Manuel Street is named in honour of Richard Manuel, musician, singer and songwriter who was born and raised in Stratford. It has been approved as a new Stratford Street and will be situated in the east end of the city off Douro Street.
This brief memorial biography highlights Richard’s career.
Musician. Born in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, he was a noted lead singer, pianist and songwriter. He was most remembered for being an original member of The Band and for his high falsetto singing on the group's first album "Music From Big Pink" (1968). He continued recording-touring with The Band throughout 1974, then went on to perform or record with artist Bob Dylan, Bobby Charles, Tom Petty, Eric Clapton, Kinky Friedman, Happy Traum, Neil Young, Neil Diamond, Emmylou Harris and others. His solo works included "The Shape I'm In," "Chest Fever," and "I Shall Be Released." He died in Winter Park, Florida, while on tour with the reunited Band. In 1994, he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Band. Source: Find a Grave
Richard's philosophy as noted by his friend, Levon Helm, The Band.
"Richard Manuel’s general philosophy was to be kind to people. He was complicated and felt things really deeply, more than most people." - Levon Helm
Richard George Manuel (April 3, 1943- March 4, 1986) was the third of four brothers in the Manuel family who lived at 138 Well Street. (See Well Street). The family moved there when Richard was five. Richard grew up in that house from 1948 to 1961.
Richard’s father Ed, was a mechanic; his mother Gladys was a teacher. The family attended Ontario Street Baptist Church, (see Ontario Street) and Richard growing up had family church connections and choir connections. His oldest brother, Jim, would become a minister.
Four Manuel boys at home on Well Street. The Beacon Herald, republished this, 2022. Richard is in the foreground; Jim is sitting opposite; Alan is to the right of the photo and Don to the left.
A very early photo, circa 1957, from David Marsden, standing at left, of The Rebels, Richard's first band. Richard is seated at the piano. The location is The original Pavillion in Upper Queen's Park.
The photo of the four Manuel boys at home on Well Street was published in The Beacon Herald in 2022 at the time that the family home was designated by Heritage Stratford as part of the Blue Plaque program. Galen Simmons' article from the Beacon Herald about the home and family, the ceremony, the memories and pictures of the family can be found online. Sources: Stratford home of The Band's keyboardist recognized with Blue Plaque | The Sarnia Observer
At the age of nine, Richard briefly took some piano lessons from Audrey Conroy, (see Water Street), a music piano teacher connected to Ontario Street Baptist church. Richard began his lessons with formal teaching methods, but with his parents’ permission, he asked to be taught progressive chording techniques and key modulations so that he might play popular tunes. Once he knew the basics, Richard’s lessons ended. From the4n on, Richard was largely self taught. In the summer, like other youngsters, Richard attended summer camps including Kitchigami on Lake Huron, but by his early teens, music became his life.
In 1957, Richard, known locally as Beak, played first with a Stratford Band called The Rebels as a young teen. See photo above. They began in 1957 but soon changed their name to The Revols after learning that Duane Eddy’s backing band already had the name. So, they adopted the similar-sounding backward spelling of “lover.” They were just 14 and 15 years old and won a following by playing at Saturday night teen dances and concerts at The Pavilion in Queen’s Park but soon they were playing throughout southern Ontario.
Band members included Richard Manuel on piano and vocals, John Till on guitar, Ken Kalmusky on bass, Doug Rhodes on vocals and Jim Winkler on drums. Garth Picot would replace John Till. Dave Michie, another young Stratford teen, now known by his birth name, David Marsden, became their manager.(See photo below).
John Till remembers meeting Richard. “I first met Richard Manuel (see Well Street) through his younger brother Donald when we went to Romeo Public School, Grade 8. I’d walk over to the Manuel’s every morning on Well Street to meet Donald and we’d walk to school together, and back home in the afternoon. Richard was playing piano in their front room one day and Donald mentioned that I was a guitar player. I was invited to go home and get my guitar and, within a few days, I had joined the "Rebels." We were not named the "Revols" yet. A year later, I became friends with Ken Kalmusky who lived a few blocks from me. Ken was learning to play bass and soon became the Revols’ first bassist. All three houses had a piano, so we rehearsed at everyone’s place eventually. All of our parents were very supportive and it was a wonderful time for us.”
As The Revols gained popularity in the Ontario area, one of their memorable moments was opening for Ronnie Hawkins in Port Dover, Ontario. A number of Stratford friends and fans were there. As Levon Helm, then a member of The Hawks, tells it, in his autobiography, The Wheel’s on Fire, Hawkins was tremendously impressed with Manuel: “ ‘See that kid playing piano?’ Hawk said. ‘He’s got more talent than Van Cliburn.’ After their show, Ronnie told The Revols they were so good they were making us [Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks] nervous. Richard blushed. ‘Thanks, but you don’t have to worry. You guys are the kings,’ he told us in reply.”
The next time Hawkins came to Stratford, The Revols were on the bill, but this time they followed Hawkins.
“When The Revols came on, Richard sang Ray Charles's ‘Georgia on My Mind’ and brought down the house. That did it, as far as The Hawk was concerned. Rather than compete with The Revols, he hired 'em.”— Levon Helm, This Wheel's on Fire, page 87.
Ronnie Hawlins
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The Revols 1958. Dave Michie, Doug Rhodes, Richard Manuel, Jim Winkler. Front: Ken Kalmusky, Garth Picot...had replaced John Till.
The Hawks. From Left. Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, Jerry Profound (sax), Levon Helm.
