HAIR

Then, out of the blue, Tobi fell into something which would give her a huge lift.

"A friend of mine was auditioning for Toronto's version of the hit musical "Hair". I decided to go along with her to see what was happening. By chance someone asked me to sing. I did ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’ acapella and that was it, I was hired as Dionne, the black lead in the show.

I just couldn't believe it."

Hair opened on the 29th December 1969 in Toronto. 

Pat Annesley, a reporter from the Telegram was there and said "it was 20 degrees fahrenheit, snowing, not a bar open in town. But the Royal Alexandra Theatre was full as 1,500 people took their seats to view this highly successful tribal rock musical."

The show had already played in 18 cities in America and Europe, each with their own cast made up of local youngsters.

Clive Barnes, a leading Broadway critic wanted to see how it would go down north of the border and in his report said it "the best I've ever seen and I've seen it in London, in New York and in Paris. It's the hairiest Hair yet", he declared.

Tobi stood out for special praise in his report. "There was Tobi Lark, the sensational singer who was hurt on stage a couple of weeks ago, covering her bandaged leg with a shimmering Afro robe with high rising turban to match, which she made herself. Bandages or not, she was the first to leap up on the bandstand and get right into an impromptu session."

Mr Barnes omitted to tell his audience, however, that Tobi had been the first female to sing "Aquarius", a song which normally requires a masculine voice.

Another critic, Richard Osorio, rated the show amongst the three best shows he had seen to date. The others being in Chicago and San Francisco.

"The show was the most expensive ever staged", continued the Telegram journalist.  "$260,000  spent to date, with much of it going on elaborate lighting, props and costumes.

It was also the first theatrical production in Canada to achieve advance bookings of $200,000. The show ran for 428 performance and was seen by 420,000 people, closing on 3rd January 1971.

Tobi reflects, "Hair made me, but I got in on a fluke. The experience changed my life and gave me the guts to go out on my own. It also made me more cautious as I watched a lot of kids wasting their lives."

Nevertheless, Tobi left "Hair" early, in October 1970, and decided to experiment with other elements of showbiz, most notably her own show, “The Armageddon Revue”.

“The Armageddon Revue” was written and performed by Tobi at the Blue Orchid in Toronto and from there she continued to forge her status in the field of entertainment Tobi was brimful of confidence at this point.

PROBLEMS IN CANADA 

A story written in December 1970 made it clear that black people in Canada faced the same discrimination as their counterparts in the United States. It may have been more subtle, but it was just as vile.

Tobi told reporter Wessely Hicks that initially she thought Toronto was a warm and friendly place, but that was until she tried to set up home.

She said "The law says everyone must have the same chance to buy or rent, but they get around that by smiling politely and telling lies.

I was turned down three times in two weeks, though every time I had phoned ahead and had been told that the house had not been sold or rented.

A Jewish friend wanted me to take one particular woman to the Human Rights Commission but I said why? She doesn't want me because I'm black and she is white. The way I look at it, is that one white woman turns me down  and one white woman defends me. I got to figure I'm breaking even.

Another man said he'd sell to me but his neighbours objected."

After weeks of trying, Tobi told the estate agent to tell people she was black, but then there were those who were sceptical that a black woman could afford to buy property.

"One man wouldn't have anything to do with me because he had seen 'Hair', said Tobi. "It seemed to give him the impression that we were all drug addicts. Huh, I don't even drink or smoke. 

TELEVISION

The seventies had definitely started off with a bang when, on top of Hair, there came two television performances for the Barbara McNair show and another two for Nashville North with Kenny Rogers. In the McNair show, Tobi sang “Deed I Do” and “A Change Is Gonna Come”. The pair also duetted on “When Something Is Wrong With My Baby. After the show, it was reported that even the camera crew joined in the rapturous applause which followed. 

There was also a live session recorded in St Paul's Roman Catholic Church in April 1970 and transmitted on CBC in January 1971. An invited audience of 400 people produced a great atmosphere and at the end of the three hour session it was reported that "Tobi had them literally standing on the pews, clapping.”

A 45 ensued which was released on the Nimbus label in Canada and the Cotillion label in the States. It was called ‘We’re All In This Together’/’Freedom Train’ and reports were that it was selling steadily.

The programme when it went out was called "Toronto Together - A Tobi Lark Special".  At the time, it was reported that the 45 was steadily climbing the charts, with another in the pipeline.

Then there was "Gift Of Music" in December 1970, Canadian Television's Christmas Concert which was held in Massey Hall. In that programme, Tobi was backed by the Toronto Symphony and the University Of Toronto Choir. It was also reported that CTV were considering putting together a "candid musical on the Tobi Lark Lifestyle."

Tobi also appeared on a programme celebrating the life of Martin Luther King.

AFTERMATH

Over the next twenty years Tobi drifted in and out of the music business. She was particularly hurt by the lack of promotion afforded by Cotillion Records.

Tobi also gave birth to a daughter, Kizzie in 1976.

She toured from time to time across Canada with different bands, like T Company, Hot Ice, The All Star Band.

When she formed T Company, club owners wanted her. She drew the crowds but her musicians were black and some clubs were concerned that this would drive away some of the clientele. Band members discouraged left the group as it evolved into a white band. Racism had reared it’s ugly head again.

TRAGEDY IN DETROIT

Tobi’s son Clarence, developed into a first class bass player. He backed her on many occasions and she was so proud of him.

Clarence was wanting to move into other parts of the music business and was determined to open his own record label in Detroit.

It was a decision which ultimately cost him his life.

Tobi’s voice aches when she explains what ensued “In 1998, my son goes to Detroit to open up a record label. He goes into this Belmont Mall on the east side and gets shot to death. I was devastated. This little old white lady followed the people who did it. That’s how I found out who killed my son. The killer had shot dead three others that day and got 136 years in prison after the trial. I couldn’t deal with it, every time I heard a bass I couldn’t sing. I spent two years out of the business and stopped listening to music.

I don’t know why I’m still above ground because my son’s death devastated me along with my Grandmother. They were two of the most important people in my life and now they were gone.”

THE FUTURE

Despite all her trials and tribulations, Tobi is planning a comeback. “I’m beginning to emerge from the nightmare of losing my son” she says “Music is in my blood and I need to find a way forward. I strongly identify myself with female singers who do their own way, like Etta James and Bonnie Rait. They are taking control of their music, dressing how they like, doing their own thing. It wasn’t like that in my day. 

But, I just cannot get away from my roots. I cannot stand on that stage and look and act pretty. That’s not Tobi. I know from the bottom of my heart that there is soul in me. I cannot remove myself from that. But I don’t think I fall into any particular category because I like it all. I like to perform reggae, blues and gospel but some say ‘Tobi’s black she’s a soul singer’, yet at the end of the day, it’s just because I sing from my heart.

Anyway, I’m working on new material and I’m very excited about that. I will do the whole package there won’t be no middle men this time!”

EPILOGUE

When I met Tobi in July 2005 she handed me a CV of her career to date. As I read through it I was surprised to see no reference whatsoever to any of the wonderful recordings she made all those years ago. It was as if she had shut it out of her mind.

Perhaps this last quote explains why.

“I never received one brown cent from all the  record companies. Not one and I’m not the only one they did it to. Everybody got ripped off.

I’m sitting here at 65 years old with virtually nothing. That’s not right.”

music : "Sweep It Out In The Shed" - Tobi Lark (Topper 1015a)

 Discography

© David Meikle : All Rights Reserved