Band:Blutonium Home: Chatham-Kent Ontario Genre:Rhythm & Blues Style: Cover Band Year: 2020 Formed: 2009
Members Scott Campbell – Vocals Bob Wilson– Bass Rick Chrysler – Drums Jeff Mifflin – Guitar Mark Tremblay – keyboards
Brief Members Band History: *Bob Wilson has played bass for major acts such as Kim Mitchell, Troiano, & Black Market. He has played in popular local acts such as Tom Lockwood, Quadrant, Badge, & Friends.
*Scott Campbell – Beggers Operah, & Blueswraith, among others. * Scott Campbell took over lead vocal duties in Blutonium in 2013, with the departure of Phil Caron.
*Rick Chrysler – Hat Trick, Blues On The Rocks, Big House, The Why Nots, Stephanie McIlroy, True Blue Hoodoo, The New Love Family Band, Nexus, Quadrant , Rosco, Fifth Night, Red Herring, Chickoree, Rebel, Airtight, Route 66, Manpower, & Highwaze. Plus more I am sure.
*Jeff Mifflin – Stephanie McIlroy, A Step Further Into The Blues, & O’Hara Brothers Band. He also is a recording engineer on his own time and has done several recordings for many bands & projects. Among other things in music, Jeff is also a respected live sound engineer.
*Mark Tremblay – Currently also plays keyboards in SoulCat & Moondog Howlers. Played with Tom Lockwood, Ray Whaling, Fowler Lockwood Band, Ground Zero, Appliances Band, Nexus, Quadrant, Roscoe, Red Herring, Chickoree, Airtight, & more.
Recent performances: * Ups n Downs in Sarnia * Wortley Road House in London *The Kent, the Fortresss, & the Sons of Kent, in Chatham
In 2019, Brooklyn released two songs. 01. Break It Again 02. What Goes Around
Notes: * On Sept 23rd 2012, Brooklyn won YTV’s Next Star Contest which had over three Million voters across Canada. She released her first single and video “The Way I See You”. The song & video for ‘Lemon & Lime was also released. * Her YTV win gave her more than just an edge on the country scene – Brooklyn has enjoyed being able to host multiple “Movie Nights” on YTV, as well as guest starring on the network’s popular series “Life with Boys.” She has hosted YTV’s The Zone, and even interviewed future “The Next Star 6” hopefuls in Toronto.
* 2013 – Brooklyn released a four song EP entitled Storyteller. In March 2013, she recorded her second single, “ONE OF THESE DAYS”, at Sony/ ATV studios in Toronto with producer Rob Wells.
* 2015: Releases her song ‘Good Day‘.
* 2016: Brooklyn also released one song entitled ‘Sweet On Me’. Written by Brooklyn Roebuck and Annette Barkley.
*2018: In 2018, Brooklyn released three songs. 01. Things That I Don’t Miss, 02. Bad Seed, 03. Barn Burner.
All three songs can be found at iTunes here.
Links:
*‘What Goes Around’ on spotify here. * ‘Break It Again’ on spotify here. * Youtube link here. * Facebook link here. * Twitter link here. “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “ “
* Live music venue with Top 40, Country, & Rock/Classic Rock acts.
* The Fortresss Tavern is the best sounding room in all of Chatham. They have live bands
every Friday and Saturday night. They also have solo acts every Thursday night.
*Fortresss Tavern is Wayne Caron’s dream come true. For a long time, he was fed up of the inconsistent availability of good live music and Chatham-Kent and he always said that one day he would open a bar to do something about it. Well, that day has finally come!
Some of the bands playing in 2018/2019.
80’s Gone Wild, Loveless, Mrs. Fox, Lucas Chaisson, Mark Chichkan, Continuum, John Atlee, Dusty D’Annunzio, Mouth Trap, J#Major, The Chasers, Retrospect, Those Guys, United Snakes, Moondog Howlers, SnakeBite, The Whaling Band, Guy Shields Trio, Dirt Road Jammers, Hurt N Merv, Soul Signatures, Paying Cash: The Johnny Cash Show, Blutonium, The Mixx, British Beat 66, Twang Bastards, Rob Kirkham and Neon Rain, Bombsquad, The Soulshakers, Contact Zero, Rendition, Superfly, United Snakes, The DAM Band, Jessika Rabbit, Whistler Creek, Johnson’s Creek, Practically Hip, Jeff Back,
Band: Mark My Word Year: 2019 Year Formed: 2018 Genre: Hard Rock Home: Chatham-Kent
Members: Andrew Bateman – Vocals, guitar Jason Andersen – Bass Ki Larsen – Drums
Notes: Mark My Word released two songs, ‘Jump the Shark‘ in 2018 & ‘Plastic #!&% Doll‘ in Jan 2019.
Jason & Ki have been playing together for years, previously with local metal band Nerve(1996-2009) & All Against(2011).
Links: * Facebook link here. * Bandcamp link here. “ “ “ “ “ “ “
Artist: Jessica Allossery Release:Apple of my Eye Year: 2012 Genre:Pop From: Home: Chatham-Kent (Kent Bridge) Resides: London Ontario.
Tracks: 1. Let my Heart Out 2. Apple of my Eye 3. Ugly Duckling 4. Goodmorning Sun 5.Music Makes the World Go ‘Round 6. Little Love 7.Away We Go 8. Dancing in the Great Divine 9. An Old Love Song 10. King of the Land
Previous Release: 2010: Learn(4 song EP) _ *Watch the CD preview below.
Band:Old Town Soul Release:When It Rains Date:2016 (March 21) From:Chatham-Kent Genre: blues, soul, rock
Members: Jordan Ginty – Guitar/Vocals Matt Broadbent – Bass Mark Lodweegen – Keys Jerad Sterling / Jordan Ginty– Drums Jen Ginty – Vocals
Notes:In 2019, Old Town Soul would release another original called ‘Have You’.
Video link here: https://youtu.be/VrpVguU7Kg4
Tracks: 1. Can’t Leave You Alone 04:17 2. Your Gone 03:58 3. Coming Home 03:19 4.The Front 03:41 5. Bitter 03:28 6.What I Got 03:41 7. When It Rains 03:24
Links:
* Download/Preview Digital album here.
* Facebook here.
* Youtube link here.
* Watch the CD Preview here.
Band:Letterbomb Release:Bombs Away Year: 2012 Genre: Rock Home:Chatham Ontario
Band Members: Brennan Dube – Vocals, guitar Cameron Dubé– Drums (only member born in Chatham) Dylan Pendleton – Guitar, backing vox Josh Hinch – Bass, backing vox
Notes:Although a very young band by age, they have been a group for just over 3 years now & have been working hard to play as many shows as possible. Recently they backed Brooklyn Roebuck (another Chatham-Kent performer & winner of YTV’s 2012 season of The Next Star).
Tracks: 01. Bombs Away 02. Reject 03. Shout 04. Living on a Lie 05. Radio 06. Believe 07. East of Adelaide 08. Waiting 09. Deranged 10. Home 11. Bother 12. Elsewhere 13. The Key
Members: Floyd Porter – Vocals Lisa Holland– Vocals Robert Rose– Vocals Mitchell Robinson – Guitar Steve Cooper – Bass Steve Bas – Sax Dwayne Foulon– Percussion
Recently @ The Jazzbah in Chatham & Moose Lodge in Wallaceburg.
Band: Chatham-Kent Mountaineers Year:2013 Year Formed: 2008 From:Chatham Ontario Genre:Irish Covers/originals Contact: through Facebook
Members: Alysson Storey – Fiddle, vocals and harmonica Dan Davidson– Drums and vocals Rob Rankin– banjo and mandolin Bob Hiltz– acoustic guitar, vocals Justin Mcmath – Bass
Notes:The Chatham-Kent Mountaineers’ sound focuses primarily on Celtic and Canadian East Coast influences, in addition to one of its main functions as Irish beer-drinking music. Those who enjoy bands like Great Big Sea, Spirit of the West, the Young Dubliners and the Dropkick Murphys as well as the more traditional music of the Maritimes are sure to enjoy the high energy shows the Mountaineers have become renowned for. The Mountaineers rarely end a show without most of the crowd up dancing and singing along — crowd participation is strongly encouraged. The Chatham-Kent Mountaineers have been well-received by local and regional audiences for the past year and continue to gain new audiences, including making their international debut in the United States.
* The Chatham-Kent Mountaineers recent performances include Eau Buoy (Erieau), Capitol Theatre, Ribfest (Chatham), & the Kilt and Fiddle!.
_____ Email your info & pics to:chatham_music_archive@hotmail.com
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Recent Notes 2013: *After seven years the wait is over and Michelle has rewarded her fans’ patience with STRONG, a superlative eleven-song collection of modern, relevant country music. Produced mostly by Jason Barry (arguably Canada’s finest young country producer), STRONG’s eleven songs are topical, inspirational and adventurous. Ten of the songs were co-written by Michelle – a first – marking her coming of age as a world-class songwriter. *Michelle perform as part of 2013 CMA Country Music Week! * (Nashville, June 25, 2013) Effective today, CMT Canada has added Michelle’s video of her current single at Canadian country radio, Strong, to its play list. * Global TV’s “Morning Show” airs live national TV interview with Michelle! *Michelle nominated for two CMAO Awards! *“Songs From the Halls” Tour Highlight: Michelle Wright awarded Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal! *Michelle headlines CTS Christmas Television Special, Christmas in the Square, this Friday, December 21!
