Here is the annual most viewed band pages @ The Chatham Music Archive for 2013. Note:People can still view pages by year or month etc, without having to click on separate pages to view, so those stats can’t be calculated.
Most viewed band pages @ The Chatham Music Archive for 2013.
01 Bluetonium Band 2010 02 Mike Francis Bio 2010 03The chasers band 2012 04Elyse Weinberg 1968 05Wendy Jenkins Debut Album 1983 06Fat Doug and the Sinners 1997 07 The Colours 1968 album 08 Legionnaires Disease Compilation CD 2008 09Free Ride Band from Chatham Ontario 2010 10 Winterline BlueGrass Band 2012 11 John Peneycad Near The Cross 1998 12Diesel band from Blenheim 2012 13Jessica Allossery Learn CD 2010 14Jeanne Gordon Opera Singer From Wallaceburg 15 Predator Prey Music Release 2013 16Manpower 2009 17Walkin’ 47 band in 2010 18Big House 19 Toast and Jam in 2010 20 Bradley J. Preston 1995 CD 21 Charlie Dorner Music 2011 22Hundred Proof – New York HardCore Style 2009 23Fred S. Stone – Ma Ragtime Baby 1893 24 Ray Francis and the Whippoorwills 1963 25Bent Str8 band 2011 26Letterbomb band 2011 27 Diego de Oro 2011 28 The Shreve Trio 1940 29 Pitts Family (Circa 1978) 30 viper tones 2012 31 Quadrant band 1975 32Demo Kid Volume 5 CD Free Download 33Sound System band 2012 34Salmonblaster 1996 35Bob Lucier Steel Guitar 1966 36Blues On The Rocks 2013 37Colours 1969 Atmosphere 38Geoffrey O’Hara Writes Huge Hit Song ‘K-K-K-Katy’ 1918 39 Dan Knight and the Rebelheart Band 40The Whippoorwills 1964
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And now the most viewed band pages of all time (2009-2013) @ The Chatham Music Archive.
01 Bluetonium Band 2010 02 Demo Kid – Free CD Download 2009 03Ian And Sylvia – Greatest Hits 1969 04Social Code – A Year at the Movies 2004 05Free Ride Band from Chatham Ontario 2010 06The Colours 1968 album 07Mike Francis Bio 2010 08 That Whaling Band 2009 09 Face 4 Radio 2009 10 Manpower 2009 11Jessica Allossery 2010 Learn CD 12 Brooke Nicholls 2009 13Quadrant band 1975 14Walkin’ 47 band in 2010 15 Ray Francis and the Whippoorwills 1963 16Bluetonium 2009 17Geoffrey O’Hara Writes Huge Hit Song ‘K-K-K-Katy’ 1918 18Jeanne Gordon Opera Singer From Wallaceburg 19 Ian And Sylvia Debut Release 1962 20Local Boy Ron Bechard 2009 21Fred S. Stone – Ma Ragtime Baby 1893 22 John Peneycad Near The Cross 1998 23 Toast and Jam in 2010 24Cassandra Vasik 1980 25 Superfly Bring Funk And Jazz to The Clubs 2008 26Melody Ramblers Celebrate 40 Years Of Music 27Nexus Band 1970 28Ian And Sylvia – You Were On My Mind 1972 29 Sylvia Tyson in Quartette 1996 30Full Frontal Band 2011 31 Ken Crone Trio 2008 32 Wendy Jenkins Debut Album 1983 33 Kim Mitchell with Bob Wilson 1984 34Amy Rivard – Cashmere CD 2005 35 Suds Celtic Rock Band 2009 36 Fifth Season – Patiently Waiting CD 2001 (Now Social Code) 37The Mad – Songs For The Ugly / Albino 1993 38Ian And Sylvia – Nashville 1968 39 Steve Skull aka Steve Saunders 2010 40 Jamie Hillman 2009
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Artist: Jeff Healey Release: Mess of Blues Year: 2008 Genre: Blues Rock Chatham Connection: Guitarist Dan Noordermeer is from Chatham.
