Yonge Street: Toronto Rock & Roll Stories

Before Barenaked Ladies, Broken Social Scene and Rush rose from Toronto's music scene, there was Rompin' Ronnie Hawkins, Robbie Robertson and Gordon Lightfoot making a name for themselves on Yonge Street. This three-part documentary reveals the history of how Toronto's main drag became the leading destination for singers, musicians and music fans not only in the city but across Canada as well. It began in the mid-1950s and flourished until the early '70s, and in between such artists as David Clayton-Thomas, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Levon Helm, Led Zeppelin and Jeff Beck performed on Yonge Street. In addition to archival audio and video footage, featured interviewees include Hawkins, Robertson, Lightfoot, music producer Daniel Lanois and festival promoter John Brower.

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Created By
Status	Ended
Original Name	Yonge Street: Toronto Rock & Roll Stories
First Air Date	March 21, 2011
Last Air Date	March 23, 2011
Seasons	1
Episodes	3
Episode Runtime	46min
Language	English
Original Language	English
Production Countries	Canada
Production Companies	David Brady Productions
Networks	bravo

S01E03

1965-1970

By the mid-60s, Yorkville had become the mecca for folk music until Dylan went electric and everything changed. Clubs for rock 'n' roll and psychedelic music became part of the same lineup as the folk music of coffeehouses. Artists like Neil Young, Rick James and The Myna Birds, John Kay and The Sparrow, John & Lee & the Checkmates, and The Paupers were all big names playing the Yorkville clubs, but Canadians didn't have the airtime support needed to sustain them. Toronto musicians had outgrown Toronto, so they left to find fame and fortune in the U.S. The Rock Pile, at 888 Yonge Street (now CTV's Masonic Temple studios and home of MTV) became a focal point for great bands like Led Zeppelin, The Who, Jeff Beck, and Frank Zappa on their pit stops to Toronto. Finally, Part 3 looks at the early '70s and how the proliferation of strip clubs drove the final nail in the coffin of the Yonge Street music scene.

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