Stampeders - Against The Grain

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Carry Me	02:58
	2	Train to Nowhere	02:57
	3	Gator Road	02:26
	4	Only a Friend	02:33
	5	Oklahoma Country	03:02
	6	You Got to Go	02:39

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	Sweet City Woman	03:27
	2	Sunday Prayin'	03:08
	3	Tuscaloosa Women	02:51
	4	With You I Got Wheels	02:23
	5	I Didn't Love You Anyhow	02:22
	6	Man from P.E.I.	02:54

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Information/Write-up

Rick Dodson / Kim Berly / Ronnie King

The early 1970s saw a mini-boom in America for Canadian-born rockers -- apart from major players like Neil Young and the Band, and singles chart fixtures like the Guess Who, there was an entire wave of one-hit and near-one-hit wonders. The Stampeders were part of this group, a trio originally from Calgary, Alberta, who hit the Top Ten in 1971 with the infectiously catchy "Sweet City Woman." They later charted low in the Hot 100 with "Devil You," and brushed the Top 40 in 1976 with "Hit the Road Jack."

Overlooking the too-well-known title track and one or two clunkers, most of the music here is solid, credible country-rock in the manner of Poco or Swampwater. Some of it is a bit derivative at times of Creedence Clearwater Revival ("Tuscaloosa Woman"), and none of it is anywhere near as inventive as the Flying Burrito Brothers or the Byrds at their best, but it's all very good listening and well worth owning. If one were to think of an older precursor to Firefall, a slightly more country-oriented version of England Dan and John Ford Coley, or a more pop-oriented Ozark Mountain Daredevils, that would be close to what this disc sounds like. (AMG)

THE STAMPEDERS are recognized as one of Canada's top rock groups of the early '70's. A household name in their own country, The Stampeders left their home base of Calgary Alberta in 1966, and went on to tour extensively in Canada, the U.S., Europe and South America.

In 1971, they won JUNO AWARDS (Canada's equivalent to THE GRAMMY) for 'BEST GROUP', 'BEST SINGLE' ("Sweet City Woman"), 'BEST PRODUCER' and 'BEST COMPOSER'. Between 1971 and 1976, they recorded ten albums, with many reaching gold and platinum status. Three of their songs entered the Top 30 in the U.S. and twelve of their singles charted top-ten in Canada.

In 1992, The Stampeders officially reunited. This site will give you a chance to experience The Stampeders, listen to some of their music and keep abreast of any future developments.

Rich Dodson (lead guitar, vocals) Len Roemer (rhythm guitar) Kim Berly (drums, vocals) Brendan Lyttle (bass) [quit in 1968] Race Holiday (lead vocals) [quit in 1968] Ronnie King (rhythm guitar, vocals) [replaced Roemer in 1965] Van Louis (rhythm guitar) [joined 1965; quit in 1968]

In 1964, drummer Kim Berly (born Kim Meyer) answered an ad in a Calgary newspaper to join a band called the Rebounds, which consisted of lead guitarist Rich Dodson, bassist Brendan Lyttle and rhythm guitarist Len Roemer; Berly also brought his brother Al (who went by the name Race Holiday) into the fold to sing lead. In January of 1965, they changed their name to the Stampeders, after signing a managerial contract with Mel Shaw. At this point Roemer decided to call it quits and was replaced with Cornelius Van Sprang - stage name Ronnie King and his brother Emile - stage name Van Louis.

The six-man group started wearing assorted-coloured denim outfits and cowboy hats with the idea of promoting a group of cowboys playing rock 'n roll. During their first year as a band in Calgary, they had one single release on the SOTAN label entitled "House of Shake" b/w "Don't Look At Her."

Anticipating better things to come, The Stampeders decided to move to Toronto in 1966. At the invitation of Bigland booking agent, Ron Scribner, the six-man group, along with Mel Shaw and his family, loaded up their $800, used, '62 Cadillac limousine and U-Haul trailer, and left Calgary heading east to the 'big lights' of Toronto. Though most of the members were under the legal drinking age, they managed to beg, borrow and work their way across Canada, playing bars and various one-nighters. Upon their arrival in Toronto, the Western-Canadian band, with their yellow denim T-Kays, cowboy boots and hats, became an immediate curiosity in the folk-oriented, hippie clubs of the Yorkville district. Though the first year was an extremely lean one, the band managed to survive the six-month, Toronto Musician's Association's initiation and find work in the bustling Toronto club scene.

