Blair Thornton

Blair Montgomery Thornton (born July 23, 1950) is a Canadian guitarist and songwriter most widely known for his work with the rock band Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO). He also played in the band Crosstown Bus prior to joining BTO.

Biography Thornton was a guitarist in later lineups of the Nelson, BC band Crosstown Bus. The band had released one album, High Grass, on MCA Records before Blair's arrival.

Thornton joined BTO in early 1974 during the supporting tour for the Bachman-Turner Overdrive II album, replacing Tim Bachman shortly after that album was released. Thornton made his live debut with BTO at a March 1974 televised event for Don Kirshner's In Concert program hosted by Don E. Branker.

Thornton's first album with BTO was the highly successful Not Fragile LP, released in the fall of 1974. Upon Thornton's arrival, BTO began incorporating "dual-lead" guitar solos into many new songs, with Thornton playing the lead guitar parts along with primary lead guitarist Randy Bachman. Such solos were not a major feature on the band's first two albums. In interviews years later, Randy noted that Blair Thornton was a welcome addition:

He was known for playing in the Eric Clapton/Bluesbreakers style. [He] was more advanced on the guitar than my brother Tim, who was basically a rhythm player who left all the lead to me. Blair brought in a new style. We now had twin lead guitars, and that made my job a lot easier; it gave us more versatility.

As a songwriter, Thornton contributed two compositions to the Not Fragile album: "Givin' It All Away" and an instrumental called "Freewheelin'" that also wound up as the B-side of the No. 1 hit "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet". He also co-wrote three songs for the follow-up 1975 album, Four Wheel Drive, including the title track (with Randy Bachman), and co-wrote the Top 40 hit "Take It Like a Man" (with Fred Turner) for the late 1975 album Head On. Two other songs on Head On, "It's Over" and "Wild Spirit", also credit Thornton as a co-writer.

Following Randy Bachman's departure from the group in 1977, Thornton took over as primary lead guitarist on their next two albums: Street Action (1978) and Rock n' Roll Nights (1979), also contributing several compositions. Thornton rejoined the "classic" Not Fragile line-up (Randy Bachman, Robbie Bachman, and Fred Turner) in 1988 for a reunion tour. In 1991, Randy Bachman left the group again and this time was replaced by Vancouver guitarist-singer Randy Murray. This version of BTO proved to be the most enduring, as they toured together until the latter part of 2004.

In 2014, Thornton along with original band members Fred Turner, Robbie and Randy Bachman were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Thornton currently enjoys a quiet semi-retirement with his wife, Shane.

Discography

With Bachman–Turner Overdrive

Studio albums TitleDetailsNot Fragile Released: September 1974 Label: Mercury Formats: LP, MC, 8-trackFour Wheel Drive Released: May 1975 Label: Mercury Formats: LP, MC, 8-trackHead On Released: December 1975 Label: Mercury Formats: LP, MC, 8-trackFreeways Released: February 1977 Label: Mercury Formats: LP, MC, 8-trackStreet Action Released: February 1978 Label: Mercury Formats: LP, MC, 8-trackRock n' Roll Nights Released: March 1979 Label: Mercury Formats: LP, MC, 8-trackTrial by Fire: Greatest & Latest Released: 1996 Label: CMC Formats: CD

Live albums TitleDetailsB.T.O. Japan Tour Live Released: 1977 Label: Mercury Formats: LP Recorded at Nippon Budokan in 1977Best of Bachman–Turner Overdrive Live Released: January 24, 1994 Label: Curb Formats: CD, MC More recordings from Tallahassee in 1985King Biscuit Flower Hour: Bachman–Turner Overdrive Released: April 7, 1998 Label: King Biscuit Flower Hour Formats: CD Recorded in Chicago in 1974

Singles SingleYear"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet"1974"Not Fragile" (France-only release)"Roll On Down the Highway"1975"Hey You""Quick Change Artist" (Canada-only release)"Down to the Line""Take It Like a Man"1976"Away from Home" (UK-only release)"Lookin' Out for #1""My Wheels Won't Turn"1977"Life Still Goes On (I'm Lonely)""Shotgun Rider""Down, Down" (Germany-only release)"Down the Road"1978"Jamaica"1979"Heartaches""Wooly Bully"1989"The House of the Rising Sun" (Europe-only release)1996

Awards and recognitions

Juno Awards Year Award Result 1974 Most Promising Group of the Year Contemporary Album of the Year 1975 Group of the Year Best Selling Album of the Year 1976 Group of the Year Best Selling Album of the Year Best Selling Single of the Year 1978 Group of the Year 2014 Canadian Music Hall of Fame Inductee