Terry Draper of Klaatu fame has been releasing solo albums for years. His regular routine is to release a new record every year in time for Christmas.
His usual process was interupted last year by health issues which he is now recovering from.
So for this current project, he dug into the vault and resurrected several old demos from decades ago, along with a fresh crop of new material.
This time around, I was honoured to play guitar on three of his songs. I was among 17 players who helped Terry on this one.

We discussed the making of Infinity and more in this episode.

Get Terry's music and merch at www.terrydraper.com

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Tommy Solo
@tommysolo9154

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Chris Birkett is a world renowned musician/record producer who has worked with such top shelf artists as Sinead O'Connor (he produced Nothing compares 2U) , Mel Brooks & Def Leppard.

His own music has often taken a back seat to his work helping others to create hits, but now he has a brand new album of his own to celebrate. 
"She's my guitar" is a blend of neo soul/Latin flavoured original material.
He told me that the guitar has saved his life more than once.

We discussed this and a lot more in this episode.

Sit back & enjoy the ride.

Check out Chris' new album at the following site:

https://chrisbirkett1.bandcamp.com/album/shes-my-guitar

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Honey Moon Suite started gaining momentum globally in the early 1980s & they've barely looked back since then.  They've released over a dozen albums over the years & have just released the fruits of their labour over two years in a global pandemic. Teaming with American producer Mike Krompass, known for his work with Steven Tyler, Smash Mouth etc. Honey Moon Suite have once again broken the mold with "Alive". 
I spoke with lead guitarist & principle songwriter for HMS, Derry Grehan about this new album & the importance of writing & producing songs for the people who have followed them loyally for decades... among other things. 
This is a good one. 

https://musicinmotionent.com/category/honeymoon-suite/

https://frontiers.shop/products/honeymoon-suite-alive-cd#:~:text='Alive'%20has%20been%20produced%20by,Dead%20Man%20and%20Smash%20Mouth.

https://www.facebook.com/HMSLive

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Darby Mills, is mostly known as the lead singer for the classic Canadian rock band "The Headpins".
Before the pandemic hit, she was on the rise under her own banner with the Darby Mills project. She had several what she considered "glass ceiling" shows cancelled during the 1st major Covid-19 lock down.
In this episode, we talk about how she & her band mates have done their best to adjust & adapt to new technologies in order to stay fresh during the past 16 months.
She also told me about her personal ordeal & grief when she hadn't been allowed to visit her elderly father due to the pandemic & then losing him to Covid-19.
Not one to be deterred, Darby Mills has solid plans to continue making music for her dedicated group of fans moving forward.
www.darbymills.com

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Rocket Norton is a lifelong musician having rose to fame in the 1970s with the Canadian classic rock band, Prism. He has played primarily drums over the years, but has also sang & played guitar with a few acts.
Prior to Covid-19, things were going really well for Rocket. He had a thriving day business & had successfully published a couple of fictional novels. He was also playing small concerts with "The Authentics" in and around the Vancouver area.
Like everyone else, his day business was drastically impacted by Covid. And then, he was diagnosed with Cancer.
In this new "Rounding the corner episode, we discuss all this and more.

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Terry Draper established himself as a member of the classic Canadian band Klaatu.
For some time the general public was convinced that Klaatu was really the Beatles recording incognito.
While these rumours did bolster record sales, they also created situations that ultimately caused the break up of the band.
In this episode Terry & I discuss where he was at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic & how he & his Wife have stayed both safe & sane over the past year & half.
This is another of my "Rounding the corner" series of shows so, we do indeed talk about how awesome it feels to finally be coming out of the darkness & back into the light.
https://terrydraper.com/

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Cassius Khan & his family knew that he was a very gifted musician at a very early age.
He is one of the very few, if not the only classical Indian musicians who can play the Tabla & sing simultaneously.
When he was seven years old, he heard an Ellen McIlwaine record from his Father's Vinyl collection & was mesmerized by the Goddess of Slide guitar instantly.
After years of classical training in Indian music, in fact twenty years later he received a random phone call from Ellen herself who invited him to play a show with her.
This lead to a long term musical partnership between the two of them. Their Mystic Bridge album was nominated for a Juno award in 2007.
In this episode, we discuss Cassius' award winning personal musical journey & share his memories of Ellen.
https://www.cassiuskhan.com/

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In this, the second in our "Rounding the corner" series, I talk with the legendary Heavy Metal drummer from the iconic band Anvil.
We discussed where they were when the pandemic hit & how they managed to stay focused on their music throughout the duration of all the lockdowns etc..
We also talked about how the world is counting on as many people getting vaccinated as possible so that we can get back to some sense of normal.
Anvil has completed pre production on a brand new album & they have plans to start touring again. Let's just hope that the naysayers, conspiracy theorists & anti Vaxxers don't blow it for the rest of us!

