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John Hoita

About Me

Back in the 60s, I played in the band called the "Delphi Revue." We had a lead singer, drummer, bass player, two saxophone players, an organist, and yours truly, a guitarist. We did all right as an R&B/Soul group. We played local schools, bars, out-of-town community centres and a fair amount of engagements in Yorkville, Toronto. We also won a couple of "Battle of the Bands” competitions.

As the results of winning one of the "Battle of the Bands" competitions, Dominion Records, a new record company in Scarborough, signed us on as their studio band. This was before there was such a thing as a musician union. We provided the backup music for any artist/singer appearing on the CKCO TV dance show in Kitchener. We even had the opportunity to record our own 45 rpm record. On one side we recorded "Hold on I'm Coming" and on the flip side was "99 1/2 won't do."

Unfortunately, Dominion records went bankrupt, no one got paid and with school ending, the band members went on with our lives. The singer Rick, became in a Disc-jockey in Peterborough, Steve, the organist opened up a plastic moulding company, Bruce, one of the sax player became a Chiropractor, I don't know what happened to the other guys. As for myself, found myself working for Warner Bros. Records as Ontario Promo Rep. My one day in the spotlight came, after lots and lots of hard work, I was able to get the song "If you could read my mind" by Gordon Lightfoot, number one on the CHUM charts in Toronto. CHUM was "The" radio station, and if a song was not number "One," no record sales, or should I say, not as many sales. The backlash of "If You Could Read My Mind" becoming 1 on the CHUM Charts was - "Sam the Record Man" sold lots of records and the rest is history. Unfortunately, of all the artists I worked with, Gordon Lightfoot was the one artist I never got to meet yet I worked the hardest on. Such is life!

Anyway, each of us band members went our own separate ways ... ... I put my guitar to rest. I had a 1957 Fender Telecaster.

To make the story short, in Jauary of 2006, an overwhelming urge came over me to get a guitar, and it was a strong one ...

It is nice to be back playing guitar again and sharing music with others.

Hope you enjoy not only my jammin' "I still got the blues," but also the songs I wrote, mixed and produced: "Epilogue to love," "Sand between my toes" and "Atmospheric."

Peace.


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Member Since: 9/8/2006
Band Website: johnhoita.com
Record Label: unsigned
Type of Label: None