Lawrence Wayne Bower (August 31, 1933 - January 19, 2016) was a Canadian jazz musician, most noted as the bandleader of the Laurie Bower Singers.Ron Csillag, "Multitalented musician Laurie Bower was a mainstay of Toronto’s jazz scene". The Globe and Mail, February 9, 2016.
Originally from Kirkland Lake, Ontario,Geoff Chapman, "Trombone maestro slides into Music at McMichael". Toronto Star, January 1, 1998. Bower studied trombone and choral arrangement at the University of Toronto, and began his career as a trombonist in the jazz bands of Benny Louis, Ozzie Williams, Ellis McClintock, Art Hallman and Mart Kenney. He subsequently joined the Five Playboys, a vocal quintet who performed a number of times on The Jack Kane Show.
Striking out on his own as a session musician and vocal arranger, he became more widely known as the conductor of the children's choir on Bobby Gimby's 1967 Canadian centennial anthem "Canada".Charles Gerein, "Canada's centennial pied piper". Toronto Star, January 14, 1967. In this era he formed the Laurie Bower Singers, which started out as a vocal quintet before expanding into a rotating collective of session vocalists who performed and recorded with the band when available.Victor Stanton, "Laurie Bower Singers: straight". Waterloo Region Record, April 19, 1975. In addition to Bower, other members of the Laurie Bower Singers over their career included Tommy Ambrose, Kathy Collier, Vern Kennedy, Patty Van Evera, Cal Dodd, Bill Misener, Colina Phillips, Judy Tate and Stephanie Taylor.
The collective recorded 11 albums featuring harmony vocal arrangements of pop, folk and jazz songs between 1968 and 1990, and released singles including a cover of "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing"."The Jingle That Became a Hit". Times & Transcript, January 15, 1972. They also became known as regular singers of television commercial jingles, and were part of the recording of the theme song to the 1967 animated version of Spider-Man alongside the Billy Van Singers.
With Jackie Rae and Micky Erbe, he was also a cofounder of The Spitfire Band, a jazz band active in the 1980s."Pilot and entertainer Jackie Rae dies, 84". Times & Transcript, October 14, 2006.
Following the retirement of the bands, Bower continued to record as a session musician, as well as having select solo jazz performances including appearances at the Toronto Jazz Festival into the 2000s. In this era, he also had a small acting role, playing Johnny Mandel in the 2000 television film Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story.
Bower died on January 19, 2016, in Toronto.
Discography Feelin - 1968 Look What They've Done to These Songs, Ma... - 1971 Take Me Home Country Roads - 1971 Morning Has Broken - 1972 Wish I Was a Plane - 1973 Back Home Again - 1975 Got a Feelin' for Love - 1976 Looks Like We Made It - 1977 You - 1978 When You Say Goodbye - 1980 It Goes Like It Goes - 1981
Awards Award Date of ceremony Category Work Result ACTRA Awards 1973 Best Variety Performer The Laurie Bower Singers Ron Base, "Words of love". Windsor Star, April 28, 1973. Juno Awards 1974 Best Pop Music Album Wish I Were a Plane "Juno Award nominations". Ottawa Journal, March 22, 1974.
References