has been something of a musical prodigy since the age of nine, learning the guitar effortlessly and garnering awards by the time she was twelve. These days she travels frequently to LA and Nashville to write with award-winning songwriters & fellow artists (two-time Grammy winner Chad Carlson) and her song “Leaving Home” placed Top 30 in Nashville’s International Music City Songwriting Competition. Her influences include John Mayer, Bryan Adams, Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow and Shania Twain. “Shania is one of the first memories I have of listening to the radio when I was about five years old. It was her “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” single and it was one of my first introductions to music.” - Rokline

BIRTHDATE: March 22, 1993

HOMETOWN: Vernon, BC

CURRENT LOCATION: Nashville

AMBITIONS: I want to make music that lets me travel the world.

TURN-OFFS: Airlines telling me I can’t bring my guitar on board.

TURN-ONS: A cup of English Breakfast always makes for a better day.

DREAM GIG: To take home a Grammy would be a dream come true.

FAVORITE LYRIC: “I don’t love you, but I always will.” – The Civil Wars

CRAZIEST PERSON I KNOW: I’m going to interpret the word “craziest” as “coolest” and say I got to meet Bryan Adams once. I know every single one of his songs, so meeting him was pretty dang cool.

SONG I WISH I WROTE: “Yesterday” by the Beatles

5 PEOPLE I’D MOST LIKE TO HAVE DINNER WITH: Michael Buble, because he’s both charming and funny. Taylor Swift, I’d like to find out who she really did and didn’t date. Margeret Thatcher (Iron Lady), she is one of the most courageous and intelligent women. Queen Elizabeth II, except for tea not dinner. Does One Direction count as one? I’m a little obsessed with British accents..

MY FAVORITE CONCERT EXPERIENCE: Keith Urban & Vince Gill guitar soloing with Jimmy Olander from Diamond Rio at All For The Hall concert in Nashville. - www.americansongwriter.com

Raquel Cole with "It's For Real This Time."

In support of Diamond Rio Tour at Cabarrus Arena in Concord, NC. - Click to watch VIDEO

December 19, 2013 - 12:24 PM

VERNON – A local musician is in the running to win a CBC contest aimed at replacing the Hockey Night in Canada theme.

Since June, the CBC has been taking submissions from Canadian musicians. The taxpayer-funded broadcaster received thousands of submissions. They were whittled down to a list of 100 songs and online voting trimmed that list to 50 finalists.

One of those 50 finalists is Vernon’s Raquel Cole. The singer-songwriter, 20, picked up the guitar at age 9 and has never looked back.

In 2008, the CBC lost the rights to the original well-known theme song that was written in 1968 by Delores Claman, so it needs a replacement.

Cole has been travelling to Nashville and Los Angeles for three years now trying to build her career. Her management company is based out of Nashville.

She’s playing a concert at Silver Star Resort on Dec. 27 and is opening for Diamond Rio at Regina Casino in February of 2014.

You can have a listen to her song obviously titled “Hockey Night in Canada” and vote for it if you like at the CBC’s website.

You can also check her out on YouTube.

To contact the reporter for this story, email halexander@infotelnews.ca or call 250-491-0331. - Info Tel News - Howard Alexander

Once again, the live music night venue at our Granville Street cafe brings you the best coffeehouse tunes you’re going to get anywhere from Vernon BC to Nashville, Tennessee — which just happens to follow the musical trajectory of the talented Raquel Cole. This young BC-born guitarist with a distinctive country style recently picked up Best New Artist of the Year from the BC Interior Music Awards and has been writing, playing and recording some amazing tunes across Canada and the USA. She’s playing alongside the Winter Buskers and Cece Caroll and the Fab this Friday — so enjoy some soulful, mellow tunes this week as you kick back with a coffee and cheesecake!

We actually got a chance to chat with Raquel about her music and where she’s headed. She is our latest coffeehouse musician profile:

TO. What inspires your music and songwriting?

Raquel. Life is full of inspiration if you keep your eyes and heart open to it.
That and putting yourself in interesting situations can always bring forth a good story to write a song around.

Musically, I listened to the Beatles, Roy Orbison, Bryan Adams, Shania Twain, Keith Urban. Really, I just love a good song.

TO. What’s the secret to your success?

Raquel. Honestly, there’s no secret. I think people are looking for something authentic and real. I hope my music is exactly that, and I will continue to put my all into it.

TO. What’s your songwriting process?

Raquel. For me, the music usually, if not always, comes first. I’ll play around with a melody on the guitar, and start singing words that somehow inspire lyrics and eventually a song.