May 2009: Jeff Healey’s “Mess of Blues” wins Rock Blues Album Of The Year at the 30th Annual Blues Awards in Memphis, TN THE BLUES FOUNDATION.
2009 JUNO AWARDS :“Mess of Blues” Nominated for “Blues Album Of The Year”
The band continues to perform and keeping Jeff’s music alive at festivals throughout the world.
Touring worldwide with Jeff Healey since 2002 Dave Murphy, Dan Nordermeer, Alec Fraser, & Al Webster recorded his final album in London England & Toronto Canada entitled “Mess of Blues”.
Tracks: 01. I’m Torn Down, 02. How Blue Can You Get 03. Sugar Sweet 04. Jambalaya 05. The Weight 06. Mess O’ Blues 07. It’s Only Money 08. Like A Hurricane 09. Sittin’ On Top Of The World 10. Shake, Ratte And Roll
About Dan: Guitarist extraordinaire Dan Noordermeer has also been performing in the “Dave Murphy Band” for almost a decade, and continues to dazzle audiences with his formidable talents. Originally from Chatham, Dan now resides in Hamilton. Dan is known for his Samson-like mane of hair and his wicked sense of humour. Unlikely as it seems, Dan was a full time country musician for many years before joining the band. But for those familiar with his playing it’s no surprise, since he has an uncanny ability to play every style of music with incredible authenticity, passion and virtuosity. www.davemurphyband.com
Notes: Mess of Blues contains ten cuts, all of them chosen by Healey from what he considered “audience favorites,” rather than his own or his fine band’s preferred tunes. Four of these were recorded in front of audiences at the Islington Academy in London and, appropriately enough, at Healey’s Roadhouse (his club) in Toronto. The other six were cut at Studio 92 in Canada by Norm Barker and Richard Uglow.
‘BAND’ING Together Posted By ELLWOOD SHREVE Chatham Daily News Nov.14th 2009
If you have a favourite local band still playing or from when you were younger, try checking out the website www.chathammusicarchive.com created by Shawn Beaulieu.
In a short period of time, the 35-year-old Chatham resident has compiled an impressive amount of information on local bands and musicians, including photos and small biographies, which are listed by both name and year released.
Beaulieu began the project about four or five years ago as a blog, but since being laid off six months ago, he has been able to devote several hours a day to the website.
“All of a sudden it turned into more than a hobby and all of a sudden it got bigger and bigger,” Beaulieu said.
He has been a part of the local music scene as a member of the band Foster Child, which became the Janet Theory.
Beaulieu credits the help he has received from Jeff Mifflin, who works at Strings N’ Things and is the guitarist with The O’Hara Brothers band. He said Mifflin was able to access photos of several local bands that have been displayed at the local music store over the years. He also noted the members of the 1980s group Manpower, which have teamed up again this year, “got me into a lot of this.” Beaulieu said the website is getting the attention of several local musicians, past and present, noting people have been coming to him with information. Beaulieu is impressed with the wealth of musical talent and the wide range of genres that has come out of the Chatham-Kent area, and wanted a way to show that to the world.
He has done extensive research at the Chatham Public Library, gathering information dating back to 1889 with the formation of the Chatham City Band. There is plenty of interesting information on well-known older bands, including the Melody Ramblers, which once boasted current country music star Michelle Wright as its lead singer. When Wright left to pursue a solo career, she was replaced by Wendy Jenkins, who also enjoyed success with the popular band. Then there is The Missing Links, including members John, Fred and Eddy Larson and Bill McGrath, whose 1966 album “It’s Link Up Time,” was produced by Paul Shaffer, best known today for his long stint with the David Letterman Show.
