Band: Rumblefish
Year: 2019
Genre: Classic/new rock cover band
Home: Sarnia Ontario
Formed: 1996
Chatham Connection: Singer Matt Johns is from Chatham Ontario. He began fronting the band in 2005.
Members:
Wayne Reid
Matt Johns
Todd Pires
Julius Sneider
Links:
* Facebook here.
* Homepage here.
* Interview link here.
* Youtube here.
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Open Mic night (Floorz Yourz)
Where: Elephant’s Nest
When: 10-2am, Every Thursday night.
City: Chatham Ontario.
Hosted by: frank e fitz
Started in Oct. 2016.
Come jam at open mic. Bring your voice, guitar, keyboard, whatever you need to get up and perform a few tunes.
History: Open mic night had been held at the Nest on Tuesday nights for many many years, hosted by Julie Ross. For most of 2016, the weekly event was on pause, but is now back with a new host known as Frank E. Fitz.
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Band: The Repertoire
Year: 2011
Genre: “50’s and 60’s” Hits
Home: Chatham-Kent Ontario
Email Contact: bstpierre_80@sympatico.ca
Members:
Brian St.Pierre – Vocals, guitars
Jared Lozon – Stand up & electric bass
Chris St.Pierre – Cocktail drums
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Do you have pics & info? Email us
chatham_music_archive@hotmail.com
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Band: Infinite Arms
Type: Began as a ‘Band of Horses’ Tribute Band
Formed: 2011
Home: Chatham Ontario Canada.
Members:
Jesse Verleye – Vocals, guitar (Face for Radio, Janet Theory)
Kyle Jubenville – Vocals, guitar
Dave Richie – Guitar (Face for Radio, ’57 Chevy, Janet Theory)
Shawn Beaulieu – Bass (Demo Kid, Janet Theory)
Glenn Smith – Keyboards (’57 Chevy)
Charles (Chuck) Young – Drums (Face For Radio, Janet Theory)
The band will begin playing live in June 2011.
June 10 – Private Party
June 24 – Elephant’s Nest opening for The Long Lots.
July 1 – Canada Day in Tecumseh Park, Chatham.
Aug 26 – @ Encore w/ JD Bixby (Canadian Idol) & Aaron Allen.
Aug 27 – Private Party.
Dec 30 – @ Encore W. The Long Lots & Time Is A Hymn.
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Band: Snakebite
Genre: New & classic country music
Home: Chatham & Area.
Year: 2010
Year Formed: 2005
Members:
Paul Lowry (Bothwell) – Vocals, guitar
Marty Marsh – (Chatham/Bothwell) – Guitar
Sean Atkin – (Kingsville/Sarnia) – Lead guitar
Bobby Reynolds (Strathroy) – Drums
James Vermue (London) – Bass
Note: Snakebite was formed in 2005 as a two man band featuring Paul Lowry and Marty Marsh (now living in Chatham). Sean Atkin from Sarnia joined in 2006 as the lead guitar player along with James Vermue on Bass in 2008. Snakebite has had a bunch of drummers over the years.
The group has shared the stage with Travis Tritt, The Road Hammers, and opened for JoDee Messina.
In 2010, the band has played Norma Jeans (London), Encore (Chatham), Grand River Hotel (Cambridge), The Golden Tap (Chatham), River Stone Pizzeria (Alvinston), Friendship Festival (Drumbo), Bothwell, Horvat’s (Rodney), Dr. Jeckyll’s (Strathroy), CBD Club (Wallaceburg), East Side (London), Strawberry Festival (Lucknow), and more.
Contact them online @
http://www.snakebiteband.com/
Email your pics & info to: chatham_music_archive@hotmail.com
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Band: Melody Ramblers
Home: Chatham Ontario
Year: 1979
Band: 1953-1994
Style: Country Music Covers
Members:
(Left to right)
Dan St.Pierre – Guitar
Rene Brosseau – Bass
Dennis Smith – Pedal Steel
Michelle Wright – Vocals
Bradley J. Preston – Vocals, Acoustic
Larry St. Pierre – Drums
If you are from Chatham-Kent Ontario, then chances are you know that country music star MICHELLE WRIGHT got her start with the Melody Ramblers.
