Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) was a hard rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada best known for their hits “Takin’ Care of Business” (1973), “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” (1974), “Let It Ride” (1974), and “Roll on Down the Highway” (1974). The roots of the group began the moment Randy Bachman left hitmakers The Guess Who. After the release of his solo album, Ax, in 1970, he formed the band Brave Belt with his brother Robbie Bachman on drums and former The Guess Who member Chad Allan on vocals. Their 1971 self-titled debut was not a big success. However, the band needed to tour and promote the album, so they brought in bassist C.F. (Fred) Turner and guitarist Tim Bachman for their second album, Brave Belt II (1972). After vocalist Chad Allen’s departure, the group then changed their name to Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and things turned around for them, commercially. They released their self-titled debut album in 1973, which was followed by the hit album Bachman-Turner Overdrive II (1974), which rose to Number 4 on the Billboard 200. The album featured the hits "Let It Ride" and "Takin' Care of Business.” Tim Bachman left the group and was replaced by guitarist Blair Thornton in time for the album Not Fragile (1974), which included the singles "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" and "Roll On Down the Highway." The year 1975 brought another two albums – Four Wheel Drive and Head On – plus the hit “Hey You.” After the release of their 1977 album Freeways, Randy Bachman left the group, and they officially shortened their name to B.T.O. This new version of the group released the albums Street Action (1978) and Rock ‘n’ Roll Nights (1979) before bringing B.T.O. to a halt. Five years later, Randy and Tim Bachman reunited with Fred Turner for the album Bachman-Turner Overdrive (1984) and Live Live Live (1986). Randy Bachman left again, and Turner recruited guitarists Blair Thornton and Dee Murray alongside him and Robbie Bachman in a revamped BTO and an album of re-recordings and new songs entitled Trial by Fire: Greatest and Latest. Several more line-up changes ensued before the band officially broke up in 2005. Behind the scenes drama ensured that the band was not inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2003, but the band finally made the cut in 2014. Randy Bachman and Fred Turner reunited in 2009 and released the album Bachman-Turner (2010). During their career, Bachman-Turner Overdrive won three Juno Awards (in 1974, 1975, and 1976) and are now considered to be one of Canada’s most successful rock bands. Robbie Bachman – who played drums in the band from 1973 to 1979 and then again from 1988 to 2005 - died on January 12, 2023, at the age of 69. Tim Bachman, who had been a founding member of the group in 1973 but left the following year (only to return from 1983-1986), died on April 28, 2023, at the age of 71.

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