Band:Slade Brothers Release:Single (7-Inch) Year:1966 Chatham-Kent Connection:Ralph Murphy was raised in Wallaceburg before heading out to build a music career.
Notes:
In 1964, Ralph began playing locally in a duo called the ‘Guardsmen’ in Wallaceburg.
Murphy moved to London, signed a record deal with Pye Records and released two singles with Jack Klaysen as The Guardsmen. The Guardsmen then changed their name to the Slade Brothers and released these two singles. The Slade Brothers opened up for famous headlining acts, such as The Kinks, The Troggs, Martha and the Vandellas, The Byrds, and The Walker Brothers.
This year (1966) He started producing records for CBS, Fontana, Carnaby, Decca, Other hits included Billy Fury’s “Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt” and the Casuals “Touched”.
Tracks: 1.PEACE IN MY MIND 2. LIFE’S GREAT RACE
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Band: Why Not? Circa: 1965-1966 Home: Chatham-Kent Ontario Note: Through popular dissemination they mistakenly became known as “The Why Nots?”
Members Doug Chevalier Paul Miller Allan Jones Bob Niksic Rick Chrysler
This popular band performed at a different High School every weekend. The material was mostly Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, Kinks and James Brown covers. This was Rick’s first band.
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Fred McKenna Album
A Hank Williams Songbook was released in 1966 and produced by Ben Weatherby.
McKenna mostly steers clear of copying Williams’ vocal mannerisms, singing these four numbers in a register somewhat deeper than Hank’s nasal yodel.
Bobby Lucier has been a leader in steel guitar and is world renowned for his unique style and ability.
Bob was the resident Steel Player for “The Tommy Hunter Show” from the mid 70’s until its demise. The popular show aired on CBC in Canada.
Bob was also the first steel guitarist with the famous Johnny Burke and Eastwind, before that, he played in Bill Anderson’s “Po’ Boys band”, Myers Brothers and the Jubilaires, among a few others. He performed and recorded on several of Country Star Anne Murray’s releases. As a session player, Bob’s steel playing appears on a countless number of releases by various artists over the years.
About Fred McKenna
Fred McKenna was a blind musician, producer and arranger best known for his frequent appearances on CBC’s Singalong Jubilee, where he would play the fiddle, mandolin and guitar on his lap, much as Jeff Healey would years later. A self-taught musician, McKenna also guested on Don Messer’s Jubilee, recorded with George Beck and the Maritime Playboys and Stompin’ Tom Connors (and produced Stompin’ Tom’s signature tune “The Hockey Song”), and was inducted into the New Brunswick Country Music Hall Of Fame before he died during a gig in Cambridge, New Brunswick.
Band: The Larsen Brothers Year: 1966 Home: Chatham Ontario.
Members:
Eddy Larsen (Ole) – Vocals, lead guitar
John Larsen – Bass
Freddy Larsen – Organ
Robbie – Drums
Future: Many will know the Larsen Brothers for their later name change to ‘The Missing Links’ who toured extensively and released an album in 1966. Ole would also go on to many other popular local bands including ’Texas’.
Past: Before ‘The Larsen Brothers’, they were called ‘Zeke and the Moonshiners’. They were a great rowdy party band that dressed up as hillbillies and kept the crowds hollering to their crazy on stage antics.
Notes: The Larsen Brothers were cleaned up by their management to prepare them as a band who would go out and tour in bigger venues and classy establishments. It happened, and they were loved by the audience and the club owners alike. They had full page adds in major entertainment papers, in major cities, with the likes of Chuck Berry.
The picture of the guys with the accordions was taken in the 50’s. This was the Larsens before they moved to Canada from Denmark. The picture includes sons Fred and John with their Dad Harry Larsen. The other brother Eddy (Ole) was not in the picture playing because he was not old enough to play an instrument at that time. The young Larsen’s played European style dance for polkas. The family moved to Canada around 1958-59.
The Larsen brothers come from a musical family. Their father was a multi-instrumentalist in Denmark for over 35 years. He played on TV, Radio, night clubs and a date as a gypsy violinist for a travelling circus.
2009 Update: I was at John Larsen’s house today to pick up photos’ from him. We were talking with him and my good buddy Kiley (John’s son). I can assure you one thing. Even though over 44 years has past since this band formed, John is still a cool cat. He can also thank the many years of noted work with the ‘Chatham Pool Sharks’ swim team for giving him his great health today. Each member of the Larsen family has gone on to do wonderful things for the community, whether it be for the youths of today, or the adults who demanded the best in entertainment. S.Beaulieu
Group: The Singing Teentones Release: Self Titled LP Year: 1966 Formed: 1961 Recorded: Nov. 1965 Home: Chatham Ontario Style: Religious
Vocal Members:
Eunice Tomen, Linda Kivell, Becky Sass, Gary Kivell, Pat Apthorpe, Ruth, John and Joy Cornelius, Dawna Lucas, Rick Greven, Carol Magee, Judy Abbott, Gayle Pierce, Robert Hillman, and Gordy Routley. Pianist: Colleen Bishop
Trainer and Director Ruth Cornelius announced that the new LP can be purchased from any of the 15 members. The Singing Teentones began in 1961 as a teenage church choir at Evangel Tabernacle on Victoria Ave. They have been featured in Churches in Canada and the U.S.A. and appeared regularly in Youth for Christ rallies in Windsor and Chatham.