The site is also filling up with information on several local bands from today’s era. Beaulieu said the website can also serve as a resource for bands that are looking for musicians with certain skills or local clubs that want to hire local bands to play. “I only knew about 10 per cent of the bands when I started doing this,” Beaulieu said. “There’s a big scene going on, but nobody knows each other.”
Musician: Miss Helena Landon Musical Position: harpist and soprano soloist. Year: 1927 Home: Chatham Ontario Canada
Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William R. Landon of Chatham Ontario
Helena is documented as being one of the most outstanding musicians from Chatham and has travelled far and wide making a name for this city through her charm and abilities.
Recent work: Helena has performed in many places in the U.S.A. under the direction of the Orpheum circuit and the Publix Productions of New York City. She is currently in L.A. for the winter of 1927.
There is an article on Helena in the CDN Nov.9th 1927.
The above photo was printed in the same article noted.
Artists: Ben Srokosz Release: the grass is greener Home: Chatham-Kent Year: 2000
Who would have known that after three full length albums Ben would still be a solo artist. Partly due to fizzled out band attempts and a lack of patience, Ben brings us his 4th release, an EP entitled “the grass is greener.” It is a play on his move to BC.
The EP features 7 new songs, a cover of “Listen” by Eric’s Trip, and 2 unreleased songs by Ben’s short lived band, Touch Green.
There you have it, “the grass is greener.” Be it in someone else’s life or home, or province, or country all Ben could do was write some songs to tell his friends how hard it was to leave, how much he missed them, and how he hoped to return.
Tracks: 01 take a look back 02 the picnic joke 03 ai 04 listen (Eric’s Trip) 05 5 years old 06 the world is waiting 07 its how the story goes 08 name to a face 09 catch the drift 10 everything you want is out of here
Band: Kim Mitchell Release: Akimbo Alogo Year: 1984 Style: Rock Hit Songs: Go for a Soda, All We Are. Chatham Connection: Local Chatham Bassist Bob Wilson (A.K.A, Robert Sinclair Wilson)(Friends, Quadrant) plays on this record. Bob also played bass in major acts such as Troiano and Black Market.
Notes: Kim Mitchell’s original video from early 1985 of the song “Go For Soda” fromthe Akimbo Alogo album. “Go For Soda” became an international hit and remains his best known song outside of his native Canada. The song was also featured in the opening scene of the 1985 Miami Vice episode Buddies. More recently, the song was featured in the shows American Dad and Trailer Park Boys. His most successful Canadian album was the follow-up, 1986s Shakin’ Like a Human Being, featuring the hits Alannah Loves Me, Easy to Tame, and the biggest hit of his career, Patio Lanterns. Akimbo Alogo is the first full-length solo album from Canadian singer and guitarist Kim Mitchell. It includes the only song of his to become a hit in the United States, “Go For Soda”.
Tracks 1. Go for Soda
2. That’s a Man
3. All We Are
4. Diary for Rock & Roll Men
5. Love Ties
6. Feel It Burn
7. Lager and Ale
8. Rumour Has It
9. Caroline
10. Called Off
Check out Bob’s bass playing in the video for ‘Go For A Soda’.
Band: Nexus Year: 1970 Style: local original rock music Note: Popular local band of the time.
Members:
Mark Tremblay – Organ
Byron Stoehr – Bass
Raymond Violot – Vocals, Harmonica
Rick Chrysler – Drums
Tom Lockwood – Gibson Guitar
Article: Jan.31st 1970, By Doug Waite, CDN.
There’s a musical group in our town, which, if dedication and perseverance is any indication, will eventually make it to the top.
The Quintet comprised of Mark Tremblay – Organ, Byron Stoehr – Bass, Raymond Violot – Vocals, Harmonica, Rick Chrysler – Drums, Tom Lockwood – Gibson Guitar call themselves Nexus. This name of Latin origin means “bond and unity”.
And bond and unity is just what these young fellows have displayed in their endeavor to create a sound that will give Nexus an individuality instantly recognized as all their own.
