Les Emmerson, best known as the front man for the 1960's and 1970's Canadian rock band Five Man Electrical Band, passed away on Friday of COVID-19. Although Emmerson was double vaccinated he was vulnerable to COVID as he had other health issues which required hospitalization earlier this year. Emmerson was 77.
A native of Ottawa, Emmerson joined The Staccatos in 1964 who would have a hit on the Canadian charts in 1967 called "Half Past Midnight". By the end of the 1960's, The Staccatos morphed into the Five Man Electrical Band. In 1971, the Five Man Electrical Band would have success on the U.S. charts with "Signs" which would become a countercultural anthem. Although they would never have another hit on the American charts, the Five Man Electrical Band would have two more notable hits in Canada during the early 1970's - "Absolutely Right" and "I'm a Stranger Here".
On a personal note, when I attended Carleton University in the 1990's, Emmerson was part of a band called Cooper, King and Emmerson which regularly played on campus mostly playing covers of various 1960's and 1970's songs and saw them play a number of times. I leave you with a 2012 performance of "Signs" by Emmerson with his League of Rock All Stars at an Ottawa area pub. R.I.P.
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