Tracks: 1. Strong 2.Crazy Stupid Love 3. One Of These Days 4.What’s Better Than This 5. Laugh A Little 6. She’s A Keeper 7. Another Good Day 8.Together Forever 9.Walkin’ On A Heart That’s Breakin’ 10.Back To You 11. I’ll Cry Too
Highlights *Michelle had 25 top ten hits in Canada. Seven went to #1 *Five Gold records *Two multi-platinum records *World wide record sales nearing two million units & one million in Canada * Toured North America, Europe, Africa, South America, Asia, & Australia
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Email your info & pics to: chatham_music_archive@hotmail.com
Venue: Jerseys Sports Bar. Year: 2007 City: Chatham Ontario Opened: circa 2006. Closed: January 2010. Address: 125 Keil Drive South Chatham
Note:During its run, it was one of the top two choices for live music (mainly cover bands) in Chatham. It was also popular for being decked out with out door volleyball courts.
* The venue would later re-open under the name of “The Players Club” for a short while until it eventually closed. The world & local economy took a dive from 2008-2012.
* Before becoming Jerseys, it was was named Chappies.
The final party night musical entertainment was by local duo ‘Toast and Jam’ (Jan. 2010)
___ Email your pics & info to: chatham_music_archive@hotmail.com
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If you’re a go getter, you will find there is a million things to do in this little wee town of ours. So here it is, The most complete list ever made so far. The purpose is to help friends find things to do that they may not even be aware of.
Things to do in Chatham -Kent
Random Things to do:
* Go see a movie in the brand new state of the art theatre. Galaxy Cinema.
* Catch a Chatham Maroons Game Live (Jr. B Hockey) Website.
* Dresden Raceway. 100 slot machines, horse-racing etc.
* Take someone to go play bingo.
* Visit Spanky’s Adult Entertainment. 182 King St W.
Summer Events.
* WAMBO (Wallaceburg Antique Motor & Boat Outing)
* Rib Fest (annual summer event with entertainment for everyone).
* Retro Fest (Our community is known as the Classic Car Capital.
* Blenheim Cherry Fest – Live entertainment, rides, performers etc.
* The Caribbean-Canadian festival.
* Thamesville Threshing Festival.
* Pain Court Annual Truck & Tractor Pull.
* Tilbury Puddle Jump Event. Mud Bog, live entertainment. (Usually in August).
* Mitchell’s Bay Singing Contest. On site camping.
* Kinsmen Fair. June 6-9 2013.
* Culture Factory. Live bands, poetry, theatre etc.
* Get invloved with the “amazing race“.
Music Lessons (Guitar, voice, piano, drums, etc).
* Frank’s Music Centre: 519-352-7370
* Musical Strings ‘N’ Things Ltd: (519) 354-0111
* Tony’s One Stop Music Shoppe: (519) 351-4885
* The Chatham Concert Band Junior Program (Free)
* If you can’t find a teacher for your instrument of choice, ask the people at the above stores & they will pass you on to private instructors.
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Outdoors.
* Rondeau Provincial Park: 262 Camp sites, beaches, swimming, six hiking trails, bird watching, canoeing, fishing.
* July & August: Parks Blueberries. 20 minutes from Chatham, a good time picking the best berries with your kids & visit the shop & great food.
* Visit CM Wilson’s Conservation Area & Safety Village.
* Visit Wheatley Provincial Park.
* Mitchell’s Bay: Swimming, beach, splash pad, camping, cabins etc.
* Erieau Beach: Park & playground, sand volleyball, BBQ grills. Swimming, rent boats & equipment for water sports.
* Indian Creek walking path. (Mud Creek) Popular jogging path with ducks, geese, cranes & creek life.
* Take a walk through Paxton’s Bush. At 18 acres, it’s the largest standing woodlot in Chatham.
* Smith & Wilson Estate Wines. A beautiful Winery, that hosts outdoor concerts often. Live Blues, jazz & motown.
* Outdoor touring? Click the list of many places.
* John Waddell Off Leash Dog Park (New).
* Ghost Walks (annual).
* Spend your day at the park. Over 130 parks in Chathamm-Kent. here is the list.
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Sports.
* Brand New YMCA Building. Gym, pool, youth programs, group fitness, lessons, play zone, sports etc.
* Golfing: Nine courses located across the municipality. List.
* Fishing: We got the best lakes in the world. Lake Erie & Lake St. Clair. Info.
* Hunting: Check it out.
* Kenpo Karate: Kung Fu fighting. Lessons offered from various groups. here & here.
* Ice skating: There are 10 arenas in Chatham. Click here for 2012-2012 skating schedule.
* Get buddies together to play ice hockey or ball hockey, you can rent the arena. Call 519.360.1998.
* Brand new skating rink in front of the downtown mall.
* Leagues:Click here to join a team or league like baseball, Hockey, Figure Skating, Lacrosse, Soccer, Tennis or Curling.
* Water Sports: Kite Surfing, Wakeboarding & Scuba Diving all available. View list.
* Racing: South Buxton Raceway – If you enjoy live car racing.
* Wolfe Creek BMX: A non-profit BMX race track.
* Rugby League: Founded in 2001, Chatham has a rugby team in the Southwest Rugby Union.
* Gun Club: Facilities for rifle, pistol, shotgun and archery.
* Hunters Club: Est, 1964. Trap & skeet fields, indoor & outdoor pistol, outdoor centerfire rifle, blackpowder rifle and archery.
* Dover Rod and Gun Club.
* Bowling: Links to all.
* Curling: Links to all clubs.
* Fitness Clubs: Join one of the many listed here.
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Seniors.
* Sports and Hobbie Clubs: links to Antique, Classic Car, Canoe, Cycling, Racquet Squash, Badminton, Astronauts, Camera, Tennis, Conservation, Archer, Horseshoe, Dance, Fishing, Swim, Snowmobile Clubs.
* Seniors’ Programs and Resources.
* Horticultural Societ: Many to choose from.
* Lawn Bowling: Many places to join.
* Become a member of one of the many Legions in Chatham-Kent.
* Get involved with a service club. Too many to choose from.
* Active Lifestyle Centre: 50+. Mon-Fri. Participate in activities to enhance lifestyle and needs.
* Visit any of the Senior centres that offer to you.
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Theatre, Art & Culture.
* The Capitol Theatre – One of the most beautiful Theatres in Canada. Catch great live shows.
* Cultural Centre. Tons of shows, camps for kids, plays, comedy, programs, concerts.
* Catch a movie at The Drive In. (Tilbury). Website.
* Art Space.
* Boomtown Players.
* Chatham-Kent Film Group.
* Ridge Players Inc.
* Take a Bow Productions.
* Theatre Kent.
* Wallaceburg Little Theatre.
* Ursuline Theatre.
* Kiwanis Theatre.
* Pure Dance Academy.
* Thames Art Gallery.
* Rhythm of the Night Dance Studio.
* Chatham-Kent Museums (many).
* Dinner & dance events at the Filipino Club.
* Performances by the Portuguese dance ensemble
* Chinese New Year Celebrations.
* Visit the Black Historical Society ,The Heritage Room.
* Get connected with our Cultural Communities & clubs. List of them.
* Pride-CK (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Transsexual etc.) hosts several events.
* Oktoberfest! (Rotary Club) First ever @ the new Bradley Convention Centre Oct 6th 2012.
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Other Bars & Venues with live music.
* Encore – Live bands every weekend. Special Events.
* Big Shots – Live music often.
* Elephant’s Nest – Every weekend. Tuesdays Open Mic Night.
* Jazzbah – bands most weekends. Karaoke Nights Thurdays.
* St. Philippes Music Hall in Grande Pointe. Country Jamborees – last Sunday of every month.
* Central Tavern in Pain Court. Live bands every weekend.
* William Street Cafe – odd live show, poetry slams etc.
* Frendz Tapas & Martini Lounge – sometimes live music. (Beside the Capitol Theatre).
* River Rock – Ocassionally hosts live music.
* Rossini’s Restaurant – Classical guitar etc. sometimes.
* Royal Tavern – live music time to time.
* Churrascaria Steak House – 525 Grand Ave E, Chatham. The odd acoustic performance.
* Coffee Culture (Down town) – Acoustic patio performances during the summer.
* Band Shell – Tecumseh Park: Chatham Concert Band: Live every Wednesday, all summer, outdoors.
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If that is not enough, you have a zillion choices of things to do that are within an one hour drive time. Here is a small sample of idea’s for you.
* Detroit U.S.A. – Major concerts, Zoo, major league sports teams, shopping etc.
* (Dresden) Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
* (London) Children’s Museum.
* (London) Story Book Gardens.
* (London) Ski @ Boler Mountain.
* (London) Western Fair. Events, rides, concerts etc.
* (London) John Labatt Centre. Major concerts, sports etc.
* (Sarnia) Blue Water Fun Park: Water slides etc.
