Edward Bear

Websites:  https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/edward-bear-emc
Origin: Toronto, Ontario, 🇨🇦
Biography:

Edward Bear. Toronto rock band formed in the late 1960s as the Edward Bear Revue, a quintet which took its name from a character in A.A. Milne's book Winnie-the-Pooh. It played at first in Yorkville coffeehouses and as a trio began recording for Capitol in 1969. Members 1969-74 were the singer-songwriter-drummer Larry Evoy, the guitarist Danny Marks until 1971, replaced by Roger Ellis, and the organist Paul Weldon until 1972, replaced by Bob Kendall.

Though Edward Bear's original leanings (evident on its first LP, Bearings, 1969, Cap SKAO-6238) were to blues-rock, its success resulted from the wider appeal of Evoy's singing and songwriting. Three of the band's singles were popular internationally: 'You, Me and Mexico' (1970), the million-seller 'The Last Song' (1972), and 'Close Your Eyes' (1973). Its Canadian hits included 'You Can't Deny It' (1970), 'Fly across the Sea' (1971), 'Masquerade' (1972), and 'Freedom from the Stallion' (1974). Its other LPs were Eclipse (1970, Cap SKAO-6349), Edward Bear (1972, Cap ST-6387), and Close Your Eyes (1973, Cap SKAO-6395). The band, which received a Juno Award for the outstanding performance of 1972, appeared in many Canadian centres.

With the demise of Edward Bear in the mid-1970s, Evoy pursued a solo career, releasing the LP Larry Evoy (Attic LAT-1049) in 1978; a compilation album, The Best of the Bear (Edward Bear 1969-84) (Cap SN-66154) included solo Evoy material. Danny Marks remained a popular performer in Toronto nightclubs through the 1980s with his parodic impressions of other musicians and his extensive repertoire of pop and rock songs.

Edward Bear was a Canadian folk-rock group, formed originally in 1966 by Larry Evoy and Craig Hemming. The band signed with Capitol Records in 1969. Most of their chart successes were in the early seventies before disbanding in 1974. Their band name is derived from A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh, whose "proper" name is Edward Bear. Their top singles include "You, Me and Mexico", "Last Song", and "Close Your Eyes", all three of which were top five in Canada and charted well in the United States.

The band charted its biggest hit in 1972, when "Last Song" charted No. 1 in Canada and peaked at No. 3 in the United States. By then, the original band had split up. Evoy rebuilt the band twice, but it finally was disbanded in 1974 after a disastrous tour of high school gigs and small club venues.

They won a Juno Award in 1973 in an outstanding group performance category.

Evoy, who embraced scientology in 1973, went on to a semi-successful solo career but is currently retired.

Former member Danny Marks has continued a very successful career as a blues guitar veteran.

Paul Weldon, a six year veteran of the band, performs with a jazz combo and teaches at Seneca College in Toronto.

Bill Loop, bassist in the early seventies, resides in south-western Ontario and plays locally with various session musicians. He also teaches guitar.

Roger Ellis pursued a solo career releasing a few albums. He is presently part of the Parkdale Musicians Collective in Toronto and performs regularly.