Help find Late 80s country bands: Canyon and Alibi

[spt72]

I remember them on CMT from the late 80s and I recall liking their songs - especially Alibi. But apparantly there was not much chart success to be had, especially for Alibi, which was a Canadian country band. Im not sure of Canyon was American or Canadian. But Im looking for both - albums, cassettes - mp3s would be fine.

Anyone?

Thanks,
Shawn

[saintfan]

I loved those two groups. Alibi charted country a couple of times with "Roller Coaster" and "Do You Have Any Doubts" they might have had a third, I don't have my Country singles book with me to double check. Great songs, they were on the Comstock label out of Kansas I do believe.

Not a very fan friendly label. Collecting the Country chart in the late '80s through the mid '90s, I had to call several small labels to obtain 45s from. 99 percent of them were as friendly and flattered as can be. They gladly obliged either for free, or sending them a couple bucks. Everytime a record charted on one of these labels (after I contacted them). I mailed out a money order and got it within a week. This got back to a local radio station that I was friends with, and helped get those small labels too. They would tell me that some of the labels dropped my name about buying records from them when they called the station to play their songs.

Anyhow Comstock was in the 1 percent. Alibi's records I was lucky enough to get from the station, however when Doug Peters charted in 1988 with "My Heart's Way Behind" the station didn't have it, and the people at Comstock acted like it would be an illegal, mortal sin, to let me get one. I ended up getting the 45 this year off of GEMM (19 years later).

Canyon were on 16th Avenue, a label anchored by Charley Pride, he was basically their only success, even though they did have a lot of artists who charted. I believe Charley and one song by Canyon were the only ones to crack the top 40. Canyon did it albeit briefly with "Hot Nights" at #40 for one week in September 1989.

Canyon came close to the top 40 several times though. I don't know if any of these had any LPs. Canyon must have had about nine charting songs though.

Their 45s should be obtainable through many internet stores.

[spt72]

The problem Ive had is that there seems to be a few bands/groups named Alibi, so when I go somewhere like GEMM, I cant really tell who is who.

I have a Whitburn(?)-type book that lists all the country charting songs by artist through 1995 or so and Canyon is only on there with Hot Nights. Alibi isnt on there at all. The thing is, I never remember hearing them on radio at all. I only remember them from CMT or TNN or something. Both bands had a video a the same time that was probably played for a month, but it must have been a month that I watched often because I recall loving the songs.

Since then, I havent been able to find anything.

If you have a sort of 80s country project (mid to late 8s0 especially) tha you van put on dvd or something, Id love to tarde you for it. I have a lot (almost all?) of the XM Radio editions of "the Long Haul" if you need them. That was where they reportedly played every song that charted. Obviously this was bad advertising as they didnt search out the REALLY hard to find stuff, but they did some good interviews and such spliced into the shows. Its really neat if you havent heard it before. I think my episodes cover the late 70s through 1990 or so.

But anyway, if you have a bunch of mid-late 80s stuff, Id love to set something up.

email me if youd like - spt72 at comcast dot net

Thanks,
shawn

[saintfan]

I don't have any project going on, just collected the 45s at the time. It sounds like your book just lists top 40 country instead of the entire chart. That's why only 1 listing for Canyon , and none for Alibi.

[spt72]

Would you mind listing the Canyon and Alibi charting songs for me so I look for the right LPs?
Thanks a ton!

[saintfan]

ALIBI

#84/1987 Roller Coaster
#61/1988 Do You Have Any Doubts

CANYON

#59/1988 Overdue
#54/1988 In The Middle Of The Night
#55/1988 I Guess I Just Missed You
#47/1989 Love Is On The Line
#44/1989 Right Track, Wrong Train
#40/1989 Hot Nights
#53/1990 Radio Romance
#74/1990 Carryin' On
#71/1990 Dam These Tears

The year is the year that the song hit its high point, not debuted.

[spt72]

Thank you.

I knew it was right around the same time. Maybe Im thinking it was 1988. Now Ill look for the LPs/cassettes.