Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
pop and folk band based in
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...
,
Manitoba
Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...
, active from 1967 to 1973.
History
The band sprung from a Winnipeg cover band called The Griffins, which was founded in 1965 and consisted of guitarists Phil O'Connell and Ron Harder, singer Don Carrier, drummer Kenn Richard and bassist Larry Mahler. Michael Gillespie came in as the band's manager; Harder left and was replaced by Ken Lowry on keyboards. In 1967, Geoff Marin and John McInnes, from the Winnipeg band The Mongrels, joined the group. McInnes brought in his girlfriend, Kathleen Murphy, and her sisters Maureen and Aileen, all of whom were singers. The band's name was changed to Sugar & Spice, and they were signed to Franklin, an independent Winnipeg label."Sugar and Spice" ''Canuckistan Music'', Michael Panontin
In 1968, Sugar & Spice released two singles written by
Randy Bachman
Randolph Charles Bachman (; born September 27, 1943) is a Canadian guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He was a founding member of the bands The Guess Who and Bachman–Turner Overdrive. Bachman recorded as a solo artist and was part of a num ...
--"Not to Return" and "I Don't Need Anything". Two others, "Day by Day" and "It's Growin'" were barely noticed, but
"Off the TRACK" ''Winnipeg Free Press'', John Einarson, 09/29/2013 "Not to Return" got heavy airplay in Winnipeg and modest airplay in other markets. The band began playing shows throughout the prairies and into Ontario, beginning with the
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a Canadian public research university in the province of Manitoba.Peter Paul & Mary's "Cruel War", which sold 23,000 copies and topped the RPM Canadian Content Chart in March that year, rising to #31 on the RPM Top Singles Chart. The record was produced by Bob Burns, who hosted the Winnipeg television program ''Teen Dance Party''. The band performed on the show, and that led to several high-profile gigs, including opening for
Sonny & Cher
Sonny & Cher were an American pop and entertainment duo in the 1960s and 1970s, made up of husband and wife Sonny Bono and Cher. The couple started their career in the mid-1960s as R&B backing singers for record producer Phil Spector.
The pair f ...
and
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...
. They also performed the song on the CJAY television show ''Young As You Are''.
The band replaced Gillespie with new manager Frank Weiner; from there, the band would see constant personnel changes. But, in late 1969, they released another charting single, "Something to Believe", (#90) written by Russell Thornberry of
The New Christy Minstrels
The New Christy Minstrels are an American large-ensemble folk music group founded by Randy Sparks in 1961. The group has recorded more than 20 albums and scored several hits, including " Green, Green", "Saturday Night", "Today", "Denver", and " ...
. Thornberry also wrote the B side, "Without You Babe", which did not chart. The band headlined at the Manitoba's first rock festival the
Niverville Pop Festival
The Niverville Pop Festival was a rock music festival held on an acreage southeast of Niverville, Manitoba on May 24, 1970. Held nine months after Woodstock, the festival is widely regarded as the first rock festival in Manitoba and one of the most ...
in the summer of 1970. Two more singles written by Bachman, "Whisper Girl Shining" and "Judith and the Windswept" also failed to chart.
By 1970, two Saskatoon musicians had joined the band--Brian Meissner and drummer Laurie Currie--and the band released two more singles, with Meissner on vocals: "Angeline" and "It's Been a Long Time". By 1971, there was one female voice left in the band and they decided to drop the 'Sugar' from their moniker. Spice released two singles written by Meissner: "Sweet Talkin' Woman" and "Strawberry Wine", which peaked at #25.
In 1972 the band relocated to Toronto, where they were briefly managed by Rush manager
Ray Danniels
Ray Danniels is a Canadian music executive, record producer, and talent manager. He's the founder of SRO (Standing Room Only) Management group, as well as independent record labels Moon Records and Anthem Records. He first rose to prominence a ...
. But they failed to find traction and disbanded in 1973.