They played at the Thames Theatre Laugh-In last Saturday night and judging by the number of people – young people in particular – who crowded into the art gallery to dance and listen to the style they are in the process of perfecting, is “going well”.
On January 31 The Nexus are producing their own concert and dance at the Thames Theatre. Three bands will be featured in the production. Besides The Nexus, the New Set will be there from London and another Chatham based group. Refugee will perform in addition to the concert, a dance will be held simultaneously in the art gallery for those who like to dance. According to the members of The Nexus the event will be the best of its kind ever held in the area.
The Nexus have an unusual history and many people would like to know why the group took steps to separate themselves from the outside world. In explanation it is interesting to know that the boys, about seven months ago, moved to the wide open spaces near Erieau and secured a big house where they could practice to their heart’s content without complaint from any unsympathetic public.
Actually, explained a spokesman for the group, the band had been together about 18 months. Most of that time was marked by doing other people’s songs with other people’s arrangements.
The spokesman said the band never had the time to develop anything substantial on their own because of commitments to school, jobs, and inadequate rehearsal facilities.
“Finally” he said, “in spite of these obstacles we arrived at a point where we either had to take the necessary steps to develop our own music or settle for another run-of-the-mill rock group”.
With this in mind four of the five members of the band severed practically all connections with “normal” school, work and social life in Chatham and moved to the house near Erieau. The other member, who was unable to come because of commitments at home, joins his confreres whenever possible.
There, with almost unlimited rehearsal time, they were finally able to concentrate on the music they wanted to produce. This explained the spokesman, involves more time than at first appears.
“To develop a band that is really distinctive,” he elaborated, “the members must not only be talented musically, they must be able to work together, sacrifice their own egos for the overall sound and have the insight to recognize the strength and weaknesses of the other members of the band and be able to compensate for them.”
While arrangements are, of course, part of the music the Nexus play, improvisation is the thing. That’s the most important part of their music.
The ability to create music and communicate emotions with ideas invented on the spur of the moment is a valuable gift and to all intents and purposes, the Nexus have made more than moderate success
Everything is not peaches and cream however, and to play music such as theirs the Nexus must have the perseverance to be able to accept the setbacks and criticisms that are part of the progress pattern.
The idea is not peculiar, but, according to the youthful spokesman, “No band in this area and very few in Canada have tried to carry the idea of musical improvisation and arranging to the extent we have.”
It is to their credit they have been able to go through many changes and still remain original membership.
Sylvia Tyson in Quartette Artist: Quartette Release: In the Beauty of the Day Year: 1998 Chatham Connection: Sylvia is from Chatham-Kent
Who:
Sylvia Tyson
Caitlin Hanford
Cindy Church
Gwen Swick
With the untimely death of original member, Colleen Peterson, in 1996, Quartette elected to continue performing, and welcomed another musical friend, Gwen Swick, to the group. Gwen’s skills as a songwriter and vocal arranger carried the group to a new level as they prepared to record once again, and the result was “In The Beauty Of The Day,” released in 1998.
Quartette has received several Juno nominations, won a Canadian Country Music Award for best vocal collaboration, performed with major symphony orchestras across Canada, and recorded the CMT-TV special, “A Quartette Christmas.” They have also released two Christmas CDs, “It’s Christmas!” in 1996, and “I See A Star” in 2002, both of which are collections of traditional and original Christmas songs, and their Christmas shows have become a tradition with audiences across the country.
Tracks:
1. I Don’t Want to Cry
2. Me and My Love and I
3. Sentinel Crow
4. In the Beauty of the Day
5. Ask Me
6. All Things Can Change
7. E.Z.
8. I Don’t Believe I Do Believe
9. A Love That Just Won’t Stray
10. I Walk These Rails
11. Long Chain of Love
12. Rain on the Highway
SYLVIA TYSON
Sylvia Tyson first made her mark in the ’60s with the folk/country duo Ian & Sylvia which recorded 13 albums. Ian and Sylvia, who married in 1964, were at the forefront of the ’60s North American folk movement.
