Frank Candido & Rob Burditt – The Story of the Soo Band * Pegasus (The Smart As Trees Podcast)

Pegasus formed in 1973 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Six guys in high school, four from Bawating C. & V.S. and two from Korah Collegiate, came together over rock’n’roll and a love for playing the hits of the day. They had a successful run into the late 70s