bill candy

Artist Information

Biography

As a performer ...
Bill Candy brings a gripping combination of guitar and vocal mastery to the stage. His original arrangements of folk, jazz, country, blues & pop classics are both unique and refreshing – keeping the audience entertained for the entire performance. Bill’s roots stem back to the 60’s & 70’s (Jim Croce, Paul Simon, James Taylor etc.), and combine with his classical and Jazz studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music and Berklee College of Music in Boston. It is this eclectic musical background that has produced Bill’s unique style of playing, and what sets him apart from other performers.

As a composer...
Up until ‘93 Bill was active as a soloist as well as being part of the well-known vocal group Edward, Harding and McLean who recorded 3 albums in their career and appeared on many CBC TV and radio programs. Having gone their separate ways, Bill has been focusing on his own songwriting and recording career which got off to a successful start in ‘91 with the release of his single “I Can’t Say That It’s True.” The song was charted nationally and held the #34 spot on the Record magazines’ top 50 country songs of ‘91. Bill’s CD, Closer To The Music, produced by Chad Irshick (Rankin Family), was released in ‘95 and has received great reviews and consistent national airplay.

Native Canadian star Susan Aglukark has also recorded one of Bill’s songs on her critically acclaimed EMI CD “This Child”, which presented Bill as one of Canada’s finest songwriters to the International community.
The year 2002 brought the release of Bill’s long-awaited new CD, “Common Ground” which is being well received internationally, as well as here at home.
Bill continues to perform as a solo and with other artists in corperate, club and concert venues.
Bill's new band "Desperate Sidemen" is fun group of top musicians. They back Bill in concert playing Bill's original music and in club and corperate venues.

NOTABLE GIGS:
Rotary Ribfest, Brampton.

Rally for no power plants in Mississauga performing Bill's song Common Ground with Mayor Hazel McCallion for 2000 protesters.

Fundraiser at The Rose Theater in Brampton for ALS victim
Amy Doolittle.

Concert tour with Simon and Garfunkle tribute show.

Instrumentation

BILL CANDY
Ovation Classical, Martin D-35.
Vocals.

Discography

1986 Single, "Darling You Can Talk To Me"

1994 CD, Bill Candy " CLOSER TO THE MUSIC"

1995 Single, "Baby You Mean So Much"

1995 Single, "I'm On A Roll"

2002 CD, Bill Candy " COMMON GROUND"

Both Common Ground and Closer to The Music are posted at CD Baby and are digitally ditributed by them.

Audio

• Slipping Through The Cracks
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• Double You
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• Common Ground
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• 01 Song For Amy Doo
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• When The Lost Is Found Again
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Lyrics

• Track 1 Slippin' Through The Cracks
• Track 2 Double You
• Track 3 Common Ground
• 
• When The Lost Is Found Again
• Common Ground

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Closer To The Music [+ Show ]
  

  A collection of original songs from singer/songwriter BILL CANDY Available on CD and cassette. ...
  
  A collection of original songs from singer/songwriter BILL CANDY
  Available on CD and cassette.
  
  BCCD-1
  BCCS_1
  
  
  " This is Bill's debut album, and is sure to bring him into the mainstream. Candy displays a relaxed, non-pretentious approach to his music, which at times reveals a pleasant folk/roots ingredient. His song material is simple and his keen sense of interpretation gives a touch urgency to his lyrics." 1/16/95
  
  • WALT GREALIS of RPM Magazine
  
  
  
  "This whole CD is honest and BILL CANDY does each tune justice as a singer-songwriter of each song,"
  
  • CHERYL HOMAN , COUNTRY WAVE MAGAZINE 2/95
  
  
  " Console king CHAD IRSCHICK lends his characteristic studio sheen to this fine crop of songs from guitarist BILL CANDY. The singer-songwriter fits comfortably into the new country format although his tastes are clearly more eclectic than that, straying into fun-time blues and James Taylor-style ballads."
  
  • SOCAN, WORDS & MUSIC 2/95
  
  
  " Ontario singer-songwriter and talented guitarist BILL CANDY is a folk/pop artist with a James Taylor-like, laid back delivery and mixed styles that range from folk to swing to pop. A well produced album."
  
  NORTHERN JOURNEY. A guide to Canadian folk music on CD.
  By Gene Wilburn. Reference Press.
  

• Common Ground CD [+ Show ]
  

  When Bill writes or learns a new song, he works it until it fits like a glove. The 6 originals on th...When Bill writes or learns a new song, he works it until it fits like a glove. The 6 originals on this CD do just that. COMMON GROUND was a song written originally as a song of praise for this great country that we live in. It sat unsung for 5 years until 9/11 when he re-wrote it as a song of hope for this troubled world in which we live. The choir that you hear on this track was a massing of 9 multi-cultural choirs (260 voices) that performed Bill's song as the finale of their "Singing Together" concert in Marcb of this year. The audience was on their feet before the last chorus ended. The choir arrangement was done by Toronto's Tom Leighton.
  SHE S GONE, WHEN THE LOST IS FOUND & IT S YOU LOVE THAT HAS SAVED ME all show Bill's talent as a song writer. The lyrics, coming from personal experiences, coax the listeners imagination and Bill's knowledge of melody, harmony and arrangement marry with the lyrics too give each song it s own life. Always one to create an interesting and unexpected bridge that takes you completely away from the theme only to bring you back again as if you never left, SHE"S GONE & WHEN THE LOST IS FOUND are good examples and leave the ear wanting for a second listen.
  SLIPPING THROUGH THE CRACKS is a comment on the poverty and abuse suffered by so many children. Bill was inspired by Susan Aglukark in a song writing session for her THIS CHILD CD 1995. He wrote the song for her and she recorded it on that CD. That EMI recording went on to sell over 300,000 copies. Bill s version is convincing and his message is clear.
  You will also hear Bill s talents on the fret board in DUCK'S RAG. (Duck being Bill s nick name from high school) He also did all the guitar work on the CD displaying his knowledge of all styles of guitar playing and studio techniques.
  THE LUCK OF THE DRAWL & IT AIN T NOTHIN show Bill s love for country swing. The Luck Of The Drawl, penned by Toronto's big funny guy of country guitar WENDELL FERGUSON, is to be the 1st single as well. You'll be hearing more from Bill & Wendell from various stages in the Toronto area.
  Bill's grandfather, George Coutts, was a highly respected Canadian composer. Although he never knew him, we can see where Bill s talents came from. This musicality was also passed down to his daughter EMILY who wrote a duet for flute when she was 17 for a high school music project. He was so taken with her arranging ability that he hired Amy Dooittle to record the flute parts and then added a track of 12 string and one of classical guitar. A fitting ending to a most entertaining CD.
  
  DON COMRIE
  Freelance Journalist
  

Setlist

Closer To The Music (original)
The Fat Cat Blues "
Slipping Through The Cracks, Susan Aglukark/Bill Candy
My Education In The Blues Les Smith
The Luck Of The Drawl Wendell Ferguson
The Dough's On The Rise (original)
Baby You Mean So Much "
You Can Depend On Me (jazz cover)
Great Big Johnson Wendell Ferguson
Double You (original)
Common Ground "

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