TO. How did you get your start as a musician?

Raquel. I was always singing growing up. It just came natural for me, I heard music and had to sing along. My parents obviously took note of that and got me singing in church and local events at an early age, from there it just kind of took off. I got my first guitar when I was 9 years old, and a year later I was already writing songs. Writing songs was definitely how “I got my start as a musician.” Lots of girls my age could sing well, but not many were playing guitar and writing songs.

Having traveled to LA, Nashville, and many other places, Nashville definitely stuck out to me a I am thankful for all the opportunities I’ve had so far in my career, and I’m very excited for what’s to come!

TO. What’s next for Raquel Cole?

Raquel. This fall, I am going on tour with Grammy Award Winning, country band, Diamond Rio, performing in theatres and arenas across the southern United States. I can’t wait to get on the road and travel to all these places, as well, I will have a brand new EP that I’ll be promoting on tour! Another fun fact; my good friends and songwriting partners, the Truman Brothers (Ben Truman and Chad Truman) are joining me on tour, and we are ready to rock! - Trees Organic Coffeehouse - Jonathon Narvey

Vernon, British Columbia Country artist RAQUEL WARCHOL has a lot to celebrate in 2013. Her song Leaving Home (co-written with Cody Fry) placed in the Top 30 of the Music City Songwriting Competition in Nashville. Judges this year included Little Big Town and hit songwriter Tim Nichols. Plus - USA Today picked one of her songs for their exclusive weekly Playlist (5/13/13). The song Gone recorded by co-writer Jessica Campbell was highlighted as one of the week’s most intriguing tracks. A recent high school graduate, Raquel has travelled to LA & Nashville over the past 3 years to write with award-winning songwriters and fellow artists. Her influences include Bryan Adams, Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow & Shania Twain. - Dave Woods

Raquel Cole is an up and coming Canadian Country Music artist, originally hailing from Vernon, B.C.

She’s been afforded the opportunity to be the opening act for Diamond Rio when they perform at Casino Regina this weekend (Feb 15th). Ahead of that performance, we had a chat with her about landing the gig, songwriting, and her latest single, ‘Bigger Than the Sky’.

Check out the interview below, and find the link to her website to learn more about this future Canadian treasure!

For her website, click here

Interview here…RaquelCole - 620 ckrm - Patrick Bower

Around these parts, she’s known as that diminutive-size, flaxen-haired girl with the guitar and seriously powerful pipes.

And now the rest of the country is catching on to the talents of Raquel Cole.

If the name doesn’t ring a bell that’s because the Vernon-raised musician recently changed her name from Warchol to Cole, as according to her namesake, dad Dave Warchol, it’s easier to pronounce and spell.

Cole is gearing up to perform under her new moniker when she gives a holiday concert at Silver Star’s National Altitude Training Centre Friday, Dec. 27.

“Vernon will always be home. There’s something special about this place, especially in the summer and at Christmas” said Cole.

In fact, it has been since last Christmas that Cole performed in concert locally, with fellow Vernonite Jodi Pederson at the Powerhouse Theatre. She was also seen busking on Vernon’s 30th Avenue this summer, playing for the Downtown Vernon Association’s Curbside Live.

For the rest of the time, the Vernon Secondary School graduate, now 20, has been busy writing songs in Nashville, entering international song competitions, and performing at music industry events.

“I love Nashville. It has grown on me now that I am working with all these great songwriters. I have found my niche,” said Cole, who describes her music as country that crosses a few genres.

“I never thought of myself as a country artist, but I just love the fans, so now when I call myself a country artist, it’s like the missing piece of the puzzle... I’m still a girl with a guitar, but I am much more focussed now.”

Cole isn’t kidding. This past year has proven to be a whirlwind for the young talent.

In February, she was chosen as a top 10 artist for Variety’s Got Talent, a B.C.-wide singing competition.

In Nashville, she worked with producer Chad Carlson, who has been nominated for a 2014 Grammy for Taylor Swift’s Red album (he won two Grammys, for Album of the Year and Country Album of the Year, for Swift’s Fearless in 2010) on six new songs.

She has also recorded and has been writing with Jimmy Olander of the band Diamond Rio at his home studio in Music City. (Cole is represented by the same management team as Diamond Rio.)

“Nashville is known for its publishing companies, and a lot of independent artists often find themselves in small studios in people’s homes to write songs,” she said, adding, “I also love writing with (Nashville songwriter) Bruce Wallace. We often record the songs on my iPhone and they sound good.”

