Skylark (Canadian band)

{{About|the Canadian pop/rock group|the Italian power metal band|Skylark (Italian band)|other uses of the same word/name|Skylark (disambiguation){{!}}Skylark}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Skylark

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| image_size =

| background = group_or_band

| alias =

| origin = Vancouver, Canada

| genre = Pop rock, blue-eyed soul

| years_active = 1971–1973

| label = Capitol

| associated_acts =

| website =

| current_members =

| past_members = B. J. Cook
Donny Gerrard
Flip Arellano
David Foster
Carl Graves
Robbie King
Eddie Patterson
Steven Pugsley
Doug Edwards
Gaye Delorme
Duris Maxwell
Brian Hilton
Kat Hendrikse
Norman McPherson
John Verner
Allan Mix

}}

Skylark was a Canadian pop and rock band active from 1971 to 1973 and based in Vancouver.{{cite magazine|title=Attic Records will distribute Greedy artists|magazine=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xiQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT88|date=November 27, 1976|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=88–|issn=0006-2510}} "Wildflower" is their biggest hit.

History

Skylark formed in 1971 from one of Ronnie Hawkins's backup groups and signed with Capitol Records, releasing a self-titled album in 1972 which spawned three singles.[https://themusicexpress.ca/wildflower-co-writer-succumbs-to-cancer/ "Wildflower Co-Writer Succumbs to Cancer"]. The Music Express, November 14, 2016, Keith Sharp{{cite magazine|title=Billboard Album Reviews|magazine=Billboard|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_EigEAAAAMBAJ|date=July 29, 1972|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_EigEAAAAMBAJ/page/n49 50]–|issn=0006-2510}} The group, whose alumni include composer/arranger David Foster, disbanded after the lukewarm reception of their second album. Two of its other members, Donny Gerrard and Carl Graves achieved mixed success in other projects.

Their biggest single, "Wildflower", was a 1973 number #1 hit in Canada on the RPM Adult Contemporary chart; it reached number 10 on the Canadian RPM singles chart and peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 that spring, selling over a million copies."{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130115093317/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/S/Skylark.html CANOE -- JAM! Music - Pop Encyclopedia - Skylark]}}". Jam!. Retrieved on October 11, 2009. It was written by guitarist Doug Edwards and Dave Richardson, who was a Victoria police officer at the time.[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/doug-edwards-west-coast-musician-composed-wildflower-for-his-band-skylark/article33083451/ " West Coast musician Doug Edwards composed Wildflower for Skylark"]. TOM HAWTHORN, The Globe and Mail, November 28, 2016 The song's popularity was boosted by frequent play on CKLW-AM radio after its initial release.{{cite magazine|author=Nat Freedland|title=Skylark flying on 'flower' power|magazine=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CQkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA17|date=September 15, 1973|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=17–|issn=0006-2510}}

Donny Gerrard was amongst the Canadian musicians who recorded the 1985 charity single for African famine relief entitled "Tears Are Not Enough". He sang his solo line with Bryan Adams.

Doug Edwards died on November 11, 2016. Donny Gerrard died from cancer in February 2022, at the age of 75.{{cite news |title=Donny Gerrard, lead singer of Skylark's 'Wildflower' has died |url=https://news.yahoo.com/donny-gerrard-lead-singer-skylark-194800142.html |access-date=February 4, 2022 |publisher=Yahoo! News |date=February 4, 2022}}

Former members

B. J. Cook,[http://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2017/01/12/one-hit-wonders-and-why-bands-have-trouble-following-up/#sthash.60qMvW2y.dpbs "Top 11 (OK, 8) One-Hit Wonders — And Why So Many Bands Can’t Follow Up Their Only Hit"]. Rock Cellar, Frank Mastropolo. January 12, 2017. Donny Gerrard, & Flip Arellano - vocals
David Foster - keyboards
Carl Graves - percussion
Robbie King - Hammond organ
Eddie Patterson, Doug Edwards, & Gaye Delorme - guitars
Steven Pugsley - bass
Duris Maxwell - drums
Brian Hilton - drums (replaced Maxwell)
Kat Hendrikse - drums (replaced Hilton)
Norman McPherson - guitar (replaced Edwards)
John Verner - guitar (replaced McPherson in 1972)
Allan Mix - guitar (replaced Verner in 1973)

