Insight
Shotgun were a country band from Oshawa, Ontario, and in the early 1980s they were the main attraction at The Corral, the Oshawa club where they worked as house band. By the end of 1983 they had held the job for more than a year. The Corral booked name headliners now and then, but Shotgun on their own could pack the room.
There was no frontman. Every member sang, lead vocals moved around the stage, and the band slid from country ballads to rock and roll, two-steps and the Nova Scotia shuffle, changing the set to suit whoever was on the dance floor. They dressed sharp and played like a show band. One early champion was Joe Frechette, program director at CHOO in Ajax, who had sung with the Beaumarks and run Beechwood Music in Canada before moving into radio.
The early lineup was Brian Twaites on bass and vocals, Rusty Walker on steel guitar, Cam Kingelin on drums and Roy Penney on guitar. Penney, born in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, in 1935, had been one of the most admired country guitarists in the country since the 1960s, first with the Blue Valley Boys and then on a long run of Arc Records sessions. The four also worked together away from the Corral, backing Newfoundland singer Billy Dinn on his 1984 album Buttons in the Wind.
Pat Riccio Jr., a Durham Region local who was then music director for Anne Murray, produced Shotgun's first session in 1983. The first release was 'Shotgun', an instrumental by Walker and Penney that became the band's signature. Country programmers liked it enough that when Twaites's 'Love Bandit' came out that November on the band's own Double Barrel label, 'Shotgun' went on the flip. 'Love Bandit' was already a Corral request. Riccio also recorded Twaites's 'Fool in the Palm of Your Hand' at the Grange in Toronto; the recording was later included on Turning Point.
By 1985 Penney had moved to guest status, and Shotgun were Twaites, Walker, Kingelin, guitarist Neal Mattice and keyboardist Steve Woolhead. That June they teamed up with Cyril Rawson, a Peterborough songwriter and old friend who was starting to make his name in Nashville. Rawson brought a half dozen songs, most of them written with J. Gulley, and his publishing partner Tony Migliore, a Nashville session keyboardist, produced the sessions at Chelsea Studio. Rawson and Penney played guitar on the record alongside Nashville players Jim Peccia, John Maydem and Jerry Kroon.
Turning Point appeared on Double Barrel in 1985. Twaites, Walker, Kingelin and Woolhead all took lead vocals, the two Toronto recordings were folded in, and the album closed with 'Shotgun'. Frechette wrote the liner notes, dated June 25, 1985, confessing that in 27 years as a musician, songwriter, record executive and broadcaster, Shotgun were the first act to make him a fan. The band promoted the record with dates at the Yellow Rose in Cambridge and the Birchmount in Toronto.
How long Shotgun lasted after Turning Point is not yet known. Rawson went on to a long songwriting career in Nashville. Rusty Walker has since died, and Roy Penney died on June 6, 2025, at 89.
-Robert Williston
Gallery
Images
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Shotgun - Turning Point BACK
Shotgun - Turning Point LABEL 01
Shotgun - Turning Point LABEL 02
Turning Point
Media
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Credits
Musicians
Brian Twaites: bass and vocals; lead vocals on ‘On-Comin’ Heartache’, ‘Love Bandit’ and ‘Sweet Secret’
Rusty Walker: steel guitar and vocals; lead vocals on ‘Early Morning, After Midnight Lover (Middle of the Daytime Lover)’ and ‘Rosé, Can’t Say Goodbye’
Cam Kingelin: drums and vocal; lead vocals on ‘Lovin’ It’, ‘A Memory I Don’t Want to Forget’ and ‘Fool in the Palm of Your Hand’
Steve Woolhead: keyboards and vocals; lead vocal on ‘First Time Feeling’
Neal Mattice: guitar and vocals
Additional musicians
Cyril Rawson: guitar
Roy Penney: guitar
Jim Peccia: guitar
John Maydem: drums
Jerry Kroon: drums
Tony Migliore: keyboards
Songwriting
‘On-Comin’ Heartache’ written by C. Rawson; published by Northward Music (PRO)
‘Early Morning, After Midnight Lover (Middle of the Daytime Lover)’ written by C. Rawson and J. Gulley; published by Northward Music (PRO) and Nudawn Music (CAPAC)
‘Lovin’ It’ written by C. Rawson and J. Gulley; published by Northward Music (PRO) and Fer Fer Music (CAPAC)
‘A Memory I Don’t Want to Forget’ written by C. Rawson and J. Gulley; published by Northward Music (PRO) and Fer Fer Music (CAPAC)
‘Love Bandit’ written by Brian Twaites (CAPAC)
‘Sweet Secret’ written by Brian Twaites (CAPAC); published by Nudawn (CAPAC)
‘First Time Feeling’ written by C. Rawson and J. Gulley; published by Northward Music (PRO) and Nudawn Music (CAPAC)
‘Rosé, Can’t Say Goodbye’ written by C. Rawson and J. Gulley; published by Northward Music (PRO) and Nudawn Music (CAPAC)
‘Fool in the Palm of Your Hand’ written by Brian Twaites (CAPAC)
‘Shotgun’ written by Rusty Walker and Roy Penny; published by Sonny Music (CAPAC)
Production
Produced by Tony Migliore, except ‘Love Bandit’ and ‘Fool in the Palm of Your Hand’, produced by Pat Riccio Jr.
Recorded at Chelsea Studio, Nashville
Engineered by Dave Heironymus
‘Love Bandit’ and ‘Fool in the Palm of Your Hand’ recorded at the Grange, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Engineered by Rick Knight
Photography
Cover photo by Portraits by Anita
Manufacturing and distribution
Double Barrel Records, Oshawa, Ontario
Manufactured by Canadian Custom Records, Scarborough, Ontario
Special thanks
Marge & Glen Marquis, Russ Gordon, Rick Mackie, Joe Conrad, Pat Riccio Jr., Paul Evans, Al, and all the great staff at THE CORRAL, in Oshawa, Ontario
Technical
‘Shotgun’ is an instrumental
Artist and production are Canadian
Liner notes
In the 27 years that I was an entertainer, musician/songwriter, recording artist, record company executive and, now, a broadcaster, the one thing I never was is a “fan” in the strict sense of the word. Never, that is, until I heard “SHOTGUN”!
“SHOTGUN” is comprised of five individuals, each of whom sings lead and, as a group, deliver some of the finest vocal harmonies you’ll hear anywhere. They are instrumentalists whose virtuosity and expertise on drums, steel, bass, guitar and keyboards have fellow musicians shaking their heads in awe. “SHOTGUN” is a unit whose appearance and stage presence has endeared them to audiences everywhere they have performed. On occasion, when called upon to act as a back-up band, they’ve received raves from the established artists with whom they’ve worked.
When I first heard and saw this country music group, I knew this wasn’t just a back-up or house band but a performing and recording act. And I was right!
The “TURNING POINT” came when, in June, 1985, “SHOTGUN” collaborated with an old friend and songwriter extraordinaire, CYRIL RAWSON, who was starting to make his mark in Nashville. With a half dozen Rawson songs and the outstanding talents of Nashville producer TONY MIGLIORE, “SHOTGUN” completed this long-awaited album. Once you’ve given this record a spin on your turntable I’m sure you’ll agree that the combination of “SHOTGUN’S” talent, excellent song material and fine production is truly a “TURNING POINT” for “SHOTGUN” . . . a vocal/instrumental group that’s in touch with today without forgetting yesterday!
Joe (Conrad) Frechette
Program Director
CHOO Radio - 1390 AM
Ajax/Whitby/Oshawa, Ontario
Canada
June 25, 1985
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