Campus Carousal - The Story Of Circle Widens

 

The Circle Widens band is nothing but a footnote in Canadian music history these days, often only known by serious collectors or Edmonton residents of a certain vintage. In the late 1960s, however, they were one of the top folk-rock groups in Edmonton, packing venues each and every night regardless of where they played. The Circle Widens were as beloved for their original material as they were for their covers. Their lone release (which today fetches four-figure sums on the secondhand market) is a dual-sided original and a strong example of both Canadian folk and Canadian garage rock. Here is the story of The Circle Widens. 

The Circle Widens, originally formed in Edmonton as a brother and sister folk duo, started by Susan and John Lent. They began performing during 1965 under a different (currently unknown) name. At the time of conception, Susan and John were still in high school, which limited their potential for growth. Upon beginning their post-secondary education at the University of Alberta in 1967, Susan and John began performing on campus and added their younger brother Harry to the lineup. The new trio rebranded as "The Kinfolk" and quickly garnered a reputation for their tight, high-quality performances. Unfortunately, the music tastes of the youth were changing drastically in 1968, which affected the draw of the group on campus. "There wasn't a high demand for folk groups during that time, but the university provided a fair amount of work," says Susan. In addition to their gigs at the University of Alberta, The Circle Widens regularly played at youth/community centers, high schools, coffeehouses, and Giuseppi's Pizza (8223-109 Street, Edmonton).

1968 brought about a few changes for The Circle Widens. During March, the trio added neighborhood friend Greg Vetsch (lead guitar) to the lineup, adding a new electric dimension to their formerly acoustic sound. "We were a solid electric folk-rock group," says John Lent. The new quartet gigged frequently throughout the summer, developing a small, devoted following. Greg coincidentally had a cousin named Wayne Vetsch, who played drums. They spent the better part of the summer convincing Wayne to join the band. By October, he finally gave in. Shortly afterwards, they rebranded as "The Circle Widens."

The new additions brought The Circle Widens lineup to: Susan Lent (vocals/guitar), John Lent (vocals/guitar), Harry Lent (vocals/bass), Greg Vetsch (lead guitar), and Wayne Vetsch (drums). The sound of the newly named quintet was comparable to that of fellow West Coast folkies "Three's A Crowd," with the main difference being an emphasis on covers rather than originals. They also tended toward folk-rock rather than straight-ahead folk. Susan Lent expressed her feelings on the matter in an old interview: "There are so many folk songs—but it's so much fun to do folk-rock." The band didn't want to be hampered by the old folk songbook, not to say they didn't draw from it from time to time. When deciding on a song, they chose what appealed to them. Susan says, "We don't particularly look for a message." She adds, "The boys are really fast at picking up the music." They enjoyed the challenge of adapting a song directly from the radio, learning it by ear, and putting their own spin on it.

With their line-up fully assembled, the remainder of 1968 would see The Circle Widens begin to perform more frequently, continuing to build a loyal following around Edmonton at many high schools and universities. Bob Hunka, who worked on the University of Alberta Activities Board, began helping to manage the group alongside John Lent, who previously was responsible for all managerial duties. It was through the Students' Union at U of A and Jerry Slavick that The Circle Widens was asked to perform with Harper's Bizarre. This was their biggest gig yet! "We were really excited about it. It was a real opportunity to be appearing with a professional group," says Susan. From there, the band's reputation continued to grow. They had a chance to briefly tour outside of Edmonton, appearing in Leduc, Red Deer, Saskatoon, and Blaine Lake, Saskatchewan.

The Circle Widens was busy during the final months of 1968. Between their studies and gigs around Edmonton, the group managed to record an album's worth of material. Through word of mouth, the band caught the attention of producer Joe Kozack at Edmonton's Coral Sound Studios. Joe was attempting to launch a new record label called KORLAND Records. The Circle Widens were given studio recording time at Coral Sound during November of 1968. This is where they cut the bulk of the songs, with the exception of a recording session at the University of Alberta radio studios over the Christmas holidays.

The array of 1968 recording sessions only yielded one officially released single. "See About Dreamin'/Weird Understanding" was put out on KORLAND Records during early-to-mid-1969 in limited quantities and had minor local success in Edmonton. The single is a dual-sided original with both sides having a distinct sound; the A-side (written by Harry Lent) is a moody folk-psych dirge, while the B-side (written by the whole band) is an up-tempo garage rocker. It's unknown where exactly the songs were recorded. The publishing rights for the two songs are registered with Dick Damron's "Chinook Music" (BMI), and it was manufactured in Vancouver by Imperial Record Corp. Ltd.

The Circle Widens broke up in the spring of 1970, citing a few reasons for the split. Some of the band members got out of the music business altogether after university, while others continued on. Near the end of the band's lifespan, a guitar player named Brian Logan joined, as well as a harp player named Al (last name unknown). 

Susan Lent seemingly got out of the music business after university, as did the Vetsch brothers. John Lent began to take songwriting much more seriously in 1969, and the fruits of that labor came to bear around the demise of The Circle Widens. "I performed those songs as a single folksinger in Edmonton until 1971," says John. During 1971, John was signed by Tom Northcott and Mushroom Records in Vancouver to a songwriting contract, after which point he went to Toronto and began working with Michael Baker as "Baker & Lent" for three years. Henry Lent, on the other hand, returned home and formed a new group with the remaining Lent siblings: Frank, Mike, and Tim. The Lent Brothers (as they would later bill themselves) went on to work briefly with Alberta band "Red Wyng" (Laura Vinson's backing band) during 1977, writing 3 songs for their debut album "First Flight." 

Though they were only together for four years, The Circle Widens had a quick and exciting brush with local prominence. They left behind them stories of their live shows, and their lone single release, "See About Dreamin'/Weird Understanding," has gone on to garner an international cult following in garage/psych rock collectors' circles, now fetching four-figure sums due to the scant few copies left available. "I can't believe people still have copies of that single all these years later," says John Lent. "None of the members, including myself, have a copy." Disbelief chased by a sobering sense of accomplishment; that is the feeling many musicians have when discovering an old recording of theirs has become a beloved collector's item. The Circle Widens was no different. 

Yorkville's Forgotten Poet - The Origins Of Hyde

The story of Hyde and his 1969 singer-songwriter masterwork is one of Canadian music's ongoing mysteries. For decades, the identity of this powerful poet has gone unknown to those outside of a select few. Friends and family kept his real name hidden while people who saw him perform in his pre-alias days in Yorkville seemingly forgot him altogether.

During the mid-to-late 1960s, Toronto was a highly competitive music city in multiple genres. So Hyde's fate is one experienced by many who stepped on Toronto’s smaller stages during that period. The sheer abundance of clubs and coffeehouses in the city meant that artists who couldn’t distinguish themselves against the tidal wave of similarly passionate individuals and bands would be forgotten.

Hyde’s self-titled album stands as a testament to the talent of Yorkville’s songwriters. With the exception of one Bob Dylan cover, the Hyde album is a varied batch of original songs that hints at his influences while displaying his unique talent for lyrics. Another point in its favor is the connection to Toronto psychsters Rockadrome, who provided musical backing throughout.

To collectors, the above attributes paired with an unfortunate rarity (for a Quality Records release) further drive the want and cost of this album into the stratosphere. It stands as a brick wall of rarity, ever elusive, especially in good condition. Though large, the hunt for a copy of his album pales in comparison to the hunger for information on the man behind the music. Today, the story of Hyde will finally be told.

Hyde was the eventual alias and secret project of Toronto-based singer-songwriter Brian Victor Alexander. Brian was born on March 7th, 1946, to Alice and Victor Alexander. He was raised in the west end of the city, quickly developing a love for baseball and hockey. Brian was extremely athletic, and he received the constant approval of his doting father. He attended Harwood Public School in Toronto’s west end before attending York Memorial High School.

Brian didn’t come from a musical home, but the dawning musical revolution of the mid-1960s would take residence in his mind at an early age, as it did for so many others. He developed a love of music, specifically R&B, around the age of ten. His knowledge of music grew fast, and it wasn’t long before he was the D.J. at neighborhood weekend dances.

Brian began playing guitar and harmonica around the age of fifteen. He spent countless hours enjoying the records of some of his favorite blues and R&B artists and constantly begged his parents for a guitar. They relented, and Brian began a lifelong relationship with his instrument. An “A” student and all-around intelligent boy, Brian learned fast and showed himself to have quite the way with words. He started with R&B music, but hearing Bob Dylan’s debut album in 1962 blew him away; he was an instant, lifelong fan, even considering naming his daughter Dylan. Bob was his sole inspiration thereafter to pursue folk music, learn to sing, and soon, learn how to write songs of his own. He fashioned himself after the American folk troubadour in many respects, but his songwriting grew to be wholly unique.

Newfound folk fascination aside, Brian still enjoyed listening to and dancing along to hits of the day. He was a regular teen in many regards; fascinated with pop culture, dramatic about the trivial, and, of course, enamored with the opposite sex. Sixteen-year-old Brian, at one particular dance taking place at Fairbanks dancehall (in the Fairbanks Park just south of Eglinton Avenue), met his first love. The two instantly hit it off and, with time, began dating. She was smitten by Brian’s creative side and the fact that he was then starting his musical journey. Brian was smitten by her kindness and intellect, ultimately trusting her as the sole critic of his original music and poetry.

Brian’s deep dive into folk music began in the early 1960s, first as an observer, then as a performer. He was awestruck by the amazing talent springing up in Yorkville, Toronto’s musical mecca. He began attending concerts regularly at the Riverboat coffeehouse and various other folk-oriented venues on the avenue.

A formative musical experience for Brian was seeing Bob Dylan perform at Massey Hall during late 1965, where the singer-songwriter was doing a pair of shows. This double night event took place during Bob Dylan’s highly contentious “electric” period, backed by local Toronto R&B act Levon & The Hawks (formerly Ronnie Hawkins' backing band). As with many shows along their tour, Bob Dylan was arguing with hostile fans over their dislike of his new sound. This event emboldened Brian as an artist. Paired with Brian's constant intake of top-tier folk talent in Yorkville, the Bob Dylan event inspired Brian to stand by his music, stand up for his art, and, most importantly, develop the courage to sing. He set his sights on Yorkville and, in time, became a regular performer.

During December of 1965, Brian approached the owner of the famous Mynah Bird coffeehouse, Colin Kerr, to see if he could perform there. Colin hired Brian right away, after an extremely brief audition, and booked him for the first weekend of January (7th-9th) 1966, alongside R&B band Bobby Lee & The Sceptres. The Mynah Bird had two levels and two stages; bands played on the first level, while solo acts played on the second level. “He sat on a stool on the second-floor stage, belting out his songs to an audience drinking coffee and juice drinks; dry ice filled the air while go-go girls danced in the window," says Diane. "We were young, dressed as beatniks and experiencing a new age of music and culture.”

Brian became a regular performer at the Mynah Bird coffeehouse through 1966, playing most weekends. He befriended some of the performers and patrons along the way, forming friendships and partnerships, many of which lasted over the years. A lifelong bond Brian made during this period was with bassist and singer Neil Merryweather, who was playing in Yorkville with his band Just Us (also known as The Ookpiks and The Sikusi's). Brian was known for his distinct, Dylan-esque tone and introspective original songs. He soon began performing regularly on Monday nights at the famed Riverboat coffeehouse, first as a sign-up, then as a featured performer. 

1966 was an important year for Brian's development, both musically and in his personal life. In addition to his musical trappings, he got married, and the couple had a child. This prompted Brian to get a day job in addition to his frequent live performances as a means of making ends meet. Despite their best efforts, the couple ended up separating in mid-1968. Brian moved to an apartment on Carlton Street, where he continued to work and eventually began dating again. 