Following Ian & Sylvia’s breakup in 1977 as an act and as a couple, Sylvia released seven solo albums.
In the ’70s, Sylvia hosted CBC-Radio’s roots music series “Touch The Earth,” and hosted CBC-TV’s “Country In My Soul” series.
Sylvia received Canada’s highest civilian award, the Order of Canada in 1995. She is one of the founders, past president, and song honoree of the Canadian Songwriters’ Hall of Fame. She was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1992, and the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2003.
Sylvia has completed her first book, a work of fiction.
Artist: Quartette Release: Quartette Year: 1993 Chatham Connection: Sylvia is from Chatham-Kent
Who:
Sylvia Tyson
Caitlin Hanford
Cindy Church
Colleen Peterson
Tracks:
1. The Circle
2. Denim Blue Eyes
3. Unabashedly Blue
4. Soul To The Bone
5. Neon Cowboy
6. It Never Rains On Me
7. Hard Times
8. Cowboys And Rodeos
9. Lost Between Barren Shores
10. Papere’s Mill
11. Hobo Girl
12. When God Dips His Pen of Love in my Heart
13. Red Hot Blues
14. King Of The Cowboys
Quartette’s debut CD, review – “a ‘must listen’ for the wonderful blend of voices. Since their first appearance at Toronto’s Harbourfront venue in the summer of 1993, Quartette has quickly become one of the most electrifying collaborations on the Canadian music scene. The four women combine formidable individual talents into an astonishing whole. The soaring harmonies and unique arrangements create a musical mosaic with flavours of R& B, swing, Cajun, bluegrass, and gospel, all solidly rooted in traditional country music.” review source.
Artist: Sarah Hiltz Release: How Many Fires Year: 2009 Home: Chatham Kent Ontario Canada Style: Acoustic, Jazz, Modern, Contemporary and Folk.
Song List:
01. Strong As Death
02. Thank You Mr. Yorke
03. Homesick
04. You’ll Fall In Love
05. Amnesia
06. Wind And Iron Collide
07. Ultimate Inadequecy
08. You Don’t Know
09. Rosita
10. Maker of Desire
Sarah Hiltz:Vocals, guitar & percussion, Kalimba, Keys. Musicians: Andy Tattersall – Guitar
Bob Hiltz – Bass, Organ
Byron Harrett – Sax, flute
Dan Stronks – Banjo
Franklin Fitz – Choir
Graham Kivell – Piano. Keyboards, Organ
Jeff Johnson – Drums
Jordan Michaelis – Percussion, Drums, Choir. Bowis
Leanne Hessel – Cello
Linz Ross – Choir
Tim Tanner – Drums
Chatham Music Archive Review:
It is not surprising that this is a very rich release from Sarah considering her passion and educated musical background. This release is fresh in that it blends the modern styles with retro vibes. It is experimental, but never crosses the line of becoming strange or lost. Simply put, it is a beautiful and complete work of art. I don’t want to use the words mature when describing music, but Sarah has grown as a musician quickly and is becoming an innovator of our scene.
The best part of the CD is that her vocal styling and voice is original. When you hit play, you know it is Sarah singing. I am really curious and excited to hear what is next for her music. Keep your ear out.
Sarah is very active in the live music scene and is always out there playing. Go see her live and look for the CD.
Shawn.
All Music by Sarah. Produced by: Sarah Hiltz Engineered by: Bob Hiltz, Ass. with Sarah. Mixed and mastered by: Bob Hiltz Photography by: Tim Cooper.
Official Bio:
Drawing comparisons to both Billie Holiday and Feist, musician Sarah Hiltz is a paradoxical blend of old world and modernity. She’s been praised for her ability to tell a story through song, but isn’t afraid to take risks when she performs.