* (Windsor) Casino.
* (Windsor) WFCU Centre. Major concerts, sports, theatre etc.
* (Windsor) Devonshire Mall. Shopping.
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Dining.
Overview of many spots. Link here.
Famous Sunday Brunch @ Club Lentina’s. Open Every Sunday 10 am until 2 pm.
Artist: Craig James Laur Year: 2011 Genre: Acoustic, Singer/ song writer Home: Chatham-Kent (Wallaceburg) Resides: Toronto Former bands: ForClosure, Creek Street Sessions and more
Craig James Laur has been playing music for almost 10years. In his early days as a musician he was the front man for Wallaceburg band For Closure. The modern rock band was a local success playing covers and originals. More recently he was the front man for Wallaceburg local band Creekst.sessions. The blues rock band was also a local success playing covers and originals. The local radio station showcases the talent of both bands on a regular basis. In search of new opportunity, Craig is now recently a part of the Toronto music scene. Him and Kurt Dickson, a good friend and talented drummer, are an acoustic duo playing regular gigs at venues like “The Rose and Crown” and “Sheesha Lounge and Coffee House.” Though Craig still enjoys playing covers, he is expanding as a song writer and has many new original songs. The duo are still in search of a Toronto-based bass player, as they have booked steady gigs as a full band and are looking forward to starting a successful trio.
Band:Dixie Cats Year: 2009 Home: Chatham-Kent Genre: Dixieland music
The Dixie Cats are a subgroup od the Chatham Concert Band that perform for smaller or on request functions. Other sub groups include The Hungry Five Polka Band, The Jingle Bell Rovers Christmas Group and The Primitive Roots Jazz Band, an 18-piece stage band for dancing.
Members (photo above) Phil, St. Clair Shad, Byron, John Green, John Revell, Vaughn P., John Leigh
Band: Courtney Wells Year: 2011 Genre: Motown, Rock, Soul, Pop Resides: Toronto
Chatham Connection: Courtney lived in Chatham from 1999 to 2005. During that time she was an active member of Theatre Kent. Courtney worked for them for several years teaching drama courses and their amazing TK Wings Summer Camp. She acted as a councillor and and then graduated to take on the Co-ordinator position. It wasn’t until her recent move to Toronto, that she began to pursue music. Her talents in stage and dance will lend a great hand in her music.
See her return to Chatham in 2011. Jan 7 (Fri) Courtney Wells @ Encore. Jan 8 (Sat) Courtney Wells @ PURE Black Box Theatre.
Band Members: Courtney Wells -vox Scott Baragar – low end Sasha Siegel – beater of skins Reuben O’dell Barkow – melody maker
Band:Kristin Nicholls Band Release: EP (4 Songs) Genre: Rock Year: 2009 Formed: 2007
Notes: Kristin is from Chatham but now resides in Hamilton. His sister Brook Nicholls also recently released a great record too. These two sibling songbirds have been singing together since they were teenagers. Their first acoustic EP together is entitled “It’s Christmas” and should be released in 2010.
In late 2007, Kristin Nicholls teamed up with fellow long time musicians and close friends to form a new project dubbed “Kristin Nicholls Band”. Produced by multi JUNO AWARD winning producer Julius Butty his new EP is now available on itunes.
Tracks:
01. It’s Ok 02. Alive Again 03. Stand Tall 04. Gotta Be More.
Members: Kristin Nicholls Luke Cronsberry Jamie Altena Allen Bilston
Address: Chatham Cultural Centre 75 William Street N.
Chatham Ontario
N7M-4L4
Located in historic downtown Chatham, the Chatham Cultural Centre offers the Kiwanis Theatre, Chatham-Kent Museum, Thames Art Gallery, and within a short walk, the Milner Heritage House. Nowhere else in Ontario exists such a rare combination of art, heritage and entertainment in one convenient location.
The stage at Kiwanis Theatre hosts the best Canadian and local performing artists. Welcoming 40,000 patrons to events each year, this 679-seat venue is Chatham-Kent’s premier host for professional touring artists, local theatre companies, musicians and more. In its studio the Kiwanis hosts more intimate events such as the Friday Night Jazz series.
A few events happening this year at the Kiwanis Theatre: 2010 CK Guitar Summit, Just For Laughs Road Show, BAM Percussion – eXplosion, Black Violin, The Fabulous Crooners, Crystal Gage, The Mask Messenger, Jade Lester CD Release Concert, Brooke Nicholls, Irish Fire,
History: In 1963, the building (last used as the Chatham Vocational School) was bought by a group of citizens eager to establish an art centre in Chatham. By 1969, The Thames Theatre Association for the Arts was presenting live performances in the original 700-seat school theatre and the old gymnasium was being used as a gallery. Renovations to the gymnasium and the studio areas of the building began in 1975 and the Thames Art Gallery, National Exhibition Centre was born.
Event: Rock Stock Where: Tecumseh Park, Chatham Ontario When: Aug. 13th & 14th 2010 Note:proceeds to benefit the Heart & Stroke Foundation. Price: $30 a night, or $45 for both.
Note: This will be the third annual Rock Stock. The first two years were held at the Chatham Airport.
Line-up Aug. 13th The Doors
Time (Windsor Band) The Long Lots (Local)
Redinger
The Standstills
Songs From A Room
Line-up Aug. 14th
Big Sugar
Thornley
Marginal Potency (local) The Cause… If Anything (Local) Forclosure (Local) S.U.D.S. (Local) Mic Lordz (Windsor) Dead End Charlie (Local)
Band: Grant Smith and The Power Year: 1965 Genre: Country-rock act Home: Chatham/London based
Members: Eddy Larsen (Ole) – Vocals, lead guitar John Larsen – Bass Freddy Larsen – Organ Waide Holland – Keyboards Grant Smith – Drums (London Ontario)
Note: They were a great rowdy party band that dressed up as hillbillies and kept the crowds hollering to their crazy on stage antics. They were a weekend band while the members worked day jobs. Waide was the young one finishing his last year of high school. The Larsen brothers decided to quit their day jobs and pursue music full time and change their band name a few times before settling as The Missing Links.
The Missing Links were together for 11 years and spent 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 ‘Zeke’ 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.
Here is a little something from a 2009 interview with Drummer Grant Smith about Zeke and the Moonshiners/ The Missing Links by Lisa Mcdonald.
The band consisted of three brothers from Denmark. Their father was a professional musician but decided to move the family here to become beet farmers. But once the boys started playing in a band on weekends, they decided playing music was far more lucrative than being beet farmers. Their father went back to Denmark and the boys went on the road. We were called Zeke and the Moonshiners. They were really good musicians but after about a month or so, I convinced them to drop the comedy and change our name to The Missing Links. We covered material by Roy Orbison and Frank Highfield. We were a good rock and roll band made better by traveling to Todd’s Men’s Wear in Detroit and buying suits.
Did the band just tour Canada or did you cross borders?
It was just Ontario and Quebec then, but, (and George Olliver will disagree with this), we became the first white act recorded by Chess Records in Chicago. We got a van and began working for an agent. Agents had a circuit and if you worked with an agent, you worked all his clubs. There were shitty clubs, mediocre clubs and really nice clubs. I wanted to chase the money, so we had to travel a lot to play the really nice clubs. We’d travel from Northern Quebec to Thunder Bay and from Thunder Bay to Belleville and Belleville to Montreal and Montreal to Windsor. It was 1964 and we made more money in one week than my father did in an entire month. It was great!
Duo: Ray Francis and Lucy Schaefer Year: 2009 Genre: Country Music
The musically talented duo performs at Churches and nursing homes around Chatham Ontario.
Ray Francis, 78, has been writing and performing music for over 60 years. He has released six records and earned success in the 1960’S and 1970’S as a recording artist, entertainer, and radio star.
Ray is a true world class musician and human being who lives and breathes music with a passion that cannot be denied. He continues to bring smiles to his audiences with his talent, sincerity, humour, and just plain likeability.
To learn more about Ray’s music, please visit previous posts in the Chatham Music Archive.
Ray’s Discography:
Ray Francis and the Whippoorwills – 1963 – Country Jamboree
The Whippoorwills – 1964 – The Whippoorwills
Ray Francis – 1973 – The Country Way
Ray Francis – 1973 – An Olde Tyme Christmas
Ray Francis – 1974 – Two Sides of Country
Ray Francis – 1975 – The Good Old Days
Band: Ray Francis and the Whippoorwills Release: Country Jamboree Format: LP Album Year: 1963 Formed: 1958 Label: Arc Records Genre: Country Music
Ray Francis on vocals on side one. 01. Crying In The Deep Blue Sea 02. I’ve Got A Right To Know 03. A House With Everything But Love 04. I’ll Kiss The Fast GoodBye 05. The Same Old Me 06. All Over Again
John Tengelis on vocals on side two. 07. Toujour Moi 08. I Can’t Run Away From Myself 09. Three Hearts In A Triangle 10. Anymore 11. A Dime Worth Of Dreams 12. Carribean
Band members:
Ray Francis, Bill Taylor, John Tangelis, Ray Dauphin, Max Dauphin
This is the first of two albums Ray Francis and the Whippoorwills recorded. Ray went on to record four solo records also.
