Information/Write-up
In 1970, producer and engineer Greg Hambleton signed STEEL RIVER and recorded their first single and classic rock album ‘WEIGHIN’ HEAVY’ at Toronto's Sound Canada Recording Studios.
Still living in Scarborough, Ontario, band members Bob Forrester (keyboards), Rob Cockell (bass), Tony Dunning (lead Guitar) Ray Angrove (drums) and with lead singer John Dudgeon wrote most of the material on their first and second album ‘A Better Road’.
Their first single, “Ten Pound Note” (J. Telfer) was the perfect song to record for STEEL RIVER (originally named 'Toronto Shotgun'); an R&B oriented band managed by a Toronto school teacher Bob Beames and Cleveland’s Mike Belkin & Carl Maduri. It became an instant smash on Greg’s Tuesday Records label and, together with Stereo Dimension Records in the States, quickly followed up with Steel River's first album 'WEIGHIN’ HEAVY' and their 2nd single “Walk By The River”.
For over 40 years, it was assumed that the original tapes were lost until a recent inventory of Greg’s multi-track analog master tapes rescued them from basement storage. They were transferred to digital and re-mixed to their full sound quality.
Booked through the William Morris Agency, STEEL RIVER became an international touring success and performed on three major American tours with Humble Pie, Black Sabbath, The James Gang, Melanie, Steppenwolf, Three Dog Night, Edgar Winters, Mountain, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, etc. In the 70’s, STEEL RIVER appeared on Beggar’s Banquet and Winter Pop Concerts at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens and played the Capitol Theatre, NY; Cincinnati Gardens; Toledo Horse Palace; Memphis Amphitheatre; Unganos, NY; Pacific National Exhibition, etc.
Tony Dunning: lead guitar
John Dudgeon: lead vocals
Rob Cockell: bass
Ray Angrove: drums
Robert Forrester: organ and piano
Produced by Greg Hambleton
Cover photography: Graham Purvis
CD Design: Backyard Design
All songs by Belsize Park Music
buy the album here: http://www.axerecords.ca/WeighinHeavy_SteelRiver.html
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