Chilliwack--Fly at Night (1977)

     My formative years listening to the radio was during a time I consider one of the best eras for rock music, the early/middle 70's. FM radio had taken hold in many cities with a devil-may-care attitude about everything but the music. KSHE radio in St. Louis in a studio that was about half the size of a single-wide trailer. the DJ's were fun, more than a little irreverent, and had a love for the music that was equaled by their fans. It was this radio station that formed my love of rock music.
     This kind of leads me to our featured song for the day. Many of my favorite artists were rarely if ever heard on top 40 radio. Many of them would have one or two songs (like Yes, or Emerson, Lake, and Palmer), some never even bothered to aim for that market. A group out of Vancouver called Chilliwack was one that had some minor success on the charts in the 70's, but actually did better in that respect in the next decade with a hit that almost reached the top 20 called, "My Girl (Gone Gone Gone)".
      It was in the late 70's that Chilliwack impressed me the most. Their album "Dreams, Dreams, Dreams" released in early 1977 was a great album that should have been more popular. The single off that album, "Fly at Night" (not to be confused with Rush's song of the same name), was their biggest hit in Canada at the time, and found a audience among American FM listeners as well. The group had it's origins as The Classics in 1964, had a name change to The Collectors in 1966, and after a change in lead singers, to Chilliwack in 1970. Guitarist Bill Henderson stepped up to the mike as well as taking over much of the songwriting duties at that time. A role in which he fills as they still play on the oldies circuit today. There are several gems with this group, but in my mind....start right here.