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The Guess Who

The Guess Who is a Canadian rock band that formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1965. The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist Chad Allan, guitarist Randy Bachman, bassist Jim Kale, keyboardist Bob Ashley, and drummer Garry Peterson.

The band's early music was heavily influenced by British Invasion bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, but they quickly developed their own distinctive sound, which combined elements of rock, blues, and folk. They had a string of hits in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including "These Eyes," "Laughing," "No Time," "American Woman," and "Share the Land."

In 1970, Randy Bachman left the band to form Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and he was replaced by guitarist Kurt Winter and keyboardist Greg Leskiw. The band continued to release successful albums throughout the 1970s, but they eventually disbanded in 1975.

The Guess Who reunited in various configurations over the years, and they were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1987. The band's music continues to be celebrated for its catchy melodies, strong vocals, and innovative arrangements, and they are regarded as one of Canada's most influential and enduring rock acts.

Memorable music out of the wheatfields of Canada. -GSH

The Rave-Ons
  • Chad Allan - guitar/vocals - Born Allan Kowbel, ca 1945, Winnipeg, Canada
  • John Glowa - guitar
  • Gordon Murison - guitar
  • Ron Allardyce - drums
Students from Miles Macdonell Collegiate.

Allan's Silvertones/The Silvertones I
  • Chad Allan - guitar/vocals
  • Johnny Glowa - guitar
  • Brian "Ducky" Donald - drums
  • Carol Barnes - vocals
  • Bob Ashley - keyboards
  • Jim Kale - bass - B. August 11, 1943, Winnipeg, Canada.  Former member of the Jaywalkers.

The Silvertones II (     - 1961)
  • Chad Allan - guitar/vocals
  • Larry Wah - guitar
  • Brian "Ducky" Donald - drums
  • Carol Barnes - vocals
  • Bob Ashley - keyboards
  • Jim Kale - bass

The Silvertones III (1961 - 1962)
  • Chad Allan - guitar/vocals
  • Randy Bachman - guitar - Born Randall Charles Bachman on September 27, 1943, Winnipeg, Canada.  Formerly with The Embers, The Velvetones, and The Jurymen.
  • Garry Peterson - drums - B. May 26, 1945.
  • Carol West - vocals
  • Bob Ashley - keyboards
  • Jim Kale - bass
Changed name to Chad Allan and The Reflections.

Chad Allan and The Reflections/The Guess Who I (1962 - Dec. 1965)
  • Chad Allan - guitar/vocals
  • Randy Bachman - guitar
  • Garry Peterson - drums
  • Bob Ashley - keyboards
  • Jim Kale - bass
Name changed to Chad Allan and The Expressions to avoid confusion with Detroit group The Reflections, then to The Guess Who after promotional records of "Shakin' All Over" were pressed with "Guess Who?" instead of Chad Allan and The Expressions (since the record sounded British, the record company did not want record buyers to know the band was from Canada). 

Albums:

  1. "Shakin' All Over - The Guess Who's Chad Allan & The Expressions" (1965) - Single: "Shakin' All Over"

The Guess Who II (Dec. 1965 - 1966)
  • Burton Cummings - keyboards/vocals - Born Burton Lorne Cummings on December 31, 1947, Winnipeg, Canada.  Former member of The Deverons.
  • Chad Allan - guitar/vocals
  • Randy Bachman - guitar
  • Garry Peterson - drums
  • Jim Kale - bass
Chad Allan leaves the band.

The Guess Who III (1966)

The Guess Who IV (1966 - July 1970) Albums:
  1. "Wheatfield Soul" (1968) - Single: "These Eyes"
  2. "Born in Canada" (1969)
  3. "Canned Wheat" (1969) - Singles: "Laughing", "Undun", "No Time"
  4. "American Woman" (1970) - Single: "American Woman", "No Sugar Tonight"
  5. "The Way They Were" (1976)
Randy Bachman leaves to pursue solo career and later forms Brave Belt, which evolves into Bachman-Turner Overdrive.

The Guess Who V (July 1970 - 1972)
  • Burton Cummings - keyboards/vocals/wind
  • Garry Peterson - drums
  • Jim Kale - bass
  • Kurt Winter - guitar - b. April 2, 1946; d. December 14, 1997 - formerly with Winnipeg band Gettysbyrg Address (with Bill Wallace) and Brother (with Bill Wallace and Vance Masters).
  • Greg Leskiw - guitar/vocals - b. August 5, 1947 - formerly with Wild Rice.
Albums:
  1. "Share the Land" (1970) - Singles: "Share the Land", "Bus Rider", "Hang On To Your Life"
  2. "So Long Bannatyne" (1971) - Single: "Rain Dance", "Sour Suite"
  3. "Rockin'" (1972) - Singles: "Heartbroken Bopper", "Guns, Guns, Guns"
Greg Leskiw leaves because of internal squabble, returns to Winnipeg, and forms Mood Jga Jga; played in Crowcuss (with Bill Wallace); then formed Kilowatt (also with Bill Wallace); later formed Swing Soniq.

