Steel River (band)

Steel River was a Canadian rock group formed in Toronto which performed primarily during the 1970s. They are best known for a Canadian Top 10 single "Ten Pound Note" released in 1970.[1]

Steel River
OriginToronto, Ontario, Canada
GenresRock
Years active1969 (1969)–1974 (1974)
1980
LabelsTuesday, Axe Records
Past membersJohn Dudgeon (vocals)
Bob Forrester (keyboards)
Rob Cockell (bass)
Tony Dunning (guitar)
Ray Angrove (drums)
Dennis Watson (drums)

History

Starting in 1965 as a part-time Toronto R&B club band called The Toronto Shotgun, Steel River became full-time musicians in 1969. Greg Hambleton signed them to the Tuesday Record label, where their first single release was the Jay Telfer (A Passing Fancy) song "Ten Pound Note".[2] The single hit Top-10 in Canada. It finished in Canada at #79 for the year.[3][4] The band members were singer John Dudgeon, keyboardist Bob Forrester, bassist Rob Cockell, guitarist Tony Dunning and drummers Ray Angrove and Dennis Watson.

In 1971 the band released a follow-up LP on Evolution Records.[5] A single, "Southbound Train", through Quality Records by including a toy train in the promotional package.[6]

They continued touring internationally until they disbanded in 1974.[1] That year they went on a 14 state tour in the United States.[7]

Four out of five of the original members reunited briefly in 1980, and released a single, "Armoured Car".[8]

Vocalist John Dudgeon went on to release a solo single record in 1983 called "Put My Arms Around You" which received extensive airplay on CKFM (99.9) and other stations in Canada and U.S.

In 2013 and 2014, two of Steel River's albums, "A Better Road" [A534] and a re-mixed "Weighin' Heavy" [A536], were re-issued on producer Greg Hambleton's revived Axe Records label.[9]

Discography

Singles
  • 1970 - "Ten Pound Note" / "Momma Pie Blues" (Tuesday) GH-101 [#5 CAN]
  • 1971 - "Walk by the River" / "If You Let Her Know" (Tuesday) GH-105
  • 1971 - "Southbound Train (Stand Up)" / "A Lie" (Tuesday) GH-110 [#28 CAN]
  • 1971 - "Mexican Lady" / "Joyful Judy" (Tuesday) GH-113
  • 1973 - "Just Remember" / "Lazin' Children" (Axe) AXE-14
  • 1974 - "Armoured Car" / "Hold Me Close" (Axe) AXE-60
  • 1974 - "We Want You to Love Us" / "Keep Movin' On" (Axe) AXE-61

Albums
  • 1970 - Weighin' Heavy (Tuesday) GHL-1000
  • 1971 - A Better Road (Tuesday) GHL-1003
  • 2014 - A Better Road [Re-issue] (Axe Records) A534
  • 2015 - Weighin' Heavy [Re-issue] (Axe Records) A536
  • 2015 - Armoured Car [Re-issue] (Axe Records digital download) DL-A540

Compilation tracks
  • 1990 - "Ten Pound Note" on Made in Canada: Volume One - The Early Years (BMG) KCD1-7156

References
  1. "Steel River". Canadian Pop Encyclopedia. Canoe Inc.
  2. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. (25 May 1974). Francy will manage Telfer. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 52–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  3. Canadian Chart Toppers Music Directory Canada. Accessed August 20, 2007
  4. Ritchie Yorke (1971). Axes, Chops & Hot Licks: The Canadian Rock Music Scene. M. G. Hurtig. pp. 195–195. ISBN 978-0-88830-052-2.
  5. Fred Kirby (13 March 1971). Talent in Action. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 28–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  6. Ritchie York (26 June 1971). From the Music Capitals of the World. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 47–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  7. Ritchie York (17 July 1971). From the Music Capitals of the World. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 47–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  8. " Tony Dunning Biography". AllMusic, by Craig Harris
  9. "Steel River". Museum of Canadian Music.
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