Canada

Websites:  No
Origin: Vancouver, British Columbia
Biography:

Left to Right: Paul Dean, Clyde Harvey, Billy McBeth & Brian Newcombe
During the psychedelic late ’60s, Vancouver band The Fox were playing original music, peppered with some cover tunes at Pop festivals & nightclubs around town. In the summer of 1969, they went to Edmonton, Alberta to play the Orange County Pop Festival and stole the show. While in Alberta, over the period of 1969 to 1971, they evolved into the legendary Top Band. Their manager at the time, Lou Blair, went with them to Toronto, as it was the place to pursue a record deal. In 1970, under their new name CANADA, they signed with RCA Records in Toronto. The label released their first single, “I Don’t Believe”, with little fanfare and little promotion. The record flopped and a second single, “La La Love You”, did just as poorly. With internal restructuring at RCA, the label did not renew the band’s option. The summer of ’70 was still a successful time for the band live back in Alberta. They performed at the “The Festival Train” Stadium Show in Calgary alongside acts like Janis Joplin and The Band! Canada played many times at Club Apollo in Calgary and appeared on the CTV “Come Together” TV Show. At The Coral, in Calgary, the band opened for Steppenwolf. They also played featured shows at Edmonton’s Club Zorba’s, as well as high schools & lake dances in Alberta. By the late fall of 1970 they were back east playing the high school circuit in Ontario. By early 1971, they switched home base to Edmonton with Lou Blair back in Vancouver. Paul Dean left that summer for Calgaryand teamed up with Henry Small for the beginnings of a new band called Scrubbaloe Caine. The remaining trio, moved back to Vancouver in January 1972, but disbanded by spring of that year. McBeth went on to join Scrubbaloe Caine soon after; Dean would play in Streetheart and then have international success as a founding member of Loverboy; Newcombe was a member of Chilliwack from 1984-1986, but is best known as a successful session player having recorded with names like Heart, 98 Degrees, Jessica Simpson, and Michelle Wright to name but a few. He has also performed with such acts as David Foster, Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, Kenny Logins, and Chicago; Harvey briefly performed the lounge circuit but has been leading a successful solo career with his own independent label (Harvey Music) and touring the Pacific Rim. with notes from Brian Newcombe and Clyde Harvey. [also see PAUL DEAN]

Paul Dean: guitar, vocals
Clyde Harvey: organ, lead vocals
Billy McBeth: drums, lead vocals
Brian Newcombe: bass

Manager: Lou Blair