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(Bio
courtesy of www.canadianbands.com) Born in Hamilton, Ontario
in 1950, Ian Thomas' love for music began with
piano lessons at age 6. After picking up the
guitar at age 14, he began exploring different
facets of music and moved to Toronto. He found
himself in a folk trio in the mid 60's with Nora
Hutchinson and Oliver MacLeod, uncreatively known
as Ian, Oliver and Norah ... or was it Oliver,
Norah and Ian ? By '69 they were joined by Nancy
Ward and Bob Doidge and were now known as
Tranquility Base, and steadily gained a loyal fan
base while touring across Canada. After landing a
deal with RCA Records
in 1970, they released their first single in the
spring of that year. "If You're
Looking" was followed by "In
The Rain" that fall and the
group's progressive folk-roots style gained them
early favourable reviews - enough to record their
first full length album. Part of what made this
unit so unique was their ability to cross over
and meld their sound with The Toronto Symphony
and Hamilton Philharmonic orchestras, their
rock-group in residence being Tranquility Base.
Despite the critical acclaim however, their
inability to get their label to release a second
record caused their breakup in '71. After
moving back to Hamilton, Ian re-defined his sound
over the next year and a half, incorporating a
more modern element to the rock sound he was
trying to explore earlier. He toured the Ontario
bar circuit with make-shift back-up bands during
this time and also broadened his horizons while
working in a local Theatre House.
He
scored a solo deal in '73 with GRT Records and
released his self titled debut that same year. "Painted
Ladies" was an instant gold
hit and would become his most successful single
to date, reaching #4 in Canada and cracking
Billboard's top 40 in the US. The critics had
always taken notice of his talents, and along
with "Come The Son",
"Another" and
"One of Those Days"
the album soon went gold. Thomas also was a
shoe-in for a Juno for 73's Most Promising
Male Vocalist. The same year he
found himself working on a CBC radio
show, again giving him a fresh look on the
industry and allowing him to showcase his
production and comedy talents. THE
NATIONAL ROCK WORKS was a 2 hour
music variety show which also allowed his brother
Dave to get his start before going on to SCTV
and hoser fame & fortune. ...
I'm Bill Needle ... and that's the way I see it!
Ian
travelled to England the next year, releasing
LONG LONG WAY. It pretty much
followed his emerging pattern of writing tight
pop tunes with slick arrangements and hooks. The
title track, "Mother Earth"
and "Tidal Wave" helped
make it his second straight gold record. He
returned to the friendly confines of Toronto's
recording studios in '75 and released DELIGHTS
the same year. Again his work in such hits as "Julie"
earned favour with the critics. His third single,
"The Good Life"
was next - and he soon earned his second straight
gold album. CALABASH
was released in '76 and is considered by many to
be his pinnacle album. Of note is the fact the US
version had a different cover and was called MRS
CALABASH. With the lead-off single "Liars",
it was filled with a rare passion, also evidenced
by the second single "Right
Before Your Eyes" and the
timeless "Goodnight Mrs
Calabash". He embarked on his
first on his longest tour yet, taking him all
over North America and into Europe.
STILL
HERE came out the next year, which
produced the single "Coming
Home". He released GLIDER
in '79 and soon went gold, riding the success of
the singles "Pilot"
and "Time Is The Keeper".
Thomas found himself without a record deal later
that year however, when GRT declared
bankruptcy.
He
was picked up by Anthem Records
the same year who quick to capitalize on the
name, releasing THE BEST OF IAN
THOMAS, a catalogue of his biggest
hits with his former label. His first actual
record for Anthem, THE RUNNER came
out the next year. Again he was rewarded with
gold, as 3 singles had lengthy stays on radio's
playlists. Unique about the record was all 3 were
covered by other groups as well. - Mannfred Mann
re-did the title track, while Santana gained
critical success as well with "Hold
On", as did Chicago
with their cover of "Chains".
With the financial woes of his label no longer an
issue, he hit the road with a renewed vigor,
playing to sold out shows and rave reviews around
the world for the next year. In between the
hectic schedule, he even found time to make a
guest appearance on SCTV,
showing off his comedic background, and scored
the theme song and co-produced The Hoser movie STRANGE
BREW the same year.
His
next release wouldn't be until 1984. The
eagerly-awaited RIDERS ON DARK HORSES
came out and was bought up just as fast. The hit
single "I'll Do You Right",
proved the name Ian Thomas was still synonymous
with solidly and well-written pop with an edge.
The album's success again took him across the
globe, where he enjoyed a huge following in
Australia, as well as Germany and England,
success he still enjoys to this day. He released ADD
WATER the next year, which
contained the single
"Harmony". 1988 saw the
release of LEVITY,
which spawned the title-track for the only
single. Recorded in both England and Canada, it
featured a vast array of friends which included Lou
Pomanti from Wrabit,
and also included "Losing
Control" and "Modern
Man".
In
'91 he joined a collaberation of other staples of
the Ontario music scene to form The
Boomers. In the band were drummer Rick
Gratton of Rough Trade
and Marc Jordan fame,
guitarist Bill Dillon -
who'd worked with Daniel Lanois
and Joni Mitchell and
bassist Peter Cardinali whose credits included
Rick James and Oscar
Peterson. They released their first
disc later the same year for new label BMG.
WHAT WE DO, which featured the
single "Love You Too Much",
was followed by THE ART OF LIVING
in 1993, backed by "You've Got
To Know" and the title cut.
Anthem released LOOKING BACK
in '95, a recollection of his earlier
chart-toppers and in '96 The Boomers were
still making new hits with the release of their
third record, 25,000 DAYS. After a six year
recording hiatus, due in part to the death of
Ian's father, The Boomers
released their fourth disc, MIDWAY
in September of 2002 - with the lead off track "I
Want To Believe In Something"
the first single. Other songs such as
"Greedy Man" and "Politically
Correct" helped ensure the
world knew one of the tightest groups on the
scene today were back. Further proof of Ian and The
Boomers' appeal is the fact Anne
Murray recorded "Good
Again" and Bette
Midler covered "To
Comfort You".
His
latest project is Lunch at Allen's - one that
includes Murray McLauchlan,
Cindy Church and Marc
Jordan. Ian Thomas
has proven himself to be one of Canada's most
enduring performers, from his early folk
influences to helping shape the sound of Canadian
rock during practically every stage of its
evolution. He's also become somewhat of a fixture
at The Possum Lodge on The Red Green
Show, showing his under-rated
comedic talents and giving the world another view
of one of Canada's true entertainment treasures.
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