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WHO IS LORRAINE REID?
The 7-Time JUNO Nominee You May Not Have Heard Of

Lorraine Reid was born in Toronto, Canada and is of Jamaican descent. She is the oldest of three children and attributes her solid foundation to her mother, uncle and grandma, who provided a stable home environment throughout her childhood. Lorraine's first performance was in Junior Kindergarten when she sang her ABC's at Parent's Night. From that night forward, she continued to perform throughout her academic career. In the eleventh grade, she met Mark Ryan, which resulted in the conception of the group, Temperance.

Lorraine Reid is perhaps best known as the former powerhouse vocalist of TEMPERANCE. Temperance fared extremely well in both the dance and mainstream markets, and can now boast more Juno nominations than any other dance group to date.

As the lead vocalist of Temperance, Lorraine earned 7 Juno Award nominations. Their first album, VIRTUES OF LIFE, released in 1995, attained these incredible feats and much more. In 1996, the Canadian Euro dance group released a cover version of the song, "Forever Young," which reached number 8 on the Canadian Dance Chart. The single, "Forever Young," was also released in the United States in the summer of 1997, and immediately won the hearts of many new fans and critics south of the border. Their debut album featured 6 consecutive National Top Ten charting dance singles, and 4 MuchMusic Video Award nominations, which resulted in a 1994 MuchMusic Video Award. Along with a feature in Billboard Magazine in June 1998, their import follow-up single, "Lost In Love," created immense anticipation for their second follow-up album release titled, IF YOU DON'T KNOW.

Recording for the majority of 1999 yielded Temperance's stronger sophomore album entitled, If You Don't Know. This new album gained admiration from new fans, while maintaining a loyal pre-existing fan base who was excited to grow with Lorraine. Even before the release of the album title track, "If You Don't Know," Temperance had already garnered acclaim for their first single, "Hands of Time," as it won a SOCAN Award for climbing to 1 on RPM's Dance Chart. Its success continued and it cracked the Top 40 Radio Charts. The video for Hands of Time received nominations for both a Juno Award and a MuchMusic Video Award in 2001.

Receiving fervent recognition and acceptance so early in her career, Lorraine was exposed to experiences that would shape her as both a professional and as an artist. She toured extensively throughout North America, United Kingdom and Europe, as a Hi-Bias Records recording artist.

Lorraine had the honour of singing a duet of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" with Cyndi Lauper at the 2000 Unity Ball during Pride Week in Toronto. As well, she has had the privilege of opening for various recording artists, such as Monica, Destiny's Child and Coolio.

Soon after her 7th Juno nomination in 2000, Lorraine began to feel as though life needed a new direction. Although she obtained invaluable success and experience while recording dance music as Temperance, she decided to pursue a teaching career in 2001. In 2002, Lorraine began her career as an educator, while she continued to record commercial jingles for radio and television, as well as performed backup vocals for countless other artists.

In the fall of 2005, the combination of full-time teaching and evening gigging finally came to a head. Lorraine suffered a lengthy and extensive bout with hoarseness, including throat pain, which ultimately became complete laryngitis. She was diagnosed with vocal nodules and was advised to undergo the procedure to have them removed. The resulting nodule surgery meant learning to retrain her muscles for use, compensating for some loss in range, as well as the use of an amplification system when speaking publicly.

Now, after soul searching, establishing a more mature sound, and reflecting on significant life experiences and memories, it is with great anticipation that Lorraine's new album, LESSONS LEARNED, has been completed. This title, Lesson's Learned, is significant and profound in many ways. It emulates the various challenges and changes Lorraine has endured to make this record a reality. You are sure to hear a more soulful and established Lorraine, as she provides a window into her heart by sharing her experiences that have made her the talented vocalist she is today. Look forward to Lorraine Reid's new album, Lessons Learned, which is slated for release in 2008.