Billy ThunderKloud & the Chieftones

Billy ThunderKloud & the Chieftones
Billy ThunderKloud
Background information
Origin Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Genres Country
Years active 1964–1991
Labels Superior, 20th Century Fox, Polydor
Past members Vincent "Billy ThunderKloud" Clifford May 7, 1948-June 5, 2018
Richard Grayowl
Barry Littlestar
Jack Wolf

Billy ThunderKloud & the Chieftones was a Canadian country music band from Edmonton, Alberta. It was composed of First Nations musicians Billy ThunderKloud (born Vincent Clifford), Hereditary Frog Clan Chief from northern British Columbia, Jack Wolf, Barry Littlestar, and Richard Grayowl, from Edmonton.[1]

Formed in 1964,[2] and billed as "Canada's All-Indian Band",[3] the group released two singles on 20th Century Fox Records in 1975, reaching number 16 on Billboard Hot Country Songs, Number 32 on Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks and Number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "What Time of Day". That same year, ThunderKloud was honored by the American Indian Exposition as the "Outstanding Indian of the Year". Billy and the Chieftones performed at President Nixon's second Inaugural Ball in 1973. ThunderKloud is a Kentucky Colonel commissioned by the Governor of Kentucky and was also named an honorary Shriner. After 20th Century Fox closed its record label, the band moved to Polydor Records, charting with covers of "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)" and "Try a Little Tenderness". In 1976, Billy ThunderKloud was a recipient of an ASCAP Country Music Award for "Try a Little Tenderness". [4][5]

In 1966, Vincent Clifford appeared as himself on the December 26, 1966 episode of To Tell The Truth where he was introduced, along with two imposters, as lead singer of the Chieftones band. Tom Poston was the only panelist to correctly identify Clifford. After Clifford's identity was revealed, the band performed live, on-stage, for the studio and TV viewing audience.[6]

Their song "I Shouldn't Have Did What I Done" is featured on the 2014 compilation album Native North America, Vol. 1.[3]

After seeing a performance of Billy ThunderKloud and the Chieftones at the Minnesota State Fair, Walt Disney himself gave his personal pet mountain lion to Billy as a gift. His name was Sim-Au-Git and he traveled with the band on their tour bus.

Billy ThunderKloud continued touring until he retired in 1991. He passed away due to complications from a stroke and pneumonia at his home in Palm City, FL on June 5, 2018. He is survived by his wife, Bev; daughters Shawnee and Chey; and three grandchildren.[7]

Discography

Albums

Title Album details
All Through the Night
  • Release date: 1973
  • Label: Superior Records
Off the Reservation
What Time of Day
  • Release date: 1975
  • Label: 20th Century Fox Records

Singles

Year Single Peak chart
positions		 Album
US Country
[1]		 US
[1]
1975 "What Time of Day" (featuring the Franklin Road Academy; uncredited) 16 92 What Time of Day
"Pledging My Love" 37 — N/A
1976 "Indian Nation" 74 —
"Try a Little Tenderness" 47 —
"It's Alright" 77 —
1977 "Oklahoma Wind" — —

References

  1. 1 2 3 Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 420. ISBN 0-89820-177-2.
  2. ↑ Wright-McLeod, Bryan (2005). The encyclopedia of native music : more than a century of recordings from wax cylinder to the Internet. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. p. 193. ISBN 9780816524471.
  3. 1 2 Deusner, Stephen (November 25, 2014). "Native North America (Vol. 1): Aboriginal Folk, Rock, and Country 1966–1985". Pitchfork.com. Pitchfork Media.
  4. ↑ "Billy ThunderKloud & the Chieftones biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  5. ↑ Clifford, Bev. "Singer Billy ThunderKloud Passed Away on June 5, 2018 From Complications From a Stroke/Pneumonia at His Home in Palm City, FL". Newswire. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  6. ↑ CBS Television. "To Tell the Truth". You Tube. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  7. ↑ Oermann, Robert K. "Country Singer Billy ThunderKloud Dies". Music Row. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
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