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Canada has been a source of rock and roll music for decades, beginning with Paul Anka who in 1957 went to New York City where he recorded his own composition, "Diana". The song brought him instant stardom and went to No. 1 on the U.S. and Canadian charts. Since then, Canada has produced many internationally-popular rock and roll groups.
History of Rock in Canada1950s-1960sRock and roll itself arose in the United States in the late 1940s after WWII, and spread across the world beginning in about 1956. Rock was heard first in Canada on US radio and recordings, and Canada has remained a major market for US and later, British and European acts. Many US musicians toured Canada in the late 1950s, usually appearing in nightclubs. Those Canadians with successful recording careers in the 1950s usually had moved to the USA like Paul Anka, the Crew-Cuts and The Diamonds This bands would leave an indelible mark on the music scene during the Doo-wop days. The Four Lads, originally known as The 4 Dukes, first hit the charts in 1952 with "Mocking Bird". The first Canadian-made rock recording to achieve international popularity was 'Clap Your Hands' in 1960 by a Montreal quartet, The Beaumarks. Bobby Curtola first single was released in 1960, "Hand In Hand With You". He would go on to crack Billboard's Top 100 several more times in the 1960s with gold hits such as "Hitch Hiker", "Aladdin", "3 Rows Over" and his biggest chart-topper "Fortune Teller" . With the rise of The Beatles in the mid-1960s and the subsequent popularity of many other British bands, Canadians began to form rock groups in numbers. Often, however, Canadian records were simply covers of American or British pop hits. One important example was a Winnipeg band called Chad Allan & the Expressions, who had a 1965 hit with a version of Johnny Kidd and the Pirates' "Shakin' All Over". Ronnie Hawkins, an Arkansas born rockabilly singer, became the most prominent figure in Canadian rock beginning in 1958. He did more than any other to popularize Canadian Rock. The popularity of US rock in Canada encouraged young Canadians to form bands and led to existing groups, especially those devoted to country music, to change styles or to incorporate some rock hits in their repertoires. Country rock and folk rock singers like Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Denny Doherty (of The Mamas & the Papas), David Clayton-Thomas, Neil Young, Andy Kim, Zal Yanovsky (of The Lovin' Spoonful), John Kay (of Steppenwolf), and Ian & Sylvia also found international audiences. Their success paved the way for a new wave of Canadian singer-songwriters, including Stan Rogers, Murray McLauchlan, Bruce Cockburn and Willie P. Bennett. The Diamonds
Formed in 1953 the first recording for Mercury was "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" , a cover of The Teenagers’ version. They also covered songs by such artists as The Clovers, The Willows, and The Heartbeats. Their biggest hits were 1957's "Little Darlin'" (originally by The Gladiolas) and 1958's "The Stroll", which was an original song written for the group by Clyde Otis, and came from an idea by Dick Clark. In 1984 they were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame; in October 2004, into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame[1] in Sharon, Pennsylvania, and in 2006 into The Doo-Wop Hall of Fame. The Four LadsMain article: The Four Lads In 1950 they began to sing in local clubs in Toronto and soon were noticed by scouts. Recruited to go to New York, they were noticed by Mitch Miller, who asked them to do backup for some of the artists he recorded. In 1953 they made their first of five gold records, "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)", which launched them to stardom and kept them busy throughout the 1950s and 1960s in the USA and Canada. Their most famous hit was "Moments to Remember" in 1955, and their next best known was "Standin' on the Corner" in 1956. They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2003. Paul Anka
