Chilliwack

Chilliwack. Vancouver rock band, active 1970-88. It was preceded by the Classics 1964-6 and the Collectors 1966-70. The latter - Howie Vickers (vocals), Bill Henderson (guitar, vocals), Claire Lawrence (saxophone, keyboards), Glenn Miller (bass guitar) and Ross Turney (drums) - had minor Canadian hits in 1967 with 'Looking at a Baby' and 'Fisherwoman' and in 1968 with 'Lydia Purple'. The Collectors composed and performed music for George Ryga's play Grass and Wild Strawberries, for the NFB's Don't Let Angels Fall, and for a multi-media presentation at the Canadian pavilion at Expo 70, Osaka, Japan. They appeared along the US west coast (Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc), in western Canadian cities, and in Osaka. Their penchant for extended improvisation (eg, in Lawrence's 'What Love Suite ') was in keeping with the 'psychedelic' style prevalent among west-coast bands of the day, and carried over into Chilliwack's early years (eg, 'Raino').

Chilliwack effectively began with the departure of Vickers from the Collectors in 1969, although the new name was not adopted until 1970. Chilliwack's 18-year history, which saw the band move in a more commercial direction, was marked by periods of inactivity and many changes in personnel. Henderson (b Vancouver 6 Nov 1944) was the only constant member; he wrote or co-wrote most of the band's songs, and his boyish voice, easy falsetto and tasteful guitar playing were Chilliwack trademarks. Henderson, Turney, Miller and, as of 1973, the guitarist Howard Froese, were principal members of one version of the band, active until 1978. Its singles 'Lonesome Mary' (1971), 'Crazy Talk' (1975) and 'Fly at Night' (1977) were Canadian hits and enjoyed some US exposure. Canadian sales of the LP Lights from the Valley exceeded 100,000.

Brian 'Too Loud' MacLeod (guitar, keyboards, drums) joined in 1978. Henderson, MacLeod and Ab Bryant (bass guitar) were core members 1979-83 of the second and most successful version of Chilliwack. The singles 'My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone)' (1981) and 'I Believe' and 'Whatcha Gonna Do (When I'm Gone)' (1982) were popular in Canada and the USA, and the LPs Wanna Be a Star and Opus X each exceeded 100,000 in domestic sales. Henderson recorded the LP Look In Look Out with studio musicians, and then toured 1984-8 with still other players, including Claire Lawrence. Throughout its history Chilliwack travelled widely, if intermittently, in Canada, and worked occasionally in the USA, where the popularity of 'My Girl' also brought the band TV appearances in 1981. It gave its last concert in December 1988 in Nocisia, Cyprus, at the conclusion of a tour of Canadian military bases in Europe.

Henderson began touring in 1989 in the contemporary folk trio UHF completed by Roy Forbes and Shari Ulrich. He has produced records by Long John Baldry, the Good Brothers, and Toronto in collaboration with Brian MacLeod, and by the Irish Rovers, Junior Gone Wild, and theNylons on his own. His 'When I Sing,' heard in the feature film Bye Bye Blues, won a Genie Award in 1990 for best original song.

Discography

THE COLLECTORS

The Collectors. 1967. New Supreme WS-1746

Grass and Wild Strawberries. 1968. New Syndrome WS-1774

CHILLIWACK

Chilliwack. 1970. Parrot PAS-71040

Chilliwack. 1971. 2-A&M SP-3509

All Over You. 1972. A&M SP-4375

Riding High. 1974. Goldfish CA-1003

Rockerbox. 1975. Casino CA-1006

Dreams, Dreams, Dreams. 1976. Mushroom MRS-5006

Lights from the Valley. 1978. Mushroom MRS-5011

Breakdown in Paradise. 1979. Mushroom MRS-5015

Wanna Be a Star. (1981). Solid Gold SGR-1006

Opus X. (1982). Solid Gold SGR-1014

Look In Look Out. 1984. Solid Gold SGR-1023

Also, two 'best of' compilations: Segue (Solid Gold SGR-1020), issued in 1983, and Greatest Hits (CBS VCK-80129, CD), in 1989

Bibliography

Read, Jeani. 'Chilliwack ridin' high with West Coast rock,' Vancouver Province, 9 Jan 1975

Stanley, Don. 'Coming down the road with Chilliwack,' Vancouver Sun, 24 Jan 1975

Read, Jeani. 'The character of the west reflected in Chilliwack's music,' MSc, 282, Mar-Apr 1975

Hall, Neal. 'Chilliwack's leader of the band,' Vancouver Sun, 2 Nov 1982

Twigg, John. 'Music business can be tough in Canada,' Regina Leader-Post, 13 Dec 1982

'Interview: Bill Henderson,' Hook, Line & Singer, vol 5, Nov-Dec 1988

Links to Other Sites
Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada
The website for SOCAN, the Canadian copyright collective for composers, authors and publishers. Check out "SOCAN Interactive" for videos and audio clips of Canadian performers. Also see the latest news about SOCAN award winners and events, online articles about the Canadian music scene, and much more.

Western Canadian Music Awards
The website for the Western Canadian Music Alliance, which promotes the best in western Canadian music. Features the latest news about their annual awards gala. For a listing of previous winners and Hall of Fame inductees, click on the "Awards" link.