Information/Write-up
Spriggs And Bringle (Mark Haines and Colleen Peterson) began during the December of 1970 in Kingston, Ontario. KCVI (Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute) students, classmates and yearbook committee members Doug McClement (bassist and later producer/engineer who created Comfort Sound Studios) and Mark Haines (singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist who later played with Black Creek) formed an acoustic group to fill out spaces between headlining acts during a fundraiser concert at KCVI. Originally, the group was Doug on bass/vocals, Mark on guitar/vocals and friend Michael K. Myers on guitar/vocals.
While sourcing groups for the concert, Doug received a call from a friend named Lyda Snider. Lyda mentioned that she had befriended an up and coming singer by the name of Colleen Peterson earlier in the year (1970). The pair lived in an apartment at 30 William St. in Kingston and Lyda lived upstairs from Colleen. During the aforementioned phone call, Lyda put Colleen on with Doug and she said she'd like to perform at the event, but she wasn't very confident about her guitar playing. Doug suggested Mark, Mike and himself back her up, as we were going to be there already. Colleen agreed, and they had a couple of rehearsals (Dec 1970) in Dougs parents' living room.
Colleen Peterson at this time, had already began making a name for herself as a singer. She began her music career in Ottawa's thriving coffeehouse scene during 1966 while her family was living there (she was only sixteen years old). She quickly began receiving attention from groups and fellow folkies. most notably, future members of 'Three's a Crowd' David Wiffen And Bruce Cockburn.
1967 saw Colleen gaining popularity quick on the coffeehouse/club circuit around Ottawa. A number of publications began to pay attention and articles about her were being written, fueling the hype. She also appeared twice on CTV's 'It's Happening' twice during this period. Her star rose to such a degree that year that she was awarded the RPM Gold Leaf Award for 'Most Promising Female Vocalist.'
Colleen began performing with local rock groups 'Occasional Flash' followed by time with 'The Five D' and 'The St Patrick Street Rooming House'. These helped her prepare for her first big break when she was courted by Three's A Crowd. The group contacted her during late-1967 to briefly replace their health-stricken lead singer Donna Warner during the group's two week stint at the legendary Expo-67. Colleen accepted.
After her brief time with Three's A Crowd, Colleen continued to perform with 'The St Patrick Street Rooming House' (now being managed by Three's a Crowd manager Harvey Glatt) and the group received an invitation to tour as opener with Roy Orbison during spring of 1968.
A few months after this tour, Colleen moved to New York, due to the impression it left on her when visiting on the tour. She began performing solo in coffeehouses and soon caught the attention of a developing Jazz-Rock band who would go by 'TCB'. After recruiting Colleen, the group recorded an album and toured for a few months before the group broke up (the album would be released a wile afterwards, to my knowledge).
After her time in New York, Colleen moved to Toronto and auditioned for 'Hair'. She got the part and performed with the cast for a few months before the tole on her voice was too great. She was performing eight shows a week at Toronto's Royal Alexander Theatre. She quit and then moved to Kingston to live with her parents.
After a few rehearsals, Doug, Mike, Mark and Colleen were ready for their performance at the KCVI fundraiser. It went well, Mark and Colleen seemed to hit it off and began rehearsing as a duo. Their first gig was at the Razor's Edge coffeehouse on Princess St. in Kingston. Doug McClement briefly returned to back them on bass. They soon started touring, managed by Bernie Dobbin, who managed most of the bands in Kingston at the time.
They played colleges up and down the east coast, and a year later recorded an album "First Call" at RCA Studios (later known as McClear Place), produced by Randy Bachman. It was never released.
They moved to Toronto around 1973 where they recorded their lone EP for CBC's LM Series. Soon after, they split. Colleen pursued a solo career and Mark joined Toronto bluegrass band 'Black Creek'.
-Aaron Lusch
Museum of Canadian Music Musée de la Musique Canadienne Calgary Vinyl Music Museum Canada Museum of Recorded Sound Canada Music Museum Calgary Music Museum
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