John Finley (musician)
| John Finley | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Soul, Gospel, Rock, R&B |
| Years active | 1963–present |
John Finley (born May 6, 1945 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian singer/songwriter who came to prominence with Toronto R&B band Jon and Lee & The Checkmates and later with the Elektra supergroup Rhinoceros.
Finley's talents reach over many genres, including R&B, Gospel, Jazz and Rock, and is acclaimed for his song writing, recording and live performances. After Rhinoceros, Finley was a member of Blackstone before engaging in projects with Homestead and Michael Quatro. More recently, Finley has worked with the reformed band The Checkmates, and currently leads a contemporary jazz and R&B group, SoulBop!.
Jon & Lee & The Checkmates
In 1964, Finley joined Toronto-based band The Checkmates with the help of Peter Hodgson, the band's bass player and Finley's cousin. With Finley's inclusion, the band was renamed Jon and Lee and The Checkmates. After initial success, the band signed a contract with large RCA, despite Finley's connection with Elektra producer Paul Rothchild, who would eventually recruit Finley to Rhinoceros.
The band struggled to capture their live dynamic in the studio, and eventually relocated to Philadelphia to pursue more original material under the new band name the Jon-Lee Group. The band experienced mixed success, releasing "Bring It Down Front/Pork Chops" in 1967, before splitting the same year. Finley recalls that the band split due to production pressure from Secunda and personal differences that were exacerbated by drug taking.
In 1999, Michael Fonfara, Peter Hodgson and Larry Leishman reformed The Checkmates, and Finley connects with the band from time to time. The band is currently working on a new album.
Rhinoceros
In December 1967, with help again from Peter Hodgson, Finley joined Paul Rothchild's project super group that became known as Rhinoceros. According to Finley, when the band "listened to the tapes and they sounded just like a rhinoceros. The bass and the drums sounded lumbering and fat."
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