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Jonathan Holiff, the son of Saul Holiff who managed Johnny Cash through the Country music legend's most prolific years was already an established member of the television production elite. And when he uncovered his late Father's artifacts & memorabilia in a storage locker, he knew that he had something special. The 2012 award winning, globally distributed documentary "My Father & the Man in black" was the end result of his discovery.
Recently more historical gems about Johnny Cash's career under Saul Holiff's watch have been uncovered.
In this episode we discuss the new documentary in the works with the working title "When Johnny Cash got his Moose".
This is the tale of how so much of the Country music Icon's career resulted from his time spent in Canada.

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John McGale was a huge influence on me growing up in the same neighbourhood in North Bay, Ontario. He was 3 years older than me & already playing in tight bands by the time he was 12 or 13 years old. Us younger kids would flock to the basement windows of the house where John & his earliest bands would rehearse. They were like our own local Beatles in a way. I got to know John a little early on, because I was the kid who played his guitar on the front steps of my Grandmother's house & John was always attracted to all things musical, so he would sometimes stop by & give me a tip or two. When I entered high school, John was the school's social convenor, not only responsible for booking bands like Crowbar, Fludd, Foot in cold water etc. to play our dances, he also organized our annual talent shows, which I allways took part in. He connected me with one of the first drummers I played with among other things. A few years after high school John had already hit the bright lights seeking his fame & fortune & we would hang out, bar hopping etc., whenever we were both home for Christmas or whatever.
John is mostly known for his role as guitarist & manager of Quebec band Offenbach.
He's also played with many other notable acts including the Buzz Band which he formed with bandmates Breen Lebeuf & Jerry Mercer of April Wine fame.
In this episode we discuss the difficulty of being a full time musician during Covid-19 & how it feels to finally see a light at the end of this very dark tunnel.
John met his untimely demise in a car crash on his way home from doing what he did & loved best, playing music on his 65th birthday.
I'm re releasing this interview in his memory. R.I.P. John McGale

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Jon Mykl Thor was inspired to get into the music business as a teenage bodybuilder who found an extra boost of energy in his work outs while listening to Led Zeppelin.
He developed a friendship with seminal Canadian guitarist, Frank Soda early on & together they boarded a train from Vancouver to Toronto with a mutual dream of fame & fortune as their guide.
After several indie releases in the early years, the album Thor "Keep the dogs away" was released to wide acclaim.
In 1976 Jon Mykl Thor appeared on the Merv Griffin show, showcasing his own brand of "muscle rock" singing & blowing up a hot water bottle on National TV.
As a bodybuilder he has won many titles including Mr Universe, Mr Canada & Mr America.
He's also had an extensive movie career ....among other things

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Alexander Mair got started in the business side of the music business as an accountant with Capital records. He would manage the career of legendary Canadian singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot through Gordon's most successful & prolific years.
On top of that, he founded Attic records in 1974 & ran that company for 27 years before selling it to a public company right at the dawn of downloading piracy & the downfall of the record business as we once knew it.
Since then, he's worn many hats behind the scenes of Canada's music industry & although he's currently retired still works as a consultant to a good many of Canada's top shelf artists.
We discuss all this and more on this episode.

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Mike McKenna is the ultimate journeyman guitarist. He was influenced as a guitarist early by Buddy Holly & Hank Snow.
He & his fellow musician friends learned a lot about show business by following acts like Ronnie Hawkins & Robbie Lane around notorious music venues in the Toronto area,
Early on his band scored opening spots for bigger acts like the Grateful Dead.
Mike formed a fast friendship with the late Jerry Garcia.
He has been signed with many different record labels over the years, all the while playing with notable artists like John lee Hooker.
Both of his major acts, Luke & the Apostles & McKenna Mendelson Mainline have recorded what are now classic/collectible albums.
I really think You're gonna like this one!