The group won two gold medals in the vocal division at the Youth for Christ Canadian convention competition in 1965. They also were involved in national and international competitions that same year.
Tracks: 13 Includes: “How Big Is God,” “Down From His Glory,” “Singing,” and “I Heard God Today.” Photo & Source from CDN Feb 16th 1966
Artist: Ian And Sylvia Release: So Much For Dreaming Date:1966 Sylvia is from Chatham. Born Sylvia Fricker.
Line Up: Ian Tyson (vocals, guitar, autoharp) Sylvia(vocals) David Rae(guitar) Robert Bushnell (electric bass) Al Rogers(drums).
Songs: 01 – circle game 02 – so much for dreaming 03 – wild geese 04 – child apart 05 – summer wages 06 – hold tight 07 – cutty wren 08 – si les bateaux 09 – catfish blues 10 – come all ye fair and tender ladies 11 – january morning 12 – grey morning
Ian Sylvia’s adjustment to folk-rock was sometimes fine, sometimes awkward, and this was another inconsistent, though generally worthwhile, effort. Highlights include “Circle Game,” one of the very first recorded covers of a Joni Mitchell composition. Tyson’s “Wild Geese” and “Child Apart” count as some of their better unheralded tunes, and the occasional muted orchestration worked well on “Circle Game” and the melancholy title track. On the other hand, the attempts at blues were abominable, the traditional ballads anachronistic, and some of the material (especially Fricker’s) undistinguished. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide.
In the mid-1960s Ian and Sylvia began to move away from traditional folk toward an early synthesis of country music and rock. In place of guitar accompaniment (which had been supplied in turn by Monte Dunn, David Rea, and others) they formed a full band, the Great Speckled Bird, in 1968; the debut LP Great Speckled Bird is considered a classic of the country-rock genre. The change in style initially met with mixed if not hostile reaction but brought Ian and Sylvia before a broader audience – in 1970, for example, they appeared at the Atlanta Pop Festival and as part of the Festival Express, a rock festival that crossed Canada by train, stopping in several cities. They also performed at Expo 70 in Japan. (The Canadian Encyclopedia). _ *Watch the album preview below.
Artist: Ian And Sylvia Release: Play One More Date: 1966 Label: Vanguard Records Genre: Folk/Country Sylvia is from Chatham. Born Sylvia Fricker.
“…one of Ian & Sylvia’s best… some great original songs [and] some strong cover versions of equally powerful folk and country tunes…”
Ian Tyson (vocals, guitar); Sylvia Fricker (vocals). Additional personnel: Eric Weissberg (guitar, banjo); Rick Turner (guitar); Paul Griffin (organ); Felix Pappalardi (bass).
Songs: 1. Short Grass 2. French Girl 3. When I Was A Cowboy 4. Changes 5. Gifts Are For Giving 6. Molly And Tenbrooks 7. Hey, What About Me 8. Lonely Girls 9. Satisfied 10. Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa 11. Friends Of Mine 12. Play One More _ *Watch the album preview below.
Name: The Missing Links Release: It’s Link Up Time (LP Record) Year: 1966 Home: Chatham Kent Ontario Canada. Formerly known as: Zeke and the Moonshiners, then The Larsen Brothers.
Members: John Larsen – Bass
Fred Larsen – Organ
Eddy Larsen (Ole) – Guitar
Bill McGrath – Drums
Bob Hunt, from England, had played drums at one point.
Notes: Produced by Paul Shaffer, who is best known as the musical director for David Letterman’s late night talk show.
The record is a mix of originals and covers. The band was on the road allot touring, but did settle down at the end of their run. They were the house band for the Kingsway in Chatham for roughly four years.
John Larsen’s son Kiley plays drums in the metal band Nerve.
The Missing Links were together for 11 years and spend a good 4-5 years playing in Toronto without ever having to leave there. They were a hot band and were very well in demand.
Grant Smith was the drummer for the first couple of years. Grant went on to form the popular Toronto rock-soul outfit “Grant Smith and the Power” that had a hit with a cover of Jackie Edwards’ “Keep On Running” (previously a big hit for The Spencer Davis Group). Grant Smith & The Power opened for The Hollies and Spanky & Our Gang at Toronto’s O’Keefe Centre on March 17, 1968. The following month, the band headed off for another US trip, supporting the likes of Janis Joplin, Traffic and Rare Earth.
Tracks
1. She Taught Me How To Yodel
2. You Mean All The World To Me
3. Going Out Of My Head
4. Granada
5. It’s Now Or Never
6. Cara Mia
7. Dark Eyes
8. Cab Driver
9. Silence Is Golden
10. Mo Jo
11. Mammy
12. Jezebel
Chatham Music Archive 