A Gimli teen with a passion for classic rock is definitely on a roll after landing a number of gigs with long-time tribute band Free Ride, and she’s getting set to perform with them in her hometown this Saturday.
With a love for rock ’n’ roll, guitar chops and stage presence, Keira Goodman may well be on her way to a permanent gig under the stage lights.
Goodman, who just turned 17, performed with Free Ride in 2022 for their Beatles and Rolling Stones tribute shows, and again last year during their sold-out show at the Club Regent Event Centre in Winnipeg. She was invited to tour three Interlake towns – Winnipeg Beach, Stonewall and Gimli – with the band this summer.
How did the teen land a gig with one of Manitoba’s premier tribute bands? She simply asked.
“I knew about them and saw their Facebook page. Then I heard their John Lennon had retired. There were only three of them that year, so I messaged the guitarist, saying ‘I’m a 14-year-old guitarist and I’m really in love with The Beatles. I was wondering if there’s any chance I could play one song with you guys when you come to Gimli?’” said Goodman.
And there was. They said they could make “something work.” She ended up learning all the songs in their set and played the whole show with them, along with the rest of their summer gigs.
After hearing the 1988 song “End of the Line” by the Traveling Wilburys, Goodman said she knew she wanted to be a musician. At the tender age of 13 and with a steely determination to learn, she bought a bass guitar and taught herself to play. She also taught herself piano. Then at the age of 14, she switched to guitar.
“I was interested in the guitar. My brother had one and I tried out his. Then I decided to buy my own,” said Goodman. “There are videos on YouTube so I taught myself how to play. Nine months after I started teaching myself guitar, I started performing with Free Ride.”
It was her mom’s classic rock playlist that got her hooked on the songs and the bands from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
“That’s really all that was ever listened to in my house, and that’s what I took an interest in. I have no interest in modern music. I have a real love for classic rock,” said Goodman. “My mom had a playlist with all this classic rock on it and “End of the Line” was on it. I fell in love with it and said, ‘OK, I want to be a musician.’”
Like a true-blue rock fan, Goodman travelled to Vancouver this summer to see the Rolling Stones in concert. To raise the money to get there, she sold homemade sugar cookies at local art sales. She sold enough to “make the dream happen.”
She knew what hotel the Stones were staying at and spent all day before the concert waiting to catch a glimpse of the band, and managed to get autographs from some of the players.
“I got to meet the backup singer Chanel Haynes, their keyboard player Chuck Leavell, who has played with the Allman Brothers Band and recorded with George Harrison, and their drummer Steve Jordan,” said Goodman.
She also saw Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood coming out of the hotel parkade in a vehicle and she yelled out, “I love you, Ronnie!” to which he smiled and gave her a thumbs up, she said. The concert was “absolutely phenomenal” and “incredibly inspiring” for her.
In addition to playing with Free Ride, she has played with three other Rolling Stones tribute bands, as well as on her own.
And rock isn’t her only passion. Goodman loves making rock ’n’ roll-inspired art, which she has gifted to favourite musicians such as Jeff Neill of Streetheart and Keith Richards. The self-taught artist managed to get a friend who went to the Cleveland, Ohio, Rolling Stones show to pass on to Keith Richards a stunning portrait she did of him.
“Drawing portraits of musicians is my big interest in art,” she said. “I’ve got an Instagram page for my art called Paint It Black Art Studio.”
She’s pretty sure she’d love a career in music, including touring, and her dream would be to join a Beatles tribute band out of California.
“There’s an ultimate Beatles tribute band called the Fab Four and they tour all around North America. My biggest dream is to join them someday and be George Harrison,” she said. “I’m friends with the members of that group and I’ve been talking to them about it.”
Goodman will be performing this Saturday, Sept. 7 with Free Ride in Gimli. The show starts at 6 p.m. at the bandstand across from the Lakeview Resort. The show is part of the Gimli Harbour Concert Series, which showcases some of Manitoba’s best talent.
Visit Keira Goodman’s Instagram page Paint It Black Art Studio.
Express Photo by Lana Meier