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Formed from the ashes of the Hillbilly Headhunters & Moon MD in 1998, the Hillbilly Moon Explosion have since released several successful albums culminating with their latest album "Back in time" featuring the singles "Sometimes at night" & "Knocked down" .  In this episode I discussed with Oliver Baroni how his Hillbilly Headhunters merged with Emanuela Hutter's Moon MD so many years ago, & how they've managed to keep recording & touring internationally, even advancing their craft in spite of a global pandemic. 

You can keep up with the Hillbilly Moon Explosion on their FB page

 https://www.facebook.com/hillbillymoonexplosion

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John Gardiner is an upside down, left handed bass player & author.
He spends a lot of time posting short stories garnered from his memories of growing up in the small town of Hanover Ontario on Facebook. His intentions are good. He knows that people need their regular daily infusions of entertainment especially during pandemic times.
In this episode, we discuss his challenges as a lefty, his adventures with the Sterling Blues band, disappearing gigs for musicians etc. .
After a couple of Cancer scares John feels a sense of urgency to get his written works out there. He is a man on a mission & our conversation in this episode is very entertaining ... to say the least !

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From humble beginnings on the Wikwemikong First Nations Reserve on Manitoulin Island in Ontario, Canada to a successful career in Nashville, Crystal Shawanda has come a long way.
She started singing in public at six years old & has never looked back. Moving to Nashville at sixteen, she had the courage to knock on all the right doors & her journey as a successful singer/songwriter was launched.
Facing systemic racism & misogyny in here early years on the road, she carried on with an indomitable spirit.
Among her honours over the years, She performed at Barak Obama's inauguration & she's won Juno awards for her previous works. Her current album "Church House Blues" is nominated for the 2021 Juno Awards.
Her live tours are totally a family affair. Her husband Dwight is both her producer & full time lead guitarist. Their daughter four year old daughter not only travels with the band ....but is also a frequent guest with Mom & Dad on stage.
Hers is an awesome story....& I think You're gonna like it!

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Sandy Gillis started his career in radio broadcasting in 1968 while he was still a kid in high school. It didn't take him long from there before he was hosting a local teen dance show on TV. And before you knew it he had started his own broadcasting school, hiring his radio station bosses as professors. As he quickly climbed the ladder in radio becoming station manager in short order, he gave several popular media broadcast personnel their first breaks. One of his early hires in radio was current CBC on air journalist Ian Hanomansing.
He got into comedy out of necessity when a competing radio station entered his local domain as competition. So he started creating comedic characters on air. One of those characters, "Jimmy the janitor" became a huge part of his career. Jimmy the janitor worked with other comedic greats over the years like David Broadfoot (Royal Canadian Air Farce) & Don Harron (Charlie Farquharson).
Over time Sandy would forge relationships with promoters & artists like Dobald K Donald who would often ask his advice on booking acts like April Wine etc. .
In this episode we discuss all of this and more....with a few laughs added for good measure. https://www.jimmythejanitor.com/

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Earl Johnson was a founding member of Canadian classic rockers "Moxy" along with the late Buzz Shearman (r.i.p.) . He is now the last man standing but he continues to carry the torch & was still touring with the current lineup of Moxy until the pandemic hit. He remains enthusiastic & has learned to play for the love of the music as time rolls on.
Earl got started in his professional career playing guitar with the legendary King Biscuit Boy. While touring with Biscuit, he met Buzz Shearman & they would eventually play together with the Leigh Ashford band before forming Moxy. The ride wasn't always easy but they had some momentous times recording & touring together until Buzz eventually had to quit singing because of throat issues & Earl was left trying to figure it out from there. During the height of their touring days, a young AC/DC would open for Moxy in Southern Texas where Moxy reigned supreme.
Earl describes having to physically eject a drunken Bon Scott from his hotel room & a whole lot more in this episode.
I think you're gonna like it!

