Luke & The Apostles
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Headquarters | Toronto , Canada |
| Products | Music recordings, live performances |
Luke & The Apostles were a Toronto-based blues ensemble active in the 1960s, best known for their 1967 track "Been Burnt".[1][2] The lineup featured Canadian guitarist Mike McKenna, along with Luke Gibson, Peter Jermyn, Jim Jones, and Pat Little.[3] They hold a notable place as trailblazers of electric blues within Toronto’s vibrant 1960s music environment.[2]
Several members went on to establish influential Canadian groups including McKenna Mendelson Mainline, Kensington Market, and The Modern Rock Quartet (The MRQ).
Early years
The origins of Luke & The Apostles trace back to Mike's Trio, formed in 1964 by guitarist Mike McKenna (born April 15, 1946) and bassist Graham Dunsmore. Alongside drummer Rick McMurray, Mike's Trio performed blues covers regularly at Toronto’s Cellar club.
Later in 1964, McMurray introduced vocalist Luke Gibson (born October 5, 1946), who was soon accompanied by Peter Jermyn (born November 6, 1946), a classically trained keyboardist. Jermyn coined the name Luke & The Apostles, inspired by the successful local band Robbie Lane and the Disciples. The group quickly became fixtures on Toronto’s live music scene, playing frequently at venues such as El Patio and the Purple Onion.
The group signs to Elektra
Prior to their residency at the Purple Onion, bassist Graham Dunsmore was replaced by Jim Jones; Ray Bennett briefly joined on harmonica and penned "Been Burnt," which became the A-side of their sole single on Elektra Records. In September 1965, Elektra talent scout Paul Rothchild discovered the band and organized a phone audition with label head Jac Holzman.
Following their signing with Elektra, they recorded Bennett’s "Been Burnt" backed by McKenna’s "Don’t Know Why" in New York City. However, the single’s release was postponed for a year due to Rothchild’s arrest related to marijuana possession.
In the summer of 1966, Jim Jones departed and was succeeded by Dennis Pendrith (born September 13, 1949). Starting July 21, 1966, the band held a regular spot at Boris' in Toronto and continued performing there throughout summer 1967, occasionally appearing at El Patio and Gogue Inn.
A highlight was their participation in a marathon 14-hour rock concert at Maple Leaf Gardens on September 24, 1966, sharing the stage with prominent local artists. In October of that year, Jones returned as Pendrith left to join Simon Caine & The Catch; meanwhile Pat Little took over drumming duties from Rick McMurray.
On October 15, 1966, Luke & The Apostles opened for Neil Diamond at Club Kingsway alongside other Toronto bands. During this period, Peter Jermyn briefly exited the group and was temporarily replaced by Bob Kendall until Jermyn rejoined in December.
Albert Grossman and Bill Graham’s interest
On January 6, 1967, Luke & The Apostles played at the newly inaugurated Boris' Red Gas Room. Although their single had yet to be released, a promising engagement followed with a week-long residency in mid-April at New York’s Cafe au Go Go. Despite Elektra opting not to issue the single officially, they arranged for the band to record an album’s worth of material including tracks like "I Don't Feel Like Trying" and "So Long Girl".
While performing at Cafe au Go Go, Luke & The Apostles supported Dave Van Ronk and were invited back for an additional week in late May where they opened for The Grateful Dead. During these shows, manager Albert Grossman and promoter Bill Graham extended management offers to the band. Graham also guaranteed them a performance slot at California’s renowned Fillmore West venue that summer.
Fragmentation of the group
Unable to resolve their conflicting goals and offers, the band returned to Toronto to reconsider their direction. Subsequently, Bill Graham invited them to serve as the opening act for Jefferson Airplane and The Grateful Dead at Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square on July 23, 1967, performing before an audience of 50,000.
They continued with support performances at the O'Keefe Centre from July 31 to August 5, featuring songs like Neil Young’s "Mr Soul" alongside blues standards such as "Good Morning Little School Girl". Following a gig on August 6 at Boris' Red Gas Room, Luke Gibson joined the progressive folk-rock ensemble Kensington Market, while other members embarked on individual ventures.
Peter Jermyn turned down an invitation from The Blues Project and relocated to Ottawa to become part of Heart, which later evolved into The Modern Rock Quartet. Jim Jones collaborated with various Toronto-based groups. McKenna initially joined The Ugly Ducklings before founding the blues outfit McKenna Mendelson Mainline in 1968. Little worked alongside future Blood, Sweat & Tears vocalist David Clayton-Thomas and subsequently became a member of The Georgian IV People, later known as Chimo!.
Reformation of the band
In February 1970, Gibson, McKenna, and Little initiated plans for a reunion, bringing in guitarist Danny McBride (formerly of Transfusion and Leather) and bassist Denny Gerrard (formerly of The Paupers). Gerrard was shortly replaced by Bruce Palmer, ex-bassist of Buffalo Springfield. This lineup opened for Johnny Winter at Toronto's Massey Hall on February 15; however, creative disagreements continued to arise.