In 1955 at age 14 he recorded his first single, "I Confess." In 1957 he went to New York City where he auditioned for ABC the song, "Diana". The song brought Anka instant stardom as it rocketed to number one on the U.S. Billboard charts. "Diana" is one of the best selling 45s in music history. He followed up with four songs that made it into the Top 20 in 1958, making him one of the biggest teen idol of the time. He elected to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1980. In 1991, the Government of France honoured him with the title '"Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters". He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6840 Hollywood Blvd.[2] In 2005, he received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame,[3] and was also appointed an officer of the Order of Canada.[4] Bobby CurtolaMain article: Bobby Curtola A rock and roll singer and teen idol, Bobby Curtola had several songs on the Canadian music charts beginning with "Hand In Hand With You" in 1960. His biggest chart-topper came in 1962 with the song, "Fortune Teller" which was also successful internationally. In 1966 he won an RPM Gold Leaf Award for becoming the first Canadian to have a gold album. In 1998, in recognition of his long service to the Canadian music industry as well as his humanitarian work around the world, he was made a member of the Order of Canada. His pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.[5] Ronnie Hawkins / The BandMain article: Ronnie Hawkins Main article: The Band Born January 10, 1935 in Huntsville, Arkansas, was a pioneering rock and roll musician and cousin to fellow rockabilly pioneer Dale Hawkins. Known as "Rompin' Ronnie" Hawkins or "The Hawk," he was a key player in the 1960s rock scene in Toronto and for the next 40 years, performed all over North America, recording more than twenty-five albums. His 1984 LP, 'Making It Again', garnered him a Juno Award as Canada's best Country Male Vocalist. In 1958 he formed a backing band called The Hawks, which produced some of the earliest Canadian rock stars. Among them were the members of The Band, who began touring with Bob Dylan in 1966 and then struck out on their own in 1968, releasing well-remembered albums like Music from Big Pink and The Band. The Band also have been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Ronnie Hawkins with The Band, helped tear down the Berlin Wall in 1989 and performed at President Bill Clinton's 1992 inaugural party. David Clayton ThomasMain article: David Clayton-Thomas He idolized the music of John Lee Hooker and began playing guitar and singing, and by the time he was twenty one had his own band in 1964, "The Shays". In 1967, he joined forces with former members of the Toronto R&B outfit, Jon and Lee & The Checkmates and renamed them his new backing band, The Phoenix. David Clayton Thomas is best known as a vocalist with the band Blood, Sweat & Tears, whose first album with him as lead singer in 1969 produced three gold singles and three Grammy Awards including the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. The album included his own composition "Spinning Wheel" which became a big single hit on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2002, the album was honored with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1996. SteppenwolfMain article: Steppenwolf Although only 2 of the original 5 members were born in Canada (Jerry Edmonton and Goldy McJohn), Steppenwolf and German born frontman John Kay were among the biggest names in Canadian music in the 1960s and 1970s. Kay would later become a Canadian citizen and has been recognized (by himself) with induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and Canada's Walk of Fame. Steppenwolf is most famous for the songs Born to Be Wild, Magic Carpet Ride and The Pusher. Born to be Wild is the group's biggest hit, making it to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968 and receiving recognition by being named one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll by the Rock Hall of Fame and one of the The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine. 1970sBy the end of the 1960s, the American and British counterculture and hippie movement had moved rock towards psychedelic rock, heavy metal, progressive rock and other styles, incorporating, for the first time in popular music, socially and politically incisive lyrics. With the introduction in 1970 of the CRTC's broadcast regulations the Canadian recording industry made rock a major focus of its activity. Increased production and the ground-breaking international popularity of The Guess Who at the end of the 1960s opened markets outside Canada to the country's musicians. Moreover, success abroad usually ensured success in Canada. most immediate effect of the Canadian content regulations was the sudden rise to fame of Anne Murray, whose 1970 "Snowbird" was a multi-million selling record. Led by The Guess Who, Anne Murray and The Poppy Family the early 1970s were a golden age for Canadian music. Many performers from the late 1960s came to the fore front in the following years, among them The Bells from Montreal, Chilliwack from Vancouver, Five Man Electrical