The Bells (band)

The Bells were a Canadian rock band from Montreal that had two notable hit singles in the early 1970s. Featuring South African natives Anne and Jackie Ralph as well as Cliff Edwards, Doug Gravelle and Gordie McLeod, the group started in 1965 as "The Five Bells".

They had their first hit in 1969 with "Moody Manitoba Morning", followed in 1970—after shortening their name and making some personnel changes—by "Fly Little White Dove, Fly", which became a Top-10 hit in Canada. Piano player Frank Mills joined The Bells for a short period from 1970 to 1972, after which he pursued a successful solo career. Charlie Clark also joined the band in 1970 as a guitarist and vocalist; he now lives in Saint John, New Brunswick.

"White Dove" was followed up in 1971 by "Stay Awhile", a duet featuring Ralph and Edwards. Written by Saint John native Ken Tobias, the song became a major hit worldwide, selling four million copies and became their only Top 40 hit in the US, reaching #7 on Billboard. The song features a whispered vocal by Jackie Ralph. The success led to invitations to perform on "The Tonight Show" and "The Merv Griffin Show".

Despite Cliff Edwards's departure to set out on a successful solo career in 1973, the group has continued to perform occasionally over the years. Edwards is now owner of a restaurant in Gananoque, Ontario called MacNeil's Landing.

References

* [http://ntl.matrix.com.br/pfilho/html/lyrics/s/stay_awhile.txt Lyrics]
* [http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/B/Bells.html Canadian Pop Encyclopedia feature]
* [http://www.macneilslanding.com MacNeil's Landing]