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Jerry Fielden is a man who wears many hats in the music business. He not only leads his own recording act, AraPacis featuring top shelf players like Don Airey of Deep Purple & Ozzy Osborne fame, David Stone (Rainbow) & Vinny Appice among others. He has had a close working relationship with Deep Purple's long standing lead singer Ian Gillan. When Jerry isn't busy making new music he spends his time in sales with multimedia manufacturing company Duplication.ca
We discuss the early years, his friendships with mentors Frank Marino, Roger Fisher (Heart) & a lot more.
https://www.duplication.ca/

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In this edition, Jaimie Vernon of Bullseye Records play another round of Pop Trivia where I quiz him on his knowledge of Canadian musicians & bands. We discussed acts like Moxy, Copper Penny, Scrubbaloe Caine, Wide Mouth Mason, Thundermug & more.
Jaimie is the author of The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia & has a wealth of information about Canadian music history & he's kept up on a lot of bands & artists who you may not have thought about in a while.
Fasten your seatbelts folks. This is another fun ride!

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In this episode, I chat with Mario Circelli. Mario is the founder & chair of the Forest City London Music Awards & Hall of fame. We discuss how he & his team have struggled to try & support live music during this global pandemic. This is a difficult time for everyone....& musicians have been among the hardest hit by the negative economic impact of this deadly virus. We talked about the ever changing safety protocols & restrictions as they have applied to artists in the music business. And of course we talked about the resilience & adaptability required to try & provide entertainment to the public during these times .... whether it be live or virtual & the specific nuances involved. https://fclma.ca/

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Bill King was raised in Jefferson Indiana where he began his musical journey in the 1960s. He's just released his book "Bill King Coming through the 1960s" & in this episode, we discuss his long & illustrious career as he's moved through various styles of music, eventually migrating to Toronto Ontario, Canada where he really found his groove. He tells us a bit about how he traveled acroos the United states touring with an early band by the seat of his pants, working with Janis Joplin, negotiating with Ronnie Hawkins ....and a whole lot more.
This is a good one folks. Strap yourselves in for a fun ride!

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Richard Van Camp is a Dene author from Fort Smith NWT. He has released a new book annually for the past 25 years.
His latest upcoming book release, "Gather" is inspired by his days as a volunteer driving his community Elders around on the local Handy Bus as he documented their stories of wonder & magic.
He intends this new book to be a guide to your own soul medicine.
His story is fascinating to say the least.
After you listen to this episode you should check out his website www.richardvancamp.com to be privy to all of his works which include Children's books, Graphic novels, Comic books, Short Stories & Movies.

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Jaimie Vernon makes a return visit to Tommy Solo's Famous Friends , this time to play rock & roll trivia with me. Jaimie is the president of Bullseye records & an authority on Canadian pop music history. He is currently writing a weekly blog, an extension of his former publication....Great White Noise.
In this episode, we discuss a random mix of Canadian bands & solo recording artists as I quiz Jaimie (who is also the author of the Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia) with random names.
He shares his knowledge of acts like Klaatu, Lee Aaron, April Wine, Frank Soda & a lot more including some more obscure yet awesome acts.
And then there was 1980, the summer of riots at rock shows in Toronto.....
This is a fun one!

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Singer/songwriter Rik Emmett was known as the virtuostic guitarist & singer with iconic Canadian band Triumph, and he has been an independant solo artist since the 1990s.
In this episode we discuss his new memoire "Lay it on the line" which is as he describes it "A backstage pass to rockstar adventure, conflict & triumph" . But that's not all we talked about.
This is a fun one!


https://www.rikemmett.com/

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Ronnie Hawkins' career in Music, TV & Film spanned over 63 years....& it may not be over yet!
Having immigrated to Canada in 1958, he has since become well known not only for his own many accomplishments....but for the many careers he has fostered & launched. He is responsible for introducing the world to the likes of Robbie Lane, Beverly D'Angelo, David Clayton Thomas & David Foster.
Ronnie had us both chuckling as he recounts stories from his dealings with mob associated record company mogul, Morris Levy to his hilarious appearance along with Carol Baker on the live to air CBC Juno awards show....& a whole lot more.
Ronnie lives a quiet life these days in Central Ontario with his loyal wife of over 50 years, Wanda. His is a fascinating story...to say the least!

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Mitch Field immigrated to Canada from England as a young boy, but not before he had the chance to see the Beatles live in concert right before they broke internationally on the Ed Sullivan show. Like so many of our classic rock icons, Mitch was inspired by the Fab Four to become a musician. One of his first gigs was drumming for John Lee Hooker & he's never looked back since then. In this episode we talk about how he bluffed his way into a recording contract with CBS records & subsequently recruited an already formed & experienced band to become Hellfield. We also discuss the corporatization of the music business....& a whole lot more.

