Doug Johnson (Loverboy)

Loverboy
Loverboy at the Juno Awards 2009
Background information
Origin	Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Genres	Rock, hard rock
Years active	1979–1988, 1989, 1991–present
Labels	Columbia, CMC International
Associated acts	Streetheart, Moxy
Website	www.LoverboyBand.com
Members	Mike Reno Paul Dean Doug Johnson Matt Frenette Ken "Spider" Sinnaeve
Past members	Scott Smith

Loverboy is a Canadian rock group formed in 1979 in Calgary, Alberta. Loverboy's hit singles, particularly "Turn Me Loose" and "Working for the Weekend", have become arena rock staples and are still heard on many classic rock and classic hits radio stations across Canada. The band is based in Vancouver.

Throughout the 1980s, Loverboy accumulated numerous hit songs in Canada and the United States, earning four multi-platinum albums and selling millions of records. After being rejected by many American record labels, they signed with Columbia/CBS Records Canada and began recording their first album on March 20, 1980. Loverboy's original lineup was Mike Reno on lead vocals, Paul Dean on guitar, Doug Johnson on keyboards, Scott Smith on bass, and Matt Frenette on drums.

It has been stated by Reno that their name was chosen due to a dream by Paul Dean. He had come up with the name after spending the previous night with some of the band mates, including Reno and their girlfriends, before going to the movies. The girlfriends were browsing through fashion magazines, where the guys in the band saw a Cover Girl advertisement. Cover Girl became Cover Boy, and then became Loverboy in Dean's dream later that night. After being told by Dean about the dream the next morning, Reno agreed to try it out and it stuck. The group made its live debut opening for Kiss at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, B.C. on November 19, 1979.

Originally rejected by all the major record labels in the United States, the band signed with Columbia Records of Canada, and on March 20, 1980, Loverboy went into the studio with producer Bruce Fairbairn and engineer Bob Rock to record what would be their self-titled debut album.