Singer/Songwriter

My father (Frank Garchinski) got me interested in music. He played a stand up bass fiddle in polka bands. He would tape his fingers and play a “pull” style for a thunderous polka beat.  As a youngster I remember jamming with his band in our living room. Its was there that I discovered that most songs are built around only 3 chords.

Naicam had a school band which I joined in grade 3. My first instrument was an alto horn which looks like a small tuba. I  remember marching down town with the band playing with the enthusiasm of any nine year old. When the band played, I played, when everyone stopped, I stopped. The little black notes didn’t mean much to me. Later that day when I handed in my music, the band instructor pointed out that I had Xylophone music and not music for the alto horn. Shortly after I moved to a trumpet.

A few years later I studied ukulele and guitar in music class. I was the first kid in the Naicam School with a strap on his ukulele. Since I took leathercraft in 4-H, I made it myself. Through the band director, Marvin Shields, my dad purchased a small Italian classical guitar and a Yamaha classical guitar with nylon strings. My first electric was a used 1960’s Harmony Meteor hollow body which was later sold to my brother Terry when I bought a used 1970’s Fender Stratocaster from Frank Almers in Prince Albert.

In 1975 I started playing professionally in a family band called the Cavaliers. We lived in Naicam, a small town in northeast Saskatchewan.

The band started as a four-piece with brother Ben (bass), Terry (trumpet and guitar), my dad, Frank Garchinski on drums and myself on guitar and lead vocals.

The Cavaliers played a variety of functions including community dances and weddings.

Since there were seven kids in our family – other siblings joined the band in time. Rick (guitar), Cindy (fiddle) and Lorie (vocals and tamborine).  The Cavaliers continued for several years until everyone left home, finished university and moved around the province.

In 1983, I joined a 125 member international music group called UP WITH PEOPLE. We toured across United States and Scandinavia.

 For that year I lived with over 80 host families experiencing a wealth of diverse cultures, music, food, beliefs and traditions.The cast recorded a live album which featured me on two songs, Walk Lightly and Stand Together.

When the year ended I returned to Saskatoon to resume my studies at the U of S in commerce.

In 1984, I appeared with Saskatchewan Express as a guest entertainer. The following year I joined the group as a regular cast vocalist.

The group toured Saskatchewan and spent two weeks at the Jeux Canada games in New Brunswick. Upon my suggestion I was contracted as the promotion director as well as a vocalist. I set up interviews with local media.

As a soloist, I have performed numerous talent shows and concerts. In 1990 I started the “Hot Tamales” with a long time friend Peter Barboluk. Over the years we have played over two hundred weddings along with numerous community functions, trade shows, cabarets, ladies nights, sporting events and casinos.

Career highlights include several performances at the Labatt / Nokia Brier Patch and the Heavy equipment Trade Show in Las Vegas. I have been writing and recording songs for years. I have been involved in seven albums, with the 8th expected in the summer of 2005.

My songs can be best described as simple, catchy and straight from the heart. I have also written or co-produced over 150 jingle campaigns. “Playing guitar and singing makes me happy - so the songs will never stop!”