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organist Val
Stevens, "Keep On Running" was released in January, 1968, on early indie label Boo! Records. Within weeks, the band had recorded a second single, "Thinkin' About You" b/w "You Got What I Want", both penned by Toronto songwriter Al Rain. Both singles were recorded with guest sax player and
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performed in popular
Toronto R&B venues as Eddie Spencer & The Power. On 31 December 1966, the band announced that a new frontman, vocalist Ellis Grant Smith, would replace Eddie Spencer, and that guitarist Jim Pauley would take over from Les Morris. Smith and Pauley were both from popular
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In the fall of 1967, the band recorded its debut single, an R&B version of "Keep On
Running", previously a hit for The Spencer Davis Group, at Toronto music mogul Art Snider’s Sound Canada studios in Don Mills, Ontario. Backed with "Her Own Life", an original composition by Grant Smith and
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251:(drums) and William Smith (keyboards) was responsible for recording the bulk of the group’s album in November 1968, which also included the band’s debut single. In early 1969, however, Marco, Kennedy, Smith and Stone left to form Motherlode, who had a massive hit with "
176:, after which the band headed to the United States, spending 1967's famous "Summer of Love" working clubs in the Boston area and in upstate New York. On the band's return to Toronto in early September, Jim Pauley left the band and was replaced by guitarist Jon Palma.
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During its first year, the band established a solid fan base on southern
Ontario's dance circuit, billed either as E. G. Smith & The Power or as Grant Smith & The Power. Shortly after a June 27, 1967 show at the Broom and Stone in
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London (Ontario) band E. G. Smith & The
Express. Shortly after, the band's advisor, Brian "Otis" Ayers -- who had earlier played with Ralph Miller in Las Vegas showband The Beau Keys -- replaced Jerry Mann on sax. Within a few weeks,
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replaced Palma. Marco had played with The Upset, but especially with Ayres and Ralph Miller in The Beau Keys during the mid-‘60s. On March 17, 1968, between U.S. dates, Grant Smith & The Power opened for
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273:. Former Franklin Sheppard sideman, Frank De Felice, filled in for the last few months on drums before joining Jericho in March 1970. The band split up at this stage.
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and The Power
Project) came in as replacements and remained until February 1970 when they were recruited to join Crowbar. (Chirowski later did sessions for
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Bassist Joe
Agnello also came in at this time from the Lee Ashford Blues Band, though he soon left to rejoin his old mates in a renamed
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Drummer Sonny "Jiggs" Bernardi (from The Spirit Revue) and keyboard player Josef
Chirowski (from various bands, including
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on the grounds that he could play bass on the pedals of his
Hammond organ, meaning there would be fewer musicians to pay.
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The revised line up, comprising Grant Smith (vocals), Ralph Miller (trumpet), Brian Ayres and Steve
Kennedy (saxophone),
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385:"Kenny Marco Story: Grant Smith & The Power/Motherlode" by John Mars, Blitz magazine, Number 43, July–August 1982.
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were a popular Canadian (from Toronto) rock-soul outfit from the 1960s that had a hit with a cover of Jackie Edwards' "
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member, Steve Kennedy joined full-time on saxophone. Following a show at the Hidden Valley in
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This article is about the Canadian band. For other people of the same name, see
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236:'s Khan), Kennedy convinced the group to recruit fellow former Soul Searcher
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45 - "Thinkin’ About You" c/w "You Got What I Want" (MGM 13979), 1968
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381:"Grant Smith & The Power" in Canadian Teen Magazine, May 1967.
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Bill Munson interviews with Steve Kennedy, 1977, 1998.
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LP - "Grant Smith & The Power" (BOO 6802), 1968
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336:"Canadian Bands.com - Grant Smith & The Power"
218:Dianne Brooks, Eric Mercury and The Soul Searchers
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155:Ralph Miller, and Jerry Mann (Shymanski) on
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216:Back in Canada later that summer, former
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437:Musical groups disestablished in 1970
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286:" c/w "Her Own Life" (BOO 681), 1968
392:interview with Mike Harrison, 2004.
432:Musical groups established in 1966
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462:1970 disestablishments in Ontario
360:"Ontario Archives | Page 3 of 5"
131:Forming early in October 1966,
457:1966 establishments in Ontario
310:Warburton, Nick (2009-03-09).
151:Charlie Miller, (his brother)
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412:The Canadian Pop Encyclopedia
191:While in New York, guitarist
111:" (previously a big hit for
18:Grant Smith (disambiguation)
442:Musical groups from Toronto
406:Grant Smith & The Power
312:"Grant Smith and the Power"
105:Grant Smith & The Power
27:Grant Smith & The Power
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452:Canadian soul music groups
447:Canadian rock music groups
226:McKenna Mendelson Mainline
117:McKenna Mendelson Mainline
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417:GRANT SMITH AND THE POWER
113:The Spencer Davis Group
238:William "Smitty" Smith
340:www.canadianbands.com
202:Spanky & Our Gang
162:Wayne "Stoney" Stone
222:Huntsville, Ontario
174:Grand Bend, Ontario
415:Garage Hangover -
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94:Official URL
56:Years active
249:Wayne Stone
198:The Hollies
193:Kenny Marco
170:Scarborough
426:Categories
369:2018-12-11
345:2018-12-11
321:2018-12-11
297:References
277:Recordings
253:When I Die
247:(guitar),
121:Motherlode
80:Motherlode
245:Ken Marco
153:trumpeter
141:guitarist
50:Rock-soul
182:de facto
137:organist
133:vocalist
76:Spinoffs
260:Mandala
149:drummer
145:bassist
90:Website
37:Toronto
282:45 - "
65:Labels
47:Genres
41:Canada
33:Origin
68:BOO,
60:1960s
410:Jam!
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