A very young Michelle was added to the band to help diversify the band, giving them the ability to perform songs by female country artists and relieve Brad Preston of the long nights of solid vocal duties. Michelle was new to the scene but developed quickly, later leaving to join a band an hour away, across the Canadian border in Detroit.
The group’s original line-up formed in 1953, and has included the top players from the area for the better part of 40 years. This 1979 line-up was interesting because it included many members who’s talents caught the eye of the international country music scene.
You can read up on individual members or the bands history through the years, by going to our home page and scrolling down to the list of bands/artists from Chatham.
Photo: Given to the Chatham Music Archive with permission for the Chatham Music Archive, from the St. Pierre family. Thank you to the St. Pierre family for helping us present the rich deep history of the Melody Ramblers in our community.
Demo Kid note 2010: While doing the research on the group, it was interesting to find out that my Uncle Eugene played in this band later on. In 2009, I was introduced to Rene (was the bass player for the band at the time) who is now one of the most popular pedal steel players in Canada. He played on our home demos (with Jesse V) and was just simply so pro and friendly that I was amazed I got the chance to record with a musician with such a love and experience of music.
Email your pics & info to: chatham_music_archive@hotmail.com
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Band: Free Ride
Genre: Classic Rock & Roll
Home: Chatham, Wallaceburg
Year: 2010
Formed: 2001
Contact: 519-351-4959
Members:
Jeff Emerson – Guitars, Vocals
Ken Allgate – Bass, Vocals
Grayling Church – Drums, Vocals
Notes: All three members sing lead vocals, which creates a lot of variety. The band plays mostly classic rock, but adds a bit of country, 50’s & 60’s, and modern rock, to try and please even the toughest audience.
Set list includes The Rolling Stones, Trooper, Tom Petty, Kid Rock, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Wilson Picket, C.C.R., Bob Seger, Wild Cherry, Eric Clapton, The Zack Brown Band, The Tragically Hip, Van Morrison, Steve Miller band, Steppenwolf, Grand Funk Railroad, Aerosmith, The Proclaimers, Nazareth, Kiss, Poison, Weezer, David Wilcox, ZZ Top, The Beatles, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Led Zepplin, Free, Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Jason Maraz, & much more.
The band just finished a weekend at the Golden Tap in Chatham.
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Duo: TEXAS TEE
Year: 2010
Formed: 2009
Home: Chatham Ontario Canada
Variety: R&B, BLUES, CLASSIC ROCK, POP
STANDARDS, AND A TOUCH OF COUNTRY.
Members
WAIDE HOLLAND – Hammond Organ & Piano
RICK RANKIN – Acoustic & Electric Guitar
Notes: Texas Tee is made up of two of the finest quality players Chatham has to offer. Both members have played in many of the area’s most popular bands through the years. Rick is most noted musically for being the lead singer and guitarist for ‘Manpower’ since its inception. Waide has played for many bands beginning with Zeke and the Moonshiners (Missing Links) , Texas, Rebel, and more.
Live: Texas Tee performances include:
LIGHTHOUSE COVE On., BR.628 CANADIAN LEGION (Chatham), Royal Tavern & more.
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Band: The Force
Year: 1982
Circa: 1977-1983
Members
Rick Rankin – guitar
Brent Hunter – bass
Pat Crone – drums
Tom Starks – keyboards
The Force was formed in 1977 after the breakup of the band Beginings.
Tom Starks on keys and Pat Crone on drums joined Rick Rankin (guitar) and Randy Young (bass). Bassist Brent Hunter replaced Randy Young in 1981.
The band was in high demand and worked steadily, playing disco (they had to) and rock/top 40 music that was popular at the time at many local hotels, festivals, and special events in Chatham-Kent from 1977-1983.
With a talented horn section consisting of Dave Sass, Jack Drobko, Bob Fazecash and Brian Murphy, The Force had a large and unique songlist.
About 10 times each year, the band put on themed shows with special guests Craig (Pork) Koehler and Ed Smitchen, “The Fast Fried Pork Revue”. They added musical comedy that was zany, hilarious and often strayed from the script. The shows were authentically costumed thanks to Ed and his family.
The movie Star Wars opened in `77 and was the inspiration for a series of “Summer Trek” concerts (Gross Encounters of the Force Kind).
