Monika with a K Musik

Monika with a “K” Career Highlights

 

Growing up with the dream of being a performer on stage, the dream didn’t become reality until late 1980, when I started singing in a little Irish Pub for open mike once a week.  I sang with musician Billy Harper quite

often and within the year began doing gigs on my own. 

 

In 1983 I moved to Alberta, by this time I had the confidence to get something going with my first band Southbound. We played in the local Calgary area and did very well, in 1984 we won the Battle of the Bands held at the 286 Legion in Calgary.  The winnings were a 10 hour recording session from which I released my first single Fantasy released in 1987, and was followed by 4 other singles, Until Tonight (#1 on CFAC Canada Country Countdown Oct 1987) Jack Daniels (Single of the Year in 1991), I Forgot To Tell My Heart, (Single of the Year 1992) and What Everybody Knows released in 1992/93.

 

Just as the single Fantasy was released, I was privileged to do two tours with Ray Griff BC through Manitoba.

It was an exciting time, I learned a lot from Ray about professionalism and entertaining the crowd!

 

In 91 & 92, I was honoured to receive from the Country Music Assoc. of Calgary 3 awards each year, including Alberta Female Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year and the Calgary and Area Entertainer of the Year.  

In 1992 I was thrilled to open concerts for Steve Wariner and Pirates of the Mississippi, a dream come true!

 

I toured many towns in Alberta on my own, doing a single in the early 90’s, finding it a lot less stressful on my own once again!  I enjoyed the travelling and meeting new people, making new friends in many places. 

 

In ’93 I began to sing Gospel music and found such a joy in doing so, knowing that the gift God gave me was so important to use to touch people’s hearts and to share my testimony in song.  Also in 1993 I toured Russia, an eye-opener for sure! I was so well received there, I felt like a star!  It was a tour I will never forget.

 

Since 1995, besides doing gospel shows, I have been teaching kids young and old to sing and play guitar and do concerts whenever and wherever possible. I have done some busking, have sang at many cowboy churches all over central Alberta, lead worship in a few different churches and put on 2 shows a year with the many students I teach. I am happy to share what I have learned over the years with these up and coming artists.

 

August 2010 I was once again blessed to do shows with Ray Griff in Edmonton, Calgary and Regina.  I also was asked to sing at the Legends of Country Music in September 2010 for CCMA Country Music week in Edmonton, the highlight of the evening being invited up to sing with the greats of Country Music, Lynn Anderson, Lucille Starr, Myrna Lorrie and the awesome Joyce Smith. 

 

I was honoured May 7th, 2011 to be named for a Lifetime Achievement Award, by the Alberta’s Men and Women of Country Music.