The Guess Who VI (1972)
  • Burton Cummings - keyboards/vocals
  • Garry Peterson - drums
  • Jim Kale - bass
  • Kurt Winter - guitar
  • Don McDougall - guitar/vocals - b. November 5, 1947 - Former member of Vancouver-based folk band Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck and The Vicious Circle.
Albums:
  1. "Live at the Paramount" (1972) - Single: "Runnin' Back to Saskatoon"
Jim Kale leaves the band, but resurfaces with a reformed Guess Who in 1978.

The Guess Who VII (1972 - 1974)
  • Burton Cummings - keyboards/vocals
  • Garry Peterson - drums
  • Kurt Winter - guitar
  • Don McDougall - guitar/vocals
  • Bill Wallace - bass/vocals - b. May 18, 1949 - Formerly with Kurt Winter in Brother.
Albums:
  1. "Artificial Paradise" (1973) - Single: "Follow Your Daughter Home"
  2. "#10" (1973)
  3. "Road Food" (1974) - Singles: "Star Baby", "Clap for the Wolfman"
Kurt Winter and Don McDougall are replaced by Toronto guitarist Domenic Troiano; both Winter and McDougall resurface in the reformed Guess Who in 1979.

The Guess Who VIII (1974 - 1975) (split)
  • Burton Cummings - keyboards/vocals
  • Garry Peterson - drums
  • Bill Wallace - bass/vocals
  • Domenic Troiano - guitar/vocals - Formerly with Mandela, Bush, and The James Gang.
Albums:
  1. "Flavours" (1975) - Single: "Dancin' Fool"
  2. "Power in the Music" (1975)
After their breakup, Burton Cummings started a solo career.

The Guess Who IX (1978 - 1979) (reformed)
  • Jim Kale - bass
  • Kurt Winter - guitar
  • Don McDougall - guitar/vocals
  • Vance Masters - drums - formerly with The Crescendos, Fifth, Brother (with Kurt Winter and Bill Wallace), and Diane Hetherington  & The Merry-Go-Round; also toured with Burton Cummings.
Album:
  1. "Guess Who's Back" (1979)
Ref: bevmasters

The Guess Who X(1979 - Nov. 1980)
  • Jim Kale - bass
  • Dave Inglis - guitar
  • Don McDougall - guitar/vocals
  • Vance Masters - drums
Album:
  1. "All This for a Song" (1979)
Another album was partially recorded, but never released (Ref: bevmasters).
Don McDougall later joins The Randy Bachman Band.
Vance Masters later joined Winnipeg-based country-rock band Guns 4 Hire.

The Guess Who XI (1983) (reformed w/original lineup) Albums:
  1. "Together Again" (also released on video) (1983)
Burton Cummings continues solo career. Randy Bachman forms The Randy Bachman Band.

The Guess Who XII (1990 - 1997) (reformed)
  • Jim Kale - bass
  • Garry Peterson - drums
  • Dale Russell - guitar
  • Leonard (Lewsh) Shaw - keyboards/sax/flute
  • Terry Hatty - guitar/vocals
Album:
  1. "Lonely One" (1995)

The Guess Who XIII (1997 - 1999)
  • Jim Kale - bass
  • Garry Peterson - drums
  • Dale Russell - guitar
  • Leonard (Lewsh) Shaw - keyboards/sax/flute
  • Carl Dixon - guitar/vocals
Albums:
  1. "The Spirit Lives On" (1998) - Remade versions of classic Guess Who hits.
  2. "Down the Road" (live) (1999)

The Guess Who XIV (2000) (Reunion)
  • Burton Cummings - keyboards/vocals/guitar/wind/harmonica
  • Randy Bachman - guitar
  • Garry Peterson - drums
  • Jim Kale - bass
  • Don McDougall - guitar/vocals

Compilations:
  1. "Best of Guess Who" (1971)
  2. "Best of The Guess Who, Vol. 2" (1974)
  3. "The Greatest of The Guess Who" (1977)
  4. "'American Woman', 'These Eyes', & Other Hits" (1985)
  5. "Best of Guess Who: Live" (1986)
  6. "These Eyes" (1997)
  7. "Track Record: The Guess Who Collection" (2-CDs) (1988)
  8. "At Their Best" (1993)
  9. "Ultimate Collection" (3-CDs) (1997)

Hartman Recommends:
 If you like the music of Burton Cummings and The Guess Who, go for the 3-CD set "Ultimate Collection".  It not only includes all the hits, but it also has a lot of great stuff not included on the 2-CD "Track Record" set... you won't be disappointed. 

Required Reading:  "American Woman: The Story of The Guess Who" (1995) by John Einarson, published by Quarry Press, Inc., P.O. Box 1061, Kingston, Ontario  K7L 4Y5.


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Last Revised:  February 16, 2001
© 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 by Gary S. Hartman.  All rights reserved.
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