MacLaren, Artie and the Mustangs
Websites:
https://citizenfreak.com/artists/98749-maclaren-artie, https://www.facebook.com/artiemaclaren/
Origin:
St. Peter's Bay, Prince Edward Island - Toronto, Ontario - Victoria, British Columbia, 🇨🇦
Biography:
Born: March 19, 1940 - St. Peter's Bay, Prince Edward Island
Died: September 4, 2014 - Victoria, British Columbia
After releasing two albums with The Mustangs in the mid sixties, Artie MacLaren went on to record solo albums with Arc, Condor and Paragon before landing at Broadland Records. His collaboration with producer Dallas Harms resulted in three albums brimming with original compositions, eight of which attained national chart success.
Hailing from Prince Edward Island, MacLaren relocated to Toronto in 1962. Alongside his band, The Mustangs, he commanded stages at various clubs while lending his guitar skills to recording sessions for fellow artists under Ben Weatherby's stewardship at Arc Records including Sharon Strong. In 1965, he released his first single on Arc Records 'Skip Hop and Wobble b/w Jimmie Brown, the Newsboy' (also on his first album 'The Race is On'). Skip Hop and Wobble was comped on Early Canadian Rockers Vol 3. He followed up with his second single on Arc Records 'Lost Love b/w Ring of Fire' (also on his second album 'May the Bird of Paradise fly Up Your Nose'), which also received airplay across Canada and appeared on the RPM recommended Play Sheet for Nov 1965 through March 1966: In the RPM Vol 5, No.1 Feb 28,1966 issue Peter Grant of CJOB Winnipeg notes: "Has a Don Gibson beat and some real good vocalizing. I'll play it any day". In the same issue, Russ Vernon of CKXL Calgary says: "This is on my Canadian Top 10, in the number 3 spot for this week. One of the best Canadian arranged C&W that I've run across." He was runner-up to Roy Penny for Top Country Instrumental Vocalists in the January 1966 Annual RPM Awards.
One of MacLaren's standout tracks, "Where Would John Baptize Jesus," climbed the Canadian charts in 1979, cementing his status as a spiritual crooner. This poignant piece later garnered attention from Nashville luminary Porter Wagoner and Canadian sensation Gary Buck.
