The Squires
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1963 in Winnipeg, Canada |
| Headquarters | Winnipeg , Canada |
| Products | Music recordings, singles, compilations |
The Squires, also known as Neil Young & The Squires, were a Canadian musical group established in 1963 in Winnipeg. This ensemble stands among the earliest bands featuring singer-songwriter Neil Young.
Recordings
In 1963, Young initiated the formation of the Squires, who played at local venues such as community clubs, high school dances, and proms throughout Winnipeg, with Young handling electric guitar duties. Their setlists often included compositions by The Shadows, The Ventures, and The Fireballs. As Young began crafting his own material, these originals became a regular part of their performances. On July 23, 1963, Harry Taylor captured two tracks, "Aurora" and "The Sultan," at CKRC, a nearby radio station; these recordings were issued as a single under V Records. Approximately 300 copies were produced, and by 2024, 23 copies are documented on Discogs.
Don and Dewey's "Farmer John" was a consistent feature in their live repertoire; Neil Young later revisited this song with Crazy Horse on his 1990 album Ragged Glory. The Squires made three recordings of "I Wonder," which eventually transformed into Young’s "Don't Cry No Tears," featured on the 1975 release Zuma. Additionally, "Aint It the Truth," performed by the Squires, was subsequently recorded by Neil Young & The Bluenotes for the 1988 album This Note's For You.
Their touring circuit extensively covered rural southern Manitoba and beyond, including stops in Selkirk, Portage la Prairie, Neepawa, Brandon, Giroux near Steinbach, and reaching as far as Churchill, Manitoba and Fort William, Ontario. Their transportation was a distinctive 1948 Buick Roadmaster hearse affectionately named Mortimer Hearseburg. In April 1964, under Harry Taylor's direction at CKRC studios, they recorded around twenty tracks, reportedly aiming for a contract with London Records of Canada.
During a tour stop in Fort William with The Squires, Young composed "Sugar Mountain." Later that year in November 1964, the group recorded two takes of "I'll Love You Forever" at CJLX radio station in Fort William. By this time, Young had left high school to devote himself fully to music. In 1965, after adding drummer Bob Clark to the lineup, the band moved to Fort William where Young encountered Stephen Stills. The Squires dissolved by early 1966; subsequently, Young joined Toronto’s the Mynah Birds before relocating to California to become part of Buffalo Springfield, where former Squires bassist Ken Koblun also had a brief tenure.
Long after their breakup, six tracks by The Squires opened Neil Young’s 2009 anthology The Archives Vol. 1 1963–1972, including their V Records single mastered from vinyl.
The band is mentioned in Randy Bachman’s 1992 release "Prairie Town," which features Neil Young contributing guitar and backing vocals.
Singles
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | The Sultan / Aurora | V Records |
| 2008 | Mustang / Aurora | Reprise Records |
Compilations
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | The Archives Vol. 1 1963–1972
Tracks including The Squires
|
Reprise Records |
References
- Sources
External links
- Neil Young updates, trasherswheat.org.
- Interview from Neil Young Archives, Uncut feature with The Squires guitarist Allan Bates.