While her tasteful and sometimes unexpected note choices have made Sarah an in demand session vocalist, she is now turning her focus onto her own collection of originals and is in pre-production for her first full-length release. In the meantime, Sarah continues to write and study piano, as well as perform regularly as one half of an acoustic duo.
Sarah has been performing since childhood and composing for almost as long. At the age of thirteen, she won the Chatham-Kent Song Contest to write the official song of Chatham-Kent. Following the competition, she recorded her first independent record of all original tunes and released it in the fall of 2001. In 2004, Sarah’s writing was again recognized when she placed first at the Kiwanis Music festival in the original composition category.
Later that year, Sarah moved to Toronto to study voice at the world-renowned Humber College Jazz Program. At the same time, Sarah was the vocalist for the Jef Kearns Four, a jazz quartet that performed in her hometown, Chatham. She went on to host a weekly jazz evening at the William Street Café in the fall of 2006, leading a quartet under her own name. In no time the evening grew into success, drawing people every Monday night to brave the Canadian cold in favour of warm vocals and hot coffee.
Band: Manpower (Man Power) Year: 2009 Home: Chatham Kent Ontario Canada Year Formed: 1983 What: Good time rock & roll cover band. Yesterday’s Classics… Todays Hits.
Current Members Rick Rankin– Vocals, Guitar Brent Hunter– Bass Pat Crone– Drums
Original members Rick Rankin – Vocals and guitar. Tom Starks – Hammond organ, keyboards Mark Wood – Keyboards and Bass Rick Chrysler – Drums
Manpower have been rocking Chatham Kent & surrounding areas since 1983. With top notch players and a good sense of humor, they survived and seen it all. I met up with them tonight (July 4th 2009) as they were opening up for David Wilcox at Rib Fest here in Chatham. When asked how they managed to stay together for so long, Rick said in a joking way that none of them have been sick yet. Cheers to good health.
From 1977-1983, the band was named ‘The Force’ before the name change to Manpower.
Pat shares his talents through teaching drums at Strings and Things and his father Ken has been a huge part of the music scene also.
The best part of being in a band is the events you get to be a part of. I asked Manpower what was their favourite gigs or places they have played. The answer…. Boogie Till You Puke 1978.
The band is very active and can be seen at clubs, festivals, and major events all around Ontario.
Mr. Rankin also performs in a new duo with Waide Holland named “Texas Tee”. This more intamite presentation of music fits nicely into the local scene, providing more live music into venues that cannot host full (loud) bands.
Below – Manpower was kind enough to answer some history questions for us about past local venues and bands in and from Chatham.
The interview with Manpower above is what really got this website off the ground. It wasn’t until I talked to them that I realized I didn’t know anything. Quadrant? Turf Room? Jack Austin Trio? Wilf Lancaster? Pickadilly? Well since then, the website has filled up nicely and there is lots of musical history and genres going on that most of us do not even know about, but know now. Thanks to Manpower for being cool, fun, and informative.
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Jesse, Shawn, & Chuck have been playing together since 1991 when they formed Foster Child then later The Janet Theory. This was put together by Jesse to release a few songs with no intention of playing live, although they did do a few shows in all, in 2004-2005.
The band agreed to make their demo available for free download, as a gift to friends in 2009.
Band: Jesse-Dylan Verleye – Vocals/Bass Shawn Beaulieu – Guitar/B.Vocals/Bass Dave Richie– Guitar/B. Vocals Chuck Young– Drums Bob Hiltz recorded & played some bass & leads & keys on this demo.
Mixed and mastered by Bob Hiltz at Eyrespace Studios in Chatham.
Artwork by William D. Scott @29toons.com
CD packaged and pressed by Ben Srokosz.
Track List: 1. save your breathe 2. daddy’s little girl 3.worst enemy 4. the new crazy 5.better than they are
* Watch/Listen to the album preview on youtube here.
Chatham Music Archive 
