Born and raised in the small prairie town of St. Martin, Manitoba on Kolomaya Farms Cattle Ranch, Lori’s ancestry roots are of European and Metis descent. She grew up a true country girl, with her first stage being atop a gravel pile in her farmyard – the place where she began crafting her singing skills. Lori’s first live stage experience was with Manitoba's Ray St. Germaine in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Moving to Calgary, Alberta in 2000, Lori has continued to build her career as an independent country artist.
Lori Kole brings over ten years of experience to her career as a self-taught musician, songwriter, and performer. She has worked to refine her stage performance and writes with others both within Alberta, Canada, and in Nashville, Tennessee. Lori continues to expand her knowledge of the music business in order to maintain and grow a sustainable career in the industry.
“It has been my pleasure to have Lori Kole as a guest on my online radio show. She has a beautiful voice that sounds like it should be all over country radio. Not only does she sing, but she’s a writer on her songs as well. She has a great look and an outgoing personality that makes her a dynamic performer. Through her time on my show, I felt her dedication and passion for making music – and her love of country. With the right songs and opportunities for airplay and exposure, Lori is going to have a strong future in country music.”
“Lori Kole has a very unique, sultry voice. She rocks it up and keeps the room high energy and the party going. I am confident we’ll hear Lori Kole on Canadian country airwaves!”
BEHIND THE NEW SINGLE - ANNIE
Writers: Lori Kole, Adam Wheeler
Release Date: May 6, 2024
I had a songwriting session one day back in 2020 with Adam Wheeler, a Nashville songsmith. I was rushing around trying to get a bunch of things done and I had to send in my long form birth certificate for the university I was applying to. I was annoyed with the little things, tedious tasks, and more stressed as to what I was bringing for a song idea in a couple hours. Many times, writing comes from hardship and pain…crying, loving, leaving. And I wasn’t feeling any of that.
I hadn’t looked at my family tree in a few years, but as I sat on the carpet preparing to send in the long-form birth certificate, I noticed at the very bottom, within the 1790’s section of my genealogy, one of my great Grandmothers. Her name was “Christina Y. (Cree)”. Somehow, seeing her name written that way was deeply resonant, carrying long ago pain. I wondered, had she been nonexistent to the powers that registered her name? Or was she simply insignificant in their view? I thought about how hard her life must’ve been, marrying a Scotsman who came over via boat. Two generations later she had a granddaughter named Annie.
As I sat there stressed about what I was going to write about, my thoughts formulated and I knew I wanted to write a song about my grandmothers, the struggles they must’ve faced, perhaps isolated from their Indigenous families, and not accepted by the European settler community. How lonely they must’ve felt. I never knew anything about my Indigenous Cree roots until my early twenties after my grandma passed, when my aunt researched our family tree. I felt guilty for feeling exasperated about my tedious worries. How blessed I’ve been to have the life I’ve had which was truly paved by those strong women before me. It can only take one profound shift to change a person’s life path. I was lucky.
I’d heard about Red Dress Day, so I wanted to write this song “Annie” that talks about missing, murdered Indigenous Women and two spirit, to honour their memory, their families, and to bring awareness. My hope is that sharing what’s in my heart supports understanding, love, and healing. We chose to honour Indigenous peoples and songs with Ojibwemowin, or Anishinaabemowin, Algonquin, Odawa, Inuit, and Cree languages and sounds.
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