Band from Ottawa, Lighthouse from Toronto, The Stampeders from Calgary. Canadian cultural critics have noted that in general, the late 1970s were a lesser era for Canadian music. Many of the acts who had defined the earlier half of the decade were no longer recording, and the new artists emerging in this era simply didn't seem to be able to capture the Canadian pop zeitgeist in the same way. Many of them, in fact, were only "one-hit wonders". However, a number of established Canadian acts, including Rush, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Bruce Cockburn, April Wine, Pat Travers and Neil Young, remained influential and recorded some of their most popular material of all during this period, and former Guess Who lead singer Burton Cummings emerged as a popular solo artist in soft rock. Another of this period's most influential and popular rock bands, Heart, resulted from the collaboration of two sisters from Seattle with a supporting band from Vancouver. With the introduction in this period of rock music on FM radio stations, where it was common practice to program extended performances, musicians were no longer limited to songs of three minutes' duration as dictated by AM stations. The Canadian music industry was still nascent, however, with little independent music media and a limited distribution infrastructure. The two most internationally renowned bands to arise from this industry were Bachman-Turner Overdrive and Rush, both dominated by powerful managers. Bachman-Turner Overdrive's manager, Bruce Allen, went on to produce Loverboy and eventually manage such major pop stars as Bryan Adams, Martina McBride, and Anne Murray. The Guess WhoMain article: The Guess Who The Guess Who formed in 1962 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and was the first Canadian rock band to establish a major successful following outside their own country while still residing there. Produced by the legendary Jack Richardson, they were the first Canadian rock group to have a No.1 hit reached the top on the Canadian Singles Chart and the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time (1970), an achievement not matched again by a Canadian band until Nickelback did it in 2002. The Guess Who have won two Juno Awards from four nominations. Originally named "The Expressions", the band wanted radio stations and record buyers to believe they were a British Merseybeat band in disguise. So when they released their debut album, it didn't bear their own name — instead, it was labelled "Guess Who?". The ruse worked, and within a few years The Guess Who were one of Canada's biggest musical names. To this day, their best-known songs ("American Woman", "Share the Land", "These Eyes", etc.) remain among Canada's most enduring classic rock anthems. BTOMain article: Bachman-Turner Overdrive A hard rock band formed in 1970 by Randy Bachman and Chad Allan (both of The Guess Who). The band released their first album under the name Bachman-Turner Overdrive in the spring of 1973 and it won two Juno Awards despite being largely ignored in the United States. Their second album was Bachman-Turner Overdrive II the album hit #4 in the U.S., and won Juno Awards for Best Group, Album, and Producer. BTO II was certified gold in eight countries. It also yielded their best-remembered # 1 single, "Takin' Care of Business" written by Randy Bachman. 1974's album Not Fragile went straight to the top of the charts, and the single "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" hit #1 in the U.S. and #2 in the U.K. From today's point of view, BTO were one of the early hard rock bands which opted for songs backed by catchy melodies and powerful riffing. The band has a total of seven Juno Awards from twelve nominations. RushMain article: Rush A progressive rock band from Willowdale, Ontario formed in 1968, Rush are one of the longest-lived and most popular of Canadian musical exports. Rush boasts 23 gold records and 14 platinum (3 multi-platinum) records, making them one of the best-selling rock bands in history. Rush currently place fifth behind The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, KISS and Aerosmith for the most consecutive gold and platinum albums by a rock band. They have been awarded several Juno Awards and were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1994. Additionally, Lee, Lifeson, and Peart are all Officers of the Order of Canada, the first rock musicians so honoured.