The Stampeders finally had a breakthrough late in '68 with a single they recorded while on a sight-seeing trip to New York. Released on the independent label, CARAVAN, "Morning Magic" b/w "All The Time" wasn't much of a sales success, but critical acclaim earned the group a BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated) Award.

The first major-label single release, "Be A Woman" b/w "I Don't Believe," came in 1968 on the MGM label in the U.S. Though the record was done with a studio rhythm section and only featured the band's vocals, it was to be The Stampeders' final release as a six-member group. Late in 1968, the three oldest members - Lyttle, Louis and Race Berly - left the band, leaving the line-up of Dodson, Kim Berly and King.

The period from late '68 to the mid '70's was a time of evolution for the new, three-man Stampeders in which they would develop their own sound, a sound that would take them around the world. The stage set-up had Dodson on guitar, King on bass and Berly on drums, while all three members shared lead vocals. With the exception of Dodson, the cowboy hats came off, they all still wore boots, but the colored T-Kay denim outfits became history. During this period, the band toured around Ontario and Québec developing their stage show with the help of their new road man, lighting-wizard, Stan Whitcher, winning fans and becoming an in-demand club and one-nighter attraction.

The Stampeders' only release during 1969 was "Cross-Walk" b/w "I Don't Know Where I'm At Sometimes" on the Melbourne label, distributed by London Records. Quality Records, then a major independent label in Canada, became interested in the band. By mid-1970, The Stampeders were in the studio working on their first album, "Against The Grain".

"Carry Me", the first single from this session, quickly hit the top of the Canadian charts, garnering the band it's first gold record. Simultaneously released on Polydor in the U.S., the single got lots of play but didn't quite make the charts. Canadian success, however, allowed the band to complete the album with one of their favorite recording engineers, Terry Brown. The resulting LP, "Against The Grain," was concurrently released with the next single, "Sweet City Woman" b/w "Gator Road." The band, along with it's new road crew -- Bob Luffman, Joel Wikhammer and Ian 'Snake' Dunbar -- was finally on it's way.

The summer of 1971 saw "Sweet City Woman" climb the charts to the Number One position across Canada, catching the attention of the American label, Bell Records. The band was signed immediately and Bell rush-released the single in the U.S. Even though it was up against classic songs like The Doors' "Riders On The Storm," Paul and Linda McCartney's "Uncle Albert," and James Taylor's "You've Got A Friend," "Sweet City Woman" climbed the Billboard charts, reaching the Number Eight spot on September 11, 1971. The band recalls the time they pulled over to the side of the road at four-o'clock in the morning, while enroute back to Toronto from a gig, and jumped around the car with excitement after hearing "Sweet City Woman" fading in on radio station WABC in New York City as the Number One record of the week. Bell records renamed the album "Sweet City Woman" for the U.S. market to capitalize on the success of the single.

Next came Juno Awards for 'Best Vocal Instrumental Group,' 'Best Producer,' 'Best Single' and 'Best Composer' -- and their first European tour. In 1972, at the request of their U.K. label, EMI, The Stampeders toured The United Kingdom. Upon their arrival, they discovered that their American hit, "Sweet City Woman," had already been covered by The Dave Clark Five. Dates included the Marquee in London, the Hard-Rock Theatre in Manchester and appearances on BBC Radio and "Top Of The Pops." Both Phillips and Bovema-EMI Records helped support the balance of the tour through Europe with British rock band, Steam Hammer. Holland was especially receptive to the band, partly due to the fact that Ronnie King (Cornelis Van Sprang) was a fellow Dutchman, having been born in Rotterdam.

In Holland, The Stampeders received the prestigious Edison Award for "Most Promising Group," along with Ry Cooder and Beach Boy, Carl Wilson. Carl was in session at the time, along with the rest of The Beach Boys, recording their classic "Holland" album. During this visit, The Stampeders had the privilege of staying at Amsterdam's Hotel Weichman with the infamousEagles. While Kim and Rich shared road experiences with Eagle drummer, Don Henley, Ronnie King and some of the other band members spent their time window-shopping in the famed, Amsterdam red-light district, only to find themselves locked out of the hotel upon their return.