The work has paid off as Cole’s music has been capturing the attention of industry types in both the U.S. and Canada.

Her song, Leaving Home, placed in the top 30 of the Music City Songwriting Competition, which was judged by A&R (artists and repertoire) representatives and label owners. In May, USA Today picked Cole’s song, Gone, for their exclusive weekly playlist as one of the week’s most intriguing tracks.

She was also showcased as a featured SOCAN artist on the international radio show, Billy Block’s Western Beat.

“Before anyone has become famous, they have played his show,” said Cole, adding, “It’s great to have people hearing my music.”

Back in her home country, Cole made her first visit to Toronto in October for Indie Week Canada, where independent artists perform at judged showcases around the city.

Cole played three shows, including a large showcase at the city’s Cadillac Lounge, where she placed first. At the finals, held at the Tattoo Rock Parlour, she came in second overall.

“It’s more of an industry festival,” said Cole, adding some of the representatives she met there were from Gibson Guitar.

“They let me use one of their guitars. It was cool because the day after the showcase, Gibson tweeted with a message that said ‘you make country music proud.’”

Cole also played to country fans around these parts when she joined fellow Canadian artists Deric Ruttan, Jason Blaine and Chad Brownlee, the latter a Kelowna native and former junior hockey player with the Vernon Vipers, at the Your Town Throwdown Tour when it stopped in Kamloops and Kelowna in November.

“I’d written with Deric before in Nashville, but never met Jason or Chad before. They were really nice,” she said. “It’s funny as Jason and Deric both have booking agents in Nashville, so I had to go all the way to Nashville to get a gig back home.”

More recently, Cole entered CBC Music and Hockey Night in Canada’s quest for the next great hockey song.

Her song, aptly called Hockey Night in Canada, has already beat out more than 1,000 entries to make the top 50. Online voting for the top 10 was being determined as of yesterday. (The results were unavailable at press time.)

Cole has a lot more to look forward to in the coming year. She heads back to Nashville after Christmas to continue writing and will be joining Diamond Rio as their opening act when the band plays Regina in February.

“After that we’ll see what happens,” she said. “I’m going to try to get into Canada Music Week (a fan and industry festival, based in Toronto) and I have applied to South by Southwest (another fan and industry festival in Austin, Tex.),” she said.

But first, locals and visitors to Silver Star Mountain Resort can catch Cole in concert Friday, Dec. 27 at the NATC starting at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $15, available at www.raquelcole.com or by contacting Silver Star’s guest services and information desk at 250-558-6019 or infodesk@skisilverstar.com. - Vernon Morning Star

Raquel Cole is a 20 year old singer songwriter from Vernon.

She's recorded a few songs and played many gigs in the Southern Interior.

She also spends time in Nashville.

Raquel hopes CBC Music's Hockey Night in Canada song quest will be her big break.

Her song, appropriately called Hockey Night in Canada, made the top 50 out of the thousands of submissions.

She popped by our Kelowna studio to tell us a little more about the song and to perform it! - CBC Radio - Daybreak South (British Columbia)

When the Your Town Throwdown country music triple bill comes to the Okanagan, there will be more than one Valley tie to the performers.
Chad Brownlee, one of the three headliners sharing the bill (Jason Blaine and Deric Ruttan are the other two) was born in Kelowna and played junior hockey for the Vernon Vipers before trading his skates for a guitar and a microphone.
But there's another local connection as well.
Twenty-year-old Vernon native and part-time Nashville resident Raquel Cole will be the opening act for Tuesday's show at the Kelowna Community Theatre and the following night when the tour heads to Kamloops for a show at the Sagebrush Theatre.
"I haven't met all the guys, but I know Deric," said Cole. "We've written together before. He's one of the first guys I ever wrote with in Nashville.
"He was so nice to me and giving me a shot. Because, I mean, we're both Canadian, but here's this girl who comes to Nashville and wants to write and he's like, 'Sure, I'll write with her.'
"Now this is so awesome. I get to open for him and Chad and Jason on their tour."
Cole, who used to go by the last name Warchol, is understandably excited at the prospect of sharing the stage with three of the top country performers in Canada.
Although she may be young in years, the 2011 Vernon Secondary School graduate is already an experienced performer and is plenty comfortable singing in front of an audience as well as handling the responsibilities of an up-and-coming artist.
"I've opened up for Aaron Pritchett in the past," she said. "And I just came back from Toronto, where I went for Indie Music Week. I placed second, which was really, really cool."
At the age of nine, Cole, with support from her drummer father, picked up the guitar and that soon led to her writing her own songs.
"I wanted a piano, instead I got a guitar," she said. "But basically, I think, the radio was huge inspiration for me. My dad was into rock music and my mom was into gospel.
"I remember being five years old and hearing Shania Twain on the radio and her song, Man! I Feel Like a Woman, and I being like, 'Dad, who is that?' I just loved it.
And I just loved singing - I was constantly singing around the house."
Cole now divides her time between the Okanagan and Nashville, and has also spent time recently in Los Angeles and Vancouver, much of the time writing songs with others.
"Vernon is definitely my home, but Nashville's become my musical home," she said.
Cole recently recorded four songs there with Grammy winner Chad Carlson and also managed to place in the top 10 in B.C.'s Variety's Got Talent competition.
While her music shares much in common with other country artists like Ruttan, Blaine and Brownlee, her influences are diverse. They include everyone from Sheryl Crow to John Mayer and other contemporary pop singers.
Cole has already made a name for herself in music circles in the Okanagan, in Nashville, and beyond, and is looking to expand her horizons further.
Just two years ago, Cole's main objective was to finish high school, but now her long-range plans include pursuing her music as far as she can take it.
"I've been writing tons of songs and honing my artistry, which is exciting," she said. "The plan is to pitch for a record deal essentially, but it all takes time. I've been writing for myself, but I've also been writing for other people as well, and that would also be an avenue I want to go down."

