Jim Mancel was a Canadian singer, producer, composer and arranger who had several hits from the early 1970s and another in the early 1980s. He has recorded for the Polydor, Apex, and Quality labels, and Quality's subsidiary, Celebration. His hits include, "I Could Give You the World" which was a hit on the MAPL chart in 1970, and his 1975 single "Let the Phone Ring" which was also commercially successful in Canada. He hit the adult contemporary chart in 1977 with "Just Be Yourself". He was also a member of the Canadian band, Chester who had a hit in 1973 with "Make My Life a Little Bit Brighter".
Competing in overseas musical events, he has won awards in Greece and France.
Background In the late 1950s at the age of thirteen, Jim Mancel was singing a cappella in Toronto Hillcrest Park with two of his young friends. At 2am, a man in a long flannel coat appeared out of the darkness. After convincing them that he wasn't a deviant, they went the man to his house where they did an audition for him and his wife. The man then arranged a gig for them at a folk club in Toronto, the Purple Onion. After that the boys faded out of sight.RPM Weekly, Volume 19 No. 25 August 4, 1973 - Page 1 (Front cover) HAPPINESS ....IS CHESTER
In 1971, Mancel won the Songwriters' award at the Cannes Festival in France.Marketing Volume 83, Publisher Maclean-Hunter (1978) - Page 8 PRODUCTION
Mancel was the lead singer of the Canadian group Chester, which was formed by Glen Morrow in late 1972.The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia - CHESTER The group consisted of Mike Argue on lead guitar and vocals, Jim Mancel on lead vocals, and Glen “Wedge” Monroe on drums, piano, and guitar, and Glenn Morrow on keyboard, guitar and vocals. The group had a hit with "Make My Life a Little Bit Brighter" which spent 13 weeks on Vancouver’s CKLG chart, peaking at #3 in November 1973.Vancouver Pop Music Signature Sounds - #91: MAKE MY LIFE A LITTLE BIT BRIGHTER BY CHESTER After the group broke up, Mancel embarked on a solo career and recorded the single, "Let the Phone Ring".RPM Weekly Volume 19 No. 25 August 4, 1973 - Page 1 HAPPINESS ....IS CHESTERThe Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia - CHESTER
Mancel was also mentored by Sam Sniderman at some stage in his career.RPM Weekly Volume 19 No. 25 August 4, 1973 - Page 1 HAPPINESS ....IS CHESTER
In 1976, Mancel entered into a partnership with John Marmora with the company, Celmar Productions which was at one time rated as one of Canada's top three jingle recording companies. For the next ten years the company won awards and produced over five hundred advertising jingles. Their client base reached from Canada to the United States.Emery Village Voice, April, 2021 - Yesterday and Today - April 2021 By Tim Lambrinos
Working with The Longo Brothers, Mancel recorded a composition of theirs.RPM Weekly, Volume 36 Non. 14 May 15, 1982 - Page 9 AROUND THE MUSIC BIZ, New single from Longo Bros.
Career 1970s "I Could Give You the World" In 1970, Mancel's single "I Could Give You the World" was released. It became an award winner in Greece at the 3rd Olympiad of Song.Billboard, August 22, 1970 - Page 80 Canadian News Report, From The Music Capitals of the World, TORONTO - Page 81 International News Reports, From The Music Capitals of the World, Continued from page 80 With "Aido" by Ljupka Dimitrovska from Yugoslavia in first place, Cash Box magazine wrote that his place was second, and in third place was Eva Correia José Maria from Brazil with "Teletema".Cash Box, August 8, 1970 - Page 51 CashBox Canada In actual fact, Mancel who was representing the United States came third. He received a medal and $300 in prize money. He was also pictured on page 29 of the Photo Journal newspaper,Billboard, August 1, 1970 - Page 58 International News Reports, From The Music Capitals of the World, Yugoslavia's 'Adio' Captures Greece Olympiad of SongPopular Song Festivals, Tuesday, April 26, 2011 - 1968 - 1973 - WORLD SONG OLYMPIAD IN ATHENS – GREECE, 1970 - III WORLD SONG OLYMPIAD IN ATHENS – GREECE, Final standings:Photo Journal, Vol. 34 - No. 14 - Semaine Du 20 Au 26 Juilett 1970 - 29 Le 3e prix est revenu aux Etats-Unis pour la chanson "I Could Give You The World ” interprétée par Jim Mancel. II a reçu une médaille d'honneur et un prix de $300. and in another in Cash Box with the other two contestants.Cash Box, August 8, 1970 - Page 81 ONE, TWO, THREE
It entered the Top 50 MAPL Canadian Chart at #49 on September 19.RPM Weekly, Volume 14 No. 5 September 19, 1970 - Page 7 TOP 50 MAPL CANADIAN CHART It would get to #26 on the Top 30 MAPL Canadian Chart on October 31. On that week, the chart had been changed from Top 50 MAPL to Top 30 MAPL.RPM Weekly, Volume 14 No. 10 October 24, 1970 - Page 7 TOP 50 MAPL CANADIAN CHARTRPM Weekly, Volume 14 No. 11 October 31st, 1970 - Page 7 TOP 30 MAPL CANADIAN CHART The following week (November 7) the chart had changed again and was now the Top 20 MAPL chart. The song was now in the "Recommended singles meeting CRTC requirements for AM radio" section.RPM Weekly, Volume 14, No. 12 November 7th, 1970 - Page 9 TOP 20 MAPL CANADIAN CHART On the 14th of that month it was in the "Recommended selections that have met RPM's good music programming standards" section, just outside the Top 20 MAPL GMP Playlist chart.RPM Weekly, Volume 14 No. 13 November 14th, 1970 - Page 6 TOP 20 MAPL GMP PLAYLIST, Recommended selections that have met RPM's good music programming standards.
It spent a total of seven weeks in the MAPL chart.RPM Weekly, Volume 14 No. 5 September 19, 1970 - Page 7 TOP 50 MAPL CANADIAN CHARTRPM Weekly, Volume 14 No. 11 October 31st, 1970 - Page 7 TOP 30 MAPL CANADIAN CHART
"Let the Phone Ring" In 1975, the single, "Let the Phone Ring" would be a national hit. It entered the RPM 100 Top Singles chart at #97 on February 15.RPM Weekly, Volume 22 No. 25 February 15, 1975 - Page 16 RPM 100 Top Singles (51-100) It peaked at #77 on March 15.RPM Weekly, Volume 23 Nos 2 & 3 March 15, 1975 - Page 22 RPM 100 Top Singles (51-100)RPM Weekly, Volume 23 No. 4 March 22, 1975 - Page 23 - 24 RPM Top Singles, RPM 100 Top Singles (51-100) With the single getting a heavy amount of air-attention in Toronto, it was making the right kind of noise over the border, reaching the ears of people in Buffalo. It got the interest of the WYSL program director Steve Mitchell. Several copies were also taken to various radio stations in the United States due to the growing interest in the record.RPM Weekly, Volume 23 No. 8 April 19, 1975 - Page 4 QUALITY SHOWS SALES ON MANCEL & HUDSON BROS. Meanwhile in Canada, as recorded by the April 19 issue of RPM Weekly, the single was still charting regionally and getting spun on contemporary play lists such as Jim Duncan's show at CKBC in Bathurst (charted),RPM Weekly, Volume 23 No. 8 April 19, 1975 - Page 33 RPM CONTEMPORARY RADIO ACTION, BATHURST, CKBC (Jim Duncan), Charted CFOM-FM in Quebec,RPM Weekly, Volume 23 No. 8 April 19, 1975 - Page 34 RPM CONTEMPORARY RADIO ACTION, QUEBEC CITY, CFOM, Playlisted CKCK in Regina (charted),RPM Weekly, Volume 23 No. 8 April 19, 1975 - Page 34 RPM CONTEMPORARY RADIO ACTION, REGINA, CKCK, Charted Billie Gorrie's show on CKRC in Winnipeg (charted).RPM Weekly, Volume 23 No. 8 April 19, 1975 - Page 34 RPM CONTEMPORARY RADIO ACTION, WINNIPEG, CKRC, (Billie Gorrie), Charted Billboard reported in the May 5 issue that the record was showing some surprising sales action in Canada with it being playlisted and charting across the country.Billboard, May 3, 1975 - Page 50 Canada, From The Music Capitals Of The World, TORONTO
It spent a total of four weeks in the National chart.RPM Weekly, Volume 22 No. 25 February 15, 1975 - Page 16 RPM 100 Top Singles (51-100)RPM Weekly, Volume 23 Nos 2 & 3 March 15, 1975 - Page 22 RPM 100 Top Singles (51-100)RPM Weekly, Volume 23 No. 4 March 22, 1975 - Page 23 - 24 RPM Top Singles, RPM 100 Top Singles (51-100)
Further activities As reported by RPM weekly in the June 7, 1975 issue, Mancel was free from his contract with the Celebration label and looking around for a new record deal. He was also planning for a session at the 16-track facility at Master's Workshop studio in Toronto which was run by Doug MacKenzie. With a recent gig at Kingston behind him which resulted in "Let the Phone Ring" becoming one of local radio's top phone requests, Mancel and his five-piece band Reachout had a good run on the Ontario club circuit. They were to set to appear at the Shamrock club in Toronto on June 2.RPM Weekly, Volume 23 No. 14 June 7, 1975 - Page 3 Jim Mancel shopping for new label deal
"Just Be Yourself", Change Records period Along with Myles Cohen, Jeanette Brantley, Aura, Mancel was part of Change's Canadian list of artists.RPM Weekly, Volume 28 No. 17 January 21, 1978 - Page 4 An important year for Canada at MIDEM by Walt Grealis Pages 4 - 7 (Page 7) Change Records with publishing arms ...
In 1977, the single "Just Be Yourself" bw "Dreams" was released on the Change Records label, Cat #CH 45003. It was produced by John James Stewart. Mancel co-wrote the A side with Glen Morrow. The B side was written by Bill Hughes.Music Metason - ArtistInfo, Jim Mancel, Just Be Yourself / Dreams
In January 1978, the record had been getting some good attention. Being one of the records that was in the "Additions to playlists and charts that are not yet charted on the RPM charts" category, it was getting spun on Dave Watts' show at CFRA Ottawa, and Ray Edwardson's show at CFSL Weyburn,RPM Weekly, Volume 28 No. 17 January 21, 1978 - Page 37 RPM Hitmakers, DAVE WATTS CFRA OTTAWA & RAY EDWARDSON, CFSL WEYBURN It was also charting there, entering the station's chart #39 for the week of January 21, 1978.RPM Weekly, Volume 28 No. 17 January 21, 1978 - Page 38, 41 (Page 41) BREAKOUT MARKET ADDITIONS, WEYBURN CFSL (Ray Edwardson), CHARTED A breakout market addition at CFRA Ottawa, it was also playlisted on Dave Watts' show.RPM Weekly, Volume 28 No. 17 January 21, 1978 - Page 38 BREAKOUT MARKET ADDITIONS, OTTAWA CFRA (Dave Watts), Playlisted By the week of February 4, the record had been on the RPM Adult Oriented Play list chart for three weeks. It had moved up from #47 to #42.RPM Weekly, Volume 28, No. 19 Feb 04, 1978 (Library and Archives Canada, Item: 10199) - RPM Adult Oriented Playlist It peaked at #37 on February 25, spending a total of seven weeks in the chart.RPM Weekly, Volume 28, No. 22 Feb 25, 1978 (Library and Archives Canada, Item: Item: 10081) - Page 29 RPM Adult Oriented PlaylistRPM Weekly, Volume 28, No. 23 Mar 04, 1978 (Library and Archives Canada, Item: Item: 10160) - Page 26 RPM Adult Oriented PlaylistRPM Weekly, Volume 28 No. 24 Mar 11, 1978 (Library and Archives Canada, Item: Item: Item: 3779) - Page 35 RPM Adult Oriented Playlist
By March 18, RPM had noted that the record had received solid airplay in the MOR and Top 40 markets across Canada. It did particularly well in the Maritimes. It peaked at #24 on CKTS in Sherbrooke. It was currently at #13 on CKBC Bathurst. It had also had a nine-week run at Ottawa's leading station, CFRA. Throughout the Maritimes there were fourteen stations spinning the disc. There were other stations that had picked up on it including some adult contemporary stations which were instrumental in getting the record to have its charting run on the RPM Adult Oriented playlist.
According to Mancel's label, his debut album was to be released in April.RPM Weekly, Volume 28 No. 25 March 18, 1978 - Page 22 Mancel's Change 45 gains air in pop, MOR markets Artist Aura Aura Urziceanu recorded his composition "L.A. Sunshine" which was released on Change Records CHD 300 in 1978.JioSaavn - La Sunshine, Artists, Jim Mancel MusicPopsike - RARE AURA Urziceanu "L.A. SUNSHINE" CHANGE REC OG DISCO FUNK 12" EBONY CUTSMusic Metason - ArtistInfo, Aura Urziceanu, Special Way
1980s to 1990s