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Lisa Hartt

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Lisa Hartt
Birth nameLisa Eisenhardt
Also known asLisa Hartt Spillane
OriginMontreal
GenresFolk,Rock,vocal jazz
OccupationMusician
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1960 to present
LabelsPolydor, Quality, Rising Records, Music For World Peace Records
Formerly ofThe Chrystal Staircase with ken Tobias, The Christine Lee Set, Gino Vanelli Band The Lisa Hartt Band Lisa Hartt & the Times, Lisa Hartt & the Muscles of Expression
Spousewidow of Michael Spillane
Websitewww.lisaharttmusic.com

Lisa Hartt is a Canadian singer and Juno Award nominee. She was the lead singer of The Lisa Hartt Band during the 1970s. They had a hit with "Old Time Movie". As a solo artist, she also had a radio hit with the single "Touch Me".

Background

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Lisa Hartt was born in Montreal in 1949 and grew up in La Tuque and Dorval, Quebec. She ventured into music at the age of ten. She was part of a choir in Dorval who was chosen to do a jingle and she was paid her first royalty of ten dollars at ten years of age. It was game on.[1] She started her career in Montreal in the folk music cafes like Cafe Andre and the Yellow Door singing solo. At the age of 15 she was working as a backing singer for artists. Some years later, she was singing backup for Gino Vannelli.[2] In addition to Vanelli, she has worked with April Wine, Rayburn Blake of the group Mashmakhan, Natalie Cole, David Foster, Ralph Murphy, Anne Murray, Phil Ramone, Brenda Russell, Ken Tobias, and Maurice White.[3]

Her international career has seen her performing in various parts of the world.[4] She was nominated for a Juno Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year in 1976.[5]

Her first band included musicians, Wayne Pilon on bass and Brian Wray on Keyboards.[6] Wray had been a member of 70s groups, Natural Gas, Motherlode and Truck.[7][8]

Career

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1960s to 1980s

In 1973, she recorded the single, "Touch Me" bw "Aftermath" which was released on Polydor 2065 182. Written by her, it was just credited to her first name. On August 11, it had moved from #60 to #56 on the RPM Weekly Programmers Pop Music Playlist. [9][10] It managed to get to #41 on September 22.[11][12][13]

In 1976, she was an artist in the Rockabye Hamlet production. It also featured, Rory Dodd, Cal Dodd, Cliff Jones and The Irish Rovers.[14] She performed the songs, "If My Morning Begins", "The Last Blues I'll Ever Sing", and "Denmark Is Still".[15]

Lisa Hartt Band period

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In 1975, the Lisa Hartt Band released the single, "The Last Blues I’ll Ever Sing" bw "Let’s Live Together" on Rising RI-001X.[16]

Album

In 1976, the band released the album Starwatcher on Rising RRLP 104.[17] The first single from the LP was "All Over the World" which was produced by Phil Ramone [18] The band's album created enough noise to get her a Juno Award nomination in 1976.[5][19] In 1977, it was an RPM Weekly "Feature Album" for March 12, a "Cancon LP" pick by the Steede Report on February 19, and a Record Week album pick for February 28. Additionally, the single "All Over the World" was a Steed Report "Top Pick" for March 5, and a Record Week "Single Pick" for February 28.[20]

Further activities

Music magazine, Record World reported in its April 2 issue that "All Over the World" was getting heavy airplay.[21]

They followed up that year with "Old Time Movie" bw "Starwatcher" on Rising RR-003.[16] In late May, RPM Weekly reported that Rising Records were promoting three singles, "Everyone's Gone to the Movies" by Rockgarden, "Old Time Movie" by The Lisa Hartt Band, and "Let The Games Begin" by Kidstuff.[22] In June, the single peaked at #12 on Vancouver's CKLG chart and spent a total of eight weeks in the chart.[1] The band released "Dream Me Away" bw "Sweet Serenade" on Rising RR-010 in 1977.[16]

In mid-July 1977, RPM Weekly wrote that it was confirmed the band would tour with Aquarius Records recording act, April Wine and open for them. At that time the band consisted of Hartt on guitar and vocals, Rayburn Blake on guitar, Richard Yuen on keyboards, Marty Cordrey on drums, and their newest member Ray Hands on bass who had replaced Denny Gerrard.[23]

In the February 18, 1978, issue of Billboard, there was a report of a suggestion by an earlier article that the group had left the Rising Records label and were in negotiations with other companies. Robert Hahn of Champlain Productions was not impressed and claimed that the band had a "subsisting agreement" with the label.[24]

Post Lisa Hartt Band

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1990s to 2000s

On November 22, 2018, she was at a Cashbox Canada Legacy award presentation for John Harris, a prominent figure in the Canadian music industry. He was also her manager at one stage. She performed her hit, "Old Time Movie" and "Tower of Song" which was composed by Leonard Cohen.[25]

In 2022, she recorded a 4-track EP titled Arrival which includes the song "Don't Tell Me How I Feel" which is a tribute to her late brother, Christopher who died in 2015. Joan Prowse of Cinefocus created, produced and directed the video for the song.[26] The single was released on November 11. The EP is due for release in January, 2023.[27] It contains another song "Wasted" which is an account of her life on the road and the toll it took.[28]

Discography Selective

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Solo

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Singles
Act Release Catalogue Year Notes
Lisa "Touch Me" bw "Aftermath" Polydor 2065 182 1973 [9][10]
Lisa Hartt "Don’t Tell Me How I Feel" Music For World Peace Records 2022 [citation needed]
Album
Act Release Catalogue Year Notes
Rory Dodd, Cal Dodd, Lisa Hartt, Cliff Jones, The Irish Rovers Rockabye Hamlet Rising Records RILP 103 1976 [14][15]

Lisa Hartt Band

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Singles
Act Release Catalogue Year Notes
The Lisa Hartt Band "The Last Blues I'll Ever Sing" / "Let's Live Together" Rising Records RI 001X 1975
The Lisa Hartt Band "All Over the World" / "Didn't You Know" Rising Records RR. 008 1976
The Lisa Hartt Band "Old Time Movie" / "Starwatcher" Rising Records RI 003X 1976
The Lisa Hartt Band "Easy Come, Easy Go" / "Dream Me Away" Rising Records RR. 006 1976
The Lisa Hartt Band "Dream Me Away" / "Sweet Serenade" Rising Records RR. 010 1977 [citation needed]
Album
Act Release Catalogue Year Notes
The Lisa Hartt Band Starwatcher Rising RR-104-M 1977 [29][30]

Further reading

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References

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  1. ^ a b Vancouver Pop Music Signature Sounds - #1121: OLD TIME MOVIE BY LISA HARTT BAND
  2. ^ Bramptonguardian.com, Monday, January 23, 2017 - Two Hearts Valentine’s Day Celebration By Marta Marychuk
  3. ^ Blog Talk Radio - Songmaking-Writing the True Sound of Your Soul-Lisa Hartt by Bonnie Ross
  4. ^ That Eric Alper, Dec 11, 2022 - Music, Iconic Canadian Singer/Songwriter Lisa Hartt Releases Heartwrenching “Don’t Tell Me How I Feel” Ahead Of ‘Arrival’ EP
  5. ^ a b The JUNO Awards - Canada's Music Awards (Internet Archive) - Most Promising Female Vocalist of the Year | Lisa Hartt
  6. ^ Record World Magazine International, November 11, 2022 - COVER STORIES, Lisa Hartt Arrival Submitted by Don Graham
  7. ^ citizenfreak.com (© Museum of Canadian Music) - Motherlode
  8. ^ Music Metason - ArtistInfo, Brian Wray
  9. ^ a b 45Cat - Lisa (Canada) - Discography
  10. ^ a b RPM Weekly, Volume 19 No. 26 August 11, 1973 - Page 28 The Programmers POP MUSIC PLAY LIST
  11. ^ RPM Weekly, Volume 20 No. 5 September 15, 1973 - Page 28 The Programmers POP MUSIC PLAY LIST
  12. ^ RPM Weekly, Volume 20 No. 6 September 22, 1973 - Page 28 The Programmers POP MUSIC PLAY LIST
  13. ^ RPM Weekly, Volume 50 No. 7 September 29, 1973 - Page 36 The Programmers POP MUSIC PLAY LIST
  14. ^ a b Movie-TV Soundtracks and Original Cast Recordings Price and Reference Guide, By Jerry Osborne, 2010 - ISBN 0-932117-37-6 - Page 492 ROCKABYE HAMLET
  15. ^ a b Cast Albums - Rockabye Hamlet > Studio Cast
  16. ^ a b c The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia - HARTT BAND, Lisa
  17. ^ Rockasteria, Thursday, September 6, 2012 - Riverson - Riverson (1973 canada, folk psych, west coast style harmonies with incisive guitar to magical effect, Kismet 2012 reissue)
  18. ^ Billboard, February 12, 1977 - Page 63 Music From The Capitals Of The World, TORONTO
  19. ^ Music for World Peace Records - Lisa Hartt
  20. ^ RPM Weekly, Volume 26 No. 25 March 19, 1977 - Page 22
  21. ^ Record World, April 2, 1977 - Page 60 RECORD WORLD INTERNATIONAL, CANADA
  22. ^ RPM Weekly Volume 25 No. 9 - May 29, 1976 - Page 9 PROMO CALLS rob mearns
  23. ^ RPM Weekly, Volume 27 No. 16 July 16, 1977 - Page 8 April Wine, Lisa Hartt to tour Ont., Maritimes
  24. ^ Billboard, February 18, 1978 - Page 62A __International__, From The Music Capitals Of The World, __CANADA__, For The Record
  25. ^ Cashbox Canada, Fri Nov 30, 2018 - John Harris A Night of Music, Magic and Memories
  26. ^ Cashbox Canada, Fri Nov 11, 2022 - Lisa Hartt Arrival
  27. ^ Broadway World, Nov. 28, 2022 - Lisa Hartt Releases 'Don't Tell Me How I Feel' Ahead Of 'Arrival' EP by Michael Major
  28. ^ Front View Magazine, 28 November 2022 - Iconic Canadian Singer/Songwriter Lisa Hartt Releases Heartwrenching "Don't Tell Me How I Feel" Ahead Of 'Arrival' EP
  29. ^ Rock My World - Lisa Hartt (prog rock)
  30. ^ RPM Weekly Volume 26 No. 24 March 12, 1977 - Page 9 RPM FEATURE ALBUM
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