QUICKFACTS
Who: Raquel Cole, supporting Chad Brownlee, Deric Ruttan and Jason Blaine for two shows on the Your Town Throwdown tour.
Where and When: 8 p.m. at the Kelowna Community Theatre on Tuesday and Sagebrush Theatre in Kamloops on Wednesday (doors at 7 p.m. and show at 7:30 p.m.)
Tickets: Kelowna show $36.22 in advance at the Prospera Place box office, online at selectyourtickets.com, by calling 250-762-5050, or $41.47 at the door (if available). Kamloops show $42.50 (plus facility fee and service charges), available online at kamloopslive.ca or by calling 1-866-374-5483. - Kelowna Daily Courier

Vernon BC Artist Raquel Warchol Hits All of the Right Notes
Make no mistake.

Vernon’s Raquel Warchol is a girl with a guitar…and a whole lot to sing about.
So far, 2013 has been a very good year for Raquel. Her song, “Leaving Home” placed in the Top 30 of the Music City Songwriting Competition in Nashville. Judges this year included award winning country band Little Big Town, hit songwriter Tim Nichols (Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Terri Clark, Tim McGraw) and renowned TV and Sirius XM radio host, Storme Warren. Check out “Leaving Home” (co-written with Cody Fry) at www.raquelwarchol.com.

It’s not just Nashville noticing Raquel’s talent. USA Today picked one of her songs for their exclusive weekly “Playlist” (5/13/13 edition). The song, “Gone” recorded by co-writer Jessica Campbell, was highlighted as one of the week’s most intriguing tracks.

Raquel placed Top 10 in British Columbia elite annual Variety Club’s “Variety’s Got Talent” show earlier this year, and was also featured on Shaw TV’s “Go Okanagan.”

On Sunday, June 23rd, Raquel will showcase on the Main Stage at the Canadian Organization of Campus Activities (COCA) annual national conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia.


About Raquel Warchol:

A recent high school graduate, Raquel has travelled to LA and Nashville over the past three years to write with award-winning songwriters and fellow artists. Raquel is passionate about the songs that really reach out and grab a listener on an emotional level. "Writing songs has always been an outlet for me." Raquel explains, "You have to be vulnerable to write a song. The more your lyrics and melodies reflect who you are as a person, the more likely someone else will be able to relate to it too."

Her influences include John Mayer, Bryan Adams, Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow and Shania Twain. “Shania is one of the first memories I have of listening to the radio when I was about five years old. It was her “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” single and it was one of my first introductions to music.”
Raquel recently recorded six new songs with two-time Grammy winner, Chad Carlson. “I love to perform and am excited to play the new tunes live at various shows coming up this year.”

Follow Raquel on Facebook and Twitter:

facebook.com/raquelwarchol

twitter @raquelwarchol

youtube.com/RaquelWarchol

www.raquelwarchol.com
***

To find out more about Raquel Warchol, contact Lori at MapleStar Music & Media (Canadian Division): lori@maplestarmusicmedia.com.

Management: Renee Behrman at Modern Management, Nashville. Contact rbehrman@modmgmt.com. - MapleStarMusic & Media