Allan Wilson, guitarist of Dory and the Weathermen is tickled by technology and the fact that their new single — a twangy cover of the Beatles’ hit “Come Together” can be heard all over the world.
It is their first release with the new lineup for the band that used to be known as Moondancer.
“We chose it because you can hear all six of us. We like to create a different arrangement that is our own,” he continued adding they were performing it live for a year and a half before recording it.
“ We have three sets of material to choose from,” he said adding they felt “Come Together” best reflected the talents of the band members.
The band added the new members after previous members Brad Gillespie and Darrell Croft left the band due to family and work commitments. They always wanted a keyboardist, so substitute teacher Wilson found University of Lethbridge professor Bruce MacKay through fellow G.S. Lakie school band teacher Don Ponech.
Shortly after they lost their lead guitarist so Wilson made some inquiries at Long And McQuade where Bill Weiler overheard him and followed him to King of Trade where Wilson was making further inquiries. Approximately two years ago, bassist Gerry Clewes joined the core of Allan Wilson, Dory Rossiter and Keith Duff.
“ We wanted to change the name to reflect our new members and Dory finally let us use her name,” Wilson said.
Moondancer recorded an album “It’s A Marvellous Night” a couple years ago and a single and video for “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow,” which got over 11,000 hits on Youtube from 49 different countries including Australia and all over Europe.
“It’s really, really enjoyable and fulfilling to see that,” he said he is always impressed with the compliments the band receives.
Because they recorded and released a cover for sale, they have to pay royalties through the Harry Fox Agency in the United States.
Wilson said it is 9.1 cents per digital download.
“It speaks to how much the music business has changed. 40 years ago you would have had to be with a record company or got to Toronto or Nashville or Los Angeles,” he said adding anybody can record a song and sell it online through places like cdbaby.com or iTunes.
Dory and the Weathermen, play a variety of gigs — totally free shows for causes like The Special Olympics and the Lethbridge Food Bank, for whom they played in February and raised $8,000 for them.
They also play assorted fundraisers for an honourarium and paid gigs plus corporate gigs including one planned in the Crowsnest Pass and A Christmas gig in Lethbridge.
The popular Lethbridge cover and party band have several local shows coming up.
On Sept. 19 they are playing a new venue in Coaldale called the Eastern Bloc, formerly the Coaldale Motor Inn. There is no cover for the show, which begins at approximately 8 p.m. They are also playing for a variety of good causes including Face Off With Cancer, Sept. 4, in the Enmax Centre Lounge, Sept. 20 for a Knights of Columbus (125 13th St. North) fundraiser, the Children's Wish Foundation Pumpkin Festival, Sept. 27 at the garden centre for Green Haven store (east of Lethbridge off Highway 3) 11 a.m. -4 p.m. and Run For the Cure at Exhibition park on Oct. 5 at approximately 10 a.m.