Olliver, George
Websites:
https://citizenfreak.com/titles/293398-natural-gas-st, https://www.facebook.com/groups/57978157932/user/734026367/, https://www.ericknelson.net/GO/index.htm
Origin:
Toronto, Ontario, 🇨🇦
Biography:
George Olliver is a Canadian musical institution. Audiences have been raving about his stage show for years. He has been described as a dynamic performer, great soulful voice and probably the best showman in Canada! What is often overlooked is that he is a prolific writer, producer, and successful recording artist. Olliver's career shot to stardom as the lead singer of the now legendary R&B band Mandala, with TOP TEN hits "Opportunity" and "Give and Take". Each new recording since then has been met with critical acclaim and nation-wide sales. Nicknamed "The Blue-Eyed Prince of Soul" he has remained one of the most popular performers on the Canadian music scene. George's extensive touring over the years has brought him international success, acknowledged by fans and industry critics alike. Having performed on tours with such band's as The Who, Rolling Stones and The Cream, George learned the importance of live performance. Moving on into the seventies, Olliver formed Natural Gas with the bands self-titled album charting in the TOP 10 in Canada and TOP 50 in the U.S.
"I've known George for years and he was and STILL is
the hardest workin' man in the business!"
-- rockabilly legend Ronnie Hawkins
In the eighties George co-owned and performed at The Bluenote in Toronto from 1982-92. During that time Quality Records (Domenic Troiano producing) recorded George Olliver and Gangbuster - LIVE @ THE BLUENOTE, an amazing live album, featuring him and his band Gangbuster and special guests. It was one of the finest live records made in Canada up to that point. In the middle of his run at the club, he recorded his first studio solo album Dream Girl which brought him a Juno nomination for best R&B album. As well George was able to book and perform with some of his idols such as Wilson Pickett, Etta James, Sam and Dave and Martha Reeves. "Whitney Houston broke her first album at the Bluenote in 1985 when no one had heard of her yet!" says Olliver. "I've got hours of live recordings to be released from the Bluenote that is timeless. "Now a devoted father of 3 (two sons and daughter) and with a renewed faith in God, Olliver is back performing and recording his brand of "white hot soul" which has become part of what's called the Toronto Sound.
Mandala:
Mandala started out during the summer of 1963, working as the house band at the Club Bluenote supporting visiting US R&B/Soul artists like Edwin Starr and Freddy Scott. Bass player Don Elliot, drummer Whitey Glan, guitarist Mike McKenna, and keyboard/vocalist George Olliver had worked together previously in The Belltones and Whitey and The Roulettes. The quartet adopted the name The Rogues when ex-Robbie Lane and Ronnie Hawkins guitarist, Domenic Troiano, joined along with keyboardist Josef Chirowski. Original guitarist Mike McKenna had been disenchanted with The Bluenote and had quit. Olliver left keyboards and became front man for the group, which made the band a five piece unit. The group under the name The Five Rogues immediately made a visual impact with their pinstripe, gangster-style suits and their rockin' "Soul Crusade" performances. The US market soon beckoned and, after the name was changed to The Mandala, the group spent more and more time south of the border. In November 1966, the band played at Hollywood's Whiskey A-Go-Go and attracted 1,400 fans to the Hullabaloo a few weeks later, by word of mouth.
The following year, the band traveled to New York on a regular basis and appeared on numerous occasions at Steve Paul's Scene. During this busy period, the group opened for hit recording artists like Wilson Pickett and The Rolling Stones in concert, and headlined in major night clubs in Canada and the U.S. This resulted in Mandala being signed to a U.S. recording deal with Chess Records on a new subsidiary of theirs - the KR record label.
In 1967 they recorded their debut single, 'Opportunity/Lost Love' at Chicago's legendary Chess Studios with The Dells providing backing vocals. It stormed into the top 5 position on the Canadian charts, was voted #1 Canadian single of 1966 by the Maple Leaf Awards (pre-Juno's), and was quickly followed by another TOP 10 success with the soulful "Give & Take/From Toronto '67", released just 3 months later. During this period George and the band began work on an album but it was never finished and Mandala's personnel soon underwent changes.
In 1967 George left the group in frustration and formed his first solo band George Olliver and His Children, which toured extensively in the New England area of the U.S. The new group never recorded however, and Olliver subsequently recorded an album for Firebird Records with another musical creation of his called Natural Gas in 1969.
