Biographies
Chris O'Toole
Band leader Chris O' Toole, from County Wicklow in southern Ireland, was the drummer, manager, and one of the founders of The Carlton Showband. Since he was a child he was involved with music and music people. His parents owned a dance hall. At 14 he took clarinet lessons but ended up playing what he was most comfortable with, a set of drums. Chris started the Showband along with Seamus Grew in late 1963. Chris was a lover of all types of music, and although he didn't sing, he was an incredible whistler. Chris was kept busy with the drums and percussion, booking engagement dates and travel arrangements for the group while keeping track of the score for every concert.
Where is he now?
Chris announced in March, 1981 that he would be retiring to spend more time running his booking agency. He played his last set and retired on May 2nd, 1981. He carried on with the agency for a few years, booking many engagements for the Showband and other groups and individual performers. He moved to the Barrie, Ontario, area and lived in a retirement community for quite a few years. He and his wife Eileen, eventually moved back to Toronto to be nearer to their family. Sadly, he passed away in April, 2006. Chris, rest in peace.
Seamus Grew
"Men wanted to work in Canada." This ad in an Irish newspaper brought Seamus (James) Grew, along with his Mom and Dad, his sister Mary and brother Aiden, to Canada and eventually to the Carlton Showband. Seamus didn't sing but played accordion and keyboards. He used to bring his left leg waist high as he played, much to the delight of Showband fans. The leg idea developed as a gimmick, and became his trademark. Seamus announced his retirement from The Carlton Showband in June,1991, giving up a job on the road for employment at home, where he could be with his young family.
Where is he now?
Since retiring, Seamus has worked for the City of Toronto. After retiring, he started a terrific musical trio with his teenaged daughter and son. Seamus called his group, "The Grew Crew". As the teens got older they did what young adults do; they went on to other things. Seamus came back to the Showband to perform for the 30th. Anniversary Tour, along with Johnny Patterson, Mike Feeney, Bob Lewis, and brother-in-law Christy Mc Laughlin ( who unfortuntely was unable to perform but was welcomed very warmly.) He still plays occasional solo engagements. Seamus and his wife Maureen, who is Christy's sister ) live in the Agincourt area of Toronto.
Christy Mc Laughlin
Christy Mc Laughlin of Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland is one of the original founding members of the Showband. When he came to Canada he met Chris and Seamus and they became a trio. They played only Irish Ceili music at first. His interest broadened and he started singing up-tempo Irish songs and Country ballads. Christy's wavy brown hair and infectious smile broke the hearts of thousands of women. Older women wanted to mother him and the younger ones wanted to marry him. "The Black Velvet Band " became his signature song. Chris retired from the Carlton Showband due to ill health in 1981.
Where is he now?
Christy, the ever-smiling, handsome curly-haired blonde; the youngest original member of the Showband, lives with his fiancee, Jennifer, in Etobicoke, a suburb of Toronto. Christy, who was given a few months to live many years ago, has battled throat cancer, which resulted in the loss of his voice box; bone cancer, which was supposed to end his ability to walk. Well, that never happened! He is still able to walk with a cane. He has battled against horrible odds since ill health forced him to retire in 1981. His hair has gone from blonde to silver, but the smile has never faded.
Fred White
Fred White, from Cape Breton Island, (also known as Cape Breton, Ireland, by band members) Nova Scotia, was the first Canadian member of the Showband. His dad, Joe, was a terrific musician who played the accordion, piano, violin and harmonica. The one instrument he really wanted to play was the guitar, but he was never able to master it. He hoped that Fred would follow in his footsteps, but eventually despaired of him ever learning to play an instrument. Fred said he tried to learn the accordion at the age of eight, but his interest waned and his Dad told him he was hopeless. He was 15 when his interest was re-awakened and he was taught to play guitar by his best friends, identical twins, Bob and Bill Lewis, both now deceased. (Bob later joined the Showband, and Bill became the lead guitarist for Canadian legend, Stompin' Tom Connors) The three played in a very successful rock & roll band, The Esquires, for a few years before Fred decided to leave home to seek a new start in Brampton, Ontario. He got married in 1964, and went to work for the Ford Motor Co. He was called for an audition at Chris O'Toole's home and was later asked to join the Showband in late 1964. Fred is a guitarist/singer/songwriter and also plays bass, banjo and mandolin. His trademark song, "My Song For The Miner", was written as a tribute to his Dad who worked many years in the Cape Breton coal mines.
