Early years

Although April Wine officially began in late 1969 in Waverley, Nova Scotia, their roots can be traced to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, in 1967/68, where brothers David and Ritchie Henman grew up playing music together before moving to Nova Scotia.^[4][5]

Three of the founding members - David Henman (guitar), Ritchie Henman (drums), and their cousin Jim Henman (bass) - were originally in a band named Prism (not to be confused with the Vancouver-based band of the same name). After a brief break to attend university, the trio reformed with Myles Goodwyn on lead vocals and guitar. Goodwyn had previously played with Jim Henman in a group called the Termites. David Henman christened the new group "April Wine". They realized that Halifax did not provide opportunities to play and record, so they sent a demo tape to Aquarius Records in Montreal. Aquarius managers Terry Flood and Donald K. Tarlton returned a rejection letter but the band mistook it for an invitation. On April 1, 1970, April Wine went to Montreal, bringing with them their instruments and $100 in cash; Flood and Tarlton were persuaded to sign the band to a contract.^[6] They were set up in a chalet and booked at a local comedy club, Café Andre. They spent the next five months touring eastern Canada with Mashmakhan.^[7]

The band recorded and released their self-titled debut album April Wine in September 1971.^[8][9] The album included a single, "Fast Train", which was a top 40 hit in Canada and peaked at #38 on the RPM Singles Chart.^[10] It established Miles Goodwyn as April Wine's main songwriter. The album did not sell well, but the success of the single led the band's label to ask for a second album. Jim Henman left the band in the fall of 1971 and was replaced by Jim Clench.^[1] In the meantime, the band spent 1971 touring the college circuit, with the exception of July 30th, when they opened at Montreal's Place Des Nations for The Guess Who. 1972 was much the same, although they began to play larger venues and opened for a few more large acts, like Ike & Tina Turner, Jethro Tull, Badfinger and Stevie Wonder.^[7]

Mainstream success

Under the guidance of producer Ralph Murphy,^[11] April Wine recorded their second album, On Record in 1972. The first single was a cover version of the Hot Chocolate song "You Could Have Been a Lady". The record was a commercial success, hitting number two for a single week on the RPM Canadian charts, as well as cracking the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States where it stayed for 11 weeks, peaking at No. 32.^[12] A second single, a cover of "Bad Side of the Moon" by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, also got much airplay on Canadian radio and was a minor hit in the U.S. Both tracks remain staples on classic rock radio stations in Canada. On Record was certified Gold in Canada and the band, along with Murphy, returned to the studio.

While the band was recording their third album in 1973, David and Ritchie Henman quit. Goodwyn and Clench held auditions and the replacements were drummer Jerry Mercer (formerly of Mashmakhan) and guitarist Gary Moffet. They finished the album, Electric Jewels, with the songs "Weeping Widow," "Just Like That" and "Lady Run, Lady Hide", which would stay in April Wine's set lists for many years.^[13] In support of this album, the band embarked on the Electric Adventure Tour where nearly every Canadian arena or concert hall that seated more than 2500 saw the band play.^[9] The tour also featured a massive lighting and pyrotechnic show.^[14] Touring proved successful; Gene Cornish and Dino Danelli of The Rascals attended a 1974 concert in Massey Hall, and were so impressed they offered to record and produce a live album of the band. The one-night recording session was something of a rushed enterprise; they wanted the album to be released by the end of the tour. Goodwyn wasn't happy with the sound, but April Wine Live went gold.^[9]

Gold and platinum years

The band's fifth release, 1975's Stand Back, went double platinum in Canada, riding on the success of the singles "Tonight Is A Wonderful Time To Fall In Love" and "I Wouldn't Want To Lose Your Love".^[15][14] April Wine went on tour with Heart, then Thundermug.^[7] Following the tour, Jim Clench left, eventually to join Bachman–Turner Overdrive (in 1977);^[16] he was replaced by Steve Lang.

