Raina Krangle
A mix between Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt and Joss Stone, Raina can go toe to toe with any one of them. With strong, yet soothing vocals, Raina delivers poignant songs with catchy melodies, heartfelt lyrics that truly connect with the human spirit and a signature folk/rock style that is uniquely her own. Her songwriting often explores the uplifting themes of love, life, and spirituality as well as the environmental and political.
An experienced singer-songwriter, this Toronto native began playing her original songs on guitar as a teenager at classic folk clubs in Toronto such as Free Times Café & the El Macombo. Coming from a musical family, it’s no wonder Raina began singing and creating songs. Her mother occasionally sang and played autoharp with her cousin, Bob Ezrin in the old Yorkville folk club days and her dad often played guitar and piano around the house lulling a young Raina to sleep, singing Bruce Cockburn’s, “All The Diamonds” in perfect harmony with her mom. Her sister, Jodi also began songwriting and played piano, while her grandfather played just about every instrument there was but entertained the family at holiday events on the piano. This, no doubt influenced Raina’s early songwriting years as she began on the piano until her 16th birthday when she got a new guitar. Combined with her previous “daughter’s day” gift set of 4 harmonica’s and influenced further by Bob Dylan and Neil Young, Raina began teaching herself to play guitar so she could accompany herself singing. She recounts vivid memories of an early Sunday morning that fading into evening: “I sat the WHOLE day in my kitchen practicing ‘Four Strong Winds’ that my dad taught me. Eight hours straight and my neck was stuck sideways but by the end, I had blisters and could switch chords smoothly- I was determined!” Using the guitar, harmonica and piano and occasionally her mom’s old Oscar Schmidt Autoharp, Raina’s songwriting sprouted.
She continued writing and sharing her songs while studying at the University of Western and proved to be a favourite performer on campus. She went on to win the University of Western Talent Search and had her song, “In the Morning” on CHRW Radio Western.
Back in Toronto she continued to play local venues., however busy raising her son, Zach, Raina brought her songwriting skills to singing for kids. Working with Toronto producer and TV/film composer, Jason Greenberg (Soundscape Media), she first released a kids CD in 2008 and began singing for and entertaining kids. Working with Jason again, it wasn’t until 2012 that Raina finally released her first self-titled CD, Raina Krangle-Solstice. The first song on the CD, “Needle in the Hay received the Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award nomination from both Folk Music Ontario and the Ontario Arts Council. Her new song, “Holy Land”, won the Newmarket Arts Council Songwriting Competition in 2016 and Raina has since made appearances on Rogers TV, Whistle Radio and Pickering College Radio. She has proven to be a favorite at local festivals such as Eaglewood Folk Festival,The Newmarket Jazz Festival, Wintersong, Aurora Music Festival and Richmond Hill Festivals- Canada Day & Taste of the Hill. Raina also performed at Winterfolk 2016 and continues to perform at several venues in Toronto and the GTA. Most recently, she was a contributing musical performer at the now CONQUERED, Guinness World Record Attempt for the Longest Concert Ever and Longest Live Stream in Stouffville, Ont. That’s one for the 2017 record books!.
As a mom, educator and primary music teacher, Raina has also been passionate about children’s education and mental health and has been entertaining young children for several years with her original and traditional songs from her kids CD. She naturally brings her adult signature style to her kids music and mixes it with whimsical humour. Her first kids CD, Raina’s Rainbow Party was also well received as she was selected to showcase her kids music at the 2015 Folk Music Conference.
In addition to performing for many local Farmer’s Markets, Fire Station Open Houses, Hopefest, Hockey4Heros, Hamilton SuperCrawl and Telling Tales Festival, Raina performed for the kids at the 2016 Toronto Family Pride and will be back again this summer by popular demand. She has shared her kids songs on a compilation CD-The Mighty Tribe, along with Tom Wilson, (Blackie & the Rodeo Kings/Lee Harvey Osmond), Mimi Shaw and other Hamilton artists. More of Raina’s kids’ songs will be featured on The Mighty Tribe 2, (soon to be released) and will include many of the same artists as well as The Arkells.
As a follow up to her first CD, the folk/rock single "Home", was released on Remembrance Day 2016 as a tribute to the military, sick and travellers who just want to go HOME! Her newest release, "Shine" (August 2017) has a softer feel as she sings about forgiveness, balance and letting your true nature "Shine".
Whether singing for kids or adults, Raina’s signature style delivers original, catchy folk/rock “feel good” songs infused with a splash of Americana/country for her trademark sound. Raina is working on recording her many new songs for the next CD.
For bookings contact: rainakrangle.com