Where is he now?
Fred and his wife Mary Ann still live in Brampton, Ontario where they have lived since leaving Cape Breton in March, 1964. Fred works for a local construction company as a gardener/landscaper from Spring through the Fall, which suits him fine, as he doesn't have to work outside in the winter. He has worked for the company since September, 1998. He still performs occasionally with his long time friend, Brenden Gillam from Corner Brook, NL. Brenden is a great singer/songwriter/guitarist and keyboard player. They play mostly in the Brampton area at local pubs.
Sean Mc Manus
Sean (John) Mc Manus of Co. Fermanagh, N. Ireland came to Canada to work at his trade as a painter/interior decorator. He joined The Carlton Showband in 1964. Hank Snow was his inspiration and Country music his first love. Sean, the lead guitarist, who also played 5-string and tenor banjo, was a gifted singer/songwriter and a natural comedian. Audiences knew him as 'Biddy McGraw', 'The Bricklayer', and the drunk with the crazy up and down pants with the elastic suspenders in "Seven Drunken Nights". He often teamed up with Bob Lewis in comic skits over the years. He also was a serious entertainer, undertaking a ten minute monologue called "I Loved A Papish" which brought audiences to tears. His signature tune was "My Mother", a Hank Snow classic.
Where is he now?
Sean was a country boy through and through. He lived in Toronto for many years, but every chance he got, he headed out to Bobcaygeon, Ontario, where his wife's parents had a winterized cottage backing on to a river. When Joyce's Dad died, she and Sean decided to buy the cottage and move from Toronto with their four children. He was an ardent fisherman, hunter and snowmobiler as well as a super cook and a great guy at the barbecue. Sean couldn't wait to get home from a tour in order to enjoy the country life. Unlike the other members of the group, Sean was denied the chance to retire. His health wasn't the greatest for a few years and resulted in his death from a massive heart attack. It happened aboard the band bus on September 9th, 1989, in Marquette, Michigan, exactly 3 months before his 53rd birthday, as the group was returning home after a short Canada/U.S. tour. Sean, rest in peace.
Mike Feeney
Mike Feeney emigrated from Galway City, in the west of Ireland, as a young man. Mike tried various jobs when he first arrived in Toronto, from Public Works Dept., to road construction, and as a caretaker with the Toronto Separate School Board. He was working as a part-time waiter and doorman in 1964 at The Parkside Tavern on the Yonge St. strip, where The Carlton Showband played every Saturday night. Mike sang several times with the group and was so warmly received he was asked to become the sixth member of the Showband. Mike joined The Carlton Showband in 1965 and never looked back. He sang mainly Irish and romantic ballads and also emceed concerts and dances for many years. "At first I found going on stage terrifying," he says, but after hundreds of nationwide stage and TV appearances he was a seasoned pro. Mike had a way with the Irish ballads that most singers could only envy. Fans loved his sincerity and his caring way with seniors and children with disabilities. Mike was probably most well known for the song "Twenty One Years".
Where is he now?
Mike retired from the group in the summer of 1992, saying goodbye to the band after 27 years, millions of miles back and forth across North America, and with legions of friends in every stop along the road. Part of the reason for leaving the band was the death of Mike's wife, Josephine, after a long battle with cancer. Mike still had children at home, two in their teens, and felt he should be there with them instead of being on the road. For a time after he retired from the group he would make occasional guest appearances at local clubs etc. He also went on the road with the Showband for their 30th Anniversary Tour in 1993. A few years ago he gave up performing entirely, saying he just didn't want to do it any more. Mike resides with his son Kevin in the East end of Toronto.
Edwin "Mitch" Mc Coy
Mitch Mc Coy came to Canada in 1966 from Belfast, Northern Ireland, to work as a millwright. He moved in with his brother Jim, a neighbour of Chris O'Toole, who found out that Mitch was also a musician who played in several groups in his native Belfast. Included in those groups was the then almost unknown rock group, "Them", where the lead singer was soon to be the world famous, Van Morrison, whose claim to fame was the monster international hit, "Brown Eyed Girl". Mitch was recruited to join the Showband on CTV's "Pig 'n' Whistle Show". He performed with the Showband for two years and teamed with bandmate Fred White to increase the rock & roll content of the Showband's repetoire. When he left the group he formed his own Irish group which he called "The Molly McGuires", where he performed successfully for many years.