1972 also took The Stampeders to Los Angeles to perform at the legendary "Whisky A-Go-Go" and tape their appearances on "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" and "The Dating Game." While hanging out at The Troubadour in Hollywood, Ronnie King met Keith Moon, drummer of The Who. Keith took a liking to Ronnie and asked him what he and The Stampeders were doing the next night. It happened to be Keith's birthday and he wondered if The Stampeders might be available to play at his party at The Beverly Hills' Wiltshire Hotel. Ronnie quickly replied, "Of course," and The Stampeders ended up on stage performing for some of Hollywood's rock elite and jamming with Keith Moon.

Signing with U.S. booking agency, Premier Talent, in 1971 led to American tour appearances with Jim Dandy and Black Oak Arkansas, Santana, Joe Cocker, Steve Miller, The James Gang, Robin Trower, Steely Dan, Sonny and Cher, The Beach Boys, ZZ Top, The Eagles, Earth, Wind AndFire, Mountain, America, Tower Of Power, Blood, Sweat and Tears and Genesis. Establishing themselves as a good concert draw in the U.S., The Stampeders played everywhere from New York to Hawaii, including Los Angeles, Reno, Disneyland and the much-sought-after southern-college circuit.

Heavy airplay and extensive touring, coupled with many guest appearances on the popular Canadian TV shows of the time (Anne Murray, Miss Teen Canada, Kenny Roger's "Rollin' On The River" and The Ian Tyson Show), eventually led to The Stampeders' starring in their own CBC-TV special, "A Short Visit To Planet Earth."

1972 also saw the release of The Stampeders' second album "Carryin' On," featuring the lead-off single, "Devil You" b/w "Giant In The Streets." Although it was the last record released in the U.S. on Bell, the album gained a release in Europe on Regal Zonophone. It featured hard rocker "Wild Eyes," a song that gave their sound more edge and introduced the band to a whole new audience. Part of the appeal of The Stampeders was their musical versatility.

The Stampeders' busy schedule also took them to Rio De Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil (South America). They were asked to represent Canada in the Rio De Janeiro Song Festival, which entailed performing to a live audience of 30,000 and a television viewership of 90-million.

While 1971 was a banner year for The Stampeders, 1973 was, in many ways, their biggest year. Cross-Canada tours, coupled with the release of "Rubes, Dudes and Rowdies" and "From The Fire" kept the band very active. In Canada, both new singles, "Oh My Lady" and "Minstrel Gypsy," went gold, while follow-up singles, "Running Wild" and "Johnny Lightning," garnered heavy airplay and another JUNO nomination.

The release of The Stampeders' fifth gold album, "New Day," saw the emergence of a more experimental sound and a highly popular single, "Ramona." Their live-album, "Backstage Pass," was recorded at Ontario Place before a sold-out crowd of 17,000 fans. This was soon followed by the heavier, "Steamin," which contained a cover version of "New Orleans" and the infamousget-together of Ronnie King and U.S. radio D.J., Wolfman Jack, for the recording of "Hit The Road Jack."

The Stampeders met Wolfman Jack, and became good friends, while taping an NBC television special at the Saratoga Springs Song Festival in 1975. On April 4, 1976, "Hit The Road Jack" went Top-Forty in the U.S., reached Number One in Canada, and hit Top-10 in Holland, where it stayed for two weeks. The success of the single led to the release of The Stampeders' final gold album, "Hit The Road," and another JUNO nomination. It was later released in Europe by Quality records and in the U.S. on the Private Stock Label.

Dodson left the band in 1977 to start his own 24-track recording studio and independent record label, Marigold. The final three singles with Dodson, "Playing In The Band," "Sweet Love Bandit," and "San Diego" were released in 1976.

With the release of "Platinum" in 1977, the new band's line-up included original members, Ronnie King and Kim Berly, along with back-up musicians Gibby Lacasse (drums and percussion), Ian Kojima (tenor and baritone sax and flute), David Norris-Elye (tenor and soprano sax), Doug Macaskill (guitar) and Gary Scrutton (guitar and vocals). Single releases included the horn-basedR&B track, "Bring The House Down." Following "Platinum," TeeVee International released a "Best of The Stampeders" hit package. The failure of the new jazzier, funky-sounding Stampeders to gain critical and commercial acceptance, along with the increased cost of supporting the large band, eventually led to the departure of drummer, Kim Berly. Also gone was the band's recording deal with Quality records.

Ronnie King tried to keep the flame burning with a new album on Apex called "Ballsy." The new line-up included Ronnie's youngest brother, Roy Van Sprang, Bob Allwood and Gary Storin. Lack of sales, high overhead and disappointed fans led to the band's final break up in 1980 and the departure of manager, Mel Shaw.

