#51: Julia Get Up by Rich Dodson
City: Calgary, AB
Radio Station: CKXL
Peak Month: December 1972
Peak Position in Calgary ~ #9
Peak position in Vancouver ~ Hitbound
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ did not chart
YouTube: “Julia Get Up”
Rich Dodson was born in Sudbury, Ontario, in 1947. In 1964, living now in Calgary, he formed an instrumental band called The Rebounds. By 1965, the band morphed into The Stampeders, named after that city’s football team, The Calgary Stampeders. Although, it could be argued that the yearly Calgary Stampede was also an inspiration for their name. During the band’s most successful chart run from 1968 to 1976, it was made up of guitarist Rich Dodson, bass player Ronnie King (born Cornelius Van Sprang) and drummer Kim Berly (born Kim Meyer). All three provided vocals. Originally, the band was a group of five formed in 1964 called 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, making them a band of six for a few years. But after a temporary move to Toronto in 1966 the band was down to three members, Dodson, King and Berly by 1968. Between 1967 and 1976 The Stampeders charted 15 singles into the Canadian RPM Top 40.
They were originally outfitted with cowboy hats, T-kay denim pants, shirts and jackets and cowboy boots. By the early 70’s the Stampeders kept only cowboy boots as mandatory attire. Their first single as a trio was called “Carry Me.” While the song got some air play in Vancouver, it did not chart here. However, it climbed to #2 nationally. Their cache only increased with the release of their debut album and a #1 hit across Canada called “Sweet City Woman.” The single was written by Rich Dodson. It also made the Top Ten in the USA. The band won four Juno Awards for “Best Composer,” “Best Producer,” “Best Single” and “Best Vocal Instrumental Group.”
On the strength of their success, their UK label, EMI, sponsored a tour to the UK and continental Europe. While on tour in 1972 they found themselves booked at the same hotel in Amsterdam overlapping with The Eagles. Back in North America, The Stampeders flew to Los Angeles where they performed at the iconic Whisky A-Go-Go, and were guests on the TV shows Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert and The Dating Game. It was in Hollywood that the band met The Who’s drummer, Keith Moon, who invited them to attend his birthday party at the Beverly Hills’ Wiltshire Hotel. In addition The Stampeders toured extensively in the early 70’s and on either side of the Canada-U.S. border found themselves variously sharing the billing with Black Oak Arkansas, Santana, Joe Cocker, Steve Miller, The James Gang, Robin Trower, Steely Dan, Sonny & Cher, The Beach Boys, ZZ Top, The Eagles, Earth, Wind And Fire, Mountain, America, Tower Of Power, Blood, Sweat and Tears and Genesis. The Stampeders also traveled to Brazil to perform at a song festival in Rio in front of 90 million TV viewers.
Dodson also wrote one of the Stampeders bigger hits in 1971 titled “Devil You”.
While Rich Dodson was a member of the Stampeders, he released a solo single titled “Julia Get Up”.
“Julia Get Up” was written by Rich Dodson. It was released as a single by Dodson, but also appeared on the Stampeders album Rubes, Dudes & Rowdies.
The song is about a woman who stays up late watching movies and is lethargic in the morning and into the afternoon.
“Julia Get Up” peaked at #9 in Calgary, #11 in Hamilton (ON), #14 in Edmonton (AB), #16 in Regina (SK) and #19 in Sault Ste. Marie (ON)
Dodson continued with the Stampeders until 1978. The band released many hits including “Monday Morning Choo Choo”, “Wild Eyes“, and “Ramona” each written by Rich Dodson. Other hits by the band through the 1970s include “Oh My Lady“, “Minstrel Gypsy”, “Hit The Road Jack”, “New Orleans” and “Playin’ In The Band”. Rich Dodson left the band in 1978.
Between 1979 and 1991, Rich Dodson released over a dozen singles. These charted on the Adult Contemporary charts in Canada. The most notable single was “Lookin’ Back” which peaked at #6 on the RPM Canadian Adult Contemporary chart in 1981. While in 1985 “She’s Comin’ Back” climbed to #8 on the chart, and “Cruel Emotion” shot to #10 on the Adult Contemporary chart in Canada in 1986.
In 1992, Dodson re-united with his Stampeders bandmates. The band continue to tour Canada doing fairs, festivals, casinos and theatres.
In 1994, Dodson was inducted into the SOCAN Hall of Fame for composing “Sweet City Woman” and “Carry Me”. In February 2006, Dodson was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame with “Sweet City Woman”. In 2019, The Stampeders trio of King, Berly and Dodson began a tour in April of 33 concert dates across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. The tour lasted into September 2019.
March 16, 2024
Ray McGinnis
References:
The Stampeders – About, Stampeders.net.
Rich Dodson and Ronnie King, “The Stampeders,” Canadian Bands.com.
CKXL 1140-AM Calgary (AB) Top Ten | December 8, 1972
Rich Dodson was the first to leave the classic Stampeders trio in 1977. I think the band had expanded back to being a sextet or was about to, which is what they had been in the late Sixties before downsizing and finding success..
Drummer/co-vocalist Kim Berly left the following year. Bassist/co vocalist Ronnie King carried on for a year and there was one final Stampeders studio album from that era—Ballsy—in 1979.
Before long afterwards, Ronnie was a labourer by day—digging holes for fence posts at times—and playing pubs on weekends with bands. In one post-Stampeders interview back then, Ronnie remarked that Rich Dodson was the only former member living comfortably in “a big house” due to the writing royalties from Sweet City Woman.
As you note, the classic trio version of The Stampeders reunited in 1992 and was still together at the time of Ronnie King’s death on March 4. In mourning their colleague, Dodson and Berly announced last week that they will embark on a scheduled spring tour with a new bassist.
By the way, early Stampeders member Van Louis was Ronnie King’s brother. Van made a stab at a solo career.