The Raftsmen was a Canadian folk music group, active through the 1960s, which performed Canadian and traditional folk songs. They collectively played 15 different instruments, including guitar, banjo and percussion, and sang songs in 13 languages.

History

The Raftsmen was formed by Louis Leroux, Martin Overland and Marvin Burke. Overland had been the lead singer/guitarist/music arranger for the 1950s Montreal trio, "The Strangers", along with his sister Arlene on

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and drummer Leon Segal. The band made a number of recordings for RCA (RCA Camden in the United States), and performed in both Miami and Montreal in 1962. In 1963 they also recorded an album in Montreal, ''A Night at Le Pavillon'', based on a live folk performance. That year, the band performed on ''Let's Sing Out'', a

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series hosted by folk singer

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. The band recorded a track for the RCA Victor compilation album ''All-Star All-Time Folk Festival''. In 1964 the group were guests on Brand's radio show in Montreal. The Raftsmen's single (on Apex Records) of Brand’s ''

Something to Sing About "Something to Sing About" (actual title: "This Land of Ours") is one of Canada's national songs, a patriotic song written by folk singer Oscar Brand that sings the praises of the many different regions of Canada. It has some similarities to "Sco ...

'' sold nationally and appeared on local radio charts during the time period leading up to the Canadian centennial in 1967. Overland and Burke later left the band, and Leroux, bassist Guy Pilette, and 12-string guitarist and arranger

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, formed a successor band known as The New Raftsmen and The Raftsmen III. This group toured and performed primarily in Eastern Canada and recorded for Banff, Rodeo, Melbourne and 20th Century Fox Records. Its single of

Gordon Lightfoot Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. (born November 17, 1938) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music. He is credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1960 ...

’s ''The Hands I Love'' (known also as '' Song For A Winter's Night'') received considerable air play. Leroux later toured with

Nana Mouskouri Ioanna "Nana" Mouskouri ( el, Ιωάννα "Νάνα" Μούσχουρη ) (born 13 October 1934) is a Greek singer. Over the span of her career, she has released over 200 albums in at least twelve languages, including Greek, French, English, Ger ...

for the better part of ten years, then became a Latin guitar player in session work and released a pair of instrumental solo albums. He subsequently taught flamenco-style guitar technique.

Discography

Albums

* ''Down in the Valley'', 1961, RCA Victor * ''This Land Is Your Land'', 1963, RCA Camden * ''The Raftsmen'', 1963, Canadian Talent Library * ''Here and There With the Raftsmen'', 1964, RCA Victor * ''A Night At Le Pavillon'', 1965, RCA * ''On Target'' (as The Raftsmen III), 1967, Banff Records * ''The Raftsmen'', 1967, Rodeo Records

Singles

* "Yellow Bird" (Choucounne) (P'tits Oiseaux)/"Shame and Scandal" (7"), 1961, RCA Victor * "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream"/"Walking on the Green Grass", 1962, RCA Victor * "Down in the Valley"/"Tarrytown", 1962, RCA Victor * "The Drinkin' Gourd"/"Rubbery Scrubbedy", 1962, RCA Victor * "Aye, Pepina"/"Pour Toi Seule", 1964, Apex * "Something To Sing About"/" Kelligrew's Soiree", 1964, Apex * "Hands I Love"/"Haunted House", 1967, Melbourne Records & 20th Century Fox * "Song For A Nation"/"Goodbye To All My Dreams", 1968, Melbourne Records

References

External links

The Raftsmen at VH1.com

The Raftsmen at itcamefromcanada.com

The Raftsmen music "Down in the Valley"

canadianbands.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Raftsmen, The Canadian folk music groups