Ken Tobias
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Ken Tobias | |
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Attic |
Kenneth Wayne Paul Tobias (born July 25, 1945) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. He is noted for penning the 1971 chart-topping hit for
Early career
Born and raised in
In 1970, he penned "Stay Awhile". Though originally conceived as a country-tinged solo piece, the song would emerge as a sensual duet by The Bells and became a soft rock classic of the early 1970s, peaking in 1971 at No. 1 in Canada and No. 7 on the US Billboard charts. "Stay Awhile" sold more than two million copies worldwide.
Solo artist
After travelling back and forth between Los Angeles and Montreal, in 1972, Tobias settled in Toronto where he played as a backing musician with various bands. With his brother Tony Tobias, he established Glooscap Music and released several solo recordings that enjoyed extensive airplay in Canada, including "Fly Me High", and "Lady Luck". Ken Tobias is one of the few Canadians to receive the Socan Classics Award for 100,000 airplays of a given song, of which he has five awards, for "Stay Awhile", "I Just Want to Make Music", "Every Bit of Love", "Give a Little Love" and "Dream #2". To date, Ken Tobias has released eight albums and one radio sampler on various record labels. He has also released about twenty singles.
In 1978, he toured Europe, and while there he collaborated on the soundtrack of the Italian Spaghetti Western Sella d'Argento (Silver Saddle/They Died with Their Boots On), directed by Lucio Fulci.
Recent career
Tobias lived in Toronto through the 1990s before returning to his native Saint John, where he now lives, painting and continuing to write and perform music, and encouraging younger talents through the Songwriters Association of Canada. In 2002, he produced the debut album for Canadian artist Kim Jarrett. He has also collaborated with local Saint John artist Jessica Rhaye.[2]
In 2008, Tobias released From a Distance, his first new album in 24 years.
Discography
Year | Title | Label |
---|---|---|
1972 | Dream No.2 | MGM / Verve |
1973 | The Magic's in the Music | MGM |
1975 | Every Bit of Love | Attic |
1976 | Siren Spell | Attic |
1977 | Street Ballet | Attic |
1978 | The Ken Tobias Collection – So Far... So Good | Attic |
1984 | Gallery | CBC Enterprises |
Friends: A Kid's Album of Pop Songs | Kiddin' Round Records / CBS Records | |
1993 | Pangaea (Radio Sampler) | Pangaea Records |
2008 | From a Distance | The Pangaea Music House |
2011 | Secrets (EP) | Self-Published |
Singles
- "You're Not Even Going to the Fair" (Bell, 1969) (#78 CAN)
- "Now I'm in Love" (1971) (#82 CAN)
- "I'd Like to Know" (1971)
- "Dream #2" (MGM/Verve 1972) (#23 CAN)
- "I Just Want to Make Music" (1973) (#9 CAN)
- "Fly Me High" (1973) (#24 CAN)
- "On the Other Side" (1974)
- "Lover Come Quickly" (1974)
- "Lady Luck" (1975) (#31 CAN)
- "Run Away with Me" (1975) (#52 CAN)
- "Every Bit of Love" (1975) (#17 CAN)
- "Give a Little Love" (1976) (#21 CAN)
- "Oh Lynda" (1976)
- "Lovin' Fever" (1976)
- "Dancer" (1977) (#53 CAN)
- "Lovelight" (1977) (#54 CAN)
- "I Don't Want to Be Alone" (1978) (#80 CAN)
- "New York City" (1978) (#88 CAN)
- "Here You Are Today" (1983)
References
- ^ "Ken Tobias Discography – Canada". 45cat.com. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
- ^ "Veteran Ken Tobias and rising star Jessica Rhaye collaborate on songs and on stage" Archived March 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Moncton Times & Transcript, November 18, 2009
Further reading
- Dave Bidini, On a Cold Road: Tales of Adventure in Canadian Rock (1998) Toronto: McClelland & Stewart