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David Carruthers is a Children's book author & Social enterprise entrepreneur & philanthropist.
He has spent years dedicating himself to empowering kids & youths, traveling to over 250 schools giving inspirational talks. David is also in the business of helping new authors to get their works published.
We discuss all this and more during this episode. You can dig further into the services offered by David & his partners at this link https://www.yourhousespc.com/

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John Rowlands is a world renowned arts & entertainment photographer, having shot photos for major record labels over the years including pics of the Beatles, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, Leonard Cohen ...among others. Since his retirement, he's suffered a couple of major strokes. The most recent one nearly killed him & he needs our help on his road to recovery. While we did discuss certain parts of his history as "Photographer to the Stars" (something he is reluctant to call himself in spite of his illustrious career shooting the stars) the main reason I'm releasing this episode is to ask you to help John out by contributing to his recovery via the facebook fundraiser in his name. https://www.facebook.com/donate/736986177199992/

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Larry Mercey is a seminal figure in the Canadian Country music scene. He started out as a solo act, singing on radio in the late 1950s. His Mother documented every show he played in her own journal & that journal of hers was instrumental in inspiring Larry to write his autobiography "Have Mercey My first 60 years making music". In this episode, we discuss how he started out & ultimately brought his two brothers into the act, becoming The Mercey Brothers. The band of brothers performed together for 30 years & won multiple Juno awards, have been inducted into the Canadian Country Music HOF....among other prestigious accolades!
The Mercey Brothers were a well oiled machine when it came to managing the business side of the music business & enjoyed a very successful career together. When the three brothers called it quits, Larry continued soldiering on, once again as a solo act & has recently formed a new trio of friends who've been busy making even more musical magic. His new book is available via his E Mail larrymercey40@gmail.com

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Jeff Alexander is a two time Grand prize winning guitarist who was on his way to fame & fortune, having opened for Trooper, April Wine & Honeymoon Suite. In his prime as a virtuoso guitarist, he rubbed shoulders with Steve Vai & George Lynch. Sadly, he caught a flu bug that weakened his immune system to the point where he became afflicted with Multiple Sclerosis. In this episode, we discuss his journey from his very early beginnings as a 4 year old learning to play guitar in his Dad's kitchen in Newfoundland, to the present day. He is determined to one day pick up his guitar & shred again. His is an inspirational story of hope & I think you're gonna like it.

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Henry Small is one of North America's most under rated singers. He started playing violin & piano as a young boy & went from playing in early bands from Upstate New York to his first successful band, Scrubbaloe Caine (a band that also included Paul Dean of Loverboy fame) out of Calgary Alberta, Canada. It didn't take Henry too long before being noticed by Burton Cummings & being invited by Burton's management to join Burton's touring band singing back up. He would go from there to replacing original Prism lead singer Ron Tabak. With Henry on board, Prism had some of their biggest success with record sales. He's also had a fair bit of success with his own band Small Wonder.
He's worked with a venerable "who's who" in the music business including Aynsley Dunbar, Tim Bogert & John Entwistle among others. We chat about all that and more in this episode.

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After 36 episodes, I thought I'd introduce myself to anyone who enjoys this show ....but may not know who I am or where I came from. This episode will hopefully explain just how I met some of my famous guests. This is the story of a kid from a small town in North Bay Ontario, Canada who started playing professionally at 17 years old & what happened after I left my small pond, seeking my own fame & fortune.

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Kim Berly is most recognized as the Drummer with the iconic Canadian band, The Stampeders.
He got his first set of drums at the young age of 15, and was a member of The Stampeders soon after. The original six members of the band left Calgary for Toronto to launch their historic career when Kim was only 17 years old.
There first show in Ontario was at the Blue Spruce Hotel in North Bay Ontario in the mid 1960s & aside from a period in the 1980s, they've been going strong ever since. Having achieved multiple international chart topping hits, including Sweet City Woman, Carry Me, etc., along with a couple written & sung by Kim Berly, Oh My Lady & Minstrel Gypsy.
In this interview we discuss Kim's life inside and outside of the Stampeders ....and a lot more!

