The frontwoman for the Canadian Top 5 iTunes Rock Chart band underwent cancer surgery this past week. The band’s new album drops March 15th.
In place of burying her head in the sand and giving up, Jackie decided to take that energy into her music and focus it on writing “Wild Ones”- our newest album”— Across The Board
2018 was a year of milestones for Canadian rock band, Across The Board. In May 2018, they released their thrd full-length album, “Sonic Boom.” The rock opera opus spawned the Top 5 iTunes Canada Rock chart title track hit. The band was featured in Billboard Magazine as an Emerging Artist. Their album was also nominated for a Canadian Gospel Music Association Covenant Award (the Canadian equivalent to a Dove Award.) The band performed during Indie Week Canada, and they travelled cross-country on a Via Rail tour. Riding high on this success came the news that their frontwoman and chief songwriter, Jackie Auguste was diagnosed with breast cancer.
This past week, Ms. Auguste underwent surgery to remove the cancer. The band issued this statement on their social media: “Life Interrupted—-cancer and the doctor-rocker- The reality of life, illness and art— as an artist we are always looking for material to pull into our artistic creation. And most artists pull from their own life experience—the extremes of which make the most impact and take the most mental energy from our day. As you might know, our lead singer and principle songwriter, Jackie Auguste, was diagnosed with breast cancer this past summer. As a musician and mom, the diagnosis and subsequent treatment plan were both equally daunting!. But as an orthopaedic surgeon, the chemo and massive surgery meant that she would have to leave her ‘day job’ to focus on treatment— and she took a leave of absence from her position at HR Hospital. As chemo stole her strawberry blonde locks and melted her lashes and nails, she faced the reality of ‘health over vanity’ and medicine over creature comforts. But she concluded that just as much as hair and nails grow back, a cancer without treatment won’t stop growing. So in place of burying her head in the sand and giving up, Jackie decided to take that energy into her music and focus it on writing “Wild Ones”- our newest album from Across The Board. With co-writers Dr. Martin Heller (ATB keys player) Andy R (bass) and producers @darneezeee & @mattmakattack of @mc2musicmedia, the new album, #WildOnes, was born. The record is a collection of songs that celebrates human resolve through the analogy of wolves— the strength of the lone wolf in the face of the need for a pack. Please join us Friday March 15, as we kick off Juno Weekend 2019 with our CD Release Party at Toronto’s iconic venue @operahouseto – ticket link: bit.ly/wildonestickets. Join us please in Toronto. March 15th and see the transformation. Please tag a cancer survivor in the comments below and bring them to the celebration!”
Watch Across The Board’s latest video, “No Curtain Call” at https://youtu.be/nEjFJswUVDo.
ABOUT ACROSS THE BOARD
Across The Board is an award-winning Canadian rock band from Toronto, Ontario. Formed in 2013, Across The Board quickly gained popularity with their YouTube cover series Pick Up and Play (now with over 600 videos on YouTube), imprinting their unique and innovative musical style and videography on both contemporary and classic rock songs while featuring other local artists as guests. Across The Board includes founding members Jacqueline Auguste (lead vocals/lead guitar) and Andy Ramjatten (guitar/percussion), with supporting members Martin Heller (keyboards), Ryan Sousa (drums), Ben Healey (guitar), Tasha Henry and Shezelle Weekes (backing vocals). Across The Board’s debut album, Jane On Fire, was released in 2016 to critical acclaim with their second record and EP, Amends, following in 2017. 2018 brought along their third record and album, Sonic Boom. Sonic Boom has achieved two gold medal Global Music Awards, while also receiving nominations for four Josie Music Awards. Across The Board is a recipient of the Indie Music Hall of Fame and the title track off Sonic Boom reached #4 on the Canadian iTunes Rock Charts in September 2018.
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