Hamilton Blues Lovers

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Throwback Thursday! Trickbag 35th Anniversary Edition

This is part of our recurring series of 'Throwback Thursday' posts where we celebrate the wonderful past of the local music scene (specifically pre-2000). If you know of any videos, old posters, trivia bites, etc that would be perfect for this, please email us at blueshamilton@gmail.com

Local Blues legends, Trickbag will be turning 35 this year so we're celebrating along with them. Their official 35th anniversary celebration will be Sunday, February 26, 3-6pm at Stonewalls. They'll be joined by Smoke Wagon Blues Band.

Pictures courtesy of Trickbag

Biographical Bits

Started as the backing band for King Biscuit Boy
Drummer Paul Panchezak and late singer Shawn O'Halloran were part of Crowbar before joining the band.
Guitarist Larry Feudo, singer Donna Panchezak and drummer Paul Panchezak have been with the band since the beginning.
Former singer and frequent guest member Lester Smith is currently with Crowbar.
The great Steve Beach is their current lead singer/keyboard player
Other former members include Michael Hickey, Rick Miles, Pendulum Pete and Lindsay Harnett
Opened up for Downchild, Colin James and Big Sugar
Trickbag songs have been used in the TV shows: Community, Swamp Thing, Heart of Dixie, One Tree Hill, New Girl and more.

Links: King Biscuit Boy, More KBB Stories, Trickbag, More Trickbag Stories, Video above courtesy of Michael Hickey, More Footage from this show

Links: Trickbag, More Trickbag Stories, Video above courtesy of Hamilton Blues Lovers

More Throwback Thursday Posts

Previous (Trickbag and Smoke Wagon Blues Band Videos) - - - Next (Reverend John C Holland Awards)

Monday, February 20, 2023

Trickbag, Lester Smith & Smoke Wagon Blues Band Videos

Links: Trickbag, More Trickbag Stories, Video above courtesy of Hamilton Blues Lovers

<a href="https://lestersmithwithtrickbag.bandcamp.com/album/another-day-in-paradise">Another Day In Paradise by Lester Smith with Trickbag</a>

Links: Les Smith, More Les Smith Stories, Song courtesy of Lester Smith with Trickbag

Links: Smoke Wagon Blues Band, More Smoke Wagon Blues Band Stories, Video above courtesy of Corey Lueck

Previous (Mardi Gras Videos) - - - Next (Throwback Thursday: Trickbag Edition)

Happy Mardi Gras! Niagara Rhythm Section, Stinky and the Hot Rodz, Louis Armstrong, Dr. John

Update of 2018 Post

Links: Niagara Rhythm Section, More Steve Goldberger (band leader) Stories, Lance Anderson, More Lance Anderson Stories, Video above courtesy of Steve Goldberger

Links: Stinky and the Hot Rodz, More SatHR Stories, Video above courtesy of Colleen DePodesta

Links: Louis Armstrong, More Louis Armstrong Stories, Video above courtesy of xakyxak

Links: Dr. John, More Dr. John Stories, Video above courtesy of Sjoppiej

Previous (Family Day Videos) - - - Next (Trickbag and Smoke Wagon Blues Band Videos)

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Happy Family Day! Lamothes, Wilsons, Korens, Keelans

Update of 2018 post

Links: Rob Lamothe, More Rob Lamothe Stories, Zander Lamothe, More Zander Lamothe Stories, Josh Lamothe, More Josh Lamothe Stories, Rose Lamothe, Video above courtesy of roblamothe1

Links: Lee Harvey Osmond aka Tom Wilson, More Lee Harvey Osmond Stories, Thompson Wilson, More Thompson Wilson Stories, Video above courtesy of hystericallycalm

Links: Kim Koren, More Kim Koren Stories, Frank Koren, More Frank Koren Stories, Video above courtesy of Shotgun Jilly

Links: Raphael Keelan, More Raphael Keelan Stories, Richard Keelan, Video above courtesy of David Flack

Previous (Jackie Washington on CHCH) - - - Next (Mardi Gras Videos)

Friday, February 17, 2023

CHCH TV Features the Legendary Jackie Washington in Black History Month Spotlight

For Black History Month, CHCH News is doing a spotlight on prominent black Hamilton citizens every Friday in February 2023. One of featured folks was none other than the late, legendary Bluesman, Jackie Washington.

Links: Jackie Washington, More Jackie Washington Stories, Video above courtesy of CHCH News. Click here for the written story

The previous episode featured the late Tillie Johnson, of the Hamilton Famers Market

Video above courtesy of CHCH News

The week after, Black historical preservationist Wilma Morrison was the focus.

Video above courtesy of CHCH News

As CHCH adds more videos to YouTube, we'll be adding this year's Black History Month Spotlights to this post.

Previous (Throwback Thursday: Teenage Head, Lori Yates, Ian Thomas) - - - Next (Family Day Videos)

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Throwback Thursday! Teenage Head Fan Club Valentine, Lori Yates on Tommy Hunter Show, Ian Thomas

This is part of our new recurring series of 'Throwback Thursday' posts where we celebrate the wonderful past of the local music scene (specifically pre-2000). If you know of any videos, old posters, trivia bites, etc that would be perfect for this, please email us at blueshamilton@gmail.com

Picture courtesy of Robert Gronfors from Steelore-Hamilton Rock History 1970’s to 2010’s

Links: Teenage Head, More Teenage Head Stories, Video above courtesy of Teenage Head - Topic

Here's a 1989 appearance of Hamilton's Lori Yates on the Tommy Hunter Show

Links: Lori Yates, More Lori Yates Stories, Video above courtesy of Lori Yates

Links: Ian Thomas, More Ian Thomas Stories, Video above courtesy of Mishi45

More Throwback Thursday Posts

Previous (Trebleclef's 8th Birthday) - - - Next (Jackie Washington on CHCH)

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Happy 8th Birthday Trebleclef!

Today (Feb 15, 2023) our little monkey turns 8 years old!

Click here for more of Trebleclef's adventures.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUDDY!

Links: Beatles, More Beatles Stories/Covers, Video above courtesy of The Beatles

Previous (Valentine's Day Videos) - - - Next (Throwback Thursday: Teenage Head, Lori Yates, Ian Thomas)

Monday, February 13, 2023

Happy Valentine's Day! Videos from Dizzy & Fay, Jackie Washington, D'eve Archer

Links: Dizzy and Fay, Video above courtesy of Dizzy & Fay

Links: Jackie Washington, More Jackie Washington Stories, Video above courtesy of Jackie Washington - Topic

Links: D'Eve Archer, More D'Eve Archer Stories, Video above courtesy of D'eve Archer - Topic

Click here for more Valentine's videos

Previous (New Elliott and the Audio Kings Album) - - - Next (Trebleclef's 8th Birthday)

Friday, February 10, 2023

New Offering from Kitchener's Elliott and the Audio Kings Will Get You Boogieing

Make sure you have your Fitbits and step counters on when you put on So Much to Do, the latest offering from Kitchener's Elliott and the Audio Kings. Once the music starts, you'll be getting a lot of steps in when you boogie and slide to these excellent tunes.

Released on Busted Flat Records, this album will get you moving right away with it's infectious beats and swingin' sound. Elliott and the Audio Kings are masters of the groove and have enough cool rhythms here for three albums.

You can download the album from the Busted Flat Bandcamp site or purchase a CD at their impressive live shows or at Encore Records in Kitchener.

Stream the full album here

<a href="https://bustedflatrecords.bandcamp.com/album/so-much-to-do">So Much To Do by Elliott And The Audio Kings</a>

Links: Elliott and the Audio Kings, More Elliott and the Audio Kings Stories, More Releases

Previous (Throwback Thursday) - - - Next (Valentine's Day Videos)

Wednesday, February 8, 2023

Throwback Thursday! 5 Rising Sons, Harrison Kennedy on American Bandstand, Varga

Burlington's The 5 Rising Sons

Biographical highlights (from GarageHangover.com)

Originally called Rising Songs until they found out about another band with the same name.
Members: Ron Canning (lead guitar), Mike Kotur (guitar), Pete Davidson (organ and vocals), Dave Best (bass), Robin McMillan (drums), Bruce Ley (later joined on organ and bass)
Recorded with Columbia Records and Yorkville Records.
Singles: 1965 (as Rising Sons): Land of 1,000 Dances/Don’t Look Away, 1966 (as The 5 Rising Sons): Annie Doesn’t Live Here Anymore/She Just Likes Me, 1968 (as Willapus Wallapus): To Jone/Sacrificial Virgin)

Media links:

Burlington Gazette story on the band (and 2015 reunion)
The Willapuss Wallapuss entry in CanuckistanMusic

Comment from Garage Hangover by drummer Robin McMillan

We all went to different schools in Burlington and played the Hamilton and Burlington areas for approx. one year. My dad was the sales manager of Elgin Ford on Bay Street in Toronto and he had a three day extravaganza at the dealership in Toronto for the new Mustang, hot rods, dragsters and lots of other fast cars from Ford. He hired us to play all the music in the afternoons for the Friday, Saturday and special Sunday shows as well and bought a lot of commercial time on CHUM, CFRB and all the major newspapers and included us in all the ads.

Before you knew it there were over 30,000 people at the shows and of course to see the cars and we didn’t look back. We got bookings from all over.

With all the hype we were invited to make a couple of records which helped up quickly up the ladder from a local Burlington group to huge jobs in Toronto … the Hawks Nest, Club 888 and many others, and one of the thirteen bands CHUM picked to play at Maple Leaf Gardens.

“Annie” was in the top ten in Winnipeg, the Maritimes and CFOX in Montreal as well as CKOC, CKPC and tons more stations in Canada and played although not charted on CHUM.

Bruce joined the group the day after the Toronto Sound Show in Sept 1966. Peter on organ left to go to college in London but still kept in touch with us.

We recorded under the name of Willapuss Wallapuss just for the fun of it. Yorkville’s idea because we were a very young group and they thought it was cute I guess but it got play. “To Jone” written by Bruce Ley, who actually has done quite well writing songs for kids TV shows. Actually her name is Joan but spelled Jone don’t ask me why.