Chester (band)
| Company type | Group or band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Founder | Glen Morrow |
| Defunct | 1975 |
| Headquarters | Canada |
| Products | Bubblegum pop music, singles |
Chester was a Canadian group specializing in bubblegum pop, primarily active between 1972 and 1975. During their brief career, they issued two singles before disbanding. Their track "Make My Life a Little Bit Brighter" notably reached the Top 10 on Canadian charts in 1973. The band also earned a nomination for Most Promising Group at the Juno Awards of 1974.
Background
The ensemble was established in 1972 by keyboardist Glen Morrow. The lineup featured lead singer Jim Mancel, guitarist and backing vocalist Mike Argue, bassist Mel O'Brien, and drummer/pianist Wedge Monroe.
Prior to Chester, Jim Mancel had gained recognition with his 1970 single "I Could Give You the World", which won an award at Greece’s 3rd Olympiad of Song and secured a position within the Top 30 of the MAPL Canadian Chart.
In the summer of 1973, their single "Make My Life a Little Bit Brighter" appeared on RPM magazine’s RPM100 and Adult Contemporary charts. It reached its highest position at #10 on the RPM100 during the week of September 22, 1973, and climbed to #8 on the Adult Contemporary chart by October 27, 1973.
The song also gained traction in the U.S., entering the Cash Box Looking Ahead chart on October 6, 1973, where it remained for seven weeks. It briefly appeared on the Cash Box Top 100 Singles chart at #100 for one week (September 1). Additionally, it was listed on the Record World singles chart between positions 100 and 150, debuting at #114 on September 8, 1973, and peaking at #101 by October 6.
Their subsequent single "Start a Dream," released in 1974, failed to enter any charts.
Post Chester
In 1974, Mike Argue departed from Chester to embark on a solo career. The remaining members continued under the Chester name but did not release additional recordings before dissolving in 1975. Jim Mancel pursued solo projects; in 1977, both he and Glen Morrow independently revived the Chester name for separate single releases. Morrow’s iteration featured new vocalist Fran Cheslo.
Argue’s solo effort "Dancing With Your Lady" b/w "Oh Yeah," released in 1975 on Celebration CEL 2101X, was included on the K-tel compilation Sounds Spectacular that same year. He later became involved with Scientology, from which he eventually withdrew after twelve years.
Jim Mancel achieved further acclaim with his 1975 hit "Let the Phone Ring."
Later years
In recognition of "Make My Life a Little Bit Brighter" surpassing 100,000 radio plays in Canada, Chester was honored with a Classics Award from SOCAN in 1996.
A compilation album issued by Unidisc Music in 2006 featured singles from Chester alongside solo tracks by both Argue and Mancel.