Carlton Showband
| Company type | Musical ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | November 1963 |
| Headquarters | Brampton, Ontario , Canada |
| Products | Irish-style music albums and live performances |
The Carlton Showband was a Canadian ensemble known for its focus on Irish-style music.[1] Established in Brampton, Ontario during November 1963, the group originally went by the name Carlton Danceband, a nod to Toronto's Carlton Street, the location of Maple Leaf Gardens.
History
The initial recording group consisted of five Irish artists: Chris O'Toole, Christy McLaughlin, Mike Feeney, Seamus Grew, Sean McManus, along with Fred White from Nova Scotia. By their sophomore album, Johnny Patterson and Mitch McCoy had joined the lineup. Their release The Merry Ploughboy holds the distinction of being the first Canadian album issued on cassette tape.[2]
After two years with the band, McCoy departed and was succeeded by Bob Lewis, also from Nova Scotia.[3] This configuration remained consistent from approximately 1968 until the mid-1970s. During this period, they released multiple albums through RCA, including Gospel Favourites, which achieved sales exceeding 200,000 copies.[4][3]
In 1967, they secured a position as the resident band on The Pig and Whistle, a musical variety program broadcast on CTV until 1977,[5] and in 1969 they recorded Carlton Showband at the Pig 'n' Whistle, featuring selections performed on the show.[6] The band frequently toured Newfoundland.[7][8] In 1971, they toured across the Maritime provinces and earned a Gold Leaf award for their album Best of the Carlton Showband.[9][3]
Following the conclusion of their national television appearances, the band maintained live performances; Sean McManus passed away in 1989. The ensemble officially disbanded in 1996; however, Fred White occasionally revived performances under the Carlton Showband moniker. The band remained inactive between 2000 and 2010. Chris O'Toole died in 2005; Johnny Patterson in 2007; Bob Lewis in 2008. In 2010, White reunited with Aaron Lewis,[10] Larris and Robert Benoit, Greg Donaghey (from Sion Mills, Northern Ireland), and Roddie Lee for a reunion tour.[5]
Mike Feeney passed away in 2011 and Christy McLaughlin in 2014.[11] Fred White is currently the only surviving member from the original recording lineup. Seamus Grew died in July 2023 after a four-year battle with ALS. Gregory Donaghey passed away in May 2024.
Albums
| Year | Album Title | Chart Rankings | CRIA Certification | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN Country | CAN | |||
| 1966 | The Merry Ploughboy | — | — | — |
| 1967 | The Carlton Showband | — | — | — |
| A Night at the Pub | — | — | — | |
| 1968 | On Tour | — | — | — |
| 1969 | Carlton Showband at the Pig 'n' Whistle | — | — | — |
| 1970 | Time Gentlemen Please | — | — | — |
| 1971 | Best of the Carlton Showband | — | 44 | — |
| Carlton Showband Special | — | — | — | |
| 1972 | Carlton Country | — | 36 | — |
| Sing Irishman Sing | — | 36 | — | |
| 1973 | By Request (If You're Irish) | — | — | — |
| 1975 | Any Dream Will Do | — | 30 | — |
| 1976 | One Up on the World | — | — | — |
| 1977 | Here We Go Again | 15 | 75 | — |
| 20 Gospel Favourites | — | — | Platinum | |
| 1978 | Sixteen Most Requested | — | — | — |
| 1979 | Hard Times | 8 | — | — |
| 1980 | Back to the Sod | 12 | — | — |
| 1982 | Three Steps to Heaven | — | — | — |
| 1985 | Reflections | — | — | — |
| 1986 | We Wish You a Merry Christmas | — | — | — |
| 1988 | 25th Anniversary | — | — | — |
| 1990 | Catch the Spirit | — | — | — |
| 1993 | 25 All-Time Favourites | - | ||
Singles
1966 || "The Merry Ploughboy" || — || — || 4 || rowspan=2 The Merry Ploughboy 1972 || "Roll It Around in Your Mind" || 21 || 3 || — || rowspan=2 Carlton Showband Special 1973 || "Red Haired Mary" || 49 || 12 || — || 1974 || "There's Nothing Like a Newfoundlander" || 33 || — || — || rowspan=2 Any Dream Will Do 1975 || "Any Dream Will Do" || 14 || 18 || — || 1976 || "Harper's Ferry" || 32 || — || — || rowspan=2 One Up on the World 1977 || "More Than Yesterday" || 24 || — || — || rowspan=2 Here We Go Again 1978 || "A Melody You Will Never Forget" || — || 18 || — || 1979|| "Hard Times (Comin' Down Again)"||10||—||—||rowspan=2Hard Times| rowspan=2 Year | rowspan=2 Single Title | colspan=3 Chart Rankings | rowspan=2 Associated Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Up Went Nelson" | — | — | 53 | |
| "Old Johnny Bucka" | — | 77 | — | Carlton Country |
| "Sadie the Cleaning Lady" | 20 | 18 | — | |
| "Half Hour Later in Newfoundland" | 25 | — | — | Sixteen Most Requested |
| "He Believes in Me" | — | 12 | — |
Awards and recognition
- 1975: recipient of the Juno Award for Country Group or Duo of the Year
- 1980: nominated for the Juno Award in the category Country Group or Duo of the Year
- 1981: contender for the Juno Award under Country Group or Duo of the Year
External links
- Official Website of The Carlton Showband
- The Canadian Encyclopedia: Carlton Showband entry
- Jam! Music Encyclopedia: Carlton Showband
- ↑ "Ottawa discovers the showband". The Ottawa Journal, Ottawa, Canada, January 18, 1969, Page 57
- ↑ "Quality 1st Canada Firm into Duping". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 14 October 1967. pp. 76–. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Community mourns the loss of multi-talented musician". Cape Breton Post, Feb 18, 2010
- ↑ "Canada aims to boost its own country talent". David Tarrell (18 October 1980). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 75–. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Carlton Showband Legacy continues". Journal-Post. Ryan Quigley Feb 28, 2012
- ↑ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 21 December 1968. p. 54. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ↑ Bob Hallett (2010). Writing Out the Notes. Insomniac Press. pp. 20, 28. ISBN 978-1-55483-014-5.
- ↑ Canadian Folklore. Folklore Studies Association of Canada. 1991. p. 68.
- ↑ "Showband gets Leaf Award". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 14 October 1967. p. 76. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ↑ "N.S. Country Hall of Fame recipients announced" Archived 2018-06-19 at the Wayback Machine. THE CHRONICLE HERALD, April 13, 2018
- ↑ November 15, 2014 Toronto Star