Stephanie Angela Palmier was born in Regina, but
raised outside of the Queen city in the beautiful
Qu'Appelle valley in Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan.
Stephanie has a sister and brother, 5-7 years her
senior, and completed the family being the youngest
of three. Her father and mother still own the Fort
Qu'Appelle Pharmasave drugstore/medical clinic, and,
Stephanie grew up in an environment of love,
compassion, and, privilege. Stephanie sang along as
a child with the hits of the 70's, ABBA, and, her
favorite, Grease with Olivia Newton John. Everyone
knew she'd be a singer, but, as a girl growing under
the influence of many boy playmates, Stephanie
became almost a full time teenage, tomboy, athlete.
Quitting her piano lessons (a regret to this day),
her time became consumed with slalom and GS
provincial ski racing, ski instructing, provincial
competitions in volleyball and baseball, as well as
biking and water-skiing.
With her petite 5 foot 1, 110 lb. frame, she worked
harder than most to achieve medals. She ran in many
marathons, placing first in the boys and girls
division, and, won many all-star awards in many
different sports around Saskatchewan. She was
commonly captain of any athletic team she was a part
of. If you asked Stephanie's mother, (or band
mates), of how Stephanie operates, they will tell
you She does not usually follow what others advise.
Since the age of two, she has commanded attention
and determination in her "own" way of doing things.
The falls are a lot harder, but, the lessons and
achievements greater. It is a personality trait that
is uniquely Stephanie.
Music was always a big part of life with Stephanie.
Stephanie's relatives toured as a group and many
gospel concerts were held at Grandma's or in the
church. Stephanie was asked at the age of 14 to tour
Missouri with Grammy Award winning songwriter, Geoff
Thurman, who wrote the hit "Jehovah" for Amy Grant.
With a completion of the tour, Stephanie recorded a
full gospel album with some stateside kids and got a
taste of how the music industry business works. Upon
finishing grade 12, Stephanie received an offer to
sing as a campus crusader for youth preacher B.J.
Phillips, along with the renowned Christian college,
"Christ For The Nations" in Dallas, Texas. Stephanie
declined, and, moved to Regina to pursue a musical
degree in voice at The Canadian Bible College.
During her music and theological training, Stephanie
became a new wife and mother. She married Mickey
Thomson, which is where the performing name came
from. Stephanie was offered the role of a shy, naïve
country girl in the local dinner theater. This was
her first paid gig using her voice as well as her
first taste of country music. Willy Cole and Fred
King encouraged Stephanie to enter the CKRM Country
Talent Search and Stephanie won first prize in 1994.
She then had the good fortune of meeting the good
people at Active Mountain Entertainment, namely Don
Adams, who managed her career upon witnessing a
performance at The Calgary Stampede Nashville North
Tent. From this point followed the first album,
"Almost Blue", with Lisa Brokop assisting in song
writing and background vocals. It also included good
friend Tom McKillip producing with Nashville
players. With "Almost Blue", Stephanie sold more
than 5000 units as an independent, and charted with
5 singles; #1 hits on Vancouver's and Saskatoon's
stations, as well as top 30 in Canada. She was
nominated as "Outstanding New Female Artist" by RPM
magazine based on spins of radio play across Canada.
She won Female Vocalist two years running at the
Saskatchewan Country Music Awards in 1999 and 2000
as well as video of the year with, "Phyllis and
Don". Stephanie garnished many "SCMA Entertainer of
the Year" nominations. Stephanie has received
airplay with two videos on CMT, as well as her own
half hour special in a national TV series called,
"Prairie Roadhouse" on CBC. The program was a
showcase of up and coming Canadian Music Stars.
Stephanie was fortunate enough to have Peter
Sullivan (partner to Beatles manager Sir George
Martin and famed for Billy Ray Cyrus and Decca
Records successes) take an interest in her abilities
upon viewing her live performance. Peter felt that
Stephanie could be a "Vegas Show Girl" and compared
her, along with investors, as the next Barbara
Mandrel. Stephanie's abilities to dance, play piano
and saxophone as well as entertain and sing were
something lacking in the market among female
recording artists. Peter introduced and compiled
meetings with Bob Van Dyke, a former MCA artist, as
a producer for "Stephanie Paige", a 5 song EP for
shopping to major US labels. With investments
falling through at a delicate time in country
music's selling foundation, the project was never
launched, although it received interest from Capitol
Records in Nashville. Not wanting to confuse the
fans, Stephanie duplicated the project as "Stephanie
Thomson" in Canada, and uses it as a demo for live
performance and to sell to fans. Many fans ask why
it is not shipped and promoted to radio. It is due
to the lack of financial gain to be achieved with a
project that Stephanie did not have complete control
of.
Stephanie is currently working with manager Gerry
Lieske, famed for Farmer's Daughter success and
continues to write for an upcoming project.
Stephanie, being the mother of three small children,
has found ways to increase revenue as an independent
while reducing overhead costs in the music business.
Having her parent's hard work ethic and business
sense, Stephanie has produced several shows with her
own band for Casino venues including "The Retro
Review", a journey through the hits of the 60's and
80's. With no desire to sell out as a recording
artist or to become a tribute act, Stephanie has
incorporated her original material, album cuts and
performing abilities with choreographed dancers in
her show and simply "sings the songs". The STB are
one of the most unique bands in Canada, renowned for
putting together incredible nonstop, 40 minute,
medleys that leave audiences screaming for more
entertainment. Rarely do the STB walk away from an
encore. They are some of Canada's finest musicians
and performers.
Stephanie also learned how to produce show tours
with her own company, "Paige Productions".
Stephanie's daughter Alexandra Paige, became the
inspiration behind "Paige Productions", stemming
from the unreleased 'Stephanie Paige" album. With
other famous Canadian artists, Stephanie bid upon
The Canadian Armed Forces Show Tours in June of
2000. With Her first production win, the military
flew herself and fellow artists Sue Medley, The
Johner Brothers, Comic Sheldon Bergstrom and Michael
Kaeshammer to entertain the Canadian troops in
Bosnia. This experience touched Stephanie's life in
such a way that her compassion for the human spirit
was renewed.
Stephanie's main desire is to be someone who can
make a difference with those less fortunate than
herself, benefiting from her efforts. This desire
stems from the compassionate and loving home she was
raised in as a child, and, the many difficulties she
has endured and faced in her lifetime. As Ken Burton
(guitarist, STB) would say, "She should write a
book".
Stephanie has said, "I know I can be an independent
recording artist at any time I want, and, I can be a
show girl when I am willing to take that route. But,
right now, I want to write and focus on shopping a
deal, because I've never done it before. Then, at
least I can say 'I tried'."
This sounds simple, but, having followed advice,
knowledge and opinions of others in the beginnings,
this is an evolutionary process for the young
singer. Now primed in her twenties, Stephanie has
her own opinions and desires, and, will take on the
patience and charisma to focus on the goals at hand.
She is writing and continues to perform while she
discovers her love of pop music. Anyone who knows
Stephanie knows she is one of the most versatile of
singers. On the third album, Stephanie will be in
complete control. "Everything should come from the
heart. There is a unique magic that occurs when
someone is singing something they love………it
translates to the audience as the complete package
of what a song should be. I want to touch hearts. I
want to promote my writing or tunes that I pick,
that I truly love. I can rock the house but I can
also slow it down. I have a lot to say in this
world, and, that can only come out through my own
music. It is then, that I will know and be who
Stephanie really is."
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