The Canadians / Bobby Hanna / David Foster

[Roburt]

The Canadians were a Canadian group who came to the UK in 66/67. They'd had a history in Canada itself as Bobby Faulds & the Strangers and under that name they cut a 45 in Vancouver for RCA. The group's lead singer (Bobby Faulds / Hanna) had been born in the UK before his family had moved to Canada when he was a kid. But he still had family in Leicestershire and so when the group's career stalled in Nth America, they decided to relocate to the UK and try their luck here. On their arrival here they signed with the Roy Tempest Agency and went on the road in their own right, but mainly as the backing band for visiting US acts (the Spellbinders, Edwin Starr, Drifters, Soul Sisters, Ben E King, Inez & Charlie Foxx, Chuck Berry, etc.).

Some of the guys in the group were married & missed their families back across the pond. The homesick guys decided to go home as Roy Tempest was working them too hard (3 shows a night here at different venues -- an early club appearance, shoot off to do a late club show and then onto an allnighter). But Bobby Hanna decided to stay here when the others returned home. One of those who went back to Canada was the group's young organ player David Foster. Back in Canada, he hooked up with another ex member of the group (+ Donny Gerrard) to form the group Skylark.

Still here in the UK, Booby Faulds, performing as Bobby Hanna, had landed a record deal with Decca & for then he mainly cut pop songs but there was one exception (see 45 scan). He got more in to a cabaret style of show and ended up being the support act for the Temptations at the Talk of the Town. While in London he met an Aussie girl. After falling in love with her, he relocated yet again, to Australia this time. There he went on to enjoy a long music & TV career. 

Meanwhile over in Canada / USA, David moved on from being in groups when Donny Gerrard went solo & Skylark broke up. He had always written songs but now also got into arranging on studio sessions and (eventually) into producing tracks. In these capacities he went on to work with the likes of Harvey Mason, Cheryl Lynn, Hall & Oates, Cuba Gooding, the Brothers Johnson, Gwen Owens and many more. In the late 70's, he was working with Earth, Wind & Fire on their 'I Am' album. From there it was onwards & upwards till he was a well respected guy on the world music scene.

But David never seems to have lost his love for soul which must have been nurtured during in his brief time in the UK.

Edited April 4, 2023 by Roburt

[Roburt]

The Canadians played at all the top UK soul clubs in 67; Tiles, Cue Club, Whisky A GoGo, Blaises, Cromwellian (all London), the Torch, the Cavern (Liverpool), Dungeon (Notts), Clouds (Derby), California Ballroom (Dunstable), Imperial Ballroom (Nelson), Saville Theatre, London, Boston Gliderdrome, etc.

ALSO, in their capacity as the backing band to many US soul acts, they also played venues such as the King Mojo (Sheffield), Wheel, etc. On some of the shows they undertook in their own right, they were advertised under the lead singers name, Bobby Hanna. 

Bobby got some TV spots to promote his Decca stuff ... 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfqd0hwUg_8

[Roburt]

As mentioned above, David Foster (with another ex member of the group that became the Canadians) teamed up with Donny Gerrard and had a big hit for Capitol.

Their 45 was so popular in Holland that it was released 4 times there ...  

[Hooker1951]

Hi Roburt

Yes the Canadians backed Chuck Berry at the Cavern in either feb or March 1967 I went to the show I remember thinking who was this backing band, anyway it was a great show.

ML

[Roburt]

Another project that David Foster produced & arranged was the DREAMGIRLS (original cast) album ...

so he was in charge when this was cut by Jennifer Holliday ...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5XIMWlfFjs

Edited April 6, 2023 by Roburt