The STAMPEDERS Facts

The Stampeders are a Canadian rock trio, consisting of Rich Dodson, Ronnie King, and Kim Berly.

No seventies group represented Canada's musical identity to the world like THE STAMPEDERS. A quick look at Canada's music scene from 1971 until 1976 confirms The Stampeders were truly the country's international musical ambassadors. Instead of trying to blend into any specific format, they developed their own identity, which was both entertaining to watch in concert, and to listen to on radio and records. The Stampeders also toured more extensively in Canada and overseas than any other Canadian group of the same period.

• The band formed in Calgary, Alberta in 1964 as The Rebounds. The Rebounds had five members: Rich Dodson, Len Roemer, Brendan Lyttle, Kim Berly, and Race Holiday. They renamed themselves The Stampeders in 1965 and Len Roemer was replaced with Ronnie King and Van Louis. In 1966 they relocated to Toronto, Ontario, and became a trio in 1968 when Lyttle, Louis, and Holiday left. 
• The three-man line-up of RICH DODSON, KIM BERLY and RONNIE KING was, by far, the most successful and most widely-adored by the fans.
• Though most of the members were under the legal drinking age, they managed to beg, borrow and work their way across Canada, playing bars and various one-nighters on their big move to Toronto.
• The first major-label single release, "Be A Woman" b/w "I Don't Believe," came in 1968 on the MGM label in the U.S. and was to be The Stampeders' final release as a six-member group.
• The stage set-up had Dodson on guitar, King on bass and Berly on drums, while all three members shared lead vocals.
• The summer of 1971 saw "Sweet City Woman" climb the charts to the number one position across Canada eventually reaching the Number Eight spot on September 11, 1971 in the U.S.even though it was up against classic songs like The Doors' "Riders On The Storm," Paul and Linda McCartney's "Uncle Albert," and James Taylor's "You've Got A Friend."