Brian went through a bit of a slump, as many men/women in his situation would. He lost his wife and child and was living alone. Brian continued to perform, albeit sporadically. He soon threw himself into writing new songs and reworking old ones. By November of 1968, Brian had roughly ten songs written, including one cover. This was a dedication to his wife and child; the aptly titled “I Threw It All Away” by Bob Dylan.

With the dawn of 1969, Brian found renewed purpose in his music through a new alias: Hyde. He had a goal: to record his own songs. He continued to gig through the winter and early spring under his new Hyde alias. In June of 1969, a few months after his twenty-third birthday, Brian came to the attention of famed Toronto music mogul Art Snider. He had caught one of Brian’s shows at the Riverboat via a word-of-mouth recommendation and was so impressed that he invited him to his office the following day. Art at this time had helmed the creation of multiple record labels, with the sole goal of achieving success while promoting Canadian talent. After learning of Brian’s desire to record an album, paired with hearing a summation of his multiple original songs, Art booked him into Sound Canada Recording Studios, backed by his house group, Rockadrome.

Rockadrome was a local group of musicians assembled in the summer of 1968 by guitarists Mike Clancy (also piano and occasional drums) and Ron Dove. The pair was musically associated for most of the 1960s and played with Ronnie Hawkins’ "Hawks" before forming their own group called "The Outlaws” during 1965. The addition of drummer Rick Vallieres and bassist Paul LaChapelle was the birth of Rockadrome. Rick drummed on a 45 session for Ron Dove in 1967 while Paul was relatively new to the fold but gelled well with the guys. Rockadrome was a band for three years, releasing their own extremely rare album on Art Snider’s “Sound Canada” label in February of 1969 and an EP in 1971 (featuring Ron Dove's 1967 recordings). Art Snider kept the band busy later that year, employing them as session musicians on a couple of equally rare albums. Of course they backed Hyde, but they also backed The Allan Sisters on their debut studio album for Sound Canada.

Art Snider had faith in Brian’s songs from the start. He gave producers Ernie Lyons and Larry Malone free rein to follow the project in whatever direction it may lead. This resulted in what many consider one of Toronto’s best singer-songwriter pieces. Brian’s amazing original songs with their sparse arrangements weave a delicate, urgent musical web; this is in part thanks to the consummate musicianship of Rockadrome. Each song in this ten-song cycle creates a unique mood spun by Brian’s music and words. The only outlier is a cover of the aptly titled Bob Dylan song “I Threw It All Away.”

Thanks to his clout in the local music industry, Art Snider managed to get Brian’s album (released under the Hyde alias) a couple of spins on CHUM Radio after its release in August 1969. Through this radio promotion, Brian landed a gig promoting his new album at a secret new Toronto club known as Global Village. It was an after-hours hangout for “in the know” local musicians, many of whom had just finished sets at various Yorkville or Yonge Street clubs. The club was known as The Global Village Theatre to some, and during the 1970s, it would put on plays, including Spring Thaw (featuring Norm Amadio and Salome Bey). Primarily, though, Global Village was a secret hangout and jam spot for some of Toronto’s best and brightest talent. Early frequenters included Bruce Cockburn, Neil Young (on his brief returns to the city), and McKenna Mendelson Mainline. The venue was an important link between the incubated culture of Yorkville, which was slowly coming to an end, and the soon-to-reign Queen St. West scene of the late 1970s.

Art Snider hired Rockadrome to rehearse with Brian and back him up during his Global Village set (possibly the only live performance he did with a band). The performance went extremely well, receiving a standing ovation, with Brian and the band playing the album song by song. Brian began mingling with the crowd, where he met local guitarist Danny McBride (younger brother of Bob McBride).

Danny McBride was an in-demand young guitarist in Toronto during the latter half of the 1960s. As an active member of Toronto’s music scene from his early teens onward, Danny formed or joined multiple bands with other members who’d reach major success in the years that followed. His first teenage band was The Edgar Allen Poes with Gary Weeks and Dave Beckett (later of Gary & Dave fame), followed by an R&B outfit of his brother’s known as The Shades; he then reformed another R&B band of his brothers known as The Diplomats (previously featuring Johnny Brower singing). This was followed by a brief stint in Abernathy Shagnaster Wash and Wear Band with drummer Gil Moore (later of Triumph fame), before teaming up with Don Walsh in the pre-Downchild Blues Band “Leather.” This was short-lived, and by 1969, Danny was looking for other outlets.