Liner Notes:
“A recording company in the run of a year auditions many artists in order to find the top talent required for recording. As soon as Arc Records heard Ray Francis and The Whippoorwills they immediately recognized that here was one of the most professional sounding country bands in the land. This long play album is the result”
The Whippoorwills have been together as a unit for five years and for the past three years have been heard regularly on radio station C.F.C.O. in Chatham, Ontario, the group’s home base. The band has toured with Grand Ole Opry, stars such as Ray Price; Johnny Cash; Brenda Leeand many others, both in Canada and the United States.
The next goal that Ray Francis and his talented band are aiming for is their own weekly television show, and if talent and showmanship is the key to their goal, they are certain to succeed.
2009 Update by S. Beaulieu The band started out making $3 a night in the late 1950’s. They went on to do a weekly radio show for CFCO which ran for five years, beginning in 1960. Francis worked hard and persistently to promote the band to people with connections in the industry. Country star Jim Reeves was quick to help the band when he heard them, stating that they were the best he had heard anywhere in Canada.
In 1963 they recorded their first LP ‘Country Jamboree’ in Toronto. In those days, recordings were simply the band circled around a single microphone. There were no overdubs or room for error on a take. Musicianship mattered. By researching Ray I found and bought this album one day before going to interview Ray. It turns out Ray had a copy of all his albums except this first one. It was posted online from a Holland Street home in Chatham, so I drove over and bought it and then gave it to Ray. I thought that was pretty cool. He gets a copy of his first album, and I get to meet and learn about a local musician who was a real go-getter and made things happen for his music and love of it.
Group: The Shreve Trio Home: Chatham Ontario Canada Circa: 1940’s Members: Artis, Norma, and Carol Shreve
The three sisters began singing in the C.C.I. High School Glee Club which turned into performances at high school concerts.
Their talents were taken further when their director (Bessie Bracken) decided to take them on the road as a trio. From there, they played for radio and movie theatres.
The sisters got together and sang once again at their family reunion in 1999 at the former fugitive slave settlement at North Buxton ON.
2009 Update: Artis: (now Artis Lane) went on to become a well known artist, and award-winning African American sculptor and painter. Her works were included on the sets of the “Cosby Show” (Bill Cosby’s hit television series in the 1980’s). There is plenty of information on her art online if you wish to read further. At age 21, Artis moved to Detroit and married.
Artist: Bradley J. Preston Release: 45 RPM Single Year: 1983
Home: Chatham Ontario Genre: Country vocalist Born: 1951
Note: This is Bradley’s first professional recording.
Tracks Side A: In The Spring The Roses Always Turn Red (Dorsey Burnette) Side B: You Gave Me A Mountain (Marty Robbins)
Bradley J. Preston is currently a singer with the popular local country band “The Melody Ramblers”.
He has taken an extra step by recording a single and producing 1000 copies at his own expense of $5,000. This effort to branch out has taken Mr. Bradley to a career touring the U.S.A., Canada, and over seas.
In the 1970’s, Chatham was a hot spot for musicians with around 400 people in the local Union. There were more venues (Clubs, bars, legions etc) to play in Chatham than most surrounding cities offered. Bands would play six nights a week at a venue than move on to the next. They would have the calendar year booked solid before the year started.
Then, the drinking laws changed and venues were only able to offer bands two to three nights in a row to play. If you wanted to make a living playing music, you now had to travel to find the work. Bradley chose to pursue music and this took him on a journey into places he had never been before. It was a risk, a chance, and an adventure. Bradley went for it. S. Beaulieu
Band: Melody Ramblers Home: Chatham Ontario Circa: 1978 Style: Country Covers Band History: Ran from 1953-1994 with various line ups.
Members:
(Back Row)
Bruno Pinsonault – Bass
Mark Buckwheat – Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Larry St.Pierre – Drums
Dan St.Pierre – Guitar
(Front Row)
Dennis Smith
Notes: Mark Buckwheat would later join the band Home Grown.
Band: Unity Release: God’s Will Be Done Year: 2009 Genre: Spiritual, Contemporary Christian Home: Chatham-Kent Ontario
Note: The release contains 11 original recordings. Songs about everyday Christian life, songs exemplifying charity, to songs that teach Christian values in an uplifting spirit, from light hearted stories to medatative moving ballads. All part of God’s Will being Done.
Members:
John Couture – acoustic guitar, vocals
Marc Caron – harmonica, vocals
Brian Benoot – bass, violin
Dean Robert – guitar, bass, vocals
Ruth Mazan – 12 string acoustic, vocals
Tina Pumfrey – keyboard, vocals
Paul Caron – main percussionist, backing vocals
Tracks: 01 A New Beginning 02 Your Big Plan 03 God’s Will Be Done 04 Jesus Understands 05 Searching 06 Four Falls 07 Hands and Voice 08 Jesus Took Me Back 09 Cry Me a River 10 Collection Plate Blues 11 Welcome Me Home
Buy or preview their music online here.
You can also buy the CD at Gospel Text Book Store and St. Michael’s Catholic Shop.
Visit them onlinehere.
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
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’.
Note: Catch Jamie live Nov.20th 2009 at the Kiwanis Theatre in Chatham.
Jamie Hillman is an award-winning singer, pianist, composer, and conductor. He holds an ARCT diploma (Piano Performance) from the Royal Conservatory of Music, the Bachelor of Music degree (Honors Music Education with concentrations in both voice and piano) from the University of Western Ontario, the Master of Music degree (Choral Conducting and Literature) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as well as certificates from Conservatory Canada. His list of teachers include Kevin McMillan, Tina Yanchus-Hibbard, Dr. Chester Alwes, and Dr. Ollie Watts Davis.
As a tenor soloist, Mr. Hillman performed Handel’s Messiah and Haydn’s Creation with the Laudate Dominum Choir and Orchestra and Shuetz’s St. Matthew Passion with the Prairie Masterworks Chorale and Red Deer College Chamber Choir. He can be heard regularly on the Sunday morning radio show “Songs for the Heart.”
A highly sought-after collaborative pianist, Mr. Hillman has shared the stage with many singers, including the internationally-renowned baritone, Kevin McMillan. In 2004, he worked as Apprentice Accompanist at the Berkshire Choral Festival in Massachusetts.
Mr. Hillman’s choral compositions have been premiered and performed by a number of ensembles. His well-known composition, Who Would Have Thought?, was recorded by Les Choristes (University of Western Ontario), and garnered praise and discussion in an article in the International Journal of Education & the Arts. His Psalm was given its European premiere by the Nathaniel Dett Chorale.
A noted conductor, Mr. Hillman recently served as Assistant Conductor of both the University of Illinois Concert Choir and Black Chorus. His tenure with the Concert Choir included conducting the ensemble at numerous venues while touring Hawaii where he also copresented a lecture-recital at the Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities. He is the founder and former director of the award-winning Chatham-Kent Treble Choir.
A young, enthusiastic pedagogue, Mr. Hillman has held appointments at several institutions, including Prairie Bible College, where he currently teaches. His students frequently win awards at competitions and have gained admission into post-secondary music programs in both Canada and the United States. In the summer of 2006, he served as a Faculty-Artist member at StudiO: the Ollie Watts Davis Vocal Institute and as Vocal Director at Camp-of-the-Woods in New York. Recent adjudicating engagements have taken him to music festivals in Lacombe and Sherwood Park, Alberta. Mr. Hillman is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors, and Chorus America.
Artist: Aaron Allen Release: Self Titled Year: 2006 Home: Chatham Kent Resides: London Area
Aaron Allen, born August 1, 1981 in Chatham, Ontario, is a Canadian alt-country/blues/acoustic/rock singer-songwriter. Driven by influences such as Neil Young, Ryan Adams and Bob Dylan, Aaron’s approach to writing music starts from the power of his lyrics which are sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes straight up rock and roll but always true to his heart and honest. Aaron believes in making music that is timeless and continues to carve out his place in the music industry to ensure a long career in doing what he loves. Tracks 1.White Lights
2.Why Try
3.A Girl
4.Saturday
5.I’m Gonna Miss Her
6.Time
7.Worth It
8.All I Need
9.She Walks
10.In the Morning
11.Hard Life
Artist: Shawn Daudlin Release: Self Titled Year: 2000 Type: Pop Debut Full CD Release Born: Chatham Kent Ontario Canada Resides: Toronto area.
Tracks: 01. Don’t Let Go 02. Reachin’ Out For Love 03. One Way Ticket 04. Love Gone Wrong 05. Like an Angel 06. Borderline to Goodbye 07. Two Fools 08. Lost in Your Love 09. Cotcha Lookin’ 10. Welcome to My Heart 11. When You Were Mine
Bio You can’t help but smile when you listen to the music of Shawn Daudlin. He is an artist whose musical influence spans decades. From the first note sung, it is apparent that Shawn is a singer who loves what he does and has a distinct appreciation for Pop music.