Later that month, Jack Geisinger (formerly with Influence) took over bass duties from Palmer. Luke & The Apostles performed at Toronto's Electric Circus on March 13–14 and appeared at the Toronto Rock Festival held at Varsity Arena on March 26, sharing the stage with acts like Funkadelic.
They recorded a single released by Bernie Finkelstein’s True North Records featuring Gibson, McKenna, and Little’s "You Make Me High" with Gibson’s "Not Far Off" as the B-side. This notable record from the Toronto music scene climbed to #27 on Canada’s RPM chart in October 1970.
Conclusion of the reunion
After a brief tour supporting Mountain in Boston during early April, they returned to Toronto for a performance at the Electric Circus on May 9. Shortly thereafter, McKenna departed to rejoin his former band now known as Mainline. The group played at the "Peace Festival" held at Varsity Arena from June 19–21 alongside Rare Earth, SRC, Bush, George Olliver & Natural Gas among others. Following this event, McBride left to join Chris De Burgh's backing band.
Luke & The Apostles then enlisted Walter Rossi, who had previously been with Influence and was performing with The Buddy Miles Express. With Rossi onboard, they appeared at the Strawberry Fields Festival at Mosport Park on August 7–8, 1970, and later performed multiple shows during that month at the Canadian National Exhibition.
On September 1, 1970, they made a one-time appearance at Ungano's in New York City before returning to Toronto. After playing a show at Kipling Collegiate on October 9, Luke Gibson departed to pursue a solo career; Pat Little followed soon after. The remaining members recruited former Wizard drummer Mike Driscoll and continued under the name The Apostles until disbanding in early 1971. Rossi collaborated with Geisinger and Driscoll to record a heavy rock album under the name Charlee in early 1972 before embarking on a successful solo career.
Gibson released a solo album through True North Records featuring Dennis Pendrith, Jim Jones, and Bruce Cockburn but eventually transitioned away from performing vocally to work as a film set painter. Little rejoined Chimo! for their final single release, worked with Rick James in Heaven and Earth producing two singles for RCA Victor in July 1971, played with Flag, and reunited with McKenna to record two singles along with an unreleased album for DiamondBack that has since been issued by Pacemaker Records.
1990s revival
Towards the end of the 1990s, Gibson, Jermyn, Jones, and McKenna reunited, enlisting Mike Fitzpatrick—who would later join the Downchild Blues Band as drummer—for the "Toronto Rock Revival" event held at the Warehouse on May 2, 1999. Subsequently that year, Jermyn, Jones, and McKenna served as the resident band at Yorkville's Blues on Bellair venue, with Gibson occasionally joining their performances.
Current
In 2009, McKenna and Gibson established the McKenna-Gibson Band, featuring David Martin on drums, William Miller on bass, and Frank Sedlak handling keyboards and vibes. Their repertoire blended songs from Mainline and Apostles catalogs, alongside blues classics and original compositions primarily written by Gibson. The group made a successful debut at Toronto’s Black Swan Tavern on December 12, 2009, and as of 2025, they continue to perform under the name Luke and the Apostles at this venue.
The original lineup of Luke & The Apostles—Gibson, McKenna, and Jermyn—reassembled in 2013. Their self-titled album was released in 2017 through True North Records, marking their first full-length record over five decades after their initial single "Been Burnt." In addition to Gibson, McKenna, and Jermyn, the album featured drummer Whitey Glan and bassist Uli Bohnet. The band commemorated their 50th and 60th anniversaries with sold-out concerts at Toronto’s Hugh's Room in 2014 and 2024 respectively. The 2014 performance was captured in a full-length video production entitled "Luke and the Apostles–The Toronto Sound."
Singles
- 45 Been Burnt c/w Don't Know Why (Bounty 45105) 1967
- 45 Been Burnt c/w Don't Know Why (Elektra 45105) 1967
- 45 You Make Me High c/w Not Far Off (TN 101) 1970
- 45 You Make Me High c/w You Make Me High (TN 102) 1970
- 1967 "Been Burnt" included on Various - Gravel Volume 4 (Kumquat May)
- 1970 "You Make Me High"
Album
- Luke & The Apostles (2017)
References
- Live event listings from The Toronto Telegram's After Four section on Thursdays
- "Luke and the Apostles join the exodus to US gold fields," Toronto Daily Star, May 20, 1967, p.31
- "Luke and the Apostles coming out of their cellar," Toronto Daily Star, February 14, 1970, p.63
- "Johnny Winter was stunning for a while," Toronto Daily Star, February 16, 1970, p.23
- "Son of Luke & The Apostles," Toronto Telegram After Four section, February 19, 1970, p.28
- "1,500 rock groups in search of smash record," Toronto Telegram After Four section, September 17, 1970, p.33