Proudly Canadian: Five Man Electrical Band (The Staccatos)

Fri Sep 29 2017
The Staccatos

The Five Man Electrical Band (originally known as The Staccatos from 1963–68) is a Canadian rock group from Ottawa. They had many hits in Canada, including the top 10 entries "Half Past Midnight" (1967) (as The Staccatos), "Absolutely Right" (1971) and "I'm a Stranger Here" (1972). Internationally, they are best known for their 1971 hit single "Signs”.

The band The Staccatos was formed in Ottawain 1963. It initially included singer Dean Hagopian, guitarist Vern Craig, bass player Brian Rading and singer/drummer Rick Bell (born Rick Belanger). Hagopian left after about a year, and was replaced by vocalist and guitarist Les Emmerson , who would become the band's prime songwriter, while Bell and Emmerson split lead vocal duties.

Proudly Canadian: Jack Scott

Fri Dec 09 2016
Jack Scott

Jack Scott (born Giovanni Domenico Scafone, Jr.), January 24, 1936, Windsor, Ontario, Canada is a Canadian American singer and songwriter. He was the first white rock and roll star to come out of Detroit, Michigan. He was inducted into Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011 and has been called "undeniably the greatest Canadian rock and roll singer of all time."

Scott spent his early childhood in Windsor, Ontario (Canada), across the river from Detroit, Michigan (United States). When he was 10, Scott's family moved to Hazel Park, a Detroit suburb. He grew up listening to hillbilly music and was taught to play the guitar by his Mother Laura. As a teenager, he pursued a singing career and recorded as 'Jack Scott.' At the age of 18, he formed the Southern Drifters. After leading the band for three years, he signed to ABC-Paramount Records as a solo artist in 1957.

Proudly Canadian: Ron Nigrini

Fri Apr 22 2016
Ron Nigrini

Ron Nigrini started playing as a teenager in 1965 with a duo called The Coachmen from Toronto. Two years later, Ron was a member of Dan’s Heard. In 1970, Nigrini went solo, touring the coffee house circuit through the American Midwest,Texas, Mexico, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

In 1972, back in Canada, he wrote commercials for TV and radio with Michael Hasek, a singer on A&M Records.  In 1974, Nigrini signed a contract with Attic Records and recorded his first single,  Letters.

Two years later, he recorded his own version of the Oscar-winning song,  I’m Easy, from the movie Nashville.

Proudly Canadian: Copperpenny

Fri Oct 30 2015
Copperpenny

Copperpenny was a Canadian rock band from Kitchener, Ontario. They were formed in 1965 by Kenny Hollis and Rich Wamil, and were originally known as the Penny Farthings to reflect the British Invasion. Not long after their formation they adopted Copperpenny as their moniker, after a B-side by Toronto band, The Paupers.

In 1968, the release of "Nice Girl" on Columbia Records garnered moderate success. They soon switched to RCA and enjoyed a minor hit with "Stop (Wait A Minute)". However, it was not until their move to Sweet Plum Records, a division of London Records, where they would enjoy their first major success. 

"You're Still The One" was the band's first mainstream hit and follow-up. 1973's "Sitting On a Poor Man's Throne" was recorded in Dearborn, Michigan with Richard Becker. Copperpenny continued to record as they toured throughout the United States with headlining acts such as Led Zepplin, Bob Seger, The Guess Who and Uriah Heep.