Manuel remained with Hawkins until 1964, when Hawkins's backing group, The Hawks (Manuel along with Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, and Robbie Robertson), left him and formed Levon and the Hawks, later known as The Band. Till went on to fame (see St. David Street) as did Kalmusky (see Queen Street). Michie later became a famous Toronto DJ and broadcaster in the 1960s and reinvented himself later, as mentioned, under his real name of David Marsden. Source: David Marsden
Richard’s career, after leaving Stratford, has been well documented even before his death in 1986. Much more has been written since that time. and a new book will appear in 2025. Selected highlights from his career appear below.
Richard Manuel: His Life and Music ... 2025
A new book Richard Manuel: His Life and Music from The Hawks and Bob Dylan to The Band by Stephen T. Lewis will be published in 2025.
Lewis was first introduced to Manuel and his iconic rock group, The Band, as a teenager when he saw their 1976 documentary concert, The Last Waltz. “There’s still this indescribable power, pathos, mystery – something about him . . . it was enough for me to be like, ‘Wow! Who is this guy? What’s his contributions? How does he fit into The Band?'” Lewis said.
In the works for about four years, the book’s research involved Lewis interviewing about 40 people. The author found a great willingness from those who knew Manuel, including first wife Jane, their two children, and his second wife, Arlie, to talk about the musician. Lewis also talked to other musicians, including Eric Clapton and Van Morrison, about Manuel’s own impact.
Lewis also made three separate trips to Stratford to dig deep into the collection of the Stratford-Perth Archives.
“The one thing I learned is that Richard had such an amazing effect on people in Stratford. And when he became a popular rock musician, people never forgot him, and they showed it by the willingness to contribute and tell stories about how he affected their lives,” he said.
Sources: excerpts from Bill Atwood article, Stratford Beacon Herald , November 21, 2024. Richard Manuel: His Life and Music,
1968. The Band. First Album. Music from Big Pink.
The cover painting was by their friend, Bob Dylan. Photographs: Elliott Landy. Album Design: Milton Glaser. Music from Big Pink’ was their first album as The Band. They rented the pink house and recorded in the basement. The album features a distinctive blend of country, rock, folk, classical, R&B, blues, and soul and influenced a number of other noted musicians. On the back of the album is a photo of their relatives - labeled next of kin. Richard is in the centre at the front with arms crossed. The members of The Band celebrated their roots in both music and memory. Sources: The Richard Manuel Archive This archive contains a series of articles, interviews, recordings and photos; Music from Big Pink
1970. The Band: Time Magazine
On Jan 12, 1970, The Band made the cover of Time magazine. The article can be found here. music down to old dixie and back. Richard is shown on the cover with his beloved hat.
Several quotations from the article follow:
All five took to music young, and they were brought up singing and playing hymns and folk songs with their families.
Richard took piano lessons but hated practising “until he learned he could attract girls by playing in a band.”
For years, practising together for as much as seven, eight, ten hours a day, they played one-night stands in grubby towns all over the South and Canada.
Though they once played for $2 each a night, they now turn down $20,000 if the scene seems wrong.
The Band’s sound is at first deceptively simple. It comes on mainly as country music full of straight lines and pure sentiments...But as you listen, new depths and distant sources emerge...Bach toccatas, folk tunes, commercial rock ‘n’ roll, Scottish reels, the sound of Ontario Anglican church worshipers raising their voices in hymns on Sunday morning. The lyrics are spiritual and timeless.
At the piano, Richard Manuel looks like a teen-ager masquerading as a pirate. Additional source: Wikipedia
Additional Awards and Legacy.
In 1984, four original members of The Revols, Kalmusky, Manuel, Rhodes and Till, reunited at the Stratford Shakespearean Festival Theatre as The Revols, opening for The Band at two sold-out performances billed as "The Band/Revols Reunion Shows." (See Richard Monette Way).
In 1985, Richard recorded Whispering Pines: Live at the Getaway.
“Richard always had this very plaintive attitude in his voice, and sometimes just in his sensitivity as a person. I tried to follow that, to go with it and find it musically. We both felt very good about this song [Whispering Pines].” Robbie Robertson. Richard wrote the music; Robbie the words.
Click to hear
;The live recording chronicled two intimate live shows Manuel performed at The Getaway, a nightclub in Saugerties, New York on October 12, 1985. Released in Japan in March 2002, it is the first solo release from Manuel, who, unlike his former mates from The Band never recorded a proper solo album. Source: Whispering Pines: Live at the Getaway
In 1994, Manuel was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Band.
In 2004, Richard Manuel was honoured by Stratford with a Bronze Star.
Allen’s Alley Murals also feature Manuel and his bandmates, Kalmusky and Till. (see Allen’s Alley).
In 2015, he was inducted into the New York Blues Hall of Fame.
In 2015, a scholarship in Richard’s name was set up at the University of Western Ontario. Richard Manuel's Music Award
In 2022, as mentioned, the Manuel family home at 138 Well Street was honoured as Richard's home by Heritage Stratford in as part of Stratford’s Blue Plaque Program. Full details of the day’s events and further background on Richard Manuel and his early musical life can be found here. Blue Plaque Program Home
A Memorial bench in Stratford also honours Richard. The words on the bench are from his song “I Shall Be Released.”
Click to hear.
Photo of Richard by Elliott Landy.
Memorial Bench in Stratford. Photo by Rob Lemon
Content complied by Gord Conroy.