Gregor Beresford (drums)
Chris Miller (guitar)
Chris Brown (organ, clavinet, trombone, vocals)
Chris Plock (keyboards)
Kate Fenner (vocals)
Gene Hardy (saxophone, vocals)
Jason Mercer (bass)
Andrew Whiteman (guitar, vocals)
David Wall (piano, lead vocals; replaced David Wall)
This unwieldy 8-piece monster was created out of a high school jam session in 1985 and was dubbed The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir by founder Chris Brown following a dream he'd had.
With an eye to stardom the band slugged it out on the Toronto club circuit all the while selling their independent cassettes from the stage to 'spread the word'. They released 3 full-length tapes between 1987 and 1990 the last of which got them into the game...
The 1990 cassette, "Sister Anthony", spawned two singles - "As Right As They Wanna Be" and "Put Your Head On" - and was produced by Blue Rodeo keyboardist Bob Wiseman. The latter tune was the band's first successfully aired video on MuchMusic and led director Bruce McDonald to include the song on his 'Highway 61' movie soundtrack.
From there they landed a deal with indie record label Yonder and released the Hendrix inspired 'Superior Cackling Hen' which produced three more singles distributed by Sony.
In 1995 Brown stepped into the side project Don't Talk Dance with Barenaked Ladies' Tyler Stewart and Big Sugar's Gordie Johnson while Dave Wall released his debut solo album and Kate Fenner appeared on the CBC's "Quiet Please...There's A Lady On Stage".
After regrouping they were able to release a new studio album, 'Shyfolk', produced by Michael Phillip Wojewoda (Rheostatics, Vital Sines, Barenaked Ladies). The also re-issued the 'Sister Anthony' material on CD with bonus tracks and took back 'Superior Cackling Hen' from Sony for distribution on their own.
With sites set on bigger ponds, the band relocated to New York to try and grab the brass ring, but the disparate conditions and competition drove many of the members back home leaving Brown and Fenner to carry on the act as the Bourbon Tabernacle Duo in 1998.
The last addition to the band, David Wall, continued a solo career with several albums on Hypnotic Records and Andrew Whiteman worked in Gn'lbob before embarking on a solo career of his own with 1995's 'Fear Of Zen' album.
Singles
1990 As Right As They Wanna Be
1991 Put Your Head On
1992 Make Amends
1993 Afterglow
1993 Original Grin
1995 All Peace
1995 Be My Witness
Albums
1987 First Taste Of Bourbon [cassette] (Applaud The Potato)
1989 If Hell Had A Houseband [cassette] (Applaud The Potato)
1990 Sister Anthony [cassette] (Applaud The Potato)
1992 Superior Cackling Hen (Yonder/Sony)
1995 Shyfolk
1995 Sister Anthony [CD re-issue]
Video
1991 Put Your Head On
Compilation Tracks
Unofficial Bourban Tabernacle Choir Website
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