Stringband
| Stringband | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Folk |
| Years active | 1971–1986 |
| Past members |
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Stringband was a Canadian folk music ensemble, fronted by Bob Bossin and Marie-Lynn Hammond. Founded in 1971, Stringband recorded four studio albums between 1973 and 1978, and was an active touring ensemble through 1986. There have been periodic reunions since then, the most recent occurring in 2013. Passing through Stringband's ranks at various times were Ben Mink, Terry King, Zeke Mazurek, Calvin Cairns, Dennis Nichol, Jerry Lewycky, and Nancy Ahern.
The group pioneered independent recording and artist-controlled album releases in Canada, and was noted for songs that explored Canadian themes, often with a humorous bent. No Stringband songs became commercial hits, though several became widely known, including "Dief Will Be the Chief Again", Bossin's tongue-in-cheek tribute to former Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. As well, Stringband's feminist anthem "Show Us The Length" became an international, underground "hit", despite having little airplay due to its explicit language.
The band was founded in Toronto in 1971 by the core duo of Marie-Lynn Hammond (b. 1948 in Montreal) and Bob Bossin, (b. 1946 in Toronto), along with violinist Jerry Lewycky. The name "String Band" was a common appellation amongst folk groups, usually with an identifying characteristic or location attached, as with the Incredible String Band or The Iron Mountain String Band. The group chose "Stringband" as a temporary place-holder name until they could figure out exactly what sort of String Band they were—but a "first name" for Stringband never materialized, and so the unmodified name "Stringband" stuck.
Stringband initially played in Ontario coffeehouses and universities, later touring across Canada and internationally. The group was singularly activist among Canadian bands, performing frequently for anti-war, environmental and other causes.
Their first album, Canadian Sunset (1973), was released independently on their own 'Nick Records' label, and through aggressive promotion and constant gigging, managed to scrape into the RPM Canadian album charts, peaking at #97. Lewycky left after this album, and was replaced by Ben Mink.
Stringband's second album, National Melodies (1975), contained two of their best-known songs, "Dief Will Be The Chief Again", and the risque "Show Us The Length". Bossin attempted to shop the album to several Canadian labels, but they all passed, as they felt that the record had little commercial potential (and no commercial potential outside Canada). However, Al Mair of Attic Records took the time to explain to Bossin and Hammond that they could actually make more money selling a few thousand copies of the album on their own label than they could selling 10,000 albums on someone else's. Bossin took the advice to heart, and Stringband remained a totally independent band, with all their original releases being issued on Bossin's Nick Records imprint.
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