Carlton Showband
{{Short description|Canadian Irish musical group}}
The Carlton Showband was a Canadian musical group of the Irish genre.[https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/46153815/ "Ottawa discovers the showband"]. The Ottawa Journal, Ottawa, Canada, January 18, 1969, Page 57 Formed in Brampton, Ontario in November 1963, the band initially named themselves the Carlton Danceband in reference to Toronto's Carlton Street where Maple Leaf Gardens was located.
History
The initial recording lineup included 5 musicians from Ireland: Chris O'Toole, Christy McLaughlin, Mike Feeney, Seamus Grew, Sean McManus, and Fred White (the lone Canadian, from Nova Scotia). By their second album release, Irishmen Johnny Patterson and Mitch McCoy were added. The band's album, The Merry Ploughboy, was the first Canadian album to be released on cassette tape."Quality 1st Canada Firm into Duping". {{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qiIEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA76|date=14 October 1967|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=76–|issn=0006-2510}}
McCoy departed after 2 years, replaced by Bob Lewis (of Nova Scotia).[http://www.capebretonpost.com/living/community-mourns-the-loss-of-multi-talented-musician-18769/ "Community mourns the loss of multi-talented musician"]. Cape Breton Post, Feb 18, 2010 This would be the usual lineup from about 1968 through the mid-70s. The band released a number of albums through the RCA label, including Gospel Favourites, which sold more than 200,000 copies."Canada aims to boost its own country talent". {{cite book|author=David Tarrell|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BiQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT75|date=18 October 1980|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=75–|issn=0006-2510}}
In 1967 the group became the regular band on The Pig and Whistle, a CTV television musical variety show that continued to air until 1977,[http://www.journalpioneer.com/news/local/carlton-showband-legacy-continues-52916/ "Carlton Showband Legacy continues"]. Journal-Post. Ryan Quigley Feb 28, 2012 and in 1969 they recorded an album of music from the show, Carlton Showband at the Pig 'n' Whistle.{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_0QEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA54|date=21 December 1968|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|page=54|issn=0006-2510}} The band performed frequently in Newfoundland.{{cite book|author=Bob Hallett|title=Writing Out the Notes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o9Vp19U2UxYC&pg=PA28|year=2010|publisher=Insomniac Press|isbn=978-1-55483-014-5|pages=20, 28}}{{cite book|title=Canadian Folklore|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x7PYAAAAMAAJ|year=1991|publisher=Folklore Studies Association of Canada|page=68}} In 1971 they toured the Maritimes and won a Gold Leaf award for their album Best of the Carlton Showband."Showband gets Leaf Award". {{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qiIEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA76%7CDATE%3D14+OCTOBER+1967%7CPUBLISHER%3DNIELSEN+BUSINESS+MEDIA%2C+INC.%7CPAGES%3D76%E2%80%93%7CID%3D%7B%7BISSN%7C0006-2510%7D%7D%7D%7D%3C%2FREF%3E|date=14 October 1967|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|page=76|issn=0006-2510}}
Despite the end of their regular national television series exposure, the band continued to perform; McManus died 1989;. In 1996 the group disbanded, although Fred White continued to do the occasional show using the Carlton Showband name. Between 2000 and 2010 the group remained inactive. O'Toole died in 2005; Patterson in 2007; Lewis in 2008. In 2010, White, Aaron Lewis,[http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/1561914-n.s.-country-hall-of-fame-recipients-announced "N.S. Country Hall of Fame recipients announced"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619074105/http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/1561914-n.s.-country-hall-of-fame-recipients-announced |date=2018-06-19 }}. THE CHRONICLE HERALD, April 13, 2018 Larris and Robert Benoit, Greg Donaghey of Sion Mills, Northern Ireland, and Roddie Lee revived the group for a reunion tour.
Feeney died in 2011, and McLaughlin in 2014.November 15, 2014 Toronto Star White is the lone surviving member from the originating recording lineup.
Seamus Grew passed away July 2023 from a 4 year battle with ALS. Gregory Donaghey passed in May 2024.
Discography
=Albums=
=Singles=
| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="3"| Chart Positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |
| width="45"| CAN Country
! width="45"| CAN AC ! width="45"| CAN |
|---|
| rowspan="2"| 1966
| align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| 4 | rowspan="2"| The Merry Ploughboy |
| "Up Went Nelson"
| align="center"| — | align="center"| — | align="center"| 53 |
| 1972
| "Roll It Around in Your Mind" | align="center"| 21 | align="center"| 3 | align="center"| — | rowspan="2"| Carlton Showband Special |
| rowspan="2"| 1973
| "Red Haired Mary" | align="center"| 49 | align="center"| 12 | align="center"| — |
| "Old Johnny Bucka"
| align="center"| — | align="center"| 77 | align="center"| — | Carlton Country |
| 1974
| "There's Nothing Like a Newfoundlander" | align="center"| 33 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | rowspan="2"| Any Dream Will Do |
| 1975
| "Any Dream Will Do" | align="center"| 14 | align="center"| 18 | align="center"| — |
| rowspan="2"| 1976
| "Harper's Ferry" | align="center"| 32 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | rowspan="2"| One Up on the World |
| "Sadie the Cleaning Lady"
| align="center"| 20 | align="center"| 18 | align="center"| — |
| 1977
| "More Than Yesterday" | align="center"| 24 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | rowspan="2"| Here We Go Again |
| rowspan="2"| 1978
| "A Melody You Will Never Forget" | align="center"| — | align="center"| 18 | align="center"| — |
| "Half Hour Later in Newfoundland"
| align="center"| 25 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | Sixteen Most Requested |
| rowspan="2"| 1979
| "Hard Times (Comin' Down Again)" | align="center"| 10 | align="center"| — | align="center"| — | rowspan="2"| Hard Times |
| "He Believes in Me"
| align="center"| — | align="center"| 12 | align="center"| — |
Awards and recognition
- 1975: winner, Juno Award, Country Group or Duo of the Year
- 1980: nominee, Juno Award, Country Group or Duo of the Year
- 1981: nominee, Juno Award, Country Group or Duo of the Year
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.carltonshowband.com/ The Carlton Showband Official Homepage]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930035516/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0000616 The Canadian Encyclopedia: Carlton Showband]
- {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130115201715/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/C/Carlton_Showband.html Jam!: Carlton Showband]}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Canadian country music groups
Category:Canadian folk music groups
Category:Musical groups established in 1963
Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1996