Where is he now?
For many years his ex-bandmates lost touch with Mitch. Fred White found out that he was performing locally as a single act and went to see him. Fred sat close to the stage and could tell that Mitch didn't recognize him, so he proceeded to give Mitch a bit of a hard time from the audience. At the end of the set he came off stage with fire in his eyes and headed straight for his tormenter. He suddenly realized it was his old friend Fred,and gave him a huge bear hug. Later, Mitch teamed up with Fred White and Brenden Gillam to perform as Freddy, Mitch & Brenden for a couple of years, but left to do solo engagements. He still lives and performs occasionally in the Brampton area.
Bob Lewis
Bob Lewis comes from Sydney, in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. He and twin brother Bill started playing guitar and singing together on a weekly radio show at a very young age. Later on Bob learned to play piano and bass. He is a huge Country music fan and enjoys most other types of music. With the Carlton Showband he sang Irish, Country, Pop and Gospel songs. Bob is a talented writer and composed many of the songs he recorded with the group. He also was a natural comedian and combined with Sean McManus to provide many laughs for the fans over the years. His best loved songs were the classic "Rose Marie", and "Why Me Lord". Bob left The Carlton Showband in 1979, five years after the death of his wife Helen in a horrific car/truck collision with a drunk driver, which also killed one of the Showbands great fans, Marg Le Blanc, who was driving the car. Bob, and Marg's husband Tim, along with Mike Feeney, were seriously injured. Bob left the band because he wanted to take his two young children, son Aaron,( later to become a Showband member) and daughter April, back to Cape Breton, where he would be able to stay home with them while they were growing up. Being on the road with the band for long periods of time was not the ideal situation while his children were still young.
Where is he now?
When Bob returned to Cape Breton he took a job driving a school bus and stayed with it until retiring in 2006. He eventually remarried, and he his wife Erin settled in the Whitney Pier district in Sydney. He played in a duo with his friend Kevin Kearney, since shortly after coming back home. Bob had some bad luck, losing his identical twin brother Bill to a heart attack in the summer of 2006, then having some serious heart-related problems himself in 2007. On October 2nd, 2008, Bob passed away after suffering a fatal heart attack. Rest in peace, old friend.
Johnny Patterson
Johnny Patterson was born in the City of Londonderry, Northern Ireland, and had recording success with his first single record called "Walk On Boy", with The Woodchoppers Showband in the '60's. Johnny and the band emigrated to Canada shortly after, changing the band's name to The Maple Leaf Showband in honour of The Maple Leaf Ballroom where they were the house band. In 1967 he joined The Carlton Showband, which was starring in CTV's "Pig 'n' Whistle" TV show. Johnny was considered to be one of the finest tenors to ever grace a stage, as thousands of Showband fans will attest. He had a repertoire which included Irish, Pop, Country and songs from famous musicals and operettas, which thrilled fans at live performances and a few million every week on "The Pig 'n' Whistle" weekly on national television. Although almost any song he performed could be a favourite, he was most well known for "Danny Boy" (which nobody before or since has been able to match) and "Love Thee Dearest" a hauntingly beautiful old ballad.
Where is he now?
Johnny, his wife Ita and their children returned home to Ireland in 1975. Johnny had some health issues and was unable to perform for some time. When the health concerns abated he returned to performing with a marvellous group which he formed and called "Krystal Klear". He performed up until health issues once again cropped up and prevented him from ever again taking the stage. Johnny had a coronary bypass operation in August of 2006 and on January 26, 2007 the incredible voice of Johnny Patterson was stilled forever. Rest in peace Johnny.