Dodson continued recording other acts; Kim Berly was signed to RCA in 1979 as Kimball Fox under the handle of a new band called The Cry.

In 1992, The three-piece edition of the Stampeders reunited, released an album and toured as a New Country act.

Although many Canadian artists have done well in the U.S. market lately, this wasn't always the case. In the 60's and 70's, it was nearly impossible for an act from Canada to crack the record charts South of the border. One of the first to do it were The Stampeders.

In 1964, a Calgary band called "The Rebounds" put an ad in a local paper for a new drummer. The group consisted of lead guitarist Rich Dodson, bassist Brendan Lyttle and rhythm guitarist Len Roemer. Answering the ad was Kim Berly (born Kim Meyer) who brought along his brother Al (who went by the name Race Holiday) to sing lead vocal. The pair were hired and the group eventually signed a managerial contract with promoter, Mel Shaw. At this point Roemer decided to call it quits and was replaced by Cornelius Van Sprang, who liked to use the stage name "Ronnie King" and his brother Emile who used the name Van Louis.

The six-man group now called themselves "The Stampeders" and started wearing denim outfits and cowboy hats on stage. During 1965, they released a single on the Sotan label entitled "House of Shake", which got local air-play and enhanced their following in the province of Alberta.

Agreeing that they needed to expand their horizon, The Stampeders packed up their gear and moved to Toronto in 1966. Though most of the members were under the legal drinking age, they played in bars and hotels across Canada on the way. The Stampeders first year in Toronto was a lean one, but the band managed to survive the six-month, Toronto Musician's Association's initiation and find work in the bustling Toronto club scene.

While on vacation in New York in 1968, the boys recorded a song called "Morning Magic" on the independent label, 'Caravan'. Without distribution, the record didn't sell, but it did gain them some much needed attention and earned them a BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated) Award.

Later that same year, MGM Records signed them to a one shot recording contract. The only catch was that the group's vocals were to be backed by session musicians. The result was a failed single called "Be A Woman", which proved to be their last effort as a six man unit. Late in 1968, the three oldest members - Brendan Lyttle, Van Louis and Race Holiday, left the band, leaving the line-up of Rich Dodson, Kim Berly and Ronnie King.

Now down to a high powered trio, the cowboy hats came off, and the denim outfits were history. The band toured around Ontario and Québec, developing a strong stage show and winning fans, becoming an in-demand club attraction.

The Stampeders' only 1969 release was a song called "Cross-Walk", on the Melbourne label, distributed by London Records. Although the tune didn't have much success, it did attract the attention of Quality Records executives and by mid-1970, The Stampeders were in the studio working on their first album, "Against The Grain".

The first single released from this session was "Carry Me", featuring the smooth vocals of drummer Kim Berly. Toronto radio stations picked up on the song and it quickly hit the top of the Canadian hit parade, garnering the band its first gold record. Quality Records released the disc on Polydor in the U.S., and although the single got some spotty air-play, it didn't make the Hot 100. Their next release however, would change the trio's life forever.

In the summer of 1971, the banjo laced, country-rocker, "Sweet City Woman" raced up the charts to the Number One position across Canada, catching the attention of the American label, Bell Records. The band was signed immediately and Bell rush-released the single in the U.S. Even though it was up against classic songs like The Doors' "Riders On The Storm", Paul and Linda McCartney's "Uncle Albert" and James Taylor's "You've Got A Friend", "Sweet City Woman" climbed the Billboard chart, reaching the number 8 spot on September 11th, 1971. The band would later recall the time they heard "Sweet City Woman" on radio station WABC in New York City, as the number one record of the week. They pulled over to the side of the road at four-o'clock in the morning, while enroute back to Toronto from a gig, and jumped around the car with excitement. Bell Records also promoted the "Against The Grain" album, renaming it "Sweet City Woman" for the U.S. market, to capitalize on the success of the single.

At The Juno Awards, Canada's equivalent of the Grammys, The Stampeders won 'Best Vocal- Instrumental Group', 'Best Single', 'Best Composer' as well as 'Best Producer' for "Sweet City Woman". At the request of their UK label, EMI, The Stampeders toured The United Kingdom in 1972. Upon their arrival however, they discovered that their American hit, "Sweet City Woman," had already been covered by The Dave Clark Five. Despite this, the band played at the Marquee in London, the Hard-Rock Theatre in Manchester and appearances on BBC Radio and "Top Of The Pops". A short European tour followed.