The band's next release, in 1976, was The Whole World's Goin' Crazy. It was the first April Wine release to hit platinum status based on advanced sales orders alone.^[17] The album contained the popular title track as well as a hit single, the ballad "Like A Lover, Like A Song". Their sixth album, Forever for Now, was another platinum seller and contained the band's biggest single to date, "You Won't Dance With Me".^[18]

On March 4 & 5, 1977, April Wine was booked to play a charity concert at Toronto's famed El Mocambo Club. The co-headliner on the bill was a band called "The Cockroaches", which turned out to be The Rolling Stones.^[19] The pseudonym was a poorly kept secret and huge crowds turned out for the event. April Wine's performance was captured and released as the album Live at the El Mocambo. The band then got its first chance at touring the U.S., opening for The Rolling Stones, Styx and Rush.

Also in 1977, Brian Greenway, late of The Dudes (the Henmans' new band) was brought in as a third guitarist and co-vocalist. His addition gave April Wine a powerful three guitar attack that would make their hard rock sound. This also allowed Goodwyn to switch to keyboards for ballads. They also signed to Capitol Records (in addition to Aquarius).^[20]

1978 saw continued Canadian success, and the beginning of international success. The band's seventh album, and the first with Capitol, was First Glance, which had an immediate impact and the singles "Let Yourself Go" and "Get Ready For Love" were successful on Canadian radio.^[21] It was the third single, the raucous "Roller", that brought the band mass appeal across North America—it stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 for eleven weeks. First Glance stayed on the Billboard album chart for many weeks, making it April Wine's first gold record outside of Canada. Constant touring helped propel the band to greater success, as Americans embraced the hard rock of this "new" band from Canada—in 1978, they toured with Rush and played with Triumph, Starcastle, and Teaze and, in July, played a concert with the Rolling Stones, Journey, and the Atlanta Rhythm Section.^[7]

Following on the popularity of First Glance, April Wine released Harder ... Faster in 1979. "Say Hello" and "I Like to Rock" were popular hits on both sides of the border and Harder ... Faster proved to be yet another multi-platinum release for the band.^[22] It would stay on the Billboard top album chart for 40 weeks. 1979 was spent touring with Styx, Rush, Toto, Boston, Squeeze and Blue Öyster Cult.^[7] By now, the band had accumulated enough hits that Aquarius was able to release the album Greatest Hits. In 1979, the BBC released In Concert for international distribution; in 1981, Aquarius released another compilation album, The Best of April Wine Rock Ballads.

1980s

On 16th August 1980 the band performed at the inaugural Monsters of Rock festival in Castle Donington, England.

The Nature of the Beast^[23] was released in January 1981, and riding on the popularity of the hit singles "Just Between You and Me" and the band's cover of the Lorence Hud song "Sign of the Gypsy Queen", the album hit multi-platinum success in Canada, and was the first April Wine album to reach platinum status internationally. April Wine embarked on an extensive support tour, performing to their largest crowds ever. In addition to a packed schedule of solo concerts, they toured with Diamond Head, Harlequin, Krokus and Franke and the Knockouts, played five concerts with Loverboy, and travelled to Germany to play a concert with Neil Young, Jethro Tull, the Michael Schenker Group (MSG), and King Crimson.^[7] The band then went on an eighteen-month hiatus.

In July 1982 April Wine released their tenth studio album, Power Play. The album included the singles "Enough is Enough", "If You See Kay" and "Anything You Want, You Got It". The latter would become the band's opening number on the supporting tour, while the "Enough is Enough" video^[24] started receiving frequent rotation on MTV. Despite decent sales, Power Play was not met with the same critical acclaim the prior two albums had received; both the album and its singles charted well on Billboard's lists, but for shorter periods of time than earlier albums and singles. Still, it was certified gold, and then platinum, in October.^[25][26] The Power Play tour in 1982 was the band's most extensive—three months, with Saga, Eddie Money and Uriah Heep.^[7] The New York concerts with Saga and Money resulted in separate Live From Central Park albums.

The band started writing and recording their next album, Animal Grace, but the members were not getting along, and Myles Goodwyn moved from Canada to the Bahamas. Both Animal Grace and its single "This Could be the Right One" rose quickly on the charts, but stayed only for a short time. In 1984 the band got together for its announced "Farewell Tour", which was a month-long tour across Canada.^[7] The tour was successful enough to spawn another live album, One for the Road.

