Riverboat Ladies b/w Brotherhood

Canadian singer and songwriter Timothy Eaton made records for RCA under three names: as lead singer of the Marshmallow Soup Group, as Timothy, and in 1974 as Buster Brown.

Eaton joined the Marshmallow Soup Group in 1969, under manager Vern Craig. The group signed to RCA Limited through Sun-Bar Productions and released 'I Love Candy', written by Eaton and produced by Craig, in November 1969. The single reached No. 3 on RPM's Canadian Content Chart in January 1970 and also appeared on the magazine's national singles chart. Its release was timed to the band's trip to the International Trade Fair in Lima, Peru, where they performed as Goodwill Ambassadors of Canada for the Federal Department of Trade and Commerce. A second single, 'Sing to My Lover', appeared in 1970, and the group dissolved in 1971.

Following the group's breakup, Eaton formed a new band under the name Timothy, with Paul Armstrong on drums, Mike Brews on keyboards, Hendrik Riik on bass and Phil Groves on lead guitar. He stayed with RCA. 'Riverboat Ladies' b/w 'Brotherhood', his own song produced by Shel Safran, came out in Canada in 1972, and RCA sent it to American radio on a promo that July. 'Rock & Roll Music' b/w 'Tammy Tease' followed.

In 1974 he became Buster Brown, a name he used for his records and for the four-piece band he took on the road across the south-western United States. RCA signed him through Pedal Point Productions, run by Nick Grillo, who had managed the Beach Boys for seven years. Eaton recorded in Los Angeles with RCA's West Coast A&R director John Lombardo, formerly Professional Manager for Sunbury-Dunbar Music in Canada.

Eaton wrote 'Falling Out of Love' and Lombardo wrote the flip side, 'Eloise'. Record World made the single a pick on August 31, 1974, comparing its lush soul production to Barry White and taking care to separate the newcomer from the Buster Brown of 'Fannie Mae'. It entered the RPM 100 that October, was reported on about 30 Canadian stations by November, and appeared on the Record World Singles Chart and Cash Box's Looking Ahead listings in the United States. No later recording under the Buster Brown name has been confirmed.

-Robert Williston