To Danny, other outlets meant more challenging, unique material, so naturally he was drawn to Brian's music. Danny's favorite band thus far was Bob McBride & The Breath. This was a Jimi Hendrix cover band his brother started, on the cusp of Jimi's meteoric rise to fame. As one of the group's guitarists, Danny had to learn some of Hendrix's challenging riffs and solos. He yearned for more of that and, in the wake of "The Breath," got more involved with Eastern scales and psychedelic music. This brief foray into eastern exploration is heard in Danny's lead guitar on "Revelation (I Fell In Love)". This was a song Danny recorded with Jay Telfer in April of 1969 for Jay's unreleased "Perch" album; Danny was only eighteen.

Brian and Danny agreed to meet up a few days after Brian's Global Village show. They hung out, got high, talked music, and jammed for hours. This, of course, caused the pair to develop a quick friendship, bonding over shared musical interests and general outlook on life. Brian and Danny began work on a follow-up to Brian’s debut studio album. They both contributed songs, with Danny taking lead guitar duties and Brian on acoustic. Danny would spend time at Brian's apartment frequently while the duo worked on the new songs. Somewhere during the writing process, however, there was a falling out between the two musicians, and the concept was scrapped before anything could be recorded.

After the demise of his new writing partnership, Brian was offered a job by Tommy Hunter to write for The Allan Sisters on his program, “The Tommy Hunter Show.” It seems Art Snider really liked Brian’s writing style and passed his name on to others. The music on Tommy’s show was definitively characterized by a “Country & Western” flavor, and this turned Brian off to the opportunity. Although he was encouraged by friends and family, he ultimately declined Tommy’s offer.

With the Tommy Hunter offer no longer on the horizon, Brian’s music career waned. This caused him to move out west to Calgary in the early 1970s. After settling in Calgary, Brian quickly found a job in manufacturing, making good money and finding himself a decent apartment. He decided to hang up his guitar for many years after the move, but he did eventually pick it up again. 

After nearly a decade away, Brian returned to Toronto at the dawn of the 1980s. Perhaps this was homesickness, but nobody is really sure what prompted the move. He quickly found himself a job and an apartment, though being back in Toronto didn’t inspire him to get back into music right away.

After over a decade working in various fields, Brian retired and moved to Wasaga Beach in the late 1990s. He kept in touch with family, as well as musical friends from over the years, such as Neil Merryweather. Slowly, he rediscovered his love of music and playing instruments after he settled in his new home. Throughout his later years, Brian built a recording studio in his home. He would write and play music (he had many guitars, a keyboard, speakers, etc.), jamming with other musical friends he made from around the area, as well as visiting friends from Toronto. 

As with the fate of many of Canada’s mid-to-late 20^th century performers, larger success (if any) eluded Brian [Hyde]. The Canadian music industry was infantile when compared to its contemporaries abroad, offering little in the way of beneficial options for artists prior to the mid-1970s. Brian Alexander’s music fills a particular niche: that of a talented singer-songwriter, penning introspective lyrics and sparse, moody arrangements (usually in a folk-tinged psych-rock style). In the intervening decades, audiences for artists like this have cropped up across the globe, appreciating the musicianship and fawning over the rarity of many of these artists’ works. In Canadian terms, Brian is in a sparsely populated class of psych-folkie songwriters that have achieved some level of cult success. His contemporaries include Stefan Gnys, Winston George, Gordon Lowe, and Phillip Lewin, among others.

                                               THANKS TO THE FAMILY OF BRIAN [HYDE] FOR THEIR PHOTO/HISTORICAL CONTRIBUTIONS 

If You Try And Imagine - The Story Of Carol Lipson

    Throughout the 20th century, Canada has seen no shortage of fantastic singer-songwriters. It's vast, beautiful landscape and deep history of folk and country music have lent themselves heavily to young songwriters over the decades. A handful have become nationally or internationally recognized and respected, but many have been obscured by the passage of time. Obscurity's a cruel fate to befall any artist, especially for those with a story to tell. Today's spotlighted artist is Toronto singer-songwriter Carol Lipson. Her lone commercial release, "Carol," is a wholly original outing put together in her late teens. Though not a commercial success upon release, "Carol" represents a high watermark of quality on the Audat label as well as a great example of original female folk/psych in general. Here is her story:

    Carol Debra Lipszyc was born in Toronto on August 28th, 1955. Both her parents were adolescent Holocaust survivors of Poland and Belarus who settled in Toronto during 1952. During her youth, Carol attended McMurrich Public School. She didn't come from a musical family but found her love of singing early on, listening to various show tunes. It wasn't long before she was singing in youth choirs, both in English and Hebrew. Carol also began studying piano around the age of eight.

    The Lipszyc family moved to a house on Bathurst St. around the fall of 1965. Carol then attended Dufferin Heights Junior High. While studying at the school, she began singing solo in front of a group. Between the ages of ten and thirteen, she sang acapella at luncheon celebrations (bar-mitzvahs).

Carol's professional singing start came at the ripe young age of thirteen, when she made her debut on CBC Radio. The show in question was the Bruce Marsh hosted "What's New," which she performed on for a few weeks. This netted her a guest role at fifteen on another CBC Radio show, "9:15 Alarm Clock." This show (produced by Eithne Black) featured Alan Thicke, Brent Titcomb, Maribeth Solomon, Mickey Erbe, Brian Russell, and Brenda Gordon [Russell], among others. "They produced it in the old CBC building on Jarvis," says Carol. I became a regular and would sometimes skip class to do the show." She also appeared a number of times as a guest vocalist alongside Juliette and Alex Trebek, who co-hosted a CBC radio show at the Colonnade Theatre; the show was called “The Afternoon Show.”    

    "9:15 Alarm Clock" was an important learning experience for Carol as the youngest amongst the cast. She found mentorship amongst the cast as well, which really helped for comfortability as a singer and musician. "On the show, I looked up to Maribeth Solomon in particular," says Carol. "She was about seven years older than me; she wrote songs and played piano and flute." The Alarm Clock show also represented a shift in Carol's musical approach, moving from show tunes toward pop music. 

    Throughout the early 1970's, Carol continued to develop as a singer but also began devoting more time to the piano and songwriting. By early 1973, Carol’s talents were undeniable. She caught the attention of Audat Records. An old friend and gigmate of hers, Vern Kennedy had co-founded the label with Bob Stone and was acting as the A&R man. He insisted that she should record an album of her original songs. With little convincing, Carol was on her way to Halifax with Vern to record at famed Audio Atlantic Studios. This was the place where many “Boot Records” were recorded, as well as most music on the Audat label.

    Audat was an Oshawa-based Country & Folk label with a focus on the Maritimes. This was an extension of label owner Bob Stone's previous label concepts, Stone and Now Records. Though the main focus was on country, folk, and fiddle music, Audat did manage to release quite a few compelling rock/psych/funk projects during its day, mostly Maritimes acts, with many of these releases fetching three-figure sums today due to their rarity and quality: bands like Borealis, Gord Tracey & The Constellations, Brothers & One, The Neighbors Kids, Wes Mackey & The Brotherhood, etc. 

    Carol was set up with top studio players by Audat Records, including Eric Robertson on keyboards. Vern Kennedy handled the arrangements for all of her songs, and Al Feeney handled the mix. The album represents a very talented young lady with a lot to say. All songs were written by the then seventeen-year-old Carol Lipson. The songs convey a (mostly) sunny, orchestrated, acoustic-pop vibe, with vocals comparable to Joni Mitchell or Beverly Copeland. One of the gems of the album is “Ballad Of The Old Man.” The song is lyrically and musically a standout, creating a longing, nostalgic mood and painting a bittersweet story of growing old alone.