[6] Hard Rock & Heavy MetalFollowing in Bachman-Turner Overdrive and Rush footsteps, a wave of hard rock and heavy metal acts emerged, including Triumph and Moxy from Toronto, Trooper from Vancouver, and April Wine from Halifax. In 1971 the Canadian content law was passed ensuring Canadian culture and artists weren't overrun by the American media outlets. Artists like Prism, Crowbar, Saga, Nick Gilder, Ian Thomas, Goddo, Harlequin, Mahogany Rush, Streetheart, Pat Travers, Max Webster and Ironhorse saw their greatest success during this time. April WineMain article: April Wine A Hard rock band from Halifax, Nova Scotia, April Wine would release over 20 albums with The Nature of the Beast going Platinum. They have forged a live performance reputation that sees them still drawing devoted crowds all across Canada and around the world 37 years after taking their first steps into the hard rock spotlight. Though April Wine's accomplishments have been many, they have yet to be "officially" recognized by the Canadian Music/Entertainment Industry's governing bodies. They have never been awarded a Juno, but have been nominated eleven times, they have yet to be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame or the Canadian Walk of Fame. Myles Goodwyn, however, was awarded the ECMA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. MoxyMain article: Moxy A hard rock and heavy metal group from Toronto, Ontario, Moxy were formerly known as Leigh Ashford in the 1960s. They were one of the rare Canadian bands of the time to see more success outside of Canada then inside. They toured in Canada, then mostly the Southern USA- especially Texas (where the fan base has always been the strongest) from late 1974 until 1977, and released three albums over this time in the band's original incarnation. Mike Reno then called Michael Rynoski (who would later form Loverboy) replaces Buzz Shearman as singer and made his debut in music on Moxy's fourth album in 1978. Moxy was nominated for a Juno Award in 1977 (Most Promising Group of the Year) for their third album "Ridin' High". TrooperMain article: Trooper A hard rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia, that saw great success in Canada during the late 1970s and early 1980s. After hearing Trooper perform, Randy Bachman of Bachman-Turner Overdrive and The Guess Who signed the band to his "Legend" label and produced the band's first album, Trooper , that containing the Canadian hit "Baby Woncha Please Come Home". In 1980 Trooper was honoured with a Juno Award for "Best Group", and two of their albums (Hot Shots and Flying Colors) were also nominated that year for "Best Album". Although the band has had only two American hits with "The Boys in the Bright White Sportscar" and "Raise A Little Hell", the band has released ten albums with mainstream success all over Canada. TriumphMain article: Triumph A power trio, Triumph were often compared to Rush in Canada. In the US their own brand of heavy rock remained structured and traditional, eschewing concept albums and instrumental improvisation. The band is considered heavy metal by most standards, though the band themselves were reluctant to embrace this term. They have 3 certified Gold albums and one certified Platinum album called "Allied Forces", and have been nominated for five Juno Awards. Burton CummingsMain article: Burton Cummings A soft rock, pianist and showman, Cummings was the lead singer for The Guess Who from 1965 to 1975. Starting in 1976 his solo hits in Canada ruled the charts for the next five years. The album "Dream of A Child", released in 1978, was one of the best-selling Canadian album in history at that time. Cummings charted outside Canada with "Stand Tall" and "You Saved My Soul and inside Canada with "Stand Tall", "I'm Scared", "Break it to Them Gently," and "Fine State of Affairs." He has been awarded with four Juno Awards from his nineteen nominations. Neil YoungMain article: Neil Young First came to prominence as a member of the folk-rock band Buffalo Springfield in the mid-1960s and then as a solo performer backed by the band Crazy Horse. He reached his commercial peak during the singer-songwriter boom of the early 1970s with the albums After the Gold Rush and Harvest as well as with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. He has five Juno Awards from twenty-four nominations, has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2000, the cable music channel VH1 ranked Young 30th on a list of the Top 100 Artists of Rock and Roll. He was also 39th on VH1's list of Top 100 Hard Rock Artists PunkMany acts have had equally vital, if less remunerative careers outside the mainstream in punk rock and its derivations, generally distinguished by a tendency to extremes of one sort or another. Whether in instrumental intensity, lyric content, or