Guess Who
Biography
While the Guess Who did have several hits in America, they were superstars in their home country of Canada during the 1960s and early '70s. The band grew out of vocalist/guitarist Chad Allan (born Allan Kobel) and guitarist Randy Bachman's Winnipeg-based group Chad Allan and the Expressions, originally known as first the Silvertones and then the Reflections. The remainder of the lineup featured bassist Jim Kale, pianist Bob Ashley, and drummer Garry Peterson. The Expressions recorded a cover of Johnny Kidd and the Pirates' "Shakin' All Over" in 1965, which became a surprise hit in Canada and reached the U.S. Top 40. When the Expressions recorded an entire album of the same name, its record company, Quality, listed their name as "Guess Who?" on the jacket, hoping to fool record buyers into thinking that the British Invasion-influenced music was actually by a more famous group in disguise. Ashley had been replaced by keyboardist/vocalist Burton Cummings, who became lead vocalist when Allan departed in 1966. The Guess Who embarked on an unsuccessful tour of England and returned home to record commercials and appear on the television program Let's Go, hosted by Chad Allan.
Selected Discography
The Guess Who deserve a much more thorough bio than that sparse one above. Apparently the writer knows nothing about this band or its prominence on the 60's/70's music scene.
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one of the greatest bands of all time...just didn't last long enough. Burton Cummings has one of the greatest voices in rock & roll. a voice i can listen to all day.
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Okay, now. Case in point. Great, great band back in the day, but why do these old bands feel like they need to become caricatures of themselves, essentially tribute bands playing their own music? Sometimes it's just time to quit, guys.
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Is this song about art linkletters kid walking off a hotel deck on a LSD trip?
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whats with the name not to mention this is playing on my who station
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I have NEVER heard anyone say they thought ZEP did American Woman. Are you sure you are not making that up?
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People think that "Led Zeppelin" did "American Woman"? Nope, not so, it was done by "The Guess Who" circa 1970.
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i hate how some people think led zeppelin did american woman
pssh! not even close its the guess who! haha |
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Burton Cummings, imho, is one of the great songwriters/ p i a n i s t s of our day. I see a lot of negative comments on here about being Canadian, but the talent is there. Check out Burton's solo stuff, including his newest CD "Above the Ground", released in 2008. The evolution of Chad Allen & the Expressions, to the Guess Who, to Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman's careers as solo artists, leading other groups, or getting back together and touring again as Bachman/Cumm i n g s , has produced some great musi
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The album "Share the Land" was the first album I bought as a kid. Still have it!
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Guess Who rocks i love putting it in my cd player and asking people Doyou know who this is?? Guess Who!!!! Every single one of their songs is amazing i grew up listening to this if you like guess who check out some Dr. Hook and The Medicne Show!!!!!
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The song was written by the Zombies. I too was surprised the Guess Who covered it.
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is this really the guess who I never knew they did this song or did they write it for someone else
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Burton Cummings is, quite simply, one of the best vocalists in rock. He doesn't get enough credit, unfortunatel y .
Not all of Guess Who's songs are steller. Some are clunky and pointless. However, a Best of Guess Who collection contains some of the best songs in rock, and should be in everyone's collection. A fun, talented band. Great music, and a phenomenal singer! - |
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I think the Guess Who are great, but I did see a version of them in recent years, and I was trying to Guess Who they were? I saw a version of Deep Purple like that to, I go who in the hell are these guys?, .....The neighbor of the founding bass player, is on vocals.
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party party wow have not heard this song in so long the albums were all good. But I like there best. a lot of smoke in the air every time this album played. Marqaritoeli s e I was 17 years old when they came out. they talk about thinking green all the time. We were way ahead of them.
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This song reminds me of being 5 years old and cruising with my dad in his '72 cutlass
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i'm a 55 year old guy and for me, listening to all(not old) these music is like going back in time! Add to it that i wasn't even born in the USA!!! Don't panic, i'm naturalized now. I was influenced by what is now known as Classic Rock because I was raised and played in a band across the border in Mexico(Mexic a l i B.C.)May God bless technology and: Long Live Pandora!
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I'm in heaven. This pandora has gave me some much. I hear some of this old stuff and my it bring back some very good times thank three dog night i lov ya.
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MyDearest Rebarcka, Being JUST 23 is most certainly, NOT a deficienct - imparticular l y , with the apparent way at which you choose to look at music and the Lives and sounds of the "we" that came 'so' before! For we are nevermore! We are you and you are we - don't you see?!? Within itself you have seen all that you "need" see, for they lie within - between and beside - the words that these brothers and sisters you call: 'legends' have strewn together for all to
share, begin and end. Most deffina |
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I loved their version of American Woman, I didn't like Lenny Kravitz version. Guess Who is a great band I am just so sad i am not old enough to have been able to see all of these bands in their glory in the 60's and 70's like The Doors ( my absolute favorite), The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Styx, Kansas, Hendrix, all of the legends. My generation has a great musical genre, however, there will never be one like the vinyl genre. I devour it!
I am 23. |
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Beware- they still tour, but not with Burton Cummings. I don't want any disapppointe d fans.
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........are you braggin' or complainin', michaelbigb? ......i would be 16 if i were dyslexic.... . b u t don't wanna go back.
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"American Woman" has become a classic icon in my opinion. It is today one of the songs I turn up on the radio and listen to in my car. I wish my students today could understand how the music I grew up with was just as important to me as their music is today.
Englishteach e r i n O r e g o n |
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The above bio only briefly mentions Burton Cummings. But to many of us fans, Cummings was the Guess Who. His distinctive vocals helped elevate their music to a unique and recognizable genre of their own. After they parted ways, Cummings released some solo material and had some hits on his own. His first solo effort is one of my favorite albums from the 70s. The writer of the bio above either is not a Guess Who fan or doesn't enjoy them for the same reasons that the general public did.
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This is the most under-rated band ever. Burton Cummings is definitely one of the greatest classic-rock vocalists. I Do Agree 100% Michaelbigb
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This is the most under-rated band ever. Burton Cummings is definitely one of the greatest classic-rock vocalists.
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Maybe one of best "not known" albums came from Guess Who, So Long Banaytne. In my high school days, if you didn't have the Best of the Guess Who in your 8 track, you were out of the loop.
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i remember shakin all over in the early sixtys.sound e d to me like burton cummings.sny w a y getting him was the best they could have done.saw them live three times. they had a definate sound of their own.good job with the music you play.
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I believe you're thinking of ? and the Mysterians, and yes, I think he did, but I'm pretty sure it was just a publicity stunt
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Is it true that the lead singerof the changed his name to Aquestion mark?
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