Shawn was born in Chatham, Ontario. Having a musician/songwriter for a father, who was popular locally, Shawn grew up not only listening to but singing along with all styles of music. At a very early age he captured the attention of his Elementary School Music Teacher. Before long he was asked to sing a solo in the Christmas concert and became an active member in the school choir. Many changes marked Shawn’s early teenage years. His family relocated to the small town of Tilbury, Ontario and at 15, he was plunged into the “High School” experience. Frustrated by the fact that his new school had cancelled the music program the previous year, Shawn enrolled in Theatre Arts. Having had some acting experience in Community Theatre, he embraced this new found passion. His teacher, Lynn Fisher, worked with him extensively to improve his craft. Shawn’s hard work paid off with lead roles in many of the plays performed at his high school and eventually to winning an Outstanding Performance award in the Sears Drama Festival.
Except for a few guest spots with his father’s band, Shawn’s singing would take a back seat. His love for acting was undisputed and brought him to the Music Theatre Program at Sheridan College in Oakville. Everyday for the next three years, Shawn acted, danced and sang in Music Theatre productions. It was during his college years that Shawn finally decided what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. Shawn wanted to be a Recording Artist. He wanted to SING! To do this successfully, he needed to retrace his steps and revisit his Pop roots.Together with Producer/Songwriter Alan Poaps, Shawn began to plan his first recording. His only writing experience being English class poetry and the odd short story, Shawn was hesitant to put the pen to paper and start writing himself songs. Convinced that if he didn’t do it nobody else would, Shawn began to write lyrics and melodies to compliment the arrangements written by Alan Poaps. This collaboration took off like wild fire! Two years and fifty songs later, Shawn and Alan had easily enough material for three CDs. One hurtle down, but there were many more to go. Not only did they have to decide which songs they were going to use to introduce themselves, they also had to consider the many expenses they were going to incur recording them.
Temporarily putting the project on hold, Shawn and Alan took several jobs producing tracks for corporate functions, as well as creating three R&B shows for Ontario Place. The money earned from these enabled them to build their own 24 track digital recording studio, APMAR Music. The recording began. Alan was able to hire some of the best musicians in Toronto for the sessions. Talented players who have worked and toured with the likes of Bruce Cockburn, Holly Cole and Big Sugar, provided the riffs and grooves. Eager to see the release of his first recording, Shawn sang his heart out, worked diligently and waited….sometimes not so patiently. Not one to sit around and do nothing, Shawn also created the concept and design for the packaging. A team of many talents, Shawn and Alan kept their hands in all of the pots and are very proud of the end result. Shawn’s self-titled debut recording, is simply a dream realized. Joyous Pop music, often commenting on the various degrees of love and two powerful ballads, one incredibly spiritual and the other a sublime testimonial. These songs illustrate the many facets of Shawn’s voice. As his father would say, “THIS IS GOOD MUSIC!”
Band: Face 4 Radio Year: 2009 Type: Cover Band Home: Chatham Kent Ontario Canada
Line-Up Mat Drew- Vocals/Percussion
Jesse-Dylan Verleye- Bass/B.Vox
Dave Richie- Guitar/B.Vox
Mark Levitzky- Lead Guitar
Chuck Young- Drums/Samples
Description:
Face 4 Radio is southwestern Ontario’s newest party band. Specializing in playing what YOU want to hear, this band also knows how to get in on the fun being had on the dance floor and throughout the club. Face 4 Radio has a wide variety of material to select from and is prepared for any gig: bars, dance clubs, festivals, corporate functions, etc. The band consists of members from some of Chatham-Kent’s favourite bands: The Janet Theory, Foster Child, Dead Girls Union, Finding Core and Sound of Static.
Artists: The Laws Releases: Ride It Out Year: 2007 Connection: John Law was born in Chatham Ontario.
John Law – vocals, guitar, mandolin
Michele Law – vocals, bass
Note: Recorded in Nashville with producer Regie Hamm. The Laws trademark “tight-as-a-glove” harmony singing is highlighted throughout the 11 songs.
…..Cut to 2007, and John and Michele are not only husband and wife but are also partners in music, performing as The Laws and getting ready to make a strong move for greater recognition in the Americana ranks in this country behind a typically ambitious touring schedule (200-plus nights a year on the road) and a stirring new album for their own label, JML Music, titled Ride It Out. The duo’s fifth long player, Ride It Out is noticeably lacking any false notes in its compelling original songs, empathetic musicianship and emotionally charged vocal performances.
Recorded in Nashville with producer/writer Regie Hamm, and co-written with some of Music City’s top tunesmiths, Ride It Out showcases all the Laws’ strengths. Stylistically its songs range far and wide within a roots framework. Smooth country folk powers the album opening “Am I Still the One”; “Put Some Love Into It” is a jazz -tinged frolic keyed by Michele’s saucy vocal; the guitar-mandolin instrumental “Texacadia” is a Nickel Creek-style display of assured, hot pickin’; the classic country-tinged “Too Lonesome to Cry” features lyrics as simple, direct and devastating as the Steve Earle of “Valentine’s Day” and “Hometown Blues”; and, to close things out, “Getting Over You” is a bopping little folk-flavored ditty that evinces an ironic, Steve Goodman-like sense of the absurd in its account of someone doing everything but getting over a lost love. Vocally, Michele ranges from a soothing, plaintive, Emmylou Harris-like harmony (“Am I Still the One”) to assertive, Martina McBride-style belting (“Getting Over You”), whereas John’s rich, nasally tenor bears some semblance to that of the estimable Texas craftsman and New Traditionalist pioneer Radney Foster. And despite the presence of a few other players on the album, Ride It Out has the intimate feel of a Laws stage show, where the only sounds come from the duo’s voices and instruments.
John and Michele, who have become accustomed to living in their van (in fact, their personal possessions are in storage in Canada; they are, in essence, homeless), have made a commitment of sorts by putting down roots in Nashville, where they have rented an apartment and have signed a publishing deal with SWITR, Inc.
Not least of the Laws’ selling points is their acumen in the kitchen. They published a cookbook and have appeared on numerous cooking shows through the years, generating almost as much press for their culinary skills as for their music. They also offer shows that are part cooking workshop, part musical performance. This sprang from their determination to eat healthy while touring constantly.
Cooking or music? Music or cooking? At one point that might have been a tossup. Now, however, with the assured, resonant performances on exhibit on Ride It Out, it appears the Laws are really ready to start cooking. But not in the kitchen
Artists: The Laws (John and Michelle Law) Release: Estimated Time Of Revival Year: 2000 Connection:John Law was born in Chatham Ontario.
John Law – vocals, guitar, mandolin Michele Law – vocals, bass Note: The Laws first CD, Estimated Time of Revival is a stripped down acoustic collection of original songs. ETR was on the top rotation with the Galaxie satellite network and djs across the country.
Tracks:
1 Hobo Trail
2 Estimated Time Of Revival
3 Waiting Out The Storm
4 Willow And The Dove
5 Trail Of Diamonds
6 Stayin’ Up Late
7 Stone, Glass & Wood
8 One Track Mind
9 Believe Our Love
10 Dust Off Our Dreams
For his part, Chatham, Ontario-born John had a lifelong interest in music, but his exposure to it as a child was limited. His father had a Roger Miller greatest hits album, and a Johnny Cash album, and that was all. But John learned every nuance of both records, and he became infatuated with the guitar after being inspired by his sixth grade teacher, who often entertained the class with Bob Dylan tunes played on “a big ol’ electric Gretsch guitar,” according to John. “That did it for me; that hooked me. I just wanted to play guitar after that.”
John honed his instrumental skills over the next few years, a turning point coming when he was injured in a motorcycle accident at age 16. “That’s when I really got into guitar and started putting bands together because I couldn’t do much else. I just played in rock ‘n’ roll bands, ’70s rock ‘n’ roll style stuff. Neil Young was a big influence and I always played harmonica and guitar at parties, with friends. But the band was mostly rock ‘n’ roll.” Songwriting, he adds, was an afterthought: “There’s a couple of guys who did write original stuff, but I was always the guitar player or thinking of a bridge or something, a new direction–not really getting credit for writing bridges, but I didn’t know you could! I was always the guitar picker to put on a little sweetener to their songs. That was about it.”
John then moved to Toronto to play the street and eventually put together a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young cover band that toured throughout Canada for seven years. During that time he was also getting into American roots music through recordings by Doc Watson and Tony Rice, among others.
When John and Michele got together they moved across Canada to British Columbia where John started playing guitar and mandolin with roots country songwriter, Joe Charron.
“John and I decided together that music was such a big part of his life that I wanted to be part of that too,” Michele explains. “We had a five-year plan, and he taught me to play guitar, how to play bass–we’d have friends over to jam and it was all guitar players. So I said, ‘Maybe you should teach me how to play bass.’ Then I found out that I’m the third chick bass player in my family. Isn’t that freaky?”
On the side, for kicks, he and Michele and a couple of their musician friends put together a casual bluegrass ensemble known as One Track Mind and cut a homemade CD, Beyond the Kitchen Table. More to the point, he had taught Michele the fundamentals of the bass, and a plan began to take shape.
Michele had barely begun to learn her instrument when she filled in onstage for the Joe Charron Band’s absent bassist, at which point she also began providing harmony vocals. It was a trial by fire, but Michele proved to be a real trouper. “I got pushed into it,” she says, “but John plays at such a high level that I had to really step up to the plate.”