performance style Canadian pop music evolved with the times, reflecting worldwide trends. In the late 1970s, as punk rock and disco ruled the landscape, Canadian punk groups such as D.O.A.., The Viletones, The Forgotten Rebels, Rough Trade, Diodes, Teenage Head, The Demics, and The Young Canadians emerged and continued in the 1980s with popular bands like SNFU and Dayglo Abortions. D.O.A.Main article:D.O.A. A band from Vancouver, British Columbia who's music was often described as hardcore punk and they are often referred to as the "founders" of Hardcore by their following along with Bad Brains and D.C's Minor Threat. Their second album Hardcore 81 was thought by many to have been the first actual reference to the second wave of American punk bands sound as "Hardcore". 1980sThings changed course in the 1980s, the changing of the political culture was accompanied by an explosion in youth culture. Until the mid-1960s little attention was paid to rock by daily newspapers except as news or novelty. With the introduction during the 1970s of the "rock critic" coverage began to rival that of any other music and Canadian acts were getting international press coverage by the late 1970s. The 1980s saw Canada support and promote many of its own talent in pursuit of true originality. Canadian rock generally had been discouraged by market forces before the 1980s, in particular the need to conform to the taste of a Canadian audience that has had its standards and expectations formed by constant exposure to US and British acts for the past three decades. The popularity of Chilliwack, for example, rose dramatically after the band turned from the experimental nature of its first few LPs to a mainstream pop style consistent with the US style. Music videos assumed a major role in the promotion of pop rock recordings in 1980s for US exposure. Videos produced many mainstream pop-rockers that saw huge success in and outside of Canada. Success in the larger US market remained the major goal of most, if not all, post-1970 Canadian rock acts; a goal in fact reached with some greater or lesser degree of consistency by several, among them Bryan Adams, Corey Hart, Alannah Myles, Lee Aaron, Tom Cochrane, Loverboy, Honeymoon Suite and Glass Tiger. As well, the era produced the country cowpunk of k.d. lang, who did eventually become one of pop music's biggest names. Bryan AdamsMain article: Bryan Adams Awarded the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia for his contribution to popular music and his philanthropic work, Adams was also inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 1998, and more recently inducted into the Music Hall of Fame at Canada's Juno Awards in April 2006. He has won 1 Grammy for the song "Everything I Do I (Do It For You)", and has also been nominated for three Academy Awards for songwriting. He has won eighteen Juno Awards from fifty-five nominations. The album Reckless went to #1 on the Billboard charts and sold over 5 million copies in the US on the strength of six massive hits. ChilliwackMain article: Chilliwack The band initially formed in 1964 as the Classics in Vancouver, British Columbia, but later changed the name to the Collectors in 1966 and then to Chilliwack in 1970. First hit the charts in Canada in 1974 with "Crazy Talk" , but are perhaps best remembered for their three biggest songs from the 1980s "My Girl (Gone Gone Gone)", "I Believe" and "Whatcha Gonna Do." Even though those three hits were their only popular singles in America. In Canada the band has achieved legendary status, releasing over a dozen albums. Bill Henderson, the founder of the band, won the Best Producer Juno Award in 1982 for the album Opus X. Henderson has also won a Genie Award for best original song in a movie ("When I Sing", from Bye Bye Blues), and was musical director for the Canadian edition of Sesame Street from 1989 to 1995. Tom CochraneMain article: Tom Cochrane In 1980 Tom became a part of a popular Toronto rock band called Red Rider. Red Rider soon became known as "Tom Cochrane & Red Rider", and released a total of five albums. Tom then decided to go solo and he started his solo career in 1990. His story-telling songs have earned him the nickname "The thinking man's rocker". He has released more than six solo albums, has won six Juno Awards from twenty-two nominations, six SOCAN awards and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2003. LoverboyMain article: Loverboy An arena rock band from Calgary, Alberta, Loverboy accumulated numerous hit songs in Canada and the United States, making four multi-platinum albums. The band's hit singles, particularly "Lovin' Every