Chad Allan

Canadian Rock/Pop singer, songwriter, guitarist, founder of The Guess Who; founder of Seabreeze Records, host of 1960s Canadian rock 'n roll TV show "Let's Go".
Born: March 29, 1943, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Died: November 21, 2023, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Chad Allan was a pivotal figure in the Canadian rock music scene. His musical journey began in the late 1950s when he formed his first band, Allan and the Silvertones, while attending Miles MacDonell Collegiate in Winnipeg. The group evolved into Chad Allan and the Reflections, and later, Chad Allan and the Expressions, which included musicians Jim Kale, Randy Bachman, and Garry Peterson. In 1965, the band released a cover of Johnny Kidd’s “Shakin’ All Over.” The record was initially promoted as by "Guess Who?" leading to the band adopting this name. Allan was the lead singer of the Guess Who until vocal issues led to his departure after their 1966 album, “It’s Time.” He was succeeded by Burton Cummings. Following his tenure with the Guess Who, Allan hosted the Canadian music program “Let’s Go” for two years. He then returned to music, forming Brave Belt with Randy Bachman. The band, which also included Fred Turner, released two albums before evolving into Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Allan, however, left to pursue a solo career. Throughout his career, Allan explored various musical genres, including gospel and Christian rock. He was inducted into the Order of Manitoba in 2015 for his contributions to Canadian music. He also taught songwriting at British Columbia’s Kwantlen University College. In 2017, Allan suffered a serious stroke, which significantly impacted his health.