Wow, 1966 - 1968 and still rocking and rolling in 2011. Sharing the stage with Grant this weekend at the Chelsea Hotel in Toronto (sitting in with Robbie Lane and the Disciples) was a huge pleasure for me. At one point when Grant was singing his heart out he passed me a look that I will remember.... awesome, thanks for sharing Grant, Bird
The best version of the song. I've heard it on 1050 Chum (Toronto) as a kid many-a-time. I tried searching for it for years. Spencer Davis seems to be the most popular version not knocking Spencer Davis but this version tops it.
My favourite Toronto Canadian Bands Grant was the best entertainer, I believe he is still playing today. Just a good guy too, met him a couple of times. down to earth.
At the Downtown Lounge, Boston in '68, '69 . Was also called the 2 O'clock lounge but not sure when it changed names. This Canadian band was just Phenomenal, and my wife and her sisters (Margie, Paula and Barbara) were solid fans of Grant Smith and the Power when they were in Boston and New York. They went to every gig they could. We even saw him in Toronto in the 70's, as a single act. I think this place was the BlueNote.
... white shoes, Pinstripe stoves with a Spanish waistband, Brut aftershave, at the blue note on a Friday night watching these guys or maybe George Oliver... Toronto in the late 60' s,. I wouldn't trade those nights for anything, I'm glad I got to see it, there was no end to the musical talent coming out of T. O .
I dug those sounds and that look too. In the west end we had 1/4 inch cuffs on our stoves, Ingeborgs, Beatle boots or Spadina strollers, 3/4 down raincoats, a tie tack (black onyx was best) before the top button on your shirt and boogaloo. I saw E G smith when he had two drummers.
The excitement when they came on stage. Same thing with George Oliver. Me at 15 watching history in the Toronto Sound back then in a high school gym. What a showman!
I was lucky enough to be the drummer for the house band at The Bluenote. One night we got to run down the street to a place Grant and The Power were rehearsing. It was a whole lot of years ago but I think one of the drummers was "Stoney" and the other one was Whitey Glan. What a thrill.
+Gary Jones -- One drummer was Wayne Stone and the other was Charlie Miller. That would have been from January to June 1967. The rehearsal room was over the Zanzibar.
+bass0111 Jeez. Do you have this stuff written down or do you have some kind of robot calculator brain? I can't even remember what my address was 10 years ago.
bass0111 Ha! Even so ... *I* was there for most of *my own* life (I think) and I can't remember lots of stuff down to the specific month. Shows, jobs, women, apartments, etc. I'm lucky if I can get within +/- a year or two. And I'm not even ancient like you guys! :) Mucho respect to your powers of memory!
Yeah, I remember the Club Bluenote on Yonge Street. Steve Kennedy was the tenor sax player for the house band. I also played tenor sax, and, at Steve's invitation, I sat in with them one Saturday night - great experience. That club was the real core of R&B at the time. Big-name musicians who were booked into the Town Tavern, the Colonial, and the Friars, would show up after their gigs were finished and hang out at the Bluenote.
Thanks for putting this up. I saw them live about a half dozen times in the late 60's. They were a great show band. This is still a great tune. Now I have to try and find a copy :-)
they played so many times up in Huntsville at Hidden Valley ski chalet,late 60s is when I remember, Mandala too with Triano, many others from TO and beyond like The Yardbyrds with Jimmy Page,in Huntsville yet! fabulous memories from my teens.
Growing up in the 60's and having the chance to live through the Toronto music scene which turned out many great groups and singers for example Grant Smith, George Oliver, David Clayton Thomas, Luke Gibson, Ian & Silva, Edward Bear and so many more outstanding groups and singers. What great memories. to have .
electronmusicjunkie - Grant Smith & the Power was a great 60s R&B band from Toronto. This got huge airplay on CHUM. I did hear it in Detroit back when, but probably because so many Motown folks used to come to Windsor's Elmwood. Got the best of American and Canadian music at that club!
E G Smith & The Power, Mandala, The Ugly Ducklings, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Mainline, so many great people in the Toronto music scene, I also remember the Paupers
Was in the recording studio singing along with them back in the late 60's. Fond memories of the Hawk's Nest on Yonge...a fav there. Had a large following. Dated Brian for awhile during the good old days on yonge street.
I actually had the 45, it was a picture sleeve of them standing under power lines and towers. I have seen the album a few times at record shows but never have I seen the 45 since I owned it. Wish I still had it. Does anyone else remember the 45?
People do forget that thirty years ago much less more the confederate flag was a symbol that most people didn’t think of in terms of slavery and those things. Obviously people should have been more aware, but there was a general ignorance about it. Someone who never would have thought about being associated with a Swastiki may have worn a jacket with a Confederate flag-not realizing that it also could be seen as a symbol of racial hatred. I guess the view was simply that the Confederate flag symbolized “rebellion” in general. Remember in the 1980’s Dukes of Hazard was a popular tv show which heavily featured a Confederate flag decorated car-no one thought anything about it at the time.
I just can't understand how this tune never made it across the border into the US. I first heard this on CHUM 1050AM in the summer of 97 and been looking for the tune til ever since til about a few years ago. There's alot of great music Canada has that never made it to the US airwaves.
Unfortunately, this is the terrible stereo remix with the overbearing horns drowning everything else out. The original single mix was much better, if a lot harder to find.
Charlie Miller, Brian Ayres and Jon Palma have passed on. Ralph Miller, Grant Smith, Wayne Stone, Kenny Marco, Val Stevens, Steve Kennedy and Mike Harrison are still around.
At the risk of dating myself, the first time I saw Grant Smith and the Power (aka EG Smith and the Power) was at a high school dance. To be strictly accurate it wasn't a high school dance but rather a "dance in a high school gym". That said, the only time I saw Eric Burton and the Animals was in the university campus pub.
Wow, 1966 - 1968 and still rocking and rolling in 2011. Sharing the stage with Grant this weekend at the Chelsea Hotel in Toronto (sitting in with Robbie Lane and the Disciples) was a huge pleasure for me. At one point when Grant was singing his heart out he passed me a look that I will remember.... awesome, thanks for sharing Grant, Bird
I remember Robbie Lane and the Disciples, great band. How about Mandela, Kim Mitchell, The Ugly Ducklings lol
I remember seeing them perform. I thought they were incredible!
I saw them live a couple of times, I was 15, amazing
The best version of the song. I've heard it on 1050 Chum (Toronto) as a kid many-a-time. I tried searching for it for years. Spencer Davis seems to be the most popular version not knocking Spencer Davis but this version tops it.
My favourite Toronto Canadian Bands Grant was the best entertainer, I believe he is still playing today. Just a good guy too, met him a couple of times. down to earth.
Grant Smith was (and still is) one of the most dynamic RnB performers ever to come out of Canada.
Saw them back in the 60s. Great band!!!
The person who disliked this couldn't keep on running!
At the Downtown Lounge, Boston in '68, '69 . Was also called the 2 O'clock lounge but not sure when it changed names. This Canadian band was just Phenomenal, and my wife and her sisters (Margie, Paula and Barbara) were solid fans of Grant Smith and the Power when they were in Boston and New York. They went to every gig they could. We even saw him in Toronto in the 70's, as a single act. I think this place was the BlueNote.
... white shoes, Pinstripe stoves with a Spanish waistband, Brut aftershave, at the blue note on a Friday night watching these guys or maybe George Oliver... Toronto in the late 60' s,. I wouldn't trade those nights for anything, I'm glad I got to see it, there was no end to the musical talent coming out of T. O .
I dug those sounds and that look too. In the west end we had 1/4 inch cuffs on our stoves, Ingeborgs, Beatle boots or Spadina strollers, 3/4 down raincoats, a tie tack (black onyx was best) before the top button on your shirt and boogaloo. I saw E G smith when he had two drummers.
Frederick Whittaker-Dus Hold the Brut! lol Jade East maybe.
Hai Karate?
But you gotta Marinate in it. lol
YONGUE St-& Yorkville days--- good memories --
i saw him twice at the port dover summer garden .I saw a lot of good bands there .Grant smith was my fav. Great shows
the summer gardens was a blast
The excitement when they came on stage. Same thing with George Oliver. Me at 15 watching history in the Toronto Sound back then in a high school gym. What a showman!
Love George and Grant. Saw Grant several times in Buffalo.
I was lucky enough to be the drummer for the house band at The Bluenote. One night we got to run down the street to a place Grant and The Power were rehearsing. It was a whole lot of years ago but I think one of the drummers was "Stoney" and the other one was Whitey Glan. What a thrill.
+Gary Jones -- One drummer was Wayne Stone and the other was Charlie Miller. That would have been from January to June 1967. The rehearsal room was over the Zanzibar.
+bass0111 Ah, yes. Thank you! Memories. I had forgotten Charlie.
+bass0111 Jeez. Do you have this stuff written down or do you have some kind of robot calculator brain?
I can't even remember what my address was 10 years ago.
Kristan, I remember because, apart from having a good memory, I was there. I was the bass player in the band.
bass0111 Ha! Even so ... *I* was there for most of *my own* life (I think) and I can't remember lots of stuff down to the specific month. Shows, jobs, women, apartments, etc. I'm lucky if I can get within +/- a year or two. And I'm not even ancient like you guys! :)
Mucho respect to your powers of memory!
Yeah, I remember the Club Bluenote on Yonge Street. Steve Kennedy was the tenor sax player for the house band. I also played tenor sax, and, at Steve's invitation, I sat in with them one Saturday night - great experience. That club was the real core of R&B at the time. Big-name musicians who were booked into the Town Tavern, the Colonial, and the Friars, would show up after their gigs were finished and hang out at the Bluenote.
