Great Speckled Bird (band)
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Ian Tyson, Sylvia Tyson |
| Headquarters | Canada |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Great Speckled Bird was a country rock ensemble established in 1969 by the Canadian pair Ian & Sylvia. Ian Tyson contributed as vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter, while Sylvia Tyson provided vocals, songwriting, and occasional piano performances. The original lineup also featured Amos Garrett on guitar and vocals, Ben Keith playing steel guitar, Ken Kalmusky on bass, and Ricky Marcus handling drums. The group's name was inspired by the song "The Great Speckled Bird", which gained popularity through Roy Acuff in 1936.
Career
In 1970, Great Speckled Bird appeared in the documentary film Festival Express, which documented a train-based music festival tour across Canada. Their rendition of "C.C. Rider" included collaborations with Delaney Bramlett and members of the Grateful Dead. Additionally, a performance of the Dylan/Manuel composition "Tears of Rage" is featured as an extra on the DVD release.
That same year, they became the house band for CTV’s program Nashville North, recorded at Toronto’s CFTO-TV. After one season, this show was rebranded as the Ian Tyson Show, which continued airing until 1975.
The band served as backing musicians for Ian & Sylvia until their separation in 1975 and also supported Ian Tyson on his 1973 solo debut album as well as his live shows through 1976.
Albums
| Year | Album | Album Artist | CAN | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Great Speckled Bird | Great Speckled Bird | 54 | Ampex |
| 1972 | You Were on My Mind | Ian & Sylvia and The Great Speckled Bird | Columbia | |
| 1973 | Ol' Eon | Ian Tyson | 81 | A&M |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN Country | CAN AC | CAN | |||
| 1970 | "Trucker's Cafe" | 9 | 94 | Great Speckled Bird | |
| 1972 | "You Were on My Mind" | 4 | You Were on My Mind | ||
| 1973 | "Love Can Bless the Soul of Anyone" | 46 | 61 | Ol' Eon | |
| 1974 | "Great Canadian Tour" | 13 | |||
Videography
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | The Johnny Cash Show | performed "Crazy Arms" and "Long Long Time to Get Old" |
| 1970 | Nashville North | produced by CTV network |
| 1971–1975 | The Ian Tyson Show | produced by CTV network |
| 2003 | Festival Express | filmed in 1970 |