Blue Northern

History

Blue Northern was formed in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1977. Its initial band composition was Jimmy Wilson (rhythm guitar and pedal steel), Garry Comeau (lead guitar and violin), Lee Roy Stephens (bass) and Brady Gustafson (drums). They were later joined by guitarist Ray O'Toole and vocalist-guitarist Billy Cowsill. O'Toole had been a professional musician and songwriter since 1967, co-founding the Northwest Company in that year and remaining with the band for various periods between 1967 and 1974. Northwest Company had a number of hit singles in British Columbia. O'Toole later joined the band Shakedown, which was signed to Casino Records, though releasing only one single during its 1976-1977 existence. Cowsill had been a professional musician for a comparable period to that of O'Toole, having previously achieved international success with The Cowsills in the 1960s.

Blue Northern's first release, Blue, was a four-song EP released in 1979 on Quintessence Records. The label, which evolved from an independent retail record store in Vancouver of the same name, was an independent record label that was primarily known for releasing music by Vancouver punk bands. Two of the songs were written by O'Toole and two by Cowsill. The record was produced by Cowsill.

Polydor Records signed the band in 1980 and released "I Can't Make No Sense", from Blue, as a single. Written by O'Toole, it became a Top 40 national hit. This was followed by the release of an eponymous first album in 1981, from which four further singles were released, three of which also were Top 40 singles. All were written by O'Toole. The album was co-produced by Cowsill, O'Toole and Wilson.

The band broke up in 1982, the same year that it was nominated for a Canadian Country Music Award.

Album and EP

Singles