"Let It Ride," "Takin' Care of Business," etc.

Founded by Randy Bachman, Robbie Bachman, Chad Allen, and C.F. Turner, in 1971.

Current Line-Up: C.F. Turner, Robbie Bachman (drums), Blair Thornton (guitar), Randy Murray (guitar)

Chronology

1970 Randy Bachman takes a hiatus from The Guess Who to release his first solo venture, AXE. Subsequently announces his departure from The Guess Who.

early 1971 Randy Bachman, his younger brother Robbie, former bandmate with The Expressions, Chad Allen, and longtime friend C.F. Turner form Brave Belt.
April 1971 Brave Belt signed by Reprise Records
May 1971 First album, Brave Belt, debuts.
winter 1971 Brave Belt II released.

1972 Allen replaced with Tim Bachman, Randy and Robbie's brother. The tour in support of Brave Belt II is cancelled half-way through due to problems with management. The group is renamed Bachman Turner Overdrive.

1973 Bachman Turner Overdrive signed by Mercury Records.

May 1, 1973 Bachman Turner Overdrive, BTO's debut album, released.

later 1973 Bachman Turner Overdrive II released. "Let It Ride" becomes the group's first single, and "Takin' Care of Business" its second.

1973-1974 Tim Bachman replaced by Blair Thornton.

1974 Not Fragile -- "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet," "Roll On Down the Highway," etc. -- released.

1975 Four Wheel Drive -- "Hey You," "Quick Change Artist," "Don't Let the Blues Get You Down," "She's A Devil," etc. -- released. Head On -- "Looking Out For #1," "Gimme Your Money Please," etc. -- released.

1977 Japan Tour Live released. Best of BTO...So Far released. Freeways -- "Shotgun Rider," "Life Goes On," etc. -- released. Randy Bachman leaves the band, and is replaced with Jim Clench (formerly of April Wine). Legal issues over the group's name ensue, leading to Thornton, Turner and Robin Bachman securing the rights to the name BTO and using that instead of the elongated band name.

1978 Street Action -- "Down the Road," etc. -- released to poor sales.

1979 Rock and Roll Nights -- "Heartaches," "Jamaica," etc. -- released. Poor sales lead to the group "going into retirement."

1984 Randy Bachman, C.F. Turner, Billy Chapman and Gary Peterson (formerly of The Guess Who), along with Randy's wife Denise McCann, reform Bachman Turner Overdrive and release a self-titled album. The album fails to produce any singles and the group again disbands.

1986 Mercury Records releases Greatest Hits Live.

1987 Mercury Records releases BTO's Greatest.

1991 Robin Bachman, Turner, Thornton and guitarist Randy Murray go on tour as BTO.

1993 Anthology, a doube-disc collection, released.

1994 Drive On, another compilation set, released.

1998 Robbie Bachman Turner, Thornton, and Murray release Trial By Fire in Europe. In addition to remakes of BTO classics, the album includes four new songs. A mid-1970's concert is released in the "King Biscuit Flower Hour Series."

SOURCE
CanConRox www.canadianbands.com/BTO.html

Questions or comments about this page?

This page was last updated on 06/22/2017.