Information AboutThe Guess Who |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT THE GUESS WHO | |
| 1960s music groups | |
| 1970s music groups | |
| canadas walk of fame | |
| canadian music hall of fame inductees | |
| juno award winners | |
| winnipeg musical groups | |
| canadian rock music groups | |
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HISTORY The Guess Who started out as a local Winnipeg band in 1962 called Chad Allen and the Reflections (later changed to Chad Allen and the Expressions). Each of the members of the band were born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Burton Cummings replaced Chad Allen as singer and keyboarder, and leader of the band in 1965. The band signed with Quality Records, and had first hit with “Shakin’ All Over", which reached #1 in Canada and #22 in the U.S. Strangely the name The Guess Who came when on the album for the record “Shakin’ All Over”, when radio stations refused to play their music because they were Canadian. The record company then pulled a stunt, putting a plain white cover with the words “Guess Who?” on it, trying to capitalize on curiosity. The plan worked and the album sold over 2 million copies, and after that the group got its name, The Guess Who. As the group's lineup changed, so did their sound. 1969's "These Eyes" was the group's first Top Ten hit under new group leader Burton Cummings . By the beginning of the 1970s, the group moved towards an edgier hard-rock sound with the album '' American Woman '', whose title track, " American Woman " was their only #1 hit in the U.S., and the Top Ten hit "No Time". Group differences led Randy Bachman to leave the group, return to Winnipeg, and form Brave Belt, which eventually evolved into the Supergroup Bachman Turner Overdrive . Bachman was replaced by two guitarists, fellow Winnipeggers, Kurt Winter and Greg Leskiw. Kurt Winter was then to become the main songwriting collaborator with Burton Cummings . The Guess Who continued with more hit singles such as "Share The Land" and "Clap For The Wolfman" (a homage to disc jockey Wolfman Jack , who incidentally, lent his own voice to the recording). In 1972 they recorded their highly acclaimed album "Live at the Paramount" which was recorded at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle. This was followed by an overseas tour in Nov/Dec 1972 to Japan, New Zealand and Australia. The Guess Who broke up in 1975 (see 1975 In Music ). Burton Cummings then went on to forge a successful solo career. A new incarnation has since been formed and continues to tour in the tradition of the group and sound Cummings made famous. Jim Kale , while on tour in Kenora, Ontario found out from Cummings and Bachman that the name of the band had never been registered and drove back to Winnipeg to register it. This is the reason Cummings and Bachman can't use the name unless they hire Kale, which they refuse to do because of his unreliable nature on tour. In 2001, a year after the Guess Who went on a cross-Canada national tour, the band received honorary doctorates at Brandon University in Brandon, Manitoba . For lead vocalist Cummings, it was a privilege to receive the doctorate, since he did not graduate from high school. RECENT PERFORMANCES In 2004, Jim Kale started touring with his version of the Guess Who (known as the "Klones" by Cummings). Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings were planning on touring as Bachman & Cummings in the summer of 2005 with Toronto's The Carpet Frogs. Randy Bachman has been touring in 2005 with a group called Randy Bachman's Rock Thing . On April 25, 2006 Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings re-united and performed hits from The Guess Who, and solo careers at Club 279 in the Hard Rock Cafe in Toronto, Ontario in front of a small crowd of about 150 - 200 people. They are also scheduled to perform at Greynold's Love-In (Greynold's Park) on May 21, 2006 in North Miami Beach, FL. Currently, there is an entire "Bachman Cummings" tour planned for the summer of 2006. MAJOR HITS
LINEUPS The Silvertones
Chad Allen & The Silvertones
Chad Allen & The Reflections
The Guess Who
DISCOGRAPHY
DVD'S
BOOKS
SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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