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Legendary Canadian rocker Myles Goodwyn left this mortal coil on December 3rd 2023 after a lenghty battle with various illnesses.
On December 18th 2023, I was fortunate to share memories from the life & times of Myles Goodwyn with his three surviving original co founding members of April Wine.
David, Ritchie & Jim Henman gave their individual & personal thoughts in memory their fallen brother in this episode.
This is a heartfelt tribute to the late great Myles Goodwyn from those who knew him best when April Wine first took the stage way back then.
Join us as we celebrate the life & legacy of an iconic Canadian musical treasure.
Rest in peace Myles Goodwyn June 23 1948-December 3 2023

You can help me to keep producing shows like this one by going to the following link. Just copy & paste it into your web browser. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tsolobandq

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This is my special Christmas Edition featuring warm wishes from Darby Mills, Bruce Good, Ronnie King, Kim Berly, Sarah Smith, Christine Newland, Keith Hampshire, Holly Woods, Rainer & Cindy Wiechmann, Frank Soda, Robb Reiner, Ellen Mcilwaine, Walter Zwol, John Rowlands, Terry Draper, Dee Long, Ken Tobias, Henry Small, David Henman & Tommy Hunter.
We all know that 2020 has been a tough year filled with stress & loss for many. This is our collective Christmas hug from us to you, wishing you the best possible holiday season & a much brighter New Year ahead!

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Terry Draper was one third of the infamous Canadian band who the world thought was really the Beatles.
As a young boy, he shared a room with his Uncle who was only a few years his senior & the two would spend a lot of time listening to early rock & roll records together after school. So he was already a fan of the music by the time the Beatles stormed North America on the Ed Sullivan show, & like so many others was inspired by the Fab Four to pick up an instrument.
Having previously played in a bar band with Dee Long & John Woloschuk , he was their natural choice to complete the band Klaatu once they started recording their first album.
A recent inductee into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame for his co writing the huge hit "Calling all occupants", Terry has done a lot of things outside the music including being a roofer & general handyman. However, He has never stopped recording new music.
We discuss all this & more during this episode.

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Christine Newland is a celebrated Cellist from London, Ontario. She has been a principle Cellist in both the old disbanded & the new London Orchestra. She has performed on CBC TV in Canada & on the BBC overseas. A respected session player, she has worked with many artists from symphonic to pop & rock acts. Having toured the world, her career started at 17 years old & she's seen & done it all as a very accomplished artist. Christine is also a portrait artist of note & has done portraits for many including Jann Arden, who she calls a friend.
She's also very passionate about her concerns for our natural environment & her love for animals.
Christine is a multiple award winning player having been a Canada council supported artist while she toured Europe etc.
We discuss all this and more in this episode.

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Dee Long was a founding member & one of the front men with the notorious Canadian band, Klaatu.
Even though their debut album took three years to record, it was initially a flop....until rumours spread around the globe that Klaatu was secretly a reunited Beatles.
Over the years, Dee has worked in studio with some of the very best including George Martin, Duran Duran, Strange Advance, Lisa Dalbello etc.
Today he uses his music to express his concerns for the natural environment& to rally against corporate greed. We discuss all this and a lot more in this episode.

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Brian Gagnon is a singer/songwriter/multi instrumentalist who made a name for himself in the 1970s & 80s singing & playing bass with classic Canadian bands Dillinger, The Hunt & Frank Soda. Since then, he's been doing a lot of studio work as an audio engineer, producer & writer of commercials & demos for others. He recorded demos for Shania Twain that she took to Nashville & got her career on track with.
We discuss all this and more in this episode.

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Bruce Good along with his twin Brother Brian were influenced by their musically talented parents to start playing music when they were very young. Their talent as multi instrumentalists, coupled with the good fortune of being in the right place & the right time caught the attention of promoters Kenny Walker & Thor & George Eaton (famous Eaton family) who booked them to open for Bonnie & Delaney & Grand Funk Railroad at Massey gardens. This lead to many more high profile shows & a temporary stay in California. Feeling homesick & with wives & young children waiting at home, Bruce & Brian parted ways with their partner James Ackroyd & returned to Toronto, Ontario where they recruited their younger brother Larry & became the Good Brothers. Gordon Lightfoot acted as their mentor & encouraged them to focus on writing their own material. They haven't looked back since & have logged over 50 years in the music business.
We talked about all of this and a lot more in this episode.