“We had some great opportunities in British Columbia while we were there,” Michele notes. “With this trio we were opening for some great acts, and people just kept encouraging the two of us to do our own writing. We had something special on stage. We didn’t know; we were both shy and having fun working with someone else as the front man. But we certainly listened. One day we got up and wrote two songs and just kind of got the bug. And the first time you do your own music on stage and people actually clap and like it, you realize, Yeah, this isn’t bad at all. This could be fun.”
John and Michele continued to write and began performing as a duo throughout British Columbia. Their recording career began with their debut, Estimated Time of Revival, recorded at Randy Bachman’s studio, in 2000.
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Husband and wife singer songwriters, The Laws, exploded onto the Canadian music scene in 2000 with the release of their first independent CD, Estimated Time of Revival, recorded at Randy Bachman’s Salt Spring Island, British Columbia studio. They were featured in major newspapers across the country (Calgary Herald, National Post, Ottawa Citizen) in support of their first cross-Canada tour. It was during this first ‘cross Canada tour that they were spotted by an Australia booking agent who booked them on the spot! They’ve since completed 3 highly successful tours in that country, including main stage at National, Tamworth, Port Fairy and Fairbridge Folk Festivals and appearances on Australia national television.
John and Michele were invited to play all of the prominent festivals in Canada (Edmonton, Winnipeg, StanFest) and toured extensively through their home country, including a 17-date Ontario theatre tour opening for Randy Bachman’s “Every Song Tells a Story” tour (supporting their 2nd CD, Two, also recorded at Randy’s studio). The Laws first foray into the United States in 2003 took them to the South West Folk Alliance Conference in Austin, TX, where they were immediately booked by every presenter in attendance! In Texas they went from opening act to headline attraction in 2 short years and were invited to perform main stage at Uncle Calvin’s Coffeehouse, the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival 2004, 2005 and 2007 and Wild Flower Festival in Dallas in 2005 and 2007.
In 2007 The Laws were the first Canadians to win the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest in North Carolina, with their song, Am I Still the One. Noted Nashville music critic and Nashville Star judge, Robert Oermann, had this to say about The Laws in Music Row Magazine: “Am I Still the One is a languid, swaying, romantic melody that recalls The Everly Brothers in their prime. Yes, the harmonies really are that good.”
John and Michele have received further recognition for their songwriting and are now writing for Nashville-based publishing company, SWITR, Inc. The owners of the company were so impressed by their songs that they signed them on the spot and have included them as “Rising Stars” in their new PBS series “Legends and Lyrics”, alongside such songwriting greats as Kris Kristofferson, John Hiatt, Patty Griffin and Jimmy Webb!
Great picking and harmony singing, beautifully crafted and presented lyrics, heartbreaking stories of love and loss, John & Michele’s songs cross the boundaries of country, folk, pop, bluegrass and blues and are at home performing at folk, country or bluegrass venues. Their CDs have been on high rotation throughout North America on folk and Americana stations and they’ve been in the top 10 on playlists around the world!
While it can be tough to be a traveling musician, The Laws have found a recipe for success that keeps them healthy and happy. They do their own cooking when they’re on tour, and have developed their favorite recipes into a cookbook which has, in turn, led to bookings at major food and wine events, TV appearances and feature articles for their special mix of food and music.
Band: The Ken Crone Trio CD Release: ‘Bout Time Year:2008 Genre:Jazz Home: Chatham-Kent
Members Ken Crone – piano Pat Crone – drums Ed Laporte – bass
Tracks: 01 just friends 02 Canadian sunset 03 Europa 04 Tangerine 05 thethingswedidlastsummer 06 my favourite things 07 watch what happens 08 gentle rain 09 poinciana 10 opus one 11 just squeeze me 12 take the train 13 oscars blues
Notes: * The Release contains 13 tracks recorded at EyreSpace Studios and live at the Blind Dog Bar and Grill in Chatham Ontario Canada. *All songs were recorded in the summer of 1997 and 1999 and includes covers from many of the jazz greats. * Ken & Eddie have been playing together since the late 1950’s. Ken’s son Pat joined the group on drums in the late 1970’s. Ken also plays for ‘ManPower’. * Ken Crone has worked with Bill Cosby, Phyllis Diller, the Mills Brothers, the McGuire Sisters and other legends. * At age 80, Ken Crone has been making music for almost 70 years. For the past 3 years, the Ken Crone Trio has been performing to sold-out crowds at Studio One in Chatham. * Born in St Thomas, Ken Crone moved to Chatham at around age 18, and has called it home ever since. * Ken also worked for a few years in London Ontario, from 1962 – 1967, where led the house band at the Iroquoir Casino. This was the venue for many of the international touring acts of the time and Ken’s group backed them all.
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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Branch 28 Royal Canadian Legion Pipe Band
Home: Chatham, Ontario, Canada Year: 2009
For over 60 years they have provided pipe music for the residents of Chatham-Kent and beyond.
Photo from National Liberation Day Parade, Wageningen Holland, May 5 2008
Pipe Major: Jeff Campbell
Drum Major: Jack Lambe
Drum Sergeant: Joel Merilees
Current Band Members (as of 13 Mar 2009)
Paul Arsenault, Stephen Arsenault, Cheyenne Bogaert, Travis Bogaert, Nathan Brown, Katie Burchiel, Jordan Butler, Tom Clark, Rick Dibbley, Brenda Everingham, Brent Flaglor, Miriam Ivison, John Johnston, Dan Jordan, Justin Steele, Sandy Keith, Russell Lambe, Steve Lambe, Dick Laurie, Ken MacEachern, Wayne McDermid, Karen Melton, David Meurkes, Jim Meurkes, Kathy Poole, Ken Poole, Sarah Rooke, Ron Stead, Drew Sydorko, Doug Vince, Jessie Vince, Dan Vinter, Bob Warren, Ethan Wilson,
Caulan Witherow, Joe Witherow
Artist: Demo Kid Release: Home Demos Volume 2 Release Date: July 2009 Home: Chatham Kent Ontario Canada
Track List 1. Another Stupid Love Song 2. I Give It All 3. Be In Love 4. Our Little Secret 5. Will You Forgive Me.. 6.Last Day Of Summer 7. With Every Broken Promise 8. Never Let You Go
Members:
Shawn B. – Drums, percussion, vocals, programming, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, keyboards, harmonica and piano, except where noted by a special guest. Jesse V. – Lead Vocal on # 3,4,5,7.
Special Guests Andy T. – Electric Jazz Guitar #3 Sarah H. – B. Vocal #5. Larry . – Jazz Organ #5.
Notes: This is the follow up to the 24-song debut Home Demos Volume obe CD in 2007. This collection of home recordings includes influences from dance, pop, metal and rock.
These songs are not intended to be polished releases, they are simply home recordings to share with friends.
Links: http://www.youtube.com/user/shawnbeaulieuChatham-Kent, Chatham Kent, Ontario, music, scene, song swriter, you tube video, facebook, guitar player, drummer, singer, cd, release, capital theatre, performers, demo kid, weezer, rivers coumo, collab, rock music, dance music, ok go, viral, stupid love song, demo, tour, windsor, radio, the rock, 95.1fm, cksy, musical instruments, studio musician, from chatham ontario, music producer, 89x radio, homeboy show, indie show, con
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Demo Kid singer, song writer, guitarist, bassist, songwriter, engineer, producer. Chatham Kent Ontario Canada, recording, 95.1fm, the rock, rivers cuomo, weezer, demos, cd, mp3s, free music, rock and punk, love songs, canadian country music, toronto, cfco radio. home studio, entertainer, entertainment.
Fred S. Stone (1873 ~ 1912) Home Town: Chatham Ontario Year: 1893
Fred S. Stone was a relatively prolific composer of ragtime music. Stone was born in Chatham, Ontario, nine years before Geoffrey O’Hara.. The fact of his Canadian birth is not well known since the (relatively few) references to him in the ragtime literature is as an “African-American” composer.
The remarkable Stone inherited the musical leadership of Detroit from the equally remarkable “Old Man” Theo Finney. The latter had started a music business in the Michigan city during the Civil War, and from that beginning had built up a formidable musical dynasty. Finney’s – and then Stone’s – orchestras monopolized the Detroit Entertainment and social world to the almost complete exclusion of white performers.
Fred S. Stone and his stalwart colleagues . . . unionized the Detroit musicians and built the fine headquarters and club that are still in use. It was the white players who had to petition for admission to the union, apparently the only local in the country where this was the case.
Jasen and Jones (2000:320) give 1912 as the date that Stone died; however, Blesh and Janis (1966:105) state that “Fred S. Stone died in the middle 1930’s.”
Fred S. Stone
Note: Ragtime music: the jaunty, toe-tapping music that captivated American society from the 1890s through World War I, forms the roots of America s popular musical expression. But the understanding of ragtime and its era has been clouded by a history of murky impressions, half-truths, and inventive fictions.
First use of the word Ragtime appears in the song title “Ma Ragtime Baby” by Fred Stone in 1893.