Discography

=Charted singles=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
rowspan="2" style="width:2em;"\|Year ! rowspan="2" \| Name ! colspan="8" \| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2" \| Album
scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"\|CAN ! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"\|CAN AC ! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"\|CANCON ! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"\|US ! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"\|US AC ! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"\|AUS{{cite book\|last=Kent\|first=David\|authorlink=David Kent (historian)\|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992\|edition=illustrated\|publisher=Australian Chart Book\|location=St Ives, N.S.W.\|year=1993\|isbn=0-646-11917-6\|page=277}} ! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"\|NET ! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"\|US R&B
rowspan="1" \|1972 ! scope="row"\|"What Would I Do Without You" \|60 \|77 \|— \|— \|— \|— \|— \|— \|align=left valign=center rowspan=3\|Skylark
rowspan="3" \|1973 ! scope="row"\|"Wildflower" \|10 \|1 \|15 \|9 \|5 \|65 \|23 \|—
scope="row"\|"I'll Have to Go Away" \|83 \|54 \|— \|106 \|39 \|— \|— \|—
scope="row"\|"If That's the Way You Want It" \|— \|— \|— \|— \|— \|— \|— \|55 \|align=left valign=center rowspan=1\|2
colspan="11" style="font-size:85%"\| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"

rowspan="2" style="width:2em;"|Year

! rowspan="2" | Name

! colspan="8" | Peak chart positions

! rowspan="2" | Album

scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"|CAN

! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"|CAN AC

! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"|CANCON

! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"|US

! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"|US AC

! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"|AUS{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|authorlink=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=277}}

! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"|NET

! scope="col" style="width:2em;font-size:90%;"|US R&B

rowspan="1" |1972

! scope="row"|"What Would I Do Without You"

|60

|77

|—

|align=left valign=center rowspan=3|Skylark

rowspan="3" |1973

! scope="row"|"Wildflower"

|10

|15

|65

|23

|—

scope="row"|"I'll Have to Go Away"

|83

|54

|—

|106

|39

|—

scope="row"|"If That's the Way You Want It"

|—

|55

|align=left valign=center rowspan=1|2

colspan="11" style="font-size:85%"| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Albums

=1972 - ''Skylark'' (Capitol)=

(number 53 in Canada{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.4195.pdf| title=RPM Top 100 Albums - September 30, 1972|website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca}})

==Track listing==

;Side 1

"Brother Eddie" (Howie Vickers, Joe Fahrni, Robbie King) - 4:31
"What Would I Do Without You" (Ernie Shelby, Phillip Mitchell) - 3:29
"A Long Way to Go" (Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil) - 3:46
"Suites for My Lady" (David Foster, Duris Maxwell) - 2:06
"I'll Have to Go Away" (Kerry Chater, Renée Armand) - 5:07

;Side 2

"The Writing's on the Wall" (Domenic Troiano) - 3:01
"Twenty-Six Years" (David Foster, Donny Gerrard, Linda Patterson) - 4:55
"I'm in Love Again" (Fats Domino, Dave Bartholomew) - 3:18
"Wildflower" (David Richardson, Doug Edwards) - 4:08
"Shall I Fail" (Carolyn Borsman, Doug Edwards) - 1:27

==Personnel==

Donny Gerrard - lead and backing vocals
B. J. Cook - lead and backing vocals, percussion
Kitty Ditto - backing vocals
Patrice Holloway - backing vocals
Doug Edwards - electric and acoustic guitars
David Foster - acoustic and electric pianos, harpsichord, Moog synthesizer, string arrangements (all but 3)
Steve Pugsley - bass
Duris Maxwell - drums, percussion
Bobby Torres - congas
Jimmie Haskell - string arrangements (3)
Robbie King - organ (8), arrangements (8)

=1974 - ''2'' (Capitol)=

"You Remind Me of a Friend" (Brian Russell, Brenda Gordon) 3:20
"Love's a River Flowing" (Roger Nichols, John Bettis) 3:58
"It's a Wonder" (Alexandra Wangberg) 3:14
"Wingless Bird" (D. Edwards, C. Borsman) 5:07
"Wildflower" (D. Richardson, D. Edwards) 4:08
"If That's the Way You Want It" (Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter) 3:38
"Foster Frees" (David Foster) 6:19
"The Love Affair Is Over" (Bob Ruzicka) 3:15
"One More Mountain to Climb" (Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield) 5:04

==Personnel==

Produced and engineered by Eirik the Norwegian.
Arrangements and production coordination by David Foster

Members of Skylark:

Donny Gerrard - lead vocals, backing vocal arrangements
B. J. Cook Foster - lead and backing vocals
David Foster - piano, electric piano, Moog and pipe organ

Other musicians:

Steve Pugsley - bass
Alan Mix - guitar
Brian Hilton, Duris Maxwell - drums
Carl Graves - backing vocals, percussion
Gabriel Delorme - acoustic guitar
Robbie King - organ (tracks 2, 6, 7)
William Smith - organ (track 9)
Bobby Taylor - backing vocals

=1996 - ''Wildflower: Golden Classics Edition'' (Collectibles)=

References

External links

[https://pnwbands.com/skylark.html Skylark on Pacific Northwest Bands]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20060527035930/http://www.nettwerksongspublishing.com/artists_composers/bio.jsp?composer_id=141 Wildflower on Nettwerk.ca]
[https://canadianbands.com/artists/skylark/ Article at canadianbands.com]
{{discogs artist|Skylark (3)}}

Category:Capitol Records artists

Category:Musical groups established in 1971

Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1973

Category:Musical groups from Vancouver

Category:Canadian pop rock music groups

Category:1971 establishments in British Columbia

Category:1973 disestablishments in Canada