The Raftsmen


The Raftsmen was a Canadian folk music group active through the early and mid-1960s. They performed Canadian and traditional folk songs, as did another similar group, The Travellers. The Raftsmen collectively played 15 different instruments, including guitar, banjo and percussion, and sang songs in 13 languages.

History

The Raftsmen was initially formed by Louis Leroux, Martin Overland and Marvin Burke.
The band made a number of recordings for RCA, and performed in both Miami and Montreal in 1962. In 1963 they also recorded an album in Montreal, A Night at Le Pavillon, based on a live folk performance. That year the band performed on a CTV Television folk music special. The band recorded a track for the RCA Victor compilation album All-Star All-Time Folk Festival.
In 1964 the group were guests on Oscar Brand's radio show in Montreal. The Raftsmen's single of Brand’s Something to Sing About sold nationally and appeared on local radio charts during the time period leading up to the Canadian centennial in 1967.
Overland and Burke, later left the band, and Leroux, bassist Guy Pilette, and 12-string guitarist and arranger Donald Steven, formed a successor band known as The New Raftsmen and The Raftsmen III. This group toured and performed primarily in Eastern Canada and recorded for Banff, Rodeo, Melbourne and 20th Century Fox Records. Its single of Gordon Lightfoot’s The Hands I Love received considerable air play.
Leroux later toured with Nana Mouskouri for the better part of ten years, then became a Latin guitar player in session work and released a pair of instrumental solo albums. He subsequently taught flamenco-style guitar technique.

Discography

Albums