Minute of it" have become arena rock staples, and are still heard on classic rock radio stations across the United States and Canada. The band held the record for the most Juno Awards ever received, having a total of eight from the early 1980s. In 1982, the band won five Juno awards, the highest number for any one year. New Wave & Glam RockAs in the United States on MTV, music videos became more and more important as a marketing tool for bands by the mid 1980s. With the debut of MuchMusic in 1984 and MusiquePlus in 1986, both English and French Canadian musicians had outlets to promote their music through video in Canada. The networks, however, were not just an opportunity for artists to get their videos played — the networks created VideoFACT, a fund to help emerging artists produce their videos. New Wave, Glam Rock and heavy metal had become the most popular style of rock in the mid 1980s; acts such as Platinum Blonde, Helix, Toronto, The Parachute Club, Rough Trade, Spoons, Trans-X, Rational Youth, Men Without Hats, Norman Iceberg, Images in Vogue, Headpins,Sheriff, Teenage Head and Martha and the Muffins were along for the ride. Rough Trade were particularly notable for "High School Confidential", one of the first explicitly lesbian-themed pop songs to crack the Top 40 anywhere in the world. Platinum BlondeMain article: Platinum Blonde A Canadian New Wave group. With the release of the album Standing in the Dark, the band invaded the airwaves in Canada with four hit singles, a double platinum album, and two Juno Award nominated songs: "Standing in the Dark" and "It Doesn't Really Matter". Their music videos were placed into high rotation on the newly created Much Music. In 1985, the band released a second album called Alien Shores, which went quintuple platinum in Canada. Kim MitchellMain article: Kim Mitchell A singer and guitarist from Sarnia, Ontario, Mitchell formed the band Max Webster in the 1970s with fellow Sarnia native, Pye Dubois. Max Webster toured extensively and built a string of hits in Canada. Mitchell's solo career began in 1983, with session work and a succession of solo albums. In 1985 the song "Go For Soda" from the Akimbo Alogo album became an international hit and remains his best known song outside of his native Canada. Mitchell has been awarded several Juno Awards for his work incuding "Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year" in 1983, "Album of the Year" for the triple Platinum Shakin' Like A Human Being, and "Male Vocalist of the Year" in 1990. HelixMain article: Helix A heavy metal band that formed in 1974, Helix had several Canadian hits in the mid 1980s. Their album Walkin' the Razor's Edge sold more than 100,000 copies in Canada and 400,000 internationally. Helix has been nominated for two Juno Awards. Alternative RockIn the late 1980s, the Canadian recording industry continued to produce popular acts such as Blue Rodeo. However, alternative rock also emerged as an influential genre, with independent artists such as 54-40, The Tragically Hip, Sarah McLachlan, Spirit of the West, The Waltons, Cowboy Junkies, The Pursuit of Happiness, and The Grapes of Wrath all gaining their first widespread attention during this time. Also notable are Canadian progressive thrash metal band Voivod and industrial band Skinny Puppy. Blue RodeoMain article: Blue Rodeo A country rock band formed in 1984, Blue Rodeo is one of the most successful and well known contemporary Canadian bands, having released 10 studio albums. They have won many Canadian music awards, including 7 Juno Awards and 7 SOCAN awards. They have also collaborated extensively with other notable Canadian artists, including Sarah McLachlan, The Tragically Hip, Burton Cummings, Great Big Sea, Jann Arden, The Sadies, Skydiggers, and the Cowboy Junkies. Cowboy JunkiesMain article: Cowboy Junkies A country rock and alternative rock band, The Trinity Session is perhaps their best known record, recorded live in a single day on a single microphone in a church in Toronto. The album also included cover version of The Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane" based on the 1969 Live album version rather than the studio version from Loaded. None of the band's subsequent albums have been hits outside of Canada, although the band has maintained a dedicated following and have continued to have chart hits in their native country having been nominated for three Juno Awards. Blues-RockMain article: Canadian blues Canada's most successful rock artists by the late 1980s have worked in a relatively generic, mainstream pop rock, New Wave or | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