Hallowe’en productions were a specialty. Parodies of popular movies like Star Wars, The Blues Brothers, The Rocky Horror Picture Show were performed at places like the Tilt’n Hilton in Erieau, the CAW Hall, the Tecumseh Hotel, the Turf Room, and the Thames Theatre (opening for Max Webster).
When The Force and Hatrick bands split up in 1983, new bands Advance Green, Texas and Manpower were formed.
Thank You to Mr. Crone for the information.
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Band: The Force
Year: 1979
Circa: 1977-1983
Members in 1979
Rick Rankin – guitar
Randy Young – bass
Pat Crone – drums
Tom Starks – keyboards
The Force was formed in 1977 after the breakup of the band Beginings.
Tom Starks on keys and Pat Crone on drums joined Rick Rankin (guitar) and Randy Young (bass). Bassist Brent Hunter replaced Randy Young in 1981.
The band was in high demand and worked steadily, playing disco (they had to) and rock/top 40 music that was popular at the time at many local hotels, festivals, and special events in Chatham-Kent from 1977-1983.
With a talented horn section consisting of Dave Sass, Jack Drobko, Bob Fazecash and Brian Murphy, The Force had a large and unique songlist.
About 10 times each year, the band put on themed shows with special guests Craig (Pork) Koehler and Ed Smitchen, “The Fast Fried Pork Revue”. They added musical comedy that was zany, hilarious and often strayed from the script. The shows were authentically costumed thanks to Ed and his family. The movie Star Wars opened in `77 and was the inspiration for a series of “Summer Trek” concerts (Gross Encounters of the Force Kind).
Hallowe’en productions were a specialty. Parodies of popular movies like Star Wars, The Blues Brothers, The Rocky Horror Picture Show were performed at places like the Tilt’n Hilton in Erieau, the CAW Hall, the Tecumseh Hotel, the Turf Room, and the Thames Theatre (opening for Max Webster).
When The Force and Hatrick bands split up in 1983, new bands Advance Green, Texas and Manpower were formed.
Thank You to Mr. Crone for the information.
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Band: The Force
Year: 1978
Circa: 1977-1983
Members in 1978
Rick Rankin – guitar
Randy Young – bass
Pat Crone – drums
Tom Starks – keyboards
Dave Sass – sax
The Force was formed in 1977 after the breakup of the band Beginings.
Tom Starks on keys and Pat Crone on drums joined Rick Rankin (guitar) and Randy Young (bass). Bassist Brent Hunter replaced Randy Young in 1981. The band was in high demand and worked steadily, playing disco (they had to) and rock/top 40 music that was popular at the time at many local hotels, festivals, and special events in Chatham-Kent from 1977-1983.
With a talented horn section consisting of Dave Sass, Jack Drobko, Bob Fazecash and Brian Murphy, The Force had a large and unique songlist. About 10 times each year, the band put on themed shows with special guests Craig (Pork) Koehler and Ed Smitchen, “The Fast Fried Pork Revue”. They added musical comedy that was zany, hilarious and often strayed from the script. The shows were authentically costumed thanks to Ed and his family.
The movie Star Wars opened in `77 and was the inspiration for a series of “Summer Trek” concerts (Gross Encounters of the Force Kind).
Hallowe’en productions were a specialty. Parodies of popular movies like Star Wars, The Blues Brothers, The Rocky Horror Picture Show were performed at places like the Tilt’n Hilton in Erieau, the CAW Hall, the Tecumseh Hotel, the Turf Room, and the Thames Theatre (opening for Max Webster).
When The Force and Hatrick bands split up in 1983, new bands Advance Green, Texas and Manpower were formed.
Thank You to Mr. Crone for the information.
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Band: Teethen Freeks (Teethen Freaks)
Home: Tilbury
Genre: Rock cover band
Year: 2010
Formed: Circa 2001
Members:
Scott Barnes – Bass and lead vocals
Brian Lansue – Guitar & vocals
Eean Houchen – Guitar & vocals
Dale Montminy – Drums
Members have formerly been in the following bands – Virgil Starr, Lyra,
The Nasteez.
Music they cover: Seether, Three days grace, Shinedown, Tragically hip, Trews, Candlebox , Thornly , Audio Slave, Boston, Journey & much more
Currently playing at: Tilbury Hotel, Mr. Biggs and more
Visit them on facebook here.
