Tara MacLean

Infobox musical artist
Name = Tara MacLean
Background = khaki


Img_capt = Tara MacLean
Birth name = Tara Margaret Charity MacLean
Born = birth date and age|1973|10|25
Origin = Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Death =
Genre = Contemporary Folk, Trip hop, Pop
Occupation = Singer, Songwriter, Musician
Years_active = 1995 - present
Instrument = Vocals, Guitar, Piano
Label = Nettwerk, Capitol Records, EMI Music Canada
Associated_acts = Shaye
URL = [http://www.taramaclean.com/ www.taramaclean.com] [http://www.shayemusic.com/ www.shayemusic.com]

Tara MacLean (born October 25, 1973 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She was discovered by two Nettwerk employees on the top deck of one of the Gulf Islands ferries singing with some friends.

Her hit songs as a solo artist include "Evidence", "If I Fall", and a cover of the Christmas song "Light of the Stable". She was a member of Atlantic Canadian regional group, Shaye with Kim Stockwood and Damhnait Doyle from 2002 to 2007.

Biography

Early Years

Tara Margaret Charity MacLean is the daughter of accomplished actress, Sharlene MacLean and Danny Costain, a singer and dancer from British Columbia. She was also influenced greatly by her step father Marty Reno, a songwriter/guitarist, best known for his recording work with Canadian recording star Gene McLellan. Born and raised in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on the northeast coast of Canada, MacLean is the eldest of four children. All four were pulled from their burning home in May, 1987 by Constable David Cheverie, who was awarded for bravery and received the Cross of Valour for saving their lives. She moved to B.C. when she was 13 years old.

Tara lived in Victoria and graduated from Mt. Douglas Senior high school in 1991. Passionate about the environment, she was arrested in September 1993 while protesting the clear-cut logging of Clayoquot sound In B.C. She was charged and served two weeks in the Nanaimo jail.

Nettwerk Records discovered Tara singing on a ferry between Victoria, B.C. and Salt Spring Island. She signed to Nettwerk Records in April 1995 after moving to Vancouver to record her song "Let Her Feel the Rain" for "Lit from Within", a Nettwerk Records benefit compilation for rape crisis centers. That song was also placed on a Nettwerk compilation titled "Slowbrew", and it received some radio airplay. She is managed by Terry McBride, and her representing agents are S.L. Feldman's in Canada and Little Big Man in the U.S. She is signed to Sony Music Publishing Canada.

Her first live appearance in Vancouver was at Nettwerk Record's 10 Year Anniversary Show at the Vogue Theater. Tara made an impact opening for the Dave Matthews Band and she appeared at the East Coast Music Awards where she sang with Marty Reno and Lennie Gallant as a tribute to Gene McLellan.

ilence

In October 1995 Tara went to San Francisco to record her debut album Silence at Brilliant Studios with producer Norm Kerner (American Music Club, Sky Cries Mary, Spain) with additional recording in Vancouver.

Significant radio play for the first single "Evidence", and its accompanying promotional video helped the success of the album in Canada and America. Nettwerk Records National Promotion Director Marc Alghini reports that over 20,000 of her debut CD have sold off Tara MacLean’s US tour. Tara toured to promote Silence for over two years, including opening slots for Ashley MacIsaac, Barenaked Ladies, Paula Cole, Ron Sexsmith and Tom Cochrane, and The Cure as well as eight dates on the Lilith Fair tour, which propelled her career and establish her legitimacy with many contemporary, female artists with whom she shared the spotlight.

In 1997 Tara released a five-song EP of live, remixed and re-recorded songs called "If You See Me". Tara embarked on a national club tour to promote the EP, performing as a duo with guitarist Bill Bell (Tom Cochrane, Danko Jones). She was named Best New Solo Artist at the Canadian Radio Music Awards in 1997, and also garnered an impressive buzz for her showcase at the 1998 South By Southwest in Austin, which led her to Capitol Records and her major label release.

Passenger

Tara's second full length album was called "Passenger". It was recorded in New Orleans and produced by Malcolm Burn (Daniel Lanois) and then husband Bill Bell (Tom Cochrane, Danko Jones). It was released in February 2000 by Nettwerk Records in Canada and Capitol Records in America. Tara promoted Passenger in Canada, America and Asia for 18 months. "If I Fall" and "Divided" were both released as singles. "Live from Austin" and "Live from Roots Lodge" were released as two special live EPs. "Settling" was also released in Taiwan as the album's third single. She toured extensively, opening for Dido on her first U.S. tour.

To support "Passenger", Tara joined Kendall Payne, Shannon McNally and Amy Correia for a 21-stop Capitol Records sponsored The Girls Room Tour across America, agreeing to share the bus, stage and limelight for the opportunity to play live. Admission to The Girls Room shows were free, and the tour donated $1,000 to a women's charity in each city the tour visits. "Passenger" sold over 50,000 copies. She also appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and had a Cameo in the Jerry Bruckheimer film "Coyote Ugly", and USA Network's, "Good vs Evil".

Tara left Capitol Records in 2001.

Tara gave birth to her first child Sophia Madrien Soleil Bell on December 19, 2001 in Oakville, Ontario.

haye

On May 24, 2002 Tara Maclean's sister Shaye Martirano died as the result of injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident earlier that day on the Trans-Canada Highway in St. Léonard, she was aged 26. As a tribute, Tara collaborates with Kim Stockwood and Damhnait Doyle to form Shaye.

Their debut album "The Bridge" was released in October 2003 on EMI Canada. "Happy Baby" the lead single, was nominated for Single of the Year at the 2004 Juno Awards and won the Canadian Radio music award. This was followed up by "Beauty" in January 2005. They represented Canada at the World Expo in Nagoya, Japan that Spring.

