Garfield (band)
| Garfield | |
|---|---|
| Genres | progressive rock |
| Years active | 1970s-aft. 1981 |
| Labels | Mercury Records, Polydor Records |
| Past members |
Garfield French Walter Lawrence Paul O'Donnell Jacques Fillion Dennis French Chip Yarwood Maris Tora |
Garfield was a Canadian progressive rock band in the late 1970s,[1] most noted for garnering a Juno Award nomination for Most Promising Group at the Juno Awards of 1977.[2]
Formed in the early 1970s as The Garfield Band by vocalist and songwriter Garfield French,[3] the band also included Walter Lawrence on guitar and electric cello, Paul O'Donnell on guitar, harmonica and banjo, Jacques Fillion on keyboards, Dennis French on drums, Chip Yarwood on flute and keyboards, and Maris Tora on bass guitar.[3] A prominent touring act in Southern Ontario, they were signed to Mercury Records after a gig opening for 10cc in Ottawa.[3] At this time, they changed their name from The Garfield Band to Garfield.[3]
The band's debut album Strange Streets, released in 1976, garnered Canadian radio airplay for the single "Old Time Movies",[3] and was supported by touring both on their own and as an opening act for Canadian dates by The Doobie Brothers. Their second album, Out There Tonight, was released in 1977.[3] It was less successful, leading to conflict with their label, and the band moved to Polydor Records for their third album Reason to Be in 1979.[3] One more album, Flights of Fantasy, was released in 1981 before the band broke up.[3]