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Band: Objective Unknown
Home: Wallaceburg Ontario
Genre: Rock
Style: Original music
Year: 2010
Members:
Cole Mills – Rhythm guitar/keys/vocals
Dane Appleton – Lead guitar/lead vocals
Daryn Trainor – Bass/lead vocals
Hudson Cattoor – Drums.
The band had a recent line up change with drummers. They have posted a batch on new songs online that include: This is me, Away again, I think I like it, and Eventually.
Visit them online here.
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‘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.”
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Band: Fifth Night
Year: Circa 1967
Home: Chatham Ontario Canada
Members:
Brian Jones
Irwin Erickson
Rick Chrysler
Tom Lockwood
Lenny Bernard
Fifth Night was a high school aged band who performed shows at high schools in Chatham and surrounding towns. Of Course, they were too young to perform in the clubs at the time.
During this time period, high schools had an organization that was known as Teensters. Each Saturday night, High Schools took turns hosting a dance with live bands.
Most, if not all members of Fifth Night went to Tecumseh High School in Chatham.
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Artist: Julie Ross
Singer, Guitarist, and Song Writer
Home: Chatham Kent Ontario
Year: 2009
You can see her live hosting ‘Open Mic Night’ every Tuesday at the Elephant’s Nest on King Street in Chatham. The instruments are supplied
She is also performing at Big Shots with Linz every Friday through the summer.
Discography
A day in the life – 2004
Julie Ross Band – 2004
Middle Ground – 1999
CD’S Julie appears on
* Steve Shearer & The Erie Ramblers
* Ray Whaling – Party Train
* Dave Lockbaum – David’s Ashes
* Mitch Robinson – Brother With A Record
* Sarah Hiltz – The People Of Chatham Kent
* Mike Hazael – Unauthorized
Visit her below.
http://www.myspace.com/julesross
www.julieross.ca
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Band: Sixth Concession
Home: Chatham Kent Ontario
Year: 1973
Members:
In order of the picture (left to right)
Jim Smith
Shelley Browning
Eldon Brown
Doug Smith
Vaughn Pugh.
Notes: The band is made up of members from their 1970 line up as ‘Seven’. Throughout the seventies, Doug, Vaughn, Jim, and Eldon, along with guitarist Shelley Browning, continued performing under the name “Sixth Concession”. Although lacking a full horn section, the group nevertheless continued to polish and perform tunes by groups such as Chicago and Blood, Sweat, & Tears, utilizing Vaughn on trumpet, and adding St. Clair Shadd on tenor sax.
As the seventies drew to a close, the band went into a period of inactivity, due in part to the family and career commitments of its members. Their love of music and performing was never lost, however. In the early eighties, inspired by the movie “The Blues Brothers”, and in particular by the line “We’re putting the band back together”, the boys decided to revive the group, this time under the name “Niteflite“. The band initially consisted of the same members as “Sixth Concession” and performed in that configuration for several years. For a short time in the late eighties, a three-piece horn section was added, featuring George Willson on trumpet, Jack Drobko on trombone, and St. Clair on tenor sax.
Throughout the nineties, Niteflite continued to perform primarily as a 5-piece group, but their love of the horn-band sound never diminished.
In 1984, Vaughn Pugh, himself an accomplished musician on both keyboards and trumpet, had become the director of the Chatham Concert Band. As such, he had access to many fine Chatham-area musicians, and in 2003 was thus able to select several of these talented people to form the present Niteflite horn section. The new members include Al Rathwell on trumpet, Pat Bates on trombone, Rocco Desantis on alto sax, St. Clair Shadd on tenor sax, and John Leigh on baritone sax. The group’s playlist includes tunes by Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Lighthouse, Sam & Dave, Wilson Pickett, Ides of March, The Beatles, and many, many more.
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The guys take a break from full on music and decide to wrap it up to spend time with families for a while. After years of playing non-stop in bands, they take a rest. The Janet Theory had fun and thank everyone for their support. Band members will be back on the scene soon slowly one by one.
The band was featured on 2 different compilation Cds put out this year also.
From The Underground – features ‘It’s Alright’. (New York Label)
Winter Rose – features ‘ You Suck’. (Chatham Kent/ Essex Release)
Both tracks are from the 2003 CD Sacriluscious.
Website with music & videos: http://www.myspace.com/janettheory
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Chatham Music Archive 