Georgie Fab

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Georgie Fab
Georgie Fab.jpg
Background information
Birth nameRobert George Johnston
Also known asGeorgie Fab
Born (1952-07-31) 31 July 1952 (age 71)
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
GenresProgressive Rock, Pop Rock, Blues
Occupation(s)Musician, Singer-songwriter, Composer, Producer, Arranger
InstrumentsMulti-instrumentalist
Years active1970–present
Website racerecords.ca

Georgie Fab (born Robert George Johnston, 31 July 1952) is a Canadian rock musician, guitarist, singer songwriter, and producer.

Contents

In his recent work as a record producer, he has collaborated with Darcy Hepner ( of the band: Blood, Sweat and Tears), the King Biscuit Boy CD, "Biscuits 'n' Gravy", the Poison Arrows song "Puss n' Boots", and with Sylvain Sylvain of The New York Dolls. As well as over 20 other CDs, he most recently co-wrote and produced "Canadian Heroes" in dedication to the families of fallen members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Georgie's upcoming album, "The Terra Nye Experiment", is scheduled for release in late 2011 / early 2012.

Personal life

Fab was born in St. Josephs Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, to mother Nora Elizabeth (née Thorne) of Sydney, Nova Scotia, and father Kenneth Robert Johnston of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He is the brother of the now deceased sister Beverly Ann. Robert was educated at St. Bridget's and St. Margret Mary's Elementary Schools, and Barton and Hillpark Secondary Schools (where he met his wife, Irene Brown), Hamilton, Ontario. Robert completed his education at Mohawk College.

Early career

At age 6, Fab began taking piano lessons, but it wasn't until age 14, when he picked up the guitar, that he first began performing in his band "The Canadian Museum" at local high schools and YMCA dances. He spent several years playing in a handful of bands before he became a founding member of "Buxton Kastle", his first major group. Signed to RCA Records in 1970 with bandmates Jerry Doucette, Jack Pedler, and David Kastle, the group scored a major hit with the single "Kagie", hitting #2 on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart RPM in 1971.

Post-Buxton Kastle Career

When Doucette left the group later in 1971, Georgie switched from Hammond CV Organ to guitar. The band then changed labels from RCA to Reprise Records, and then Warner Bros where they again hit the charts with the single "Red Red The Rocking Horse", "Shorty McKenna", "Lovin Games", and "Love is Life". It was during this period that Georgie was thrust into the spotlight, appearing on Canadian TV shows such as "Canadian Bandstand", "Musical Friends", and "Like Young", a national musical TV show out of Montreal.

Soon following the break up of Buxton Kastle, Georgie began his relationship with Skip Prokop, founding member of the Juno award-winning rock orchestra Lighthouse. As well as contributing material to the Lighthouse project, he and Skip co-wrote the #1 Hit "It Just Occurred To Me" for A&M Records artist Peter Pringle. The song remained at #1 for the weeks of 2 and 9 May 1981, and earned the boys a BMI award for one of the top ten most played records of the year, and garnered a Gold Record for Pringle. This in turn led to Georgie being approached by Atlantic Records Chairman of the Board, in order to collaborate with Juno Award winner, Kim Mitchell, to write material for his first LP, Akimbo Alogo. The record went platinum and the co-writing efforts produced the Top 40 hit, "Feel It Burn", the "Go For Soda" B-side entitled "Caroline" with Pye Dubois, and the #1 song, "All We Are." Georgie wrote the uncredited lyric hook, "...you make me feel such a long way away..."

Besides being a musician, Georgie is also a record producer and co-founder of the record company "Race Records" ( [1] ), as well as the recording studio "A cellar full of noise" [2]

Discography

Singles

YearTitleCanadian Charts
1971Kagie#2
1971Riverside Girl
1972Red Red The

Rocking Horse

#67
1972Shorty McKenna#52
1972Lovin Games
1972Love is Life

Albums

YearTitle
2007Georgie Fab, Dan Clancy
2009Clown School
2011Just Fab
2011The Terra Nye Experiment

Production credits

Participating Acts

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References

Citations
  1. racerecordslimited.com
  2. (acellarfullofnoisestudio.ca)