Tribute to the Bachman Brothers, featuring Sheldon Zoldan

Writer/editor Sheldon Zoldan is the creator of Song of the Day, a music-related story sent daily to a list of subscribers. In the past couple of years, he's also written and recorded tributes to music industry greats who are no longer with us.

In this episode, we're focusing on brothers Robbie Bachman and Tim Bachman, two of the founders of Bachman-Turner Overdrive. This is one of Sheldon's 44 tributes to artists, songwriters and producers who passed away in 2023. To hear “Roll On Down The Highway,” the song referenced in the tribute, go to the YouTube video.

The public domain photo in the chapters is courtesy of Mercury Records and appered in Billboard in September 1974. You can download a copy here. 

And to get on Sheldon’s Song of the Day subscriber list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.

The tributes in this series are fascinating glimpses into the lives and impact of those who made the soundtracks of our lives. Although some of Sheldon's subjects are less famous than others, you may find that their songs and stories are equally worth your time. I sure did.

Audio engineer Mike Villegas (who’s also a musician) and I will publish the rest of the 44 tributes in the coming days or weeks. Hope you enjoy them.

This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to the show!

Available on Apple, Spotify, Audible and in other directories, and on YouTube.

Transcript

Kate:
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Hello, and welcome to Everyday Creation,

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a show about living our purpose

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and lifting our vibes for ourselves

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and the world.

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I'm Kate Jones,

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here with a tribute

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to brothers Robbie Bachman

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and Tim Bachman,

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two of the founders

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of the Canadian rock band Bachman-Turner Overdrive.

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This is one of 44

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short, yet illuminating

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episodes

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about significant figures in the music industry

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who passed away in 2023.

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My guest, Sheldon Zoldan,

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a longtime writer and newspaper editor,

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wrote the tributes and recorded them.

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Here's what he says about the Bachman Brothers

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who died less than four months apart last

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year.

Sheldon:
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2023 was a year of sadness for the

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Bachman family.

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Robbie Bachman died January 12th in Vancouver, British

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Columbia.

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No cause of death was given.

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He was 69.

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Brother Tim died of cancer April 28th in

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Winnipeg, Manitoba.

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He was 71.

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"I've lost my three brothers in the past

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couple of years," Randy Bachman, the founding member

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of Bachman-Turner Overdrive

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told the Canadian Press.

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"My heart is heavy."

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Robbie, Tim and Randy Bachman along with Fred

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Turner joined forces in the early 1970s.

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Robbie played drums and Tim guitar.

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Robbie joined Randy in Brave Belt in 1971.

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Tim joined a year later, and they became

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Bachman-Turner Overdrive,

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sometimes known as BTO in 1973.

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They had five top 40 albums,

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six U.S. top 40 singles, and 11 top

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40 singles in Canada

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between 1973

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76.

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Tim left the group in 1974;

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Robbie left in 1977.

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Neither left on good terms with Randy.

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Robbie battled Randy over the name, giving the

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band permission to continue as BTO,

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but not Bachman-Turner Overdrive.

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He and his brother never reconciled their differences,

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though they played together at a couple of

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award ceremonies.

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Tim made his own headlines. He was accused

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twice of sexual assault against a minor.

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The first time, he was found not guilty

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and the second case was dropped.

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Tim and Robbie wrote a few songs for

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the band. Our song of the day, "Roll

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On Down The Highway," co-written by Robbie

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and Turner, was the most successful.

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They wrote it for a Ford commercial but

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the automaker didn't use it, so they turned

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it into a hit.

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The song reached number 18 on Billboard's Hot

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100 in the U.S. and number 4 in

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Canada.

Kate:
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This is Kate again.

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Sheldon also writes Song of the Day, a

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music-related story sent daily to an email

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list of subscribers.

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All of those stories

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and these tributes

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include links to the featured songs.

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In this episode's description,

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you can link to "Roll On Down The

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Highway" on YouTube,

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as well as get information

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on how to join Sheldon's

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subscriber list.

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If you enjoyed this tribute,

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please check out the next one to David

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Crosby,

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and share all the tributes with anyone who

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might appreciate well-researched

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glimpses

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into the lives of the talented people

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who created some of the music we love.

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Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation.