Misener, Billy

Websites:  No
Origin: Hamilton, Ontario, 🇨🇦
Biography:

Singer, songwriter and guitarist Bill Misener was born in Hamilton, Ontario and studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music before getting his start as part of Toronto band The Spats who were heavily influenced by the British Invasion so much so that they adopted a dress code and matching haircuts. After becoming a teen dance act called The Paupers they grew a huge fanbase with the release of several singles including “Never Send You Flowers”, “Free As A Bird”, “Sooner Than Soon”, “For What I Am”, and “If I Told My Baby” on the Red Leaf and Roman Records labels. Misener would soon leave and be replaced by Scottish folk singer Adam Mitchell. In the late 1960s he released a single called “What Do You Want” written and produced by Roy Smith on CB Records to little effect. However, his single “Lil Ol’ Rock ‘N’ Roll Band” released in November 1971 on Astra Records found some chart action peaking at #27 on the RPM Singles Chart. He released several unsuccessful singles on RCA shortly after. Misener did session work including singing on The Laurie Bower Singers’ album ‘Take Me Home Country Roads’ album (1972) Rick Neufeld’s ‘Hiway Child’ album (1973) and Alice Cooper’s ‘Goes To Hell’ (1976). Misener would go on to work at RCA Studio’s Sun Bar Productions on Mutual Street in Toronto producing acts like It’s All Meat, Morse Code Transmission and Keith Hampshire. Misener was called upon to sing on the 1976 Canada Cup Theme song and single “Come On Let’s Play” (PieRre Senecal sang the French version) produced by Terry Bush. Misener also released a solo album under the name Billy Misener in 1978 on Polydor entitled ‘Night Fire’. The single “Maybe You Better Run” found its way onto CHUM’s playlists in 1978. In 1981 Misener would appear on eight tracks as part of a multi-artist concept album called ‘In the Dawning: A Story of Canada’ featuring performances by Marc Jordan, The Laurie Bower Singers, Connie Kaldor, Kate & Anna McGarrigle and Christopher Plummer narrating alongside the London Symphony. Misener would also arrange strings on Max Webster’s ‘Million Vacations’ album in 1979; Bill Misener died suddenly on June 26, 2014. with notes from Skip Prokop, James Rogers and Keith Hampshire. [also see THE PAUPERS]