The Guess Who is a Canadian rock band, originating as The Guess Who? in 1966, and adopting the name The Guess Who in 1968. [1] They were most successful from 1969 to 1975, under the leadership of singer/keyboardist Burton Cummings. [2] During that period they released eleven studio albums, all of which reached the charts in Canada and the United States; their 1970 album American Woman reached no. 1 in Canada and no. 9 in the United States, and five other albums reached the top ten in Canada. They also achieved five number one singles in Canada and two in the United States. [2]
During the 1969-1975 era prior to the band's breakup, Cummings and drummer Garry Peterson were the only consistent members; they were joined by five guitarists and two bassists during those years. Cummings ended the band in 1975 and embarked on a solo career. [3] In the following decades, Cummings and original guitarist Randy Bachman led several one-time reunion shows or short commemorative tours with various former members. [4] [5]
Starting in the late 1970s, original bassist Jim Kale organized a separate band under the name of The Guess Who for nostalgia tours with a frequently changing cast of musicians, later including Gary Peterson. In 2024, Bachman and Cummings announced that they had gained control of the Guess Who name. [6]
This list article does not include musicians who filled in temporarily for official members or members of the unrelated Jim Kale band.
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
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Garry Peterson | 1962–1975 (reunions 1979, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2000–2003) |
| all Classic Era releases | |
Jim Kale | 1962–1972 (reunions 1983, 1999, 2000) |
| all releases from Shakin' All Over (1965) to Live at the Paramount (1972) | |
Randy Bachman | 1962–1970 (reunions 1979, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2000–2003) |
| all releases from Shakin' All Over (1965) to American Woman (1970) | |
Chad Allan | 1962–1966 (died 2023) |
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Bob Ashley | 1962–1966 |
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Burton Cummings | 1966–1975 (reunions 1979, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2000–2003) |
| all releases from It's Time (1966) to Power in the Music (1975) | |
Bruce Decker | 1966–1966 (died 1986) | rhythm guitar | none | |
Kurt Winter | 1970–1974 (died 1997) |
| all releases from Share the Land (1970) to Road Food (1974) | |
Greg Leskiw | 1970–1972 |
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Donnie McDougall | 1972–1974 |
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Bill Wallace | 1972–1975 |
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Domenic Troiano | 1974–1975 (died 2005) |
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Years | Members | Studio and live releases |
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1962 – January 1966 Chad Allan and the Reflections |
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January 1966 – May 1966 | The Guess Who?
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May 1966 – August 1966 |
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August 1966 – May 1970 Classic line-up |
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May 1970 – March 1972 |
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March 1972 – May 1972 |
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May 1972 – June 1974 |
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June 1974 – October 1975 |
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Years | Members | Studio releases |
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November 1979 |
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1983 |
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1999 | ||
2000 |
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May 2000 – July 2003 |
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Randolph Charles Bachman is a Canadian guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He was a founding member of the bands The Guess Who and Bachman–Turner Overdrive. Bachman recorded as a solo artist and was part of a number of short-lived bands such as Brave Belt, Union and Ironhorse. He was a national radio personality on CBC Radio, hosting the weekly music show, Vinyl Tap. Bachman was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2016.
The Guess Who is a Canadian rock band formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1965. The band found their greatest success in the late 1960s and early 1970s, under the leadership of singer/keyboardist Burton Cummings and guitarist Randy Bachman, with hit songs including "American Woman", "These Eyes", and "No Time".
Bachman–Turner Overdrive, often abbreviated BTO, are a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba, founded by three brothers: Randy, Robbie, and Tim Bachman; along with Fred Turner, in 1973. Their 1970s catalogue included seven top-40 albums and 11 top-40 singles in Canada. In Canada they have six certified platinum albums and one certified gold album; in the US they have five certified gold albums and one certified platinum album. The band has sold approximately 30 million albums worldwide and has fans affectionately known as "gearheads". Many of their songs, including "Let It Ride", "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet", "Takin' Care of Business", "Hey You" and "Roll on Down the Highway", still receive regular play on classic rock stations.
Burton Lorne Cummings is a Canadian musician. He is best known for leading The Guess Who during that band's most successful period from 1965 to 1975, and for a lengthy solo career.
American Woman is the sixth studio album by Canadian rock band the Guess Who, released in January 1970. It was the last to feature lead guitarist Randy Bachman until a reformation effort in 1983. The album was one of their most successful releases, receiving Gold certification in the United States.
"American Woman" is a song by Canadian rock band the Guess Who, released January 1970, from the album of the same name. It was later released in March 1970 as a single backed with "No Sugar Tonight", and it reached number one for three weeks commencing May 9 on both the United States' Billboard Hot 100 and the Canadian RPM magazine singles chart. Billboard magazine placed the single at number three on the Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1970 list, and it was listed as number five for 1970 on the RPM Year-End Chart. On May 22, 1970, the single was certified as gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It also reached the top ten in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Austria, and the top twenty in the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
Kurt Frank Winter was a Canadian guitarist and songwriter, best known as the lead guitarist for The Guess Who from 1970 to 1974.
Michael James Kale is a Canadian rock musician, best known as the original bassist for the rock band The Guess Who. He was also a member of the band Scrubbaloe Caine. In 1987, he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame as a member of The Guess Who.
Allan Peter Stanley Kowbel, better known by his stage name Chad Allan, was a Canadian musician. He was the founding member and original lead singer of The Guess Who.
"These Eyes" is a song by the Canadian rock band The Guess Who. The song was co-written by the group's lead guitarist Randy Bachman and lead singer Burton Cummings and originally included on the band's 1969 album Wheatfield Soul. It was first released as a single, in their native Canada, where its chart success (#7), along with the influence of CKLW-AM Windsor's radio station music director Rosalie Trombley, helped land them a U.S. distribution deal with RCA Records. It was subsequently released in the U.S. in March 1969, and became a breakthrough success for the group, as it would be their first single to reach the top ten on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, peaking at number six, and would eventually be certified gold by the RIAA for sales of over one million copies. It was also a top ten hit in South Africa. While it was actually the 18th single released by the band overall, it was the first from the line-up of Cummings, Bachman, Jim Kale, and Garry Peterson as produced by Jack Richardson.
Share the Land is the seventh studio album by Canadian rock band The Guess Who, released in October 1970. It was their first album following the departure of Randy Bachman, and the band brought in two new guitarists, Kurt Winter and Greg Leskiw. The album was another international success for the band, reaching number seven in Canada and number fourteen in the US, and spawned three hit singles in the title track, "Hand Me Down World" and "Hang On to Your Life".
Wheatfield Soul is the fourth studio album by the Canadian rock band the Guess Who, released in March 1969. Their first RCA Records release, the album is also notable for being the first full-length Guess Who album to feature Burton Cummings exclusively on lead vocals, without original lead singer Chad Allan. Featuring the US top 10 hit "These Eyes", it marked the beginning of the band's international success.
Best of Bachman–Turner Overdrive Live is an album of concert material from a 1985 Bachman–Turner Overdrive performance in Tallahassee, Florida. The album was released on Curb Records in 1994, and should not be confused with All Time Greatest Hits Live, which was a 1990 re-release of the 1986 album Live Live Live, featuring other material sourced from the same concerts.
It's Time is the third studio album by the Canadian rock band The Guess Who. It's also the last to feature original lead singer Chad Allan who left before the release of the album. This album introduces Burton Cummings and Bruce Decker of The Deverons. Bruce Decker is shown on the album cover, but did not perform on the album. This album was a big turning point for the group. The album draws towards their garage rock style.
Live at the Paramount is a live album released by Canadian rock group The Guess Who in 1972. It was recorded on May 22, 1972 at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, Washington. Live at the Paramount was the first Guess Who album to feature Donnie McDougall on rhythm guitar and the last to feature original bassist Jim Kale. It also includes performances of three exclusive songs not included on any of their studio albums: "Glace Bay Blues," "Runnin' Back to Saskatoon," and "Truckin' Off Across the Sky."
"Undun" is a song recorded by Canadian rock group The Guess Who. It spent two weeks at #21 on the Canadian Singles Chart in November–December 1969 and reached #3 on the AC chart. In the US, it reached #15 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart and #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of November 29, 1969.
Brother was a short-lived rock trio from Winnipeg, Manitoba, best known for the fact that all three members later joined The Guess Who. They are only known to have recorded three songs.
The Best of The Guess Who is the fourth compilation album by the Canadian group The Guess Who. It was originally released by RCA Records in April 1971 and contains recordings made between 1968 and 1970. The album reached number 12 on the Billboard top LPs chart in the United States.
Scrubbaloe Caine was a Canadian rock music group, active from 1970 to 1975. Although they released only one album during their time as a band, they are noted for having garnered a Juno Award nomination for Most Promising Group, and for the participation of several members who subsequently went on to greater success with other bands.
Garry Denis Peterson is a Canadian-American drummer. He has been in The Guess Who and Bachman–Turner Overdrive.