The Bells (band)

The Bells were a Canadian Soft rock band from Montreal, Quebec. They enjoyed two hit singles in the early 1970s.

The Bells
The Bells in 1970
Background information
Also known asThe Five Bells
OriginMontreal, Quebec, Canada
GenresRock
Years active1964 (1964)–1974 (1974)
LabelsPolydor
Associated actsOcean
Past membersAnne Ralph
Jackie Ralph
Cliff Edwards
Doug Gravelle
Gordie McLeod
Frank Mills
Dennis Will
Charlie Clark
John"Mike"Waye
Skip Layton
Will (Wayne) Cardinal

History

The band formed in 1964 in Montreal as The Five Bells.[1] Members were South African-born sisters Anne and Jackie Ralph as well as Cliff Edwards, Doug Gravelle and Gordie McLeod. Cliff Edwards and Ann Ralph married in 1967. The Five Bells' first big song was "Moody Manitoba Morning" (written by Rick Neufeld) which peaked on the RPM 100 chart at #78 in the spring of 1969.

In 1970, after their first child was born, Anne retired and the family settled on a hobby farm in Warkworth, Ontario. The band shortened their name to The Bells,[2] and recorded a hit single "Fly Little White Dove Fly", which made Top 10 in Canada. Piano player Frank Mills joined The Bells for a short period, from 1970 to 1971, after which he left to pursue a solo career, the highlight of which was the #3 1979 U.S. hit single "Music Box Dancer". Mills was replaced by piano player Dennis Will, who remained with the band through to the end. Charlie Clark and Mike Waye also joined the band in 1970 as guitarist, bassist and vocalists; Charlie now lives in Saint John, New Brunswick and Mike lives in Calgary, Alberta

"White Dove" was followed up in 1971 by "Stay Awhile", a duet featuring Jackie Ralph and Cliff Edwards. Written by Saint John native Ken Tobias, the song became a major hit worldwide, selling four million copies and going to #1 in Canada on the RPM 100 national Top Singles chart on April 10, 1971 and remaining there for two weeks;[3][4] as well, it became their only Top 40 hit in the U.S., reaching #7 on the Billboard Hot 100.[5] This single sold over one million copies before the major U.S. radio stations played it, and received a gold disc awarded by the R.I.A.A. on 27 May 1971.[5] The success led to invitations to perform on The Tonight Show in June 1971[5] and The Merv Griffin Show. They also played a New Years Eve show from the Waldorf Astoria Hotel with Guy Lombardo. In Australia, "Stay Awhile" reached #9. Also that year, the single "Lady Dawn" appeared on the charts, peaking at #11 on the Canadian charts in July .[1][6]

During late 1972, the band had another hit in their native Canada, a cover of the Beatles' "Maxwell's Silver Hammer". It reached #83 on the RPM 100 and #2 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[7]

The band broke up when Cliff Edwards departed for a solo career in 1973.[8] The Bells had three Canadian Top Ten singles from their final album, Pisces Rising (Polydor, 1973): "The Singer", "Hey My Love", and "He Was Me, He Was You". Jackie Ralph recruited new members, featuring a new rhythm section with Skip Layton on drums and Will (Wayne) Cardinal on bass; the band took on an edgier, country rock style.[9] Layton and Cardinal were also members of Faro in the early 1970s and Ocean in 1976.

The group has continued to perform occasionally over the years. Cliff Edwards and Doug Gravelle both now reside in Gananoque, Ontario, Jackie Ralph in Vancouver, British Columbia.

In the fall of 2014, a daughter of Cliff Edwards and Anne Ralph, Jessica Edwards, released a documentary film about The Bells' career and the personal relationships of the group members. Titled Stay Awhile, it premiered at the Whistler Film Festival on December 6, 2014.[10]

References

  1. Ritchie Yorke (17 July 1971). Content legislation boon for local product. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 47–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  2. New Name & Disk for Bells. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 17 October 1970. pp. 1–. ISSN 0006-2510.
  3. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
  4. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
  5. Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 301. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  6. "RPM" (PDF).
  7. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1972-10-21. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
  8. Bush, John. "The Bells - Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
  9. Ritchie Yorke, "Talent In Action: The Bells, Edgewater Hotel, Montreal". Billboard. March 10, 1973. p. 20. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  10. Barnard, Linda (26 November 2014). "Stay Awhile: daughter makes doc about family band the Bells". The Star (Toronto). Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
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