Fred S. Stone was a cross-border phenomenon in the music world, famous in both Detroit and Canada. In fact, in spite of his dominance in music circles in early 20th century Detroit, Stone was actually born in Chatham, Ontario, making him Canadian by birth, and technically not African-American. He owed a lot of his early success to violinist Theodore Finney, sometimes referred to as “Old Man” Finney. Mr. Finney had done fairly well as an orchestra leader in the latter part of the 19th century in Detroit, and one of his star players was W. “Jack” Johnson, a cornetist. Johnson himself had been in the Detroit City Band with Finney, then spent some time touring the south in the late 1880s with the Georgia Minstrels. When he returned, he started the Johnson Cornet Band which provided a training ground for many young black musicians in Detroit, including Stone who had come across the border by the mid 1890s with his brothers.
Fred started composing pieces for publication in 1895, mostly dance numbers, but hit it big in 1898 with Ma Ragtime Baby, further increasing sales when his brother Charles added words for a song version. The following year he made a splash with Bos’n Rag. Between this and his considerable musicianship he quickly gained the respect of musicians throughout Detroit.
In Stone’s capacity as an arranger and leader in Finney’s orchestra, the group became one of the earliest in the country to play ragtime. The old man did not favor this newer music, and whenever they played in some of the downtown establishments where ragtime was popular, he usually chose to not participate.
Finney died in 1899, and very soon Stone took the group over by some acclaim from the members. He then hired a replacement for Finney, violinist Jack Shook. While the two co-conducted the orchestra mutually for some time, eventually they ended up in court deciding who would be able to use the well-established Finney name for the groups each of them ended up leading, with Shook finally taking the prize. Stone continued to lead his own groups, and recorded several pieces of ragtime and other genres for some of the earliest popular records. A few his own compositions were also recorded by other groups, including the Edison Concert Band who did Belle of the Philippines.
During this period he also turned out a number pieces that were as intriguing and varietal as that of one of his Detroit counterparts, Harry P. Guy, including a lovely set of waltzes titled Silks and Rags, and a lively almost-rag title, Belinda. He was so busy with the union and playing engagements that little was composed or published after that time, perhaps only existing as band arrangements. Stone died in 1912 at approximately 39-years-old, although the cause of death and a concrete determination of the date have been hard to pin down. His contributions to ragtime performance and music in general in what would become the city of “Motown” were significant, and even may have prompted Harry Guy’s comment that “you might almost say that Ragtime was born in Detroit.” Not quite, but it did thrive there for some time. Compositions
1895 – The Indian: Two Step – [w/Edward Liggett] 1896 – La Albecite: Spanish Waltzes – Mackinac March 1898 – The Cardinal March – A Lady of Quality (Waltzes) – Ma Ragtime Baby
Ma Ragtime Baby (Song) – [w/Charles H. Stone] 1899 – The Bos’n Rag – 1900 – Elseeta 1901 – Silks and Rags (Waltzes) 1902 – Sue 1903 – Belle of the Philippines – A Kangaroo Hop 1905 – Belinda 1908 – Melody at Twilight – Stone’s Barn Dance
Artist: Sylvia Tyson Release: The Very Best of Sylvia Tyson Date: 2001 Label: Varese Sarabande Sylvia is from Chatham. Born Sylvia Fricker.
1. You Were on My Mind 2. I Walk These Rails 3. River Road 4. Pepere’s Mill – (with Lucille Star) 5. Driftwood 6. Gypsy Cadillac 7. Sound of One Heart Breaking, The 8. Denim Blue Eyes 9. Walking on the Moon 10. Night the Chinese Restaurant Burned Down, The
11. Diamond Love 12. Spring of ’45 – (with Quartette) 13. Bitter Pride 14. So Quiet Now 15. Sleep on My Shoulder 16. Blind Fiddler’s Waltz, The 17. Last Call 18. Sentinel Crow – (with Quartette)
Album notes
Personnel includes: Sylvia Tyson (vocals, autoharp, tambourine); Albert Lee (acoustic & electric guitars, mandolin); Andrew Hardin (acoustic & electric guitars, percussion); Rick Whitlaw (acoustic & electric guitars); Danny Greenspan (acoustic guitar, dobro); Nathan Tinkham (acoustic guitar); Fats Kaplan (pedal steel guitar, dobro, fiddle, accordion); Mike Holder (pedal steel guitar); Don Rooke (dobro); Dan Whiteley (mandolin); Oliver Schroer (fiddle); Chris Whiteley (harmonica); Gary Breit (piano, keyboards); John Sheard (piano, synthesizer); Victor Bateman (acoustic & electric basses); Denis Pendrith (bass); Bucky Berger (drums, percussion, tambourine); Randall Coryell (percussion); Colleen Peterson (background vocals).
Producers include: Sylvia Tyson, Tom Russell, Danny Greenspoon.
Compilation producers: Cary E. Marshall, Saul Davis, Sylvia Tyson.
Includes liner notes by Bill DeYoung.
Digitally remastered by Dan Hersch (DigiPrep, Hollywood, California).
Listen or buy here.
Artist: Ian And Sylvia Release: Nashville Date: 1968 Genre: Folk Sylvia is from Chatham. Born Sylvia Fricker.
Tracks: 1. Mighty Quinn
2. Wheels On Fire
3. Farewell To The North
4. Taking Care Of Business
5. Southern Comfort
6. Ballad Of The Ugly Man
7. Ninety Degrees X Ninety Degrees
8. She’Ll Be Gone
9. London Life
10. Renegade
11. House Of Cards _ * Watch the album preview below.
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Recorded in Nashville in 1968, and released the same year on Vanguard, this album from the Canadian folk duo Ian & Sylvia Tyson includes a cover of the Danko/Dylan classic “This Wheel’s on Fire”. Their version is also available on CD, e.g. on the 2002 compilation IAn & Sylvia: The Complete Vanguard Recordings (Vanguard 4VCD 196).
Sylvia Fricker was born on September 19, 1940, in Chatham, Ontario. Her mother was a music teacher and the organist and choir leader in their church; her father was employed in the appliance section of a large department shore. after graduating from high school, she worked for a jeweler in her hometown but, unhappy with the direction her life was taking, began venturing up to Toronto on weekends. She had always enjoyed music, particularly the folk idiom, so she decided to pursue a career as a professional singer. After a year of traveling back and forth to Toronto, she quit her job and moved. She first met Ian while both were performing at a local spot called the Village Corner Club. They formed their music partnership early in 1959 and, in 1964, their personal lives were joined by marriage.
Despite their production of five more albums in the next few years, Ian & Sylvia were uncertain in which direction to take their music. After deciding to utilize Nashville’s top-notch musicians by recording in Music City, they realized their commitment to country music — which came as no great surprise, for their musical roots were in country. Although some “people really got uptight,” explains Tyson, “when we made the transition to country music,” they have never regretted their choice. Out of the Nashville venture came another album for Vanguard, a subsequent LP on the MGM label, and the formation of a country band called the Great Speckled Bird.
(musicamericana.com)
Artist: Ian And Sylvia Release: The Lovin’ Sound Date: 1967 Sylvia is from Chatham. Born Sylvia Fricker.
Tracks: 01 windy weather 02 hang on to a dream 03 i don’t believe you 04 where did all the love go 05 mr spoons 06 national hotel 07 sunday 08 pilgrimage to paradise 09 reason to believe 10 big river 11 trilogy 12 lovin’ sound _ *Watch the album preview below.
_ Review by Richie Unterberger The Ian & Sylvia records bridging their folk phase and country-rock period were always uneven folk-rockish affairs, and this one, which remains one of their least-known 1960s efforts, was not an exception. Peg down your expectations a notch, though, and it isn’t bad, and it’s perhaps their most pop-oriented venture into the folk-rock waters.
Paul Harris (keyboards and orchestral arrangements) and Harvey Brooks (bass), both among the most active session players on mid-’60s New York folk-rock records, were both in the band playing on this release. Largely forsaking the traditional folk material that had dominated their first albums, the set was split between original material and covers of contemporary songwriters Bob Dylan, Tim Hardin, and Johnny Cash (session guitarist David Rea contributed “Pilgrimage to Paradise”). Still, the duo never adapted to rock music as well as most of their ex-folkie peers, and the sound of Lovin’ Sound is rather subdued and tentative.
There are some good moody songs here, though, that grow on you, such as the title track (which would not have sounded unreasonable on AM radio) and “Trilogy.” The covers of Hardin’s “Hang on to a Dream” and “Reason to Believe,” as well as Dylan’s “I Don’t Believe You,” are well done as well. “Sunday,” written as a CBC TV theme, is uncharacteristically happy-go-lucky, with a trumpet-mimicking vocal chorus that leaves one with the impression that they were making fun of California sunshine pop; “Where Did All the Love Go?” and Johnny Cash’s “Big River” expressed their growing country leanings. As a lowlight, “National Hotel” was a cruddy goodtime-vaudevillian exercise that didn’t suit the pair at all.
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.
Artist: Ian And Sylvia Release: Four Strong Winds Date: 1964 Genre: Folk Sylvia is from Chatham. Born Sylvia Fricker.
