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November 19, 2020 7:11 pm  #1


The late Doug Riley- aka Dr. Music given lifetime achievement award

Toronto Musicians Association gives Doug Riley the lifetime achievement award. 

Order of Canada recipient Guido Basso, said this of the Dr. Music (Doug Riley)... “Doug Riley was a musical genius,” Guido Basso said in a statement for the Toronto Musicians’ Association. “His knowledge and ability encompassed a diverse range of musical genres from classical, ballet and opera to jazz, R&B and honky-tonk. He was a brilliant composer, arranger and conductor, and an inspired musician who could bring out the best in any kind of keyboard — from piano, to church or Hammond organ ."

This is a good news story, that recognizes a true contributor to the Canadian music landscape. 

Doug passed away in 2007 at 62...but did so much in the crazy music biz and made a difference to many!

For more on the announcement here is the link to the article:  

https://jazz.fm/doug-riley-lifetime-achievement-award-toronto-musicians-association/

Here is a song, most of us will be familiar with...it might even lift your spirits tuning in...it reminds me of summer trips with the family...as a kid...





 

Last edited by Muffaraw Joe (November 19, 2020 7:13 pm)


The world would be so good if it weren't for some people...
 

November 19, 2020 8:50 pm  #2


Re: The late Doug Riley- aka Dr. Music given lifetime achievement award

Nice that Doug Riley received the lifetime achievement award. He passed away too young at 62.  Love the memories from Dr. Music with a great song Sun Goes By.   Doug Riley was music director for the Ray Stevens Show which was produced at CFTO for NBC/CTV back in 1970.  This was a summer replacement program for the Andy Williams Show on NBC.

The musicians and singers from the Ray Stevens Show became more or less Dr. Music in 1970.   Dr. Music consisted of some the best studio musicians and singers in the Toronto area.  Doug was also part owner of the legendary Toronto Sound Studios which he and producer Terry Brown founded in 1969.  It was the first studio in Canada to have a 16 track studio.

 

November 19, 2020 8:52 pm  #3


Re: The late Doug Riley- aka Dr. Music given lifetime achievement award

Doug Riley along with Terry Brown produced a favourite of mine, "When I Die" by Motherlode.

 

November 19, 2020 9:07 pm  #4


Re: The late Doug Riley- aka Dr. Music given lifetime achievement award

I'm not saying this as an insult, but I generally can't fall asleep to music, especially if I'm upset about something. But "Sun Goes By" helps put me out on those nights when The Arms of Morpheus refuse to embrace. It's weird, but I like the song. It's sort of a musical Melatonin for me for reasons I can't explain.

I actually really like their other hit record, which almost never gets played and which for years I thought was by Copper Penny. 

  

 

November 19, 2020 10:14 pm  #5


Re: The late Doug Riley- aka Dr. Music given lifetime achievement award

RadioActive wrote:

I'm not saying this as an insult, but I generally can't fall asleep to music, especially if I'm upset about something. But "Sun Goes By" helps put me out on those nights when The Arms of Morpheus refuse to embrace. It's weird, but I like the song. It's sort of a musical Melatonin for me for reasons I can't explain.

I actually really like their other hit record, which almost never gets played and which for years I thought was by Copper Penny. 

  

Great tune RA. This would have been a great fit for Lighthouse or BS&T.
 


"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
 

November 19, 2020 10:41 pm  #6


Re: The late Doug Riley- aka Dr. Music given lifetime achievement award

I like the other songs that have been posted here, but this was my favourite by them ... it was the first Dr. Music song I ever heard on the radio.

 

November 19, 2020 11:15 pm  #7


Re: The late Doug Riley- aka Dr. Music given lifetime achievement award

Try a Little Harder, good choice Lorne!  I bought Dr. Music's first album for that song and One More Mountain to Climb.  Try a Little Harder was not your regular top 40 song but CHUM gave it lots of airplay, don't even know if it charted at all.  You can really hear the amazing Dianne Brooks singing backup on that song.

That first album was fairly popular with Sun Goes By, Longtime Comin Home and One More Mountain to Climb all received quite a bit of airplay and I remember the album was in the top ten for a while at Sam the Record Man on Yonge.

 

November 19, 2020 11:40 pm  #8


Re: The late Doug Riley- aka Dr. Music given lifetime achievement award

paterson1 wrote:

Try a Little Harder, good choice Lorne!  I bought Dr. Music's first album for that song and One More Mountain to Climb.  Try a Little Harder was not your regular top 40 song but CHUM gave it lots of airplay, don't even know if it charted at all.  You can really hear the amazing Dianne Brooks singing backup on that song.
That first album was fairly popular with Sun Goes By, Longtime Comin Home and One More Mountain to Climb all received quite a bit of airplay and I remember the album was in the top ten for a while at Sam the Record Man on Yonge.

Thanks very much. Sun Goes By was their only song that charted on CHUM, but I do recall that Try A Little Harder charted on CKFH. As you say, it was definitely not a typical top 40 song but maybe that's partly why I liked it so much ... I often liked songs that weren't major chart hits. Really creative sound.

 

November 20, 2020 12:33 pm  #9


Re: The late Doug Riley- aka Dr. Music given lifetime achievement award

Here's a nice vintage clip of Doug Riley playing with Tommy Ambrose. 


 

November 21, 2020 11:49 am  #10


Re: The late Doug Riley- aka Dr. Music given lifetime achievement award

He was my good friend since the age of 19.  I still miss him everyday.  Love you Dougie.