    Excitement around the release of Carol’s debut was growing. There was genuine faith in the songs and their ability to reach a larger audience. In an attempt at cross-pollination, Audat had label mates Johnny Cowell and The Oak Island Treasury Department record a pair of her songs. Johnny covered "Pickin Plums" on his 1973 album "Hot Brass," and Oak Island covered "Bring It Down" on their 1973 self-titled album. 

    But unfortunately, it was not to be. Other than pockets in Halifax and Toronto, the album really didn’t perform well due to a lack of meaningful promotion. This left Carol in a tough spot. But one thing she was known for and would become more known for in her later years was perseverance.

    After Carol's debut album failed to find any meaningful success, she'd continue on as a songwriter and performer. She appeared on countless television and radio shows (with hosts like June Callwood, Martin Short, and Peter Gzowski); she did stints in Toronto piano bars; sang and played with many local and visiting jazz luminaries (including the late Paul Grosney, which opened her mind and ears to a deeper level of music study); and generally just tried her hand at breaking into the business in whichever manner she saw fit. Her time playing in piano bars and with jazz musicians was integral to her growth as a musician and songwriter. It highlighted for her the importance of melody line, especially in relation to starker arrangements. “You were compelled to sing well-constructed songs where possible,” says Carol.You were compelled to sing well-constructed songs where possible, says Carol. 

    Her twenties were a time of risk-taking and evolving disillusionment with the music industry. She drifted along, taking whatever music-related work she could while focusing on her craft as a songwriter. Her songwriting continued to improve, and this compelled her to re-enter the recording studio, most often with Jack Lenz as producer, cutting a number of demos throughout the 1980’s. She adopted the stage name Carol Palmer and released her debut singleDown On The Street Corner/In Slow Motion" during 1983 through Rich Dodson's (of Stampeder's fame) Marigold Records label. Apart from a short stint on the Adult Contemporary Billboard Pop charts with "(Down On The) Street Corner" (a song she penned with the late Danny Deardorff), none of the songs managed to gain any traction. Carol, undeterred, continued on in the music industry until her mid-thirties, upon which time she re-entered university to train to teach ESL.

    Carol embarked upon a journey to re-educate herself, acquiring Masters and Doctoral degrees in Education at OISE, University of Toronto, while teaching diverse student populations and often integrating music as a teacher. A literacy/ESl Reader, “People Express” (published by Oxford University Press in the late 1990's), included her self-penned chants and songs as a teaching strategy to help new immigrants with little education.

    Her children’s CD, If You Try and Imagine, orchestrated and engineered by Donald Quan, was conceived of during her teaching certification training in St. Catharines; she believed in the power of integrating curriculum with songs and chants to address multiple intelligences.

    Eventually armed with her doctorate in education, Carol found a tenure-track position at an upstate SUNY College where she taught English teacher education and creative writing until retirement. During that fruitful and fulfilling period, she published across genres, including a book of lyrical poetry, Singing Me Home (Inanna 2010); a book of short stories on children in the Holocaust, The Saviour Shoes and Other Stories (Inanna, 2014); an anthology of poems on the heart, The Heart is Improvisational (Guernica, 2017); and a chapbook, In the Absence of Sons (Kelsay Books, 2020), as well as arts-based educational articles in international journals.

    Carol represents a woman of true courage and tenacity. She's a person who believed in her art and her ability as a songwriter. Whenever Carol was beaten down by the industry, she got back up and fought harder. After her journey of re-education in the 1990's, she attacked the arts world with a new purpose: teaching others, especially children. She’s a multi-talented, warm-hearted person who deserves further recognition for her works. I especially think her 1973 album deserved further inspection. It represents a very talented young lady on the cusp of her creative breakthrough, whose voice is equally at home with the likes of Joni Mitchell and Beverly Copeland. 

                             THANKS TO CAROL LIPSON FOR HER HELP WITH THIS AND ALLOWING ME TO SHARE HER MUSIC ON YOUTUBE