Songs: 1. Jesus Met the Woman at the Well 2. Tomorrow Is a Long Time 3.Katy Dear 4.Poor Lazarus 5.Four Strong Winds 6. Ella Speed 7. Long Lonesome Road 8. V’la L’Bon Vent 9. Royal Canal 10. Lady of Carlisle 11.Spanish Is a Loving Tongue 12.Greenwood Sidie, The (The Cruel Mother) 13.Every Night When the Sun Goes Down 14. Every Time I Feel the Spirit
CFCO 92.9FM and 630AM: a news, sports, and oldies music station. The original AM broadcasting station was launched in 1926.
On March 3, 2008 at 9AM, after sixteen years as an oldies station, “Classic Gold 630” came to an end with the song “The Beat Goes On” by Sonny and Cher, after which CFCO signed on the new country format with “Play Something Country” by Brooks & Dunn. This is the first time Chatham-Kent has had its own country music station.
Artist: MICHELLE WRIGHT Style: Country Home: Tennessee Raised: Chatham Kent Year: 2009
Catch Michelle live this summer Saturday, August 8th Comber Fair [Full Band] Comber, ON
From her official online bio.
Since her 1990 Arista/Nashville self-titled debut CD, Michelle Wright has been drawing rave reviews for her powerful voice and her distinctive style. Over the subsequent 15 years, she has sold nearly 2 million albums in the United States and Canada and enjoyed an international career, one that has seen her grace concert stages across North America and appear in Europe, Africa, South America, Australia and Asia. Michelle has amassed a total of twenty-five Top Ten hits in her homeland of Canada and walked to podiums in music centers like Los Angeles and Toronto to accept more than 30 major awards. She is the first Canadian-born artist in the modern era of country music to have a Top Ten hit in America (Take It Like A Man, 1992) and a Number One video on CMT-USA (Take It Like A Man, 1992), and to win a major U.S. music industry award (Academy of Country Music Top New Female Artist, 1993
From her professional beginnings as a teenager to the present day, Michelle has steadily grown into an entertainer of the highest rank and has collected a trophy room full of awards to prove it. Her career is such that opportunity continually blesses her. Highlights of her recent touring calendar include her first Australian concerts in 2004, a trip to Afghanistan in 2006 to perform for the Canadian and NATO troops serving there, and an annual Christmas tour (I’m Dreaming of a Wright Christmas, now in its fifth year) that is fast becoming a North American seasonal tradition. Michelle’s songwriting activity continues to grow: she signed her first writer’s deal with BMG Music Publishing in Los Angeles in 2001; that same year she received her first songwriting award (presented by SOCAN to mark the multi-format Canadian success of her single, I Surrender); and since then she has co-written many of her recent hits. The new decade has seen three new CDs from Michelle generating more sales and more hits: SHUT UP AND KISS ME, released by Sony/BMG in June, 2002; her first Christmas album, A WRIGHT CHRISTMAS, released in Canada on Icon Records in October, 2005 and around the rest of the world on Savannah Music in November, 2008; and her first full album of country material in ten years, EVERYTHING AND MORE, released in Canada on Icon Records in July, 2006 and around the rest of the world on Savannah Music in early 2008. Michelle has also begun to establish herself as a radio personality, launching her first syndicated radio show, The Women of Country with Michelle Wright, in April, 2005, and as an author, releasing her first book, A Year In The Life: The Journals of Michelle Wright, in May, 2005.
These days, Michelle is happy, enjoying her career and her home in Tennessee. Since marrying Marco Convertino in April, 2002 (the first marriage for both), her personal life is as satisfying as her professional career, and the future continues to look unquestionably “Wright.”
Artist: Black Dog Year: 2008 What: Led Zeppelin Tribute Band Home: Chatham Kent Ontario Canada
Band is: KEVIN MCWATTERS – VOCALS
FRANK LONGE – GUITARS
JZ TAINE – BASS
NICK SENNEMA – DRUMS
The Scoop:
The Led Zeppelin tribute Black Dog has been performing all over Canada and U.S. for the past 10 years. Black Dog was featured in the Canadian music artists’ 5440 ‘Animal In Pain’ music video which was broadcast worldwide and still appears on the band’s official website.
Black Dog’s show consists of look a like costumes of the Rock Gods themselves. Vocalist Kevin McWatters bears a striking resemblance to Robert Plant. His vocal style and range emulate Zeppelin’s 70s fame. Guitarist Frank Longe (formerly of L.A.) has mastered Jimmy Page’s art through 15 years of playing. He has Les Paul and double neck guitars.
The John Paul Jones bottom end is held down nicely by bass player J.Z. Taine who has many years of professional music experience. Black Dog is a must see for any Zeppelin fan!
KEEPING THE LEGACY LIVE!
Nick also plays in the hardcore band 100 Proof, Superfly and more.
JZ TAINE also plays bass for Finding Core.
Band is:
Nick Sennema – Drums
Troy Fraser – Bass
Danny Wright – Guitar
Adam LeDrew – Vox
This is only the third pure hard core band to come from Chatham Ontario ( C.O.I. ’91, 4 Hard Core ’92). The first two were high school aged bands, so this band steps it up in musicianship. Not much to say but perfection here. Hard Core is truly about attitude, and that is all that matters here. They play it as well as the best of them and there is no signs of amateur stuff here. All we can ask for is the spirit and a solid tight band. It’s all here, Period. Listen Here: http://www.myspace.com/hundredproofhc
Artist: Davis Block Formed: 2007 Style: Ska Punk Band Home: Chatham Kent Ontario Canada
Band: Kelly Myre – Bass
Alex Hill – Drums and Vocals
Chris Wilkins – Guitar and Vocals
Sir Charles WJ Pickard III Esquire – Guitar
Davis Block can be heard on the Legionnaires Disease Compilation CD put out in 2008. The band is fun to watch live as Alex steals the show with his quick & witty comments.
Good fun. Old school punk rock played by young punk rockers.
Artists: The Speds Release: New Latitudes Date: 2003 Home: Chatham Kent Ontario
Band: Dave Deighton – Vocals and Percussion Gerald Poirier – Vocals, Bass guitar, and Electric Guitar
Rob Dobson – Vocals and Keyboards Ted Shaw – Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Vocals Terry Dobson – Lead vocals, Electric and Acoustic guitars
The Speds are one of Canada’s premier party bands. For the past 15 years, these guys have been entertaining audiences with such a wide variety of music its hard to imagine one band could pull it off, but somehow they can! Whether you like it hard or soft, they do it all from “Van Morrisson to Van Halen” and everything in between, and I mean everything…Boston, Journey, Elvis, Beatles, Styx, etc.etc.etc. Tracks
1 Get What You Want 2 Living In Paradise 3 Fly High 4 Never Let You Go 5 Dreamin’s Behind Me 6 Believe In Me 7 New Latitudes 8 Free Me 9 Not Again
Artist: That Whaling Band Release: Grateful Year: 2005
Ray Whaling – Vocals & Guitar
Andy Martin – Bass
Joel Laprise – Drums
Whaling is the best 70’s inspired guitar jam band in general. A man with a true passion for his craft and is all about the music. I got to see him perform before I was of age since my Dad joined the band on bass for a while. They rehearsed at my house. The music is solid & the passion is real, and to top it all off, they are down to earth guys.
Not to cut the other members short, Ray has been blessed to play with the best in the business locally. Whaling is a great band that is worth a listen.
Ashley Coulter & Sarah Hiltz – Vocals on #4
Bob Hiltz – Bass on #6
Scott Galloway – Keys
Len Temelini – Sax
Tracks 1. Blue Chile 2. Funky Tune 3. Guitar Song 4. Run For The Road 5. Rusty Rosy 6. Eyre Space 7. Give It Away 8. Saved My Life 9. Tell Her 10. Twilight Nest
Artist: Michael Schatte Release: Hard Ticket Year: 2006 Home: Originally from Chatham
Michael began his early career in music in a Chatham blues band called Midnight Mojo.
Michael Schatte: all vocals and instruments including electric, acoustic, and 12 string guitars; drums; electric bass; mandolin; violin; German button accordion; piano accordion; organ, piano, and electric piano synths; harmonica; and various percussive items All songs written by Michael Schatte except tracks 3, 6, 7, 9, 11, and 12
Recorded at Mithrandir Studios, Chatham, ON, Canada between the months of May and August, 2005
Mastered by Bob Hiltz at Eyrespace Studios, Chatham, ON
Though Hard Ticket is unapologetically guitar-driven, it also showcases Michael’s considerable chops on both the mandolin and violin, both of which add wonderful colour to the album’s already diverse palette. There’s something on this record for everyone – searing blues, rootsy pop-rock, bluegrass, New Orleans flavoured “feel-good music”, country, folk and even instrumental celtic-rock – it’s both difficult to categorize and easy to enjoy!
1. Turn
2. Room For Me
3. Hey Pocky Way
4. Crying Uncle
5. The Hardest Part
6. Tear Stained Letter
7. If You Be My Baby
8. Slow Burn
9. All Work and No Play
10. Tipsy On the Cork
11. Under A Stormy Sky
12. Big Chimney
13. Aspasia mp3 snippet
14. Five Alive
Chatham Music Archive 
