WILLIE and The WALKERS
Willie & The Walkers got their start in the summer of 1965 as a 4 piece British style pop vocal group. The original members were Dennis Petruk (guitar/vocal), Bill Hardie (bass/vocal), Rolie Hardie (drums) and Willie MacCalder (organ and lead vocals). The band played community halls, school dances, and teen nightclubs, notably the Sugar Shack A-Go-Go and The Forum.
Over the first winter, they were managed by Guy Good, the all-night DJ at CHED radio. The band appeared with CHED personalities at many charity functions. They also performed live on the Saturday afternoon broadcast, CHED Bandstand.
Early in 1966, they were contacted by Wes Dakus, who was retiring from performing to go into management. Wes stressed the importance of original songs and got them their first big stage experience when they opened for The Who, Roy Head, Johnny Rivers, and Paul Revere & The Raiders.
In the summer of 1966, with four original songs and a new Chev stationwagon, they made the trip to Clovis, New Mexico to record at the Norman Petty Studio. The bands first single, Diamonds And Gold b/w Baby Do You Need Me, was released in March of 1967 on the Capital label. The record entered the RPM Canadian chart at #14 during the week of May 6th, and peaked at #3 for 2 weeks in June. That spring with Bob Dann on lead guitar and Bryan Nelson on rhythm guitar and vocals, the band headed back to New Mexico to record My Friend b/w It Is Easy To See, which was released in June. By late summer they were back in the Petty Studio again, recording some new originals and also some cover songs. Alone In My Room b/w Poor Janie was released in November of 1967 and it became their most successful record. Alone In My Room reached #1 on the Canadian singles charts and was released in the US on the United Artists label. That year the band toured extensively throughout western Canada and BC, appearing at concerts and clubs, often as headliners, and doing radio and television shows..
In1968 D.J. McLaughlin offered new management and they moved to New York. Joining them at this time was Ron Rault on vocals and percussion, and Vern Wills on bass. Touring the New England States for the better part of a year made them all road weary and took its toll on them. They returned to Edmonton in 1969 and retired the Willie & The Walkers name and went their separate ways.
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Concert photos by Drew BorgwardtI