April Wine still owed Capitol Records one more album. So Greenway joined Goodwyn in Nassau, along with Montreal session musicians Daniel Barbe (keyboards), Jean Pellerin (bass) and drummer Marty Simon, to record what was supposed to be the band's final album, Walking Through Fire. It was released in September 1985 under the April Wine name.

Rebirth

The band in 2009

In 1988 Goodwyn moved back to Canada. Although there was interest in an April Wine reunion, and the subject was discussed among the former members, other commitments prevented them from getting together until 1992. April Wine returned to the stage that year, starting with a free concert in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. The reunited band consisted of Goodwyn, Greenway, returning drummer Jerry Mercer and bassist Jim Clench, who hadn't played with the band since 1975. Filling out the act was third guitarist Steve Segal. The band toured in both Canada and the US. In 1993, now with Flood Ross Entertainment, they released the first "true" April Wine album in a decade, Attitude.^[27] It was certified gold in Canada soon after its release. Segal remained with the band through one more studio release, 1994's Frigate. Each year, for the next five years, they went out on tour, playing with, among others, Def Leppard, Foreigner, Meat Loaf, Loverboy, Peter Frampton, Blue Öyster Cult and Nazareth.^[7]

The band released another album in 2001, entitled Back to the Mansion.^[28] Also in 2001, the band's song "Roller" was featured in the movie Joe Dirt. Then in 2003, they released the live album called Greatest Hits Live 2003. In the meantime, various labels released several compilation albums.

In 2004 Silverline released April Wine's first DVD-A called From the Front Row ... Live!. From 2001 to 2004 their live shows included Carl Dixon (formerly of the bands Coney Hatch, and The Guess Who)^[4] on guitars, keyboards and backing vocals.

April Wine entered into its 37th year as a band in 2006. On October 31 of that year, Aquarius Records released April Wine Rocks!, a new compilation of April Wine favourites, including a bonus live tune and a new album, entitled Roughly Speaking, was released on November 28, 2006. At the end of that year, Clench left the band for the second time and was replaced by bassist Breen LeBoeuf.^[1][2] A year later, Mercer announced his retirement; his scheduled final show in Calgary, Alberta, ringing in the 2009 new year, was cancelled due to bad weather. Mercer was replaced by drummer Blair Mackay.

April Wine was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the Juno Awards of 2010 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.^[29][30][31] Goodwyn and Greenway accepted the honour.

On November 3, 2010, Jim Clench died in Montreal, of lung cancer, at 61.^{[16][32][33][34]} LeBoeuf left April Wine the following July and was replaced by Richard Lanthier from the Yes tribute band Close to the Edge. Mackay left in March 2012 and was succeeded by Roy "Nip" Nichol, late of the band SamHill. Steve Lang died on February 4, 2017, at age 67, of Parkinson's disease.

Labels continued to release their music; BGO Records released a re-mastered The Nature Of The Beast / Power Play in 2020.^[35] April Wine continued to tour across Canada annually and to play festivals in Europe and in the United States, with the group consisting of Goodwyn, Greenway, Lanthier, and drummer Roy "Nip" Nichol.^[36][37][38] They played a concert in Ottawa in September 2021.^[39]

Their song 'Sign of the Gypsy Queen' can be heard in the background in the penultimate Breaking Bad episode Granite State; the guitar solo is playing behind Jesse's recorded confession tape being watched by Todd and Uncle Jack in the neo-Nazi compound.

In December 2022 Myles Goodwyn announced that he would no longer be touring with the band, turning over his vocal and guitar duties to Marc Parent: "I've had a long career, happy, fulfilling. I've seen much of the world and I'm grateful to continuing support of radio and our fans worldwide, but touring has been very difficult in recent years because of my diabetes and my health comes first, so unfortunately, my touring days are officially over", he said. He only focused on writing and recording. Goodwyn died in Halifax, Nova Scotia on December 3, 2023, at the age of 75.^[40]