Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!
undefined
undefined

       ae_logo.gif - 2272 Bytes

    BIOGRAPHY

img0A.GIF - 40075 Bytes
The Esquires

       Over the years the band has included the following musical talent : -

Bob Harrington (vocals) 
Don Norman (vocals; replaced Harrington) 
Brian "Lewis" Lewicki (vocals, guitar, bass; replaced Norman) 
Gary Comeau (lead guitar and vocals) 
Paul Huot (rhythm guitar and vocals) 
Clint Hierlihy (bass) 
Richard Patterson (drums) 
Gail Thompson (vocals)
Bert Hurd (drums) 
Ted Gerow (keyboards and vocals)
John Cassidy (guitar and vocals)
Bernie Jessome (vocals)
Douglas Orr (bass) 
       Bruce Cockburn (guitar, vocals) 
Robert Coulthart (drums) 
Mike Argue (guitar and vocals)

The Esquires were formed in Canada's Capital city Ottawa in
1962 and played their first show at the Rockcliffe Air Base
Teen Club. After they joined the Musicians' Union in 1963,
they were contracted weekend regulars at the Pineland
Dance Pavilion.

The band's sound was influenced by pre-British Invasion Pop Stars
'Cliff Richard and the Shadows'.

They were first managed by Ottawa Journal columnist Sandy
Gardner who landed them prestigious dates with some of the
'60's biggest rock and roll stars such as The Rolling Stones,
The Beach Boys, Dave Clark 5 and Roy Orbison.

Early on Richard Patterson brought in old pal Brian Lewicki
(the two were in a band originally called the Vibra Tones) as
a bassist. Soon Lewicki switched to guitar and eventually
replaced lead vocalist Don Norman in the group when
Norman went on to form Don Norman & The Other Four.
[

A career highlight was being part of The Dick Clark Caravan of Stars at
Faucher Stadium with the likes of Gene Pitney, The Dovells,
Paul And Paula, and The Tymes.

The were signed by Capitol Records and their first single
was "Atlantis" in 1963, followed by "The Man From
Adano", and their biggest hit "So Many Other Boys"(A Don Norman original) in late
1964 which won them a Red Leaf Award - predecessor of
the Juno - for Best Vocal And Instrumental Group in 1964.
At this time their management was taken over by
Harvey Glatt Ottawa's leading Pop Concert producer and owner
of the City's number one record store chain The Treble Clef .

Several more singles and an album followed before they
switched to Columbia Records were they also cut several
sides.
( It's a Dirty Shame / Devoted to you )
       ( Love hides a multitude of Sins / Why should I care )

Fame was fleeting and they finally disbanded in 1967. At
that time the band was Lewicki, Coulthart, Orr and Cockburn.

A 25th Anniversary reunion occurred in 1987 with Norman,
Huot, Comeau, Patterson, Lewicki and Hierlihy.

In 1993 two music clips featuring the band were uncovered - "The Man From
Adano" and "Gee Whiz It's You" (featuring original vocalist
Bob Harrington). The former is considered the first
Canadian music video ever made. The clips were aired on
television for the first time on CBC-TV and frequently pop
up on MuchMusic. The original footage was donated to the
National Archives in Ottawa.

Patterson went on to join Three's A Crowd with Bruce
Cockburn, David Wiffen and Colleen Peterson following the
Esquires; Coulthart and Orr were stolen away by Peter
Jermyn of Luke & The Apostles to form The Modern Rock
Quartet; Gerow went on to join The Staccatos which later
evolved into Five Man Electrical Band.

In May of 2001 Capitol/EMI re-released
INTRODUCING THE ESQUIRES
on CD.

                                            
Singles 
1963 Atlantis/I've Lost My Girl (Capitol)

1964 The Man From Adano/Gee Whiz It's You (Capitol) 
1964 So Many Other Ways/The Oldest Story (Capitol)

1965 Cry Is All I Do/We've Got A Future (Capitol) 
1965 Love's Made A Fool Of You/Summertime (Capitol)

1966 It's A Dirty Shame/Devoted to You (Columbia) 
1966 Love Hides A Multitude Of Sins/Why Should I Care? (Columbia)

Albums 
1964 Introducing The Esquires (Capitol)

 

Posted with Pending Permission from Jaimie and Sharon Vernon of The Canadian Music Encyclopedia

encyclo_ban_cdn.gif - 3768 Bytesencyclo_ban_titles.gif - 2557 Bytes

 

           M0rtav88.gif - 7477 Bytes