Recording with Santana a defining moment

TATAMAGOUCHE - From the quiet Northumberland shore of Malagash to the bustling coast of Los Angeles, Naomi Striemer's musical career has taken her around the globe.
The 27-year-old's album Images was the No. 1 download in Canada in August featuring the song Cars recorded with guitar legend Carlos Santana.
"That was the defining moment of my career, more so than anything else, that was a reassuring moment," said Striemer, from her home in the City of Angels.
As a child growing up in Malagash, Striemer's Missionary parents chose to shelter her from pressures of the outside world by limiting her exposure to media.
"We didn't listen to the radio or the TV at all," she said.
She sang Bible songs taught to her by her father as he played guitar, sang hymns in church and enjoyed listening to the family's classical music collection.
But at age six her life changed while watching a Christmas concert in their community, listening to music she had never heard before.
"I was a determined little kid who wanted to sing everywhere and as often as I could," she said.
At age 11 she moved from her East Coast home to Manitoba where she recorded her first album of Christian music.
By age 15 her family moved again to Orlando, Fla., and there she was signed to Epic records.
She said because of her upbringing it seems ironic to her that she would have sought a career that would thrust her into the media spotlight, something her parents had taken great steps to avoid.
"They really did try to pull me in a different direction but I dove into this head first."
She said despite the difference in opinions of the entertainment industry in the early years, her parents have remained steadily by her side on the musical rollercoaster ride up and down the charts.
She describes her pop-rock vocal style as Sarah McLachlan meets Celine Dion.
Striemer has been touring the Maritimes doing motivational speaking at schools in this region and will be hosting a Christmas Concert in Tatamagouche presented by Hope 106.3 FM on Wednesday, Dec. 9, at the Sedgwick Presbyterian Church.
Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets are available in advance at the Village Florist in Tatamagouche, and in Truro at MacQuarries Pharmasave, Lottoland in the Truro Mall or online at www.ticketwindow.com.

smartell@trurodaily.com