The Raftsmen

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.

The Raftsmen
OriginMontreal, Quebec, Canada
GenresFolk
Years active1960-1970
LabelsRCA Records, RCA Camden, Apex Records (Canada), Rodeo Records, Banff Records, Canadian Talent Library, Melbourne Records
Past members
  • Louis Leroux
  • Martin Overland (d. 2005)
  • Marvin Burke
  • Guy Pilette
  • Donald Steven

History

The Raftsmen was formed by Louis Leroux, Martin Overland and Marvin Burke.[1] Overland had been the lead singer/guitarist/music arranger for the 1950s Montreal trio The Strangers, along with his sister Arlene on claves and drummer Leon Segal.[2]

The band made a number of recordings for RCA (RCA Camden in the United States), and performed in both Miami and Montreal in 1962.[3] 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 CTV Television Network series hosted by folk singer Oscar Brand.[4] The band recorded a track for the RCA Victor compilation album All-Star All-Time Folk Festival.[5]

In 1964 the group were guests on Brand's radio show in Montreal.[6] The Raftsmen's single (on Apex Records) of Brand’s "Something to Sing About" sold nationally and appeared on local radio charts[7] 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 Donald Steven, 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[8] and 20th Century Fox Records. Its single of Gordon Lightfoot’s "The Hands I Love" (known also as "Song for a Winter's Night") received considerable air play.

Leroux later toured with Nana Mouskouri 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[9]
  • This Land Is Your Land, 1963, RCA Camden[10]
  • The Raftsmen, 1963, Canadian Talent Library[11]
  • Here and There With the Raftsmen, 1964, RCA Victor[12]
  • A Night At Le Pavillon, 1965, RCA[13]
  • On Target (as The Raftsmen III), 1967, Banff Records[14]
  • The Raftsmen, 1967, Rodeo Records[15]

Singles
  • "Yellow Bird" (Choucounne) (P'tits Oiseaux)/"Shame and Scandal" (7"), 1961, RCA Victor[16]
  • "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream"/"Walking on the Green Grass", 1962, RCA Victor[17]
  • "Down in the Valley"/"Tarrytown", 1962, RCA Victor[18]
  • "The Drinkin' Gourd"/"Rubbery Scrubbedy", 1962, RCA Victor[19]
  • "Aye, Pepina"/"Pour Toi Seule", 1964, Apex[20]
  • "Something To Sing About"/" Kelligrew's Soiree", 1964, Apex[21]
  • "Hands I Love"/"Haunted House", 1967, Melbourne Records & 20th Century Fox[22]
  • "Song For A Nation"/"Goodbye To All My Dreams", 1968, Melbourne Records[23]

References
  1. "The Raftsmen". AllMusic, Biography by Bruce Eder.
  2. "The Strangers". theoverlandfamilymusic.com. The Overland Family Music. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  3. Stan Fisher (24 March 1962). "Anka's cousin does twist disk". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 14–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  4. "Focus on Folk". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 19 October 1963. p. 18. ISSN 0006-2510.
  5. "All-Star All-Time Folk Festival". AllMusic, Review by Bruce Eder
  6. "Let's Sing Out". The Ottawa Journal, Ottawa, Canada. February 1, 1964 page: 71
  7. "C-FUNTASTIC FIFTY". Vancouver Top 40 Radio, Week of December 21, 1963
  8. "4 Canadians Inked ". Billboard, November 25. 1967 •
  9. "The Raftsmen – Down In The Valley". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  10. American Record Guide. Helen Dwight Reid Educational Foundation. 1963.
  11. "The Raftsmen". 3345.ca. 3345. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  12. "The Raftsmen". 3345.ca. 3345. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  13. "The Raftsmen". 3345.ca. 3345. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  14. "The Raftsmen". 3345.ca. 3345. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  15. "The Raftsmen, The Raftsmen". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  16. "The Raftsmen". 3345.ca. 3345. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  17. "The Raftsmen". 3345.ca. 3345. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  18. "The Raftsmen". 3345.ca. 3345. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  19. "The Raftsmen". 3345.ca. 3345. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  20. "The Raftsmen". 3345.ca. 3345. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  21. "The Raftsmen". 3345.ca. 3345. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  22. "The Raftsmen". 3345.ca. 3345. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  23. "The Raftsmen "Song For a Nation" 1968". youtube.com. YouTube. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
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