1 of 1- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline 
One For Ashby's Show: Did This Group Ever Have Any Canadian Hits?
I noted in the Toronto Star's obit section this week that Peter Mann passed away. Who was Peter Mann? Turns out he was the lead singer of a Toronto-led group called The Sugar Shoppe. I remember the name, but I can't quite recall any hit records they may have put on the CHUM or other Canadian charts.
Ron Hall's CHUM Chart book indicates they placed a cover of Bobby Gimby's "Canada" song on the station in 1967. It only reached #20 and charted for 7 weeks. The Gimby version was a smash during that Expo year and I have no memory of the Shoppe's version.
According to the final recap of his life, Mann worked with three others - including well-known Canadian actor Victor Garber - in the group and they must have had some talent. They not only performed on The Ed Sullivan show once but also managed to snag an appearance on the Tonight Show With Johnny Carson. Neither were places that accepted lightweights.
The obit also indicates that after the Shoppe disbanded, he had quite an amazing career at the CBC, working with Elton John, Isaac Hayes, Donovan and Anne Murray, among others. He produced the Nylons and won three Gemini Awards during his life, a life that ended too soon at the age of 81.
Does anyone remember The Sugar Shoppe or any of their hits?
Peter Mann Obit
- paterson1
- Member
Offline
Re: One For Ashby's Show: Did This Group Ever Have Any Canadian Hits?
The Sugar Shoppe version of CANADA came out after Gimby's and did get a lot of airplay. CJOY in Guelph played this version a lot and of course CHUM. That was the only hit for The Sugar Shoppe; they only released one album and six singles in the recording years that they were active. Odd though they did appear on The Ed Sullivan Show and Johnny Carson even with little commercial success. Their style was somewhat like the Mama's and Poppas. Ashby has played CANADA by The Sugar Shoppe, on his show around Canada Day about a year and a half ago. Here is the lesser known and more contemporary Sugar Shoppe version of the song...
Last edited by paterson1 (December 12, 2021 2:27 pm)
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: One For Ashby's Show: Did This Group Ever Have Any Canadian Hits?
Thanks Lorne. You always go that extra mile doing some interesting research. Those who want to see more of your handiwork can mosey on over to the Oldies Music Board, where these kinds of questions get asked - and mostly answered - all the time.
- •
Thread Starter- Lorne
- Member
Offline
Re: One For Ashby's Show: Did This Group Ever Have Any Canadian Hits?
You're welcome, RA, and thanks for the kind words and the mention of the oldies board. Ironically, when I first started visiting its predecessor on the former oldiesmusic.com site, I had trouble participating in most of their discussions because I didn't have the kind of firsthand knowledge that the older regulars there did. So I decided to start researching some of the more obscure questions that came up, and found that I could make a contribution that way ... and since I also enjoy doing this, I've continued to do so ever since.
As for the Sugar Shoppe having a minor hit with "Canada" after it was such a big hit for the Young Canada Singers, something just occurred to me. The original version came out early in our centennial year, peaking its peak on the CHUM Chart in March. However, the Sugar Shoppe's version peaked in July, and I can't help but wonder if they made a point of timing its release to get airplay when the biggest celebrations would be taking place. As someone who used to work in marketing, both approaches make sense to me -- and of course it also helped that the Sugar Shoppe did the song in a very different way that could appeal to a different audience.
Also, I wondered if they managed to chart with anything on Billboard, and I found that they made it to #31 with "Poor Papa" on Billboard's Easy Listening Chart in early 1969. Although it certainly wasn't a huge hit, I think that this could have helped them in getting those appearances on US tv.
- Damian
- Member
Offline
Re: One For Ashby's Show: Did This Group Ever Have Any Canadian Hits?
I, too, remember the Sugar Shoppe. Wasn’t there also a bar on the south west corner of Front and York called the Sugar Shop in the late ‘60s?