On February 23, 2006 Tara gave birth to her second child Stella Heather Sky Grand in Toronto, where she now resides with her partner Ted Grand (director and co-founder of Moksha Yoga.)

Their 2006 follow up, "Lake of Fire" was released on EMI Canada. It was exclusively available on iTunes in November 2006, then released physically in February 2007. The album was promoted with an enclusive download single, "Lake Of Fire" in November 2006. After the album's physical release, another single, "You're Not Alone" was released.

The album is Zero footprinted (www.zerofootprint.net) which means that virtually all of the materials used to create the CD have been put back into nature by planting trees and restoring watersheds. Shaye is committed to promoting organ donation, and the use of green energy with Bullfrog Power.

The ladies were also featured in a 4-part television documentary called Shaye, a production of Breakthrough Films & Television. Shaye (the show) was executive produced by Ira Levy and Peter Williamson and went to air Sept. 9 on E!. Adriana Maggs was a writer, with Mark Caswell as DOP. The show later aired on CMT Canada.

Current Events

Tara MacLean's third full length release Wake was released on the 22nd April, 2008, and is available to purchase as CD or MP3 from [http://www.nettwerk.com/productions/cd.jsp?cd=4929 Nettwerk] . A 7 song EP titled Signs of Life was released digitally April 30th, 2007 on iTunes, and is now also available to purchase as MP3 from [http://www.werkshop.com/store/item.action?artist_id=4&cat_id=1&item_id=4675 Nettwerk] .

On October 8th, 2007, Tara MacLean announced that she was leaving Shaye due to parental commitments and the desire to pursue a solo career. [ [http://www.taramaclean.com/diary.html] "Tara MacLean's official blog"]

She is expecting her third child in 2008.

Discography

olo

haye

*"The Bridge" (LP) (2003)
*"Happy Baby" (Single) (2003)
*"Beauty" (Single) (2004)
*"Lake Of Fire" (Single) (2006)
*"Lake Of Fire" (LP) (2007)
*"You're Not Alone" (Single) (2007)

oundtracks

*"Inventing the Abbotts" soundtrack ("On Springfield Mountain" 1997)
*"Teaching Mrs. Tingle" soundtrack ("At Seventeen," "If I Fall" 1999)

Compilations

*"Bears" - Nomad Music Collection ("Clayoquot Song" 1995)
*"Decadence" - Nettwerk ("Silence (Demo)" 1995)
*"Slow Brew" - Nettwerk ("Let Her Feel The Rain" 1995)
*"Lilith Fair: A Celebration Of Women In Music" - Lilith Fair ("Hold Me, Jordan" 1998)
*"A Christmas To Remember" - Various Artists ("Light of the Stable" 1998)
*"Songs Of The Season" - WXRT 93.1 FM/Borders Compilation ("Silent Nignt" 2000)
*"Christmas Songs" Nettwerk ("Winter Wonderland" 2000)
*"Images Of Christmas" - John McDermott and friends ("Winter Wonderland" with Shaye 2005)
*"" - Various Artists ("Natural Beauty" 2007)
*"Christmas in Canada" - Various Artists ("Winter Wonderland" with Shaye 2007)

Guest Appearances

*"Simple Things" - Jim Brickman ("You" on Canadian release only 2001)
*"Earthbound" - Paul Schwartz Project ("Earthbound" 2002)
*"Christmas Harmony" - Dan Gibson/Solitudes (with Amy Sky 2004)
*"Christmas Grace" (Hallmark release) - Dan Gibson/Solitudes (with Amy Sky 2004)
*"Songs For Sunset" - Dan Gibson/Solitudes (with Amy Sky 2006)
*"Valentine" (Borders Exclusive) - Jim Brickman ("You" 2006)

Backing Vocals

*"Roaring From The Soul Of A Lion" - Peter Prince (1993)
*"Whispering Rain" - Peter Prince ("Sweet Surrender" 1995)
*"Be Here Now" - Suzanne Little ("Still With Me" 1995)
*"Don't Argue With Her" - Annette Ducharme ("Polarize" 1996)
*"Songs of a Circling Spirit" - Tom Cochrane ("All The King's Men" 1997)
*"All Of Who You Are" - Simon Collins ("Ocean Deep Inside" 1999)
*"X-Ray Sierra" - Tom Cochrane ("Stonecutter's Arms" 1999)
*"Trapeze: The Collection" - Tom Cochrane ("Pictures From The Edge" 2001)
*"Born a Lion" - Danko Jones - ("Love is Unkind" 2002)
*"Light Dance" - Peter Prince (2002)
*"Davnet" - Damhnait Doyle ("Traffic" 2003)
*"Waves" - The Devlins ("Coming Alive" 2005)
*"Images Of Christmas" - John McDermott and friends ("Christmas All The Time" with Tom Cochrane 2005)
*"I Love Santa" - Kim Stockwood ("Silent Night" 2006)
*"The Melody and the Energetic Nature of Volume" - Evans Blue ("Beg," "Possession" 2006)

Awards and Nominations

olo

1997 - Won Best New Solo Artist for Canadian Radio Music Awards

External links

*imdb name|id=0533823|name=Tara MacLean
* [http://www.taramaclean.com/index2.html www.taramaclean.com] - Official Site
* [http://www.taramaclean.com/diary.html www.taramaclean.com/diary.html] - Tara's Diary page
* [http://www.myspace.com/taramaclean www.myspace.com/taramaclean] - Tara MacLean's Official MySpace
* [http://www.musicaldiscoveries.com/reviews/taramaclean.htm www.musicaldiscoveries.com] Musical Discoveries Interview

References