Carlton Showband


The Carlton Showband was a Canadian musical group of the Irish genre. Formed in Brampton, Ontario in November 1963, the band initially named themselves the Carlton Danceband in reference to Toronto's Carlton Street where Maple Leaf Gardens was located.

History

The initial recording lineup included 5 musicians from Ireland: Chris O'Toole, Christy McLaughlin, Mike Feeney, Seamus Grew, Sean McManus, and Fred White. By their second album release, Irishmen Johnny Patterson and Mitch McCoy had been added. The band's album, The Merry Ploughboy, was the first Canadian album to be released on cassette tape.
McCoy departed after 2 years, replaced by Bob Lewis. This would be the usual lineup from about 1968 through the mid-1970s. The band released a number of albums through the RCA label, including Gospel Favourites, which sold more than 200,000 copies.
In 1967, the group became the regular band on The Pig and Whistle, a CTV television musical variety show that continued to air until 1977, and in 1969, they recorded an album of music from the show, Carlton Showband at the Pig 'n' Whistle. The band performed frequently in Newfoundland. In 1971, they toured the Maritimes and won a Gold Leaf award for their album Best of the Carlton Showband.
Despite the end of their regular national television series exposure, the band continued to perform; McManus died 1989. In 1996, the group disbanded, although Fred White continued to do the occasional show using the Carlton Showband name. Between 2000 and 2010 the group remained inactive. O'Toole died in 2005; Patterson in 2007; Lewis in 2008. In 2010, White, Aaron Lewis, Larris and Robert Benoit, Greg Donaghey of Sion Mills, Northern Ireland, and Roddie Lee revived the group for a reunion tour.
Feeney died in 2011, and McLaughlin in 2014. White is the lone surviving member from the originating recording lineup. Seamus Grew died July 2023 after a four-year battle with ALS. Gregory Donaghey died in May 2024.

Awards and recognition