Edwards, Cliff - Through the Years

Tracks

		Track Name	Length
	1	Faces	03:43
	2	Uncle Dad Aunty Mom	03:27
	3	Song for Wendy	02:25
	4	Carpenter of Wood	02:44
	5	Catch the Dream	03:13
	6	Grab the Money and Run	03:29
	7	Summertime Friend of Mine	02:41
	8	What's Forever For	03:36
	9	This Town	03:52
	10	Young & Innocent	03:15
	11	Closer than Close	03:38
	12	She's My Woman	03:44
	13	Just Out of Reach	04:24
	14	Highway Number One	04:09
	15	Storm	02:50
	16	In My Eyes	03:43

Photos

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Information/Write-up

Cliff Edwards is a cornerstone figure in Canadian popular music, best known as the founder, lead vocalist, and producer of the internationally successful group The Bells. Born in Montreal, Quebec, he was drawn to music early, forming his first band, the Strata-Kats, at sixteen. The group performed at school dances, dance halls, and ski resorts north of the city, giving Edwards his first sustained experience in front of live audiences and revealing a natural blend of country, pop, and rockabilly influences that would shape his career.

While pursuing studies at École des Beaux-Arts with the goal of becoming a commercial artist — and later working in Eaton’s Advertising Department — Edwards continued performing steadily. During this period he fronted The Counts Four, building a strong presence on Montreal’s club circuit as his musical ambitions expanded beyond weekend performances.

By the early 1960s, Edwards had committed fully to a professional music career. In addition to leading The Counts Four, he hosted Sing A Good Song on CFCF television, a local program devoted to emerging country and folk talent. His younger brother, Brian Edwards—later the lead singer of the psychedelic rock band Mashmakhan—also appeared on the show, underscoring how deeply music ran in the family.

A pivotal shift came when Edwards joined forces with pianist Frank Mills and English sisters Ann and Jacki Ralph. The group first operated as The Five Bells before shortening the name to The Bells. With Edwards as lead male vocalist and producer, the band became one of Canada’s defining soft-rock acts of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Hits such as “Fly Little White Dove Fly,” “Moody Manitoba Morning,” and the million-selling “Stay Awhile” established their international presence. “Stay Awhile” alone sold over two million copies worldwide and remains one of the era’s enduring Canadian recordings.

When The Bells dissolved, Edwards redirected his focus toward songwriting more aligned with his folk and country roots. Over the next fifteen years he released six solo albums — Transition (1973), Carpenter of Wood (1974), Singer of Songs (1976), What’s Forever For (1980), and From a Quiet Room (1989) among them — generating Canadian playlist hits including “Uncle Dad, Auntie Mom,” “Carpenter of Wood,” “Song for Wendy,” “What’s Forever For,” and “She’s My Woman.” His 1989 release From a Quiet Room showcased Edwards in a rock-oriented setting, blending melodic hooks, rhythmic drive, and a confident rock and roll edge with the storytelling depth and distinctly Canadian sense of place that has long defined his writing.

After the release of From a Quiet Room, Edwards did not record another studio album for nearly three decades. His return in 2016 with Undercurrent marked his first new full-length recording in twenty-seven years, reaffirming his commitment to songwriting in a folk-rock framework and reconnecting him with longtime collaborators and musicians from his Ontario community.

Relocating from Montreal to Toronto, and later to eastern Ontario, Edwards lived for a time on a hobby farm in Warkworth before settling in the 1000 Islands region. In Kingston he worked at CKWS-TV as a set designer and camera operator, eventually creating the children’s program The Corner Store. His visual arts training and production background naturally extended into community cultural development. Edwards became a driving force behind regional festivals and events, including Porch Jam, the Sculpture Park Folk & Arts Festival, Jammin’ in the Islands, the 1000 Islands Waterfront Festival, and the Joel Stone Waterfront Concert Series.

His later work was revisited in 2024 with the retrospective release Through the Years, bringing together selections from across his solo catalogue and underscoring the longevity and consistency of his songwriting career.

Now based in Gananoque, Ontario, Edwards has also operated MacNeil’s Landing, a family restaurant where he occasionally performs dinner concerts, merging hospitality with music in the most organic way possible.

Throughout every phase of his career—from the Strata-Kats and The Counts Four, to platinum records with The Bells, to his six-album solo catalogue and community leadership—Cliff Edwards has remained a steady contributor to Canadian cultural life, equally comfortable onstage, in the studio, behind a camera, or helping build the next generation of creative spaces.
-Robert Williston
Updated Feb 22, 2026 with Cliff's comments incorporated

Songwriting
‘Faces’ Words & Music by Gene MacLellan / Beechwood Music
‘Uncle Dad, Auntie Mom’ Words & Music by Marty Reno
Donna Kim Music
‘Song For Wendy’ Words & Music by Bob Morrison
Glenwood Music Corp.
‘Carpenter Of Wood’ Words & Music by Barry Brown
‘Catch The Dream’ Words & Music by Cliff Edwards
Songs Unlimited
‘Grab The Money & Run’ Words & Music by Kevin Johnson
Morning Music
‘Summertime Friend Of Mine’ Words & Music by Cliff Edwards
Songs Unlimited
‘What’s Forever For’ Words & Music by Rafe VanHoy / Tree Pub.
‘This Town’ Words & Music by P. Alger / F. Koller
‘Young & Innocent’ Words & Music by Cliff Edwards
Songs Unlimited
‘Closer Than Close’ Words & Music by Cliff Edwards
Songs Unlimited
‘She’s My Woman’ Words & Music by Cliff Edwards
Songs Unlimited
‘Just Out Of Reach’ Words & Music by V.F. Stewart
‘Highway # 1’ Words & Music by Cliff Edwards
Songs Unlimited
‘Storm’ Words & Music by Cliff Edwards
Songs Unlimited
‘In My Eyes’ Words & Music by Barbara Wyrick / Intersong Music

Production
Produced by Cliff Edwards for Timeframe Productions
Mastered by Dave Daw
Manufactured by SUMMIT SOUND, Westport

Special Thanks to:
CHRIS CORNISH, KATHY DAW, cover design and graphics

Notes
From the album Transition (Polydor Records, 1974)
‘Faces’
‘Uncle Dad, Auntie Mom’

From the album Singer Of Songs (A&M Records, 1976)
‘Song For Wendy’

From the album Carpenter Of Wood (Polydor Records, 1974)
‘Carpenter Of Wood’

From the album What’s Forever For (Boot Records, 1980)
‘Catch The Dream’
‘Grab The Money & Run’
‘Summertime Friend Of Mine’
‘What’s Forever For’

From the album From A Quiet Room (Timeframe Records, 1989)
‘This Town’
‘Young & Innocent’
‘Closer Than Close’
‘She’s My Woman’
‘Just Out Of Reach’
‘Highway # 1’
‘Storm’
‘In My Eyes’

Cliff Edwards, born in Montreal, began playing music at 16 years old with the STRATA-KATS a High School band who played for school dances, in dance halls and ski resorts north of Montreal. After graduating High School, Cliff attended Ecole Des Beaux Arts, hoping to be a Commercial Artist. Work in Eaton’s Advertising Department followed, music continued on week-ends, in a newly-formed group the COUNTS FOUR.

A music career seemed inevitable and Cliff decided to turn professional, playing Clubs, Dances, Bars and Ski Resorts.

A group change was made, adding two English sisters, Ann & Jacki Ralph to the Band, re-naming the group THE FIVE BELLS, which eventually became THE BELLS. Many Hit records followed, including MOODY MANITOBA MORNING, FLY LITTLE WHITE DOVE, FLY and the million seller STAY AWHILE.

Cliff left the group to pursue a career of his own, singing and writing music more suited to his folk / country roots. Five albums followed over a 15 year period, with many singles being charted on the Canadian Play list, including the hit singles: UNCLE DAD, AUNTIE MOM, CARPENTER OF WOOD, SONG FOR WENDY, WHAT’S FOREVER FOR, and SHE’S MY WOMAN, to name a few.

This Disc is a retrospective of Cliff’s solo career, featuring songs from each of those albums.

Dedicated to my three incredible children, who have given me more joy than I ever thought possible. Chris, Johanna and Jessica are exceptional people, raising families of their own, following exciting career paths, committed to family, friends and each other. I am blessed.

CLIFF EDWARDS lives in the beautiful 1000 ISLANDS, the owner / operator of MacNEIL’S LANDING, a family restaurant in GANANOQUE, where he occasionally performs Dinner Concerts. The Restaurant web site www.macneilslanding.com

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