Thanks for putting this up. I saw them live about a half dozen times in the late 60's. They were a great show band. This is still a great tune. Now I have to try and find a copy :-)
they played so many times up in Huntsville at Hidden Valley ski chalet,late 60s is when I remember,
Mandala too with Triano, many others from TO and beyond like The Yardbyrds with Jimmy Page,in Huntsville yet! fabulous memories from my teens.
I love it. It brings back happy memories.
Growing up in the 60's and having the chance to live through the Toronto music scene which turned out many great groups and singers for example Grant Smith, George Oliver, David Clayton Thomas, Luke Gibson, Ian & Silva, Edward Bear and so many more outstanding groups and singers. What great memories. to have .
Tom Large Ugly Ducklings, The Sparrows...Downchild (a little later)
+ Roy Kenner & Mandala
electronmusicjunkie - Grant Smith & the Power was a great 60s R&B band from Toronto. This got huge airplay on CHUM. I did hear it in Detroit back when, but probably because so many Motown folks used to come to Windsor's Elmwood. Got the best of American and Canadian music at that club!
Thanx for the music. What a great time to be alive.
E G Smith & The Power, Mandala, The Ugly Ducklings, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Mainline, so many great people in the Toronto music scene, I also remember the
Paupers
Great band. 👀
Was in the recording studio singing along with them back in the late 60's. Fond memories of the Hawk's Nest on Yonge...a fav there. Had a large following. Dated Brian for awhile during the good old days on yonge street.
Best Toronto Band.
Two great groups them and the mandala.
Grant smith and george oliver great..
What an absolutely INCENDIARY cover of the old Spencer Davis tune! One of the best covers I think I've ever heard.
My opinion, Keep on Running, Grant Smith is nice, but I Love that version too.
Spencer Davis didn't compose it and I don't know if they were the first to get it on vinyl.
Canadian Talent God we had it good then
Why isn't this on Spotify and other streamers!
2023 ...Still tough to beat G. Smith and the Power!
thanks very much for posting this. brings back fond memories of the 60's in Hogtown..
I actually had the 45, it was a picture sleeve of them standing under power lines and towers. I have seen the album a few times at record shows but never have I seen the 45 since I owned it. Wish I still had it. Does anyone else remember the 45?
The BEST version of the song. 1050 Chum used to play it all the time!!!!!!!!! Can't believe I found it.
I remember them from the Gogue (sp?) Inn dances in the east end....a long run from our west end/downtown base. Loved the Bluenote!!!
I remember hii
Impressive!
good band - hard to beat the original Stevie Winwood vocal
GREAT BAND !!! I saw them perform several times at The Inferno in Buffalo. I would love to get a copy of their album on CD if anyone has it.
i remember going to the Inferno. Too bad the name was an omen of things to come
On Broadway or was it Walden, am I correct? Not the Williamsville location. I saw them several times at the new Inferno.
I always wondered if Stevie Winwood and Spencer Davis ever heard this and if so what they thought?
how can you listen to this and not dance??? Canadian Classic Gold!!!!
What's with the Confederate flag? Weird.
@ John willow - They did tour the U.S. ...so that's likely the explanation.
Val (organist) did it purely as decoration, without being aware of the American political implications. It didn't go over too well at a gig at NYU.
People do forget that thirty years ago much less more the confederate flag was a symbol that most people didn’t think of in terms of slavery and those things. Obviously people should have been more aware, but there was a general ignorance about it. Someone who never would have thought about being associated with a Swastiki may have worn a jacket with a Confederate flag-not realizing that it also could be seen as a symbol of racial hatred. I guess the view was simply that the Confederate flag symbolized “rebellion” in general. Remember in the 1980’s Dukes of Hazard was a popular tv show which heavily featured a Confederate flag decorated car-no one thought anything about it at the time.
And do not forget: “Rebel” Records.
I just can't understand how this tune never made it across the border into the US. I first heard this on CHUM 1050AM in the summer of 97 and been looking for the tune til ever since til about a few years ago. There's alot of great music Canada has that never made it to the US airwaves.
Unfortunately, this is the terrible stereo remix with the overbearing horns drowning everything else out. The original single mix was much better, if a lot harder to find.
Charlie Miller, Brian Ayres and Jon Palma have passed on. Ralph Miller, Grant Smith, Wayne Stone, Kenny Marco, Val Stevens, Steve Kennedy and Mike Harrison are still around.
wayne stones album motherload got loads of good air
R.I.P. Wayne great friend
Very interesting!
Oh .... back to high school! Love it, Toronto produced some fabulous musicians!
TO sure did
At the risk of dating myself, the first time I saw Grant Smith and the Power (aka EG Smith and the Power) was at a high school dance. To be strictly accurate it wasn't a high school dance but rather a "dance in a high school gym".
That said, the only time I saw Eric Burton and the Animals was in the university campus pub.
👍👍👍🍁
GOOD MEMORIES
WOWZ!!!
That's my name