Toronto (band)

Toronto

Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1979 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Defunct	1984
Headquarters	Toronto , Canada
Products	Rock music, albums, singles

Toronto was a Canadian rock ensemble originating in the late 1970s from Toronto, Ontario. They are primarily recognized for their Canadian top-ten single "Your Daddy Don't Know" (which also appeared on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100) and for initially recording "What About Love," a song that later became a top-ten comeback hit for Heart.

Biography

The formation of the group began when vocalist Annie "Holly" Woods connected with guitarist Brian Allen. The original roster comprised guitarist and backing vocalist Sheron Alton, keyboardist Scott Kreyer, bassist Nick Costello, and drummer Jimmy Fox, though the lineup experienced several changes over time.

Their first album, Lookin' for Trouble (1980), included the modestly successful track "Even The Score." By their 1981 album, Head On, Costello and Fox had been replaced by Gary LaLonde (who would later join Honeymoon Suite) and Barry Connors (later of Coney Hatch). That year, Toronto was nominated for a Juno Award in the "Most Promising Group" category, contending with bands such as Loverboy and Martha & the Muffins.

The 1982 release Get It on Credit featured their most notable hit, "Your Daddy Don't Know," which climbed into the top five in Canada and reached No. 77 on U.S. charts. This song earned a 1983 Juno nomination for Composer of the Year. For the 1983 album Girls' Night Out, Mike Gingrich took over bass duties from LaLonde. Alongside their 1984 Greatest Hits compilation, these releases helped sustain their presence in the market. Holly Woods was also nominated for "Female Vocalist of the Year" at the 1984 Juno Awards.

Between 1984 and 1985, multiple personnel shifts occurred: founding members Allen, Alton, and drummer Connors left the group. New additions included guitarists Marty Walsh and Daryl Alvaro, as well as drummer Paul Hanna. Subsequently, the band adopted the name Holly Woods and Toronto and issued their final studio album, Assault and Flattery (1985), which featured the single "New Romance," penned by Holly Knight and Anton Fig.

Following Solid Gold Records' bankruptcy filing in 1985, Toronto disbanded. Woods and Kreyer moved to Atlanta to produce a solo project for Woods; although this album was recorded at that time, it remained unreleased until Cyclone Records later acquired and released it in 2007.

Overview

Throughout the early 1980s, Toronto enjoyed multiple Canadian charting singles such as "Your Daddy Don't Know", "Start Tellin' the Truth", and "Girls' Night Out". Of particular note, "Your Daddy Don't Know" was covered by The New Pornographers for inclusion on the 2003 soundtrack FUBAR: The Album.

The song "What About Love", co-written by band members Alton and Allen alongside Jim Vallance during sessions for Get It on Credit, was not initially released by Toronto. In 1985, this track was offered to Heart, who transformed it into an international top-ten success. Toronto’s original recording surfaced as a bonus track on CD reissues of their albums released in 2002.

Albums

1. Lookin' for Trouble (1980) credited to Toronto [US No. 185]
2. Head On (1981) credited to Toronto
3. Get It on Credit (1982) credited to Toronto [US No. 162]
4. Girls' Night Out (1983) credited to Toronto
5. Greatest Hits (1984) credited to Toronto
6. Assault & Flattery (1984) credited to Holly Woods & Toronto
7. Live It Up! (2007) credited to Holly Woods

Singles

Year	Title	CAN RPM	CAN CHUM	US
1980	"Even the Score"	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
	"5035"	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
	"Lookin' for Trouble"	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
	"Still Talkin' 'Bout Love"	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
1981	"Silver Screen"	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
	"Enough Is Enough"	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
1982	"Your Daddy Don't Know"	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
	"Start Tellin' the Truth"	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
	"Don't Walk Away"	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
	"Get It on Credit"	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
1983	"Girls Night Out"	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
	"All I Need"	Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center

|- | rowspan="2"| 1984 |"Ready to Make Up"

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External links

• Official website
• Nick Costello's website