Natural Gas
After George left the Mandala he went on to form George Olliver and His Children which evolved into Natural Gas. The band in those days toured Ontario and Quebec constantly but home based at The Commodore in Kingston Ontario. "It was a real nice spot" says Olliver. "And when I made the Natural Gas album many musicians from the area were covering the songs from it." It was fame without the riches according to George, but an excellent musical period that he carries on to the present. As a founding member of Toronto’s Mandala, George was not only present at the birth but played an integral part in the formation of Canada’s musical landscape.
Back when Yorkville was the centre of Toronto’s counterculture revolution, George was known for spectacular shows that whipped teenaged audiences into a frenzy; in ‘66 they were fired from the CNE for George’s “dangerous” display of emotion. Olliver captured this energy and emotion with his classic recording Natural Gas. George later recorded two solo singles, 'I May Never Get To See You Again/Shine' for Much Records and 'Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You' for the Corner Stone label before playing and recording with Toronto band The Royals in the late '70s,
Toronto's Famous 'Bluenote' Club
From 1982 -92 George co-owned and was the musical director for Toronto's Bluenote Club. It immediately became known as the "Home of Rhythm & Blues" in the city. He brought such greats as Sam and Dave, Solomon Burke, Martha Reeves, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, Mary Wells and the list goes on. It was a great musical scene, with George treating his patrons weekly to great local guest artists and once a month bringing in prominent international classis R&B recording stars to perform.
During this period George recorded Live at the Bluenote and Dream Girl, the latter of which was nominated for a Juno in 1987. "I would say my inspiration was always Diane Brooks" states George. "She's the one that really moved me, and made me seriously think about R&B professionally." Also during this time hundreds of hours were recorded live at the Bluenote, capturing the energy of the music and performances of many timeless moments in R&B music. Live at the Bluenote is now available on CD!
George Olliver has found "a new way"! He has been singing, performing and writing music for decades. His contribution to the Canadian music industry has been vast and mostly goes unrecognized in today's music scene. After leaving his home base at Club Bluenote (which was resurrected by Geo. in the early eighties), he and his wife Pat decided to adopt two children from eastern Russia through a Canadian Christian organization called Mission of Tears. This was a fantastic experience for them, and a further incentive for George to continue writing and producing inspirational music (r&b gospel) for his new record label RAPIO which is the Greek term for "the catching away."
"There are a lot of Rock and Blues bands around, but no one seems to be doing much r&b/soul here in Canada", says George. "But history comes around, and lately it seems there’s a revived interest in classic soul. It’s not just a nostalgia thing, though. We get people of all ages coming out. Really, great music is timeless, and a good song is forever", confirms Olliver. "I've now currently put my new r&b gospel ensemble, Caught Away with Geo. Olliver (12pc) together and will be performing in theatres and festivals in the coming months. I'm sure this gospel presentation will remind some people of my Soul Crusades of past."
"After all these years George is just as ‘dangerous’ as ever,
with utterly astonishing energy and moves many a performer
not yet born when Mandala ruled T.O.’s stages would envy." - John Taylor
In the sixties George Olliver fronted legendary group MANDALA, which shot to pop stardom with their Canadian hit records, "OPPORTUNITY" and "GIVE & TAKE." After leaving the band George was known not only as a dynamite showman, and vocalist, but as an accomplished song writer as well. George's self produced album DREAM GIRL, was nominated for a JUNO AWARD in the late eighties. His credits are numerous: Co-founder of THE BLUENOTE (Canada's #1 one R&B nite-club), producer/arranger for several video and radio commercials, with clients such as, Old Firehall Sports, Blue Mountain Ski Resorts, Dominion Textiles, Schneider's and Tim Horton's to name a few. With eight singles and five albums to his credit, George is a mainstay in the Canadian Music Industry. In 1992 he turned to prayer and not long after had a visitation from the HOLY SPIRIT. GOD instructed George to raise a MINISTRY OF MUSIC. In the new millennium, George is an active member of Carruthers Creek Associated Gospel in Ajax, near Toronto, and has recorded a CD called "Live at Unionville Alliance", which is now available through this site.
George Olliver started singing in the choir at a small Anglican Church in Willowdale, Ontario and also taught Sunday school there in his early teens. Unfortunately he left the Church in favor of a style of life that brought him everything but happiness and fulfillment. But now, George is a saved Christian and is ready to go into battle for Jesus Christ with his music. He has finally come full circle from his Church upbringing. Praise God - may the circle be unbroken!
