Big Town Boys (aka B.T.B.-4)
Websites:Â
No
Origin:
Toronto, Ontario, 🇨🇦
Biography:
The Big Town Boys (aka B.T.B.-4)
In 1963, Toronto’s music scene was bursting with young energy, and one of the city’s tightest new groups emerged almost by accident. Guitarist Tommy Goodings—who soon adopted the stage name Tommy Graham—assembled a band to back rising singer Shirley Matthews on her breakthrough hit “Big Town Boy.” The connection stuck, and the musicians soon adopted the name The Big Town Boys for themselves, becoming one of the earliest and most polished acts associated with what came to be called the Toronto Sound.
The original lineup featured Graham on guitar, Brian Massey on bass and harmonica, John Henderson on guitar and organ, Josh Collins on drums, James Arndt on tenor sax, and Michael Lewis handling trumpet, trombone, and keyboards. Lewis was also the band’s chief arranger in their early days, shaping their tight stage sound before leaving for a scholarship at the Conservatory of Music in Munich, Germany.
The Big Town Boys made a splash on television as the house band for CTV’s After Four, performing live every week at the CFTO studios and backing a rotating roster of young Canadian singers. Their profile expanded rapidly, and by the mid-1960s they were sharing stages with major international names. They opened for The Dave Clark Five, The Beach Boys, and The Lovin’ Spoonful, backed Sonny & Cher at Maple Leaf Gardens, and even shared a bill in New York with Curtis Knight & The Flames, featuring a young guitarist then billed as Jimmy James—soon to become Jimi Hendrix.
Lineup changes came as the pace quickened. Massey eventually departed, replaced by Lou Atkins (formerly of J.B. and The Playboys from Montreal). Henderson was later succeeded by Peter Sterbach, who brought additional vocal power and keyboard skills to the group. Despite the shifts, The Big Town Boys continued to deliver fiery live performances that drew devoted teenage crowds, sometimes to the point of chaos—famously causing a near-riot during an Easter weekend store promotion at Toronto’s Eaton’s department store.
In early 1966 the group recorded a self-titled album for Capitol Records, issued as part of the Canadian “6000 Series.” The LP showcased their blend of R&B, pop, and horn-driven rock, and while no session tapes are known to survive, original copies of the record have since become prized collector’s items. They also released a string of singles during this period, including “August 32nd” and “My Babe.”
By 1967 the band streamlined both their name and their sound, shortening to B.T.B.-4 and signing with Yorkville Records. Their first Yorkville single, “Do It To ’Em,” was originally written as an on-air theme for Toronto DJ Glen “The Big G” Walters, and its brassy punch gave the group a regional radio presence. A follow-up, “Jack Rabbit,” solidified their reputation as a club and touring act, and the band hit the road across Canada.
Despite their achievements, the group’s run was brief. By 1968, internal tensions and the inevitable pressures of the road led to their breakup. Some members pursued other projects, while others stepped away from the music business altogether. Graham carried on as a solo performer in Toronto and remained active in Canadian music for decades.
Though their time in the spotlight was short, The Big Town Boys left behind a lasting mark on the Toronto Sound. They were among the first local bands to bridge the gap between television exposure and the rough-and-ready R&B club circuit, and their Capitol LP and Yorkville singles stand as vivid reminders of a band that once commanded screaming teenage audiences and shared stages with the biggest acts of the era.
-Robert Williston
