Bachman-Turner Overdrive Mark a Milestone in Enduring Rock Legacy with New Music

Classic rockers Bachman-Turner Overdrive release “60 Years Ago,” a heartfelt tribute about “Canada’s home of rock and roll” as a thank-you to their hometown for street dedication.

“60 Years Ago” – Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Behind a blur of camera flashes and die-hard fans, Randy Bachman is standing in a corner holding a street sign that says Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) in crisp white lettering against a royal blue backdrop.

The smell of pierogies served up with butter and fried onions fills the room, along with some of BTO’s biggest hits.

It doesn’t get more Winnipeg than this.

They are threads in the rich cultural history of the city that Bachman calls “Canada’s home of rock and roll.”

And Bachman is one of its main architects.

As founder of BTO, the legendary musician helped bring the band’s earnest, blue-collar classic rock to stages around the world, selling more than 40 million albums.

Now, during a mini-homecoming on the 22-date Back in Overdrive tour, they’re being recognized with an honorary street-naming ceremony a few blocks north of Portage and Main. The iconic Winnipeg intersection is often referenced in BTO lyrics, including in their first new song in 25 years, “60 Years Ago.” (Proceeds from the song benefit The Bridge to Nowhere charity bike ride, which supports efforts to end chronic homelessness in the city.)

60 Years Ago - Bachman-Turner Overdrive — 60 Years Ago – Bachman-Turner Overdrive

“60 years ago / so damned cold and so much snow / 60 years ago / we stayed inside and rocked and rolled.”

The chorus echoes off the walls of the concrete buildings and into traffic turning onto the Disraeli Bridge now marked by that blue and white street sign.

Bachman pulls a black beanie over his tufts of white hair, tucks his fingers into the sleeves of his jacket, and taps his feet to the beat. Co-written with his son Tal during the pandemic, “60 Years Ago” also features a guitar solo from fellow Winnipegger Neil Young and some AI magic to bring Fred Turner’s powerful vocals back to life. (Turner retired from touring due to health concerns in 2018.)

“It’s our tribute to Winnipeg, the place where we grew up as teenagers in the Sixties, a time when the city’s music scene was exploding. It was the Liverpool of North America, a melting pot of incredible talents,” said Bachman, who rose to stardom with another Winnipeg band, The Guess Who.

The song is expected to be included on an album the father and son plan to release, tentatively called Shadows of Yesterday. But they chose to release it now as a thank-you to their hometown for recognizing BTO’s contribution to putting Winnipeg on the global music map with hits like “Let It Ride,” “You Ain’t See Nothin’ Yet,” and “Takin’ Care of Business.”

Bachman began building his reputation as a talented guitarist and vocalist with The Guess Who, whose song “American Woman” became the first Canadian track to hit #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. However, in 1970, at the peak of their popularity, he chose to leave the band over personal differences. Three years later, he returned with BTO, alongside brothers Tim (guitar) and Robbie (drums), and Fred Turner (bass and vocals). Their other brother, Gary, acted as their manager.

“Gary Bachman, Tim, Robbie …,” he started with an obvious lump in his throat, “they’re gone, but this will live on.”

“When I was a kid, I hoped. It was always a dream to do this,” said Turner of BTO’s success. “How many people have a childhood dream that becomes real?”

The loss of the three Bachman brothers could have ended the family’s musical legacy, but Bachman enlisted his daughter-in-law Koko on drums and his son Tal on guitar and vocals. Tal had already cemented his own place in Canadian music with his pop hit, “She’s So High.”

As Bachman reflects on the band’s success, he attributes much of their longevity to studying rock greats like Lennon and McCartney, whose songwriting and musical innovation inspired BTO in those early days.

At 81, Bachman shows no signs of slowing down. In addition to the BTO tour, he also hosts the Vinyl Tap podcast with Tal and is planning to put the finishing touches on their album.

“It’s a great feeling to come back with the same songs that were played 10, 20, 30 years ago that you think are just going to vanish,” he reflects. “The reaction of getting 3,000 or 13,000 people in one place and having that collective consciousness of everybody singing is amazing.”

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