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FYI

‘Electric Black Man’ Eric Mercury Releases New S/T Song

The Toronto-born songwriter and producer, who performed with ‘60s groups The Pharaohs, Eric Mercury & the Soul Searchers, and Dianne Brooks, before hitting his stride in the US, has teamed up w

‘Electric Black Man’ Eric Mercury Releases New S/T Song

By David Farrell

The Toronto-born songwriter and producer, who performed with ‘60s groups The Pharaohs, Eric Mercury & the Soul Searchers, and Dianne Brooks, before hitting his stride in the US, has teamed up with Montreal composer Anthony Aramouni to release “Bright Eyed Woman.”


Mercury’s first solo album, recorded for Avco Embassy, was Electric Black Man and he followed it with several other releases before finding his niche as a writer, composer, and producer working with artists that include Thelma Houston, Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway, Dionne Warwick, and Kenny Rankin.

Aramouni, who has had success as a soundtrack composer, is credited as writer and producer of “Bright Eyed Woman,” that features in the 2020 coming-of-age dramedy, Blue Tongues.

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Mercury currently promotes himself as music director for CanWood Entertainment, a diversified production and partnership entity.

The new song's official launch on April 25 coincides with the 50th anniversary of Electric Black Man’s release. Watch the official video for “Bright Eyed Woman” here.

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Bill Gilliland

Bill Gilliland

FYI

Obituaries: Toronto Record Label Pioneer Bill Gilliland, Global Music Trailblazer Dan Storper of Putumayo

This week we also acknowledge the passing of Sugar Hill Records owner Barry Poss, and top U.S. booking agent Dave Shapiro and former drummer Daniel Williams, who both died in a tragic plane crash.

Bill (William) Gilliland, a Toronto record label head, producer and music entrepreneur, died on May 17, at age 88.

An official death notice called him "a visionary force in Canadian music. A true architect of the country’s music landscape, Bill’s career spanned more than four decades, shaping the sounds of generations and launching the careers of many iconic artists."

Gilliland first made a mark with Arc Records, a subsidiary of Arc Sound Company Ltd. that was established in Toronto in 1958 by Philip G. Anderson. Gilliland and Anderson co-founded Arc Records in 1959 and purchased the Precision Pressing Co. in 1961. Under the direction of Anderson, its president, and vice president Gilliland, Arc Records entered into a contract with US Hit Records and released a series of pop singles albums under the name Hit Parade (1963–64) that specialized in regional artists and tribute albums.

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