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Steve "Lips" Kudlow has enjoyed a long & illustrious career as lead singer/song writer & lead guitarist with Canadian metal band Anvil. His band is well documented for influencing some of the best selling Metal acts in the world including Metallica, Anthrax etc. . We discuss the keys to good song writing, what we'd do without music & the mutual struggle due to Covid-19 among other things.
In this interview Steve tells me about his personal disdain for social media, Anvil's TV & Movie appearances & a whole lot more. *warning ....Steve drops a few F bombs during our conversation.

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Keith Hampshire's story begins as his family immigrated from England to Canada & landed eventually in Alberta. His singing started in the church choir & that's where his 1st pro gig came from....singing at a funeral. As a young man, his band Keith & the Variations built a solid following in Alberta, BC & Saskatchewan culminating with them opening for Roy Orbison. Feeling like he had reached his potential with the Variations & life in Alberta, he returned to England where he had a stint as a Dee Jay on the infamous Radio Caroline/Pirate Radio. Upon his return to Canada, things started going his way in both the music & acting fields. We discuss all of this & a lot more in this episode of Tommy Solo's Famous Friends.

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Joey Hollingsworth grew up in London Ontario along with his lifetime pal, Tommy Hunter. They both left London for Toronto in search of their fame & fortune & eventually both would make their mark. Joey was the 1st Black man to appear on CBC television & would continue to break the colour barrier through out his long and illustrious career. He dealt with racism along the way, but never let it slow him down as he would appear on the Wayne & Schuster show, the Ed Sullivan show, Mr Rogers etc. He is a multiple award winning singer, dancer & percussionist & he tells me his story with great joy in this înterview.

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As an immigrant to Canada from Holland as a young boy, Ronnie King quickly adapted to life as a Canuck. His journey as an iconic rock & roller started early. In this episode, we discuss his learning to play guitar on a used guitar with one string that his Dad brought home to him as a gift, along with the early years with the original six piece version of the Stampeders, driving from Calgary to Toronto in the 1960s in an old broken down limo and more. Ronnie chuckles as he tells me about life in the Stampeders. We also discuss his acting career, appearing on both Don Kirshner's Rock concert & the Dating game. Ronnie King along with Rich Dodson & Kim Berley forged paths for many other great Canadian bands to follow & he tells us all about it in this episode.

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You may know Terry Draper from his tenure with the classic Canadian band Klaatu. Did you know he has just released his 20th solo record? His new release "In the beginning" is a quirky prog pop collection featuring solid songwriting & solid performances throughout.
And this time Terry harkens back to the glory days of album packaging as inspired by the classic albums from the Beatles, Pink Floyd etc..
I reached him at his winter home in Florida to talk about In the beginning.
While we certainly do discuss his new album, Terry spent the better part of our chat praising the artists he's worked with both on this & previous projects.

All aboard for this inspired conversation!

Get In the beginning at this site: https://www.terrydraper.com/

And maybe buy me a coffee if you like my show?
Here's where you can support Tommy Solo's Famous Friends :

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tsolobandq

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Holly Woods spent years developing her craft before she broke onto the Canadian musical scene with the highly successful band, Toronto.
We discussed how she started out in music & how she & an early band called Sass would come to Canada from Upstate New York & stay at Larry's Hide away in Toronto while playing gigs at other local venues. She tells us how the band Toronto came together & talks about her collaborations with Brian Too Loud McLeod & Darby Mills etc.
We talked about these things and a lot more including her brand new release "the Demos have magic" .

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Ken Tobias is a singer/songwriter with decades of accolades & achievements under his belt. From his days singing duets with Anne Murray in the early 1960s on CBC TV, being signed to a major record label by Bill Medley of Righteous brothers fame and on. One of Ken's biggest claims to fame was writing the multi million selling hit "Stay awhile" as recorded by the Bells. We talk about these things and a whole lot more in this interview.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tommy-solo-s-famous-friends--4318572/support.

Jim Corbett is known as the bass player in the classic Canadian rock band Thundermug. A veteran of the golden years of rock & roll, he has a lot of stories to tell & we discuss a lot of musical history in this interview.
We talk about the early years when Thundermug hobbled together an old 1958 one ton school bus & moved from London, Ontario to Toronto & were eventually signed to a record deal. Jim tells us about close encounters with other up & coming acts of the day Rush & BTO.
Listen to this interview to hear how Jim went from an addict caught up in rock & roll excess to a pillar of society today.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tommy-solo-s-famous-friends--4318572/support.