Powder Blues Band

The Powder Blues Band is a Canadian musical band formed in 1978 in Vancouver. Its first album Uncut went double platinum in Canada. The second album Thirsty Ears was similarly popular.

Tom Lavin & the Legendary Powder Blues (aka Powder Blues Band)
Origin	Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Genres	Blues, jazz
Years active	1978–present
Members	Tom Lavin Mike Kalanj Bill Runge Vincent Mai Tony Marryatt Al Webster
Past members	Jack Lavin Willie MacCalder Duris Maxwell Wayne Kozak Gordon Bertram David Woodward
Website	http://www.powderblues.net

Their best known songs include: "Boppin' with the Blues", "Doin' It Right", "Thirsty Ears", "Hear That Guitar Ring", and "What've I Been Drinkin".

History

The Powder Blues was founded in 1978 as a house band in Vancouver, British Columbia. The band was founded by brothers Tom Lavin (guitar, vocals), Jack Lavin (bass, vocals), and Willie MacCalder (keyboards, vocals).^[1] After playing in local clubs for 18 months,^{[citation needed]} the band released their self-financed and self-produced debut album, Uncut, in 1980, followed by a tour of Canada and the US.^{[citation needed]} The band won the Juno Award for "Most Promising Group of the Year" in 1981.^[1] Uncut went double platinum in Canada in 1982, selling over 200,000 copies.^[2] Their second album, Thirsty Ears, was released in 1981^[1] and was certified platinum in Canada.^[2] In 1986, the band won the American W.C. Handy Award for "Foreign Band of the Year".^[3] The band's greatest hits album First Decade was released in 1990 and was certified gold.^[2]

The band is now known as Tom Lavin and the Legendary Powder Blues.^[4] They were still touring as of 2024.^[5]

The initial lineup of the band consisted of:^[1]

• Tom Lavin – guitar, vocals
• Jack Lavin – bass
• Duris Maxwell – drums
• Wayne Kozak – saxophone
• Gordon Bertram – saxophone
• David Woodward – saxophone
• Will MacCalder – keyboards, vocals

Discography

Singles

• "Doin' It Right" – 1980 #40 Can^[6]
• "Boppin' with the Blues" – 1980 #88 Can^[7]
• "What've I Been Drinkin" – 1980 #28 CanAC^[8]
• "Hear That Guitar Ring" – 1981 #22 Can-CanCon^[9] #22 Can-AOCanCon^[10]
• "Lovin' Kissin' & Huggin'" – 1981 #47 Can^[11]
• "Thirsty Ears" – 1981 #17 Can^[12]
• "Farmer John" – 1983
• "I'm on the Road Again" – 1985

Albums

• 1979 Uncut (Blue Wave) (#5 Can.^[13])
• 1980 Uncut [re-issue] (RCA)
• 1981 Thirsty Ears (Liberty/Capitol-EMI) (#11 Can.^[14])
• 1982 Party Line (Liberty/Capitol-EMI) #36 Can.^[15]
• 1983 Powder Blues (Liberty/Capitol-EMI)
• 1983 Red Hot/True Blue (RCA) #88 Can (4 weeks)^[16]
• 1984 Live At Montreux (Blue Wave)
• 1990 First Decade/Greatest Hits (WEA)
• 1993 Let's Get Loose (WEA)
• 1997 Live At Montreux [CD re-issue] (Peerless)
• 1997 Lowell Fulson with the Powder Blues Band (Stony Plain)
• 2002 Swingin' the Blues (Blue Wave)
• 2004 Blues + Jazz = BLAZZ! (Blue Wave)

Albums on Compact Disc

• As of 2024, their three most commercially successful albums are not on Compact Disc: Uncut (1979), Thirsty Ears (1981) and Party Line (1982).

Awards

• 1981 – Juno Award for "Most Promising Group of the Year"^[17]
• 1986 – W. C. Handy Award for Blues, Best Foreign Band