1972 also took The Stampeders to Los Angeles to perform at the legendary "Whisky A-Go-Go" and to tape appearances on TV's "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" and "The Dating Game." While at The Troubadour Club in Hollywood, Ronnie King met Keith Moon, drummer of The Who. Keith took a liking to Ronnie and asked him if The Stampeders might be available to play at his party at The Beverly Hills' Wiltshire Hotel. The Stampeders ended up on stage performing for some of Hollywood's rock elite and jamming with Keith Moon.

The same year also brought the release of The Stampeders' second album, "Carryin' On". The first single featured Rich Dodson's vocal on "Devil You", which faired well in Canada, but didn't make much of a splash in the U.S. Next was a hard rocking tune called "Wild Eyes", which again failed to make the Hot 100 stateside, but made the band superstars at home.

After the two heavier songs failed in the U.S., Bell Records persuaded Rich Dodson to write another "banjo song", in the vein of "Sweet City Woman". The result was the disastrous "Monday Morning Choo Choo", which went a long way in destroying any image of a serious rock and roll band that the group had built.

The Stampeders' touring schedule took them to Rio De Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil. They were asked to represent Canada in the Rio De Janeiro Song Festival, which entailed performing to a live audience of 30,000 and a television viewership of 90-million.

In many ways, 1973 became the Stampeders' biggest year. Cross-Canada tours, coupled with the release of the album, "Rubes, Dudes and Rowdies" kept the band very active. In Canada, both new Kim Berly sung ballads, "Oh My Lady" and "Minstrel Gypsy," went gold, while the follow-up album, "From The Fire" featured hard rockers, "Running Wild" and "Johnny Lightning," which garnered heavy airplay and another JUNO nomination.

The release of The Stampeders' fifth Canadian gold album, "New Day," saw the emergence of a more experimental sound and the single, "Ramona." Their next L.P., a live-album called, "Backstage Pass," was recorded before a sold-out crowd of 17,000 fans. This was soon followed by the heavier, "Steamin", which contained a cover version of "New Orleans" and a misguided get-together of Ronnie King and U.S. radio D.J., Wolfman Jack, for the recording of "Hit The Road Jack." Someone forgot to tell the Stampeders that the Guess Who had beaten them to the idea two years before. The Stampeders ha met Wolfman Jack while taping an NBC television special at the Saratoga Springs Song Festival in 1975. On April 4, 1976, "Hit The Road Jack" went Top-Forty in the U.S. and reached Number One in Canada and Holland, where it stayed for two weeks. The success of the single led to the release of The Stampeders' final gold album, "Hit The Road" and another JUNO nomination. It was later released in Europe by Quality records and in the U.S. on the Private Stock Label.

After a series of failed singles, including "Playing In The Band", "Sweet Love Bandit," and "San Diego", Dodson left the band in 1977 to start his own 24-track recording studio and independent record label, Marigold.

With the release of the album, "Platinum" in 1977, the band's new line-up included original members, Ronnie King and Kim Berly, along with Gibby Lacasse (drums and percussion), Ian Kojima (tenor and baritone sax and flute), David Norris-Elye (tenor and soprano sax), Doug Macaskill (guitar) and Gary Scrutton (guitar and vocals). A single was released called "Bring The House Down", but it failed to click. The failure of the new jazzier, funky-sounding Stampeders to gain critical and commercial acceptance, along with the increased cost of supporting the large band, eventually led to the departure of drummer, Kim Berly. Also gone was the band's recording deal with Quality records.

Ronnie King tried to keep the band going with a new album on Apex Records called "Ballsy". The new line-up included Ronnie's youngest brother, Roy Van Sprang, Bob Allwood and Gary Storin. Lack of sales, high overhead and disappointed fans led to the band's final break up in 1980 and the departure of manager, Mel Shaw. For a time, Dodson continued to record other acts and Kim Berly was signed to RCA in 1979 as "Kimball Fox" with a new band called "The Cry".

The original three piece group officially reunited at a special concert at The Calgary Stampede in 1992. The following year saw the first new Stampeders album in nearly 20 years. Reminiscent of their country hybrid roots, the record featured Berly, Dodson and King and contained the regional hit, "Hometown Boy", as well as updated versions of "Sweet City Woman" and "Oh My Lady". The band released a new CD called "Sure Beats Working" in 1998 and continued to tour into the new century.

In November, 2005, it was announced that "Sweet City Woman" would be inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Toronto in February, 2006.

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