Greg Donaghey
Gregory Donaghey was born in Sion Mills, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland, and from an early age it was evident he had a talent for music. He started singing with a group called The Polka Dots in the early 60's. The group entered a talent contest and won a spot on Irish Television. The TV appearance really launched Greg's career. He was spotted by a Dublin Showband, The Cadets, and Greg sang with them until he branched out with his own group, Gregory's Trio. The trio played all over England, Ireland and Scotland. Gregory's extensive repertoire brought him hit after hit. His rendition of "More Than Yesterday" shot to the top of the charts. "Land Of Gingerbread" kept him for weeks in the top five. In 1971 his recording of "Somewhere Somebody's Waiting" became a transatlantic hit as it became #1 in Eastern Canada. The Carlton Showband were big fans of Greg, although nobody in the group knew him personally. Chris Mc Laughlin had a record of Greg's song, "The Best Part Of Loving You", and the band recorded it on their "Carlton Showband At The Pig 'n' Whistle" album. Little did they know that Greg would be joining them in a few years. In 1975 Chris O'Toole went on a scouting mission to Ireland in search of a new singer to fill the spot left vacant with the loss of Johnny Patterson, who returned home to Ireland. He met with Greg and convinced him to come to Canada to join the Showband for a summer tour, and see if the group was a good fit for him. It didn't take long for Greg to decide the Showband was a group he was perfectly comfortable with, and they with him. He brought another superb voice and a magnificent comedic talent to add to the already great talent pool. Comfortable with any style of music, Gregory fit in as if he was always a part of the Carlton Showband. The fans loved his singing and his comedy skits but loved his always bubbling personality more. His most requested songs were "The Town I Loved So Well", and the all-time classic "Danny Boy".
Where is he now?
When the Showband ceased operations on January 1st, 1997, Greg had already moved with his wife and family to Pouch Cove, just outside St. John's, NL., where they bought a house on a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. He has been performing in the Maritime Provinces as well as in Ireland and the U.S., on bus tours with Irish singer Anna Mc Goldrick, who toured with the Showband before Gregory joined and they later became friends. Greg has worked with ex Showband keyboard man Aaron Lewis, on his Maritime performances. He also performs at schools where he also speaks to children about bullying by schoolmates, which he was subjected to as a child. Greg also drives a taxi in St. John,s between appearances.
Larris Benoit
Lawrence "Larris" Benoit comes from a rich heritage of traditional music by simply growing up near "The Cape" on the west coast of Newfoundland. He grew up in West Bay, where the French influence and the no-nonsense attitude to making music is evident in Larris' playing style. He started playing in bands when he was 13 years old. He played bass and lead guitar. His first instrument was drums. His favorite music is Bluegrass and Louisana 'Cajun'. When he was a teenager, he used to watch The Pig & Whistle Show and always said someday he would be playing with those guys, and sure enough, he was invited to join the band in September, 1989, just after the death of Sean Mc Manus. The man who would replace Sean was more or less picked by Sean himself, a short time before his death. Larris, brother of band member Robert Benoit, had attended a party where the Showband was playing and Sean was the master of ceremonies. Sean asked Larris to play in his place as Sean was quite busy with the emcee work. Sean later told his family if he ever retired or left the group, Larris would be his first choice to take his place. Band members were all in favour of hiring Larris, and as a courtesy, asked Sean's family what they thought of the idea. It was unanimous, Larris was the man! He said the first time he played with the Carlton Showband, "It was the thrill of a lifetime".
Where is he now?
After the band closed up shop, Larris went looking for employment. He wanted a truck driving job, as he was a qualified driver who often drove the band bus, which was a 40 ft. Prevost highway coach. It took some time but he eventually got a job with a building supply company, close to his home in Mississauga, driving a large boom truck which delivers the building supplies construction sites. Larris still plays locally with his own group.
Aaron Lewis
Aaron was born in Brampton, Ontario in February, 1972. Considering the history of music in the Lewis family, it was pretty much a safe bet that Aaron would carry on the tradition which started with his great-grandmother. Almost all the Lewis children ( and there were many, many of them ) from Grandma Lewis' time to the present day, have musical ability, which has never skipped a generation. Aaron lost his Mom when he was almost three. By coincidence, his Dad, Bob Lewis, also lost his Mom, but he and his twin brother Bill were only a few months old. When Bob left the Showband in July, 1979, Aaron and his sister April were taken back to Bob's birthplace in Cape Breton. This was probably a positive step for Aaron's music career; Cape Breton is a musical hotbed and produced many well known musicians. Aaron managed to absorb many musical genres; Irish, French, Scottish, Country, Pop, Rock, Jazz and Folk. Not only could he play all these types of music, he mastered them. Where is he now?
Roddie Lee (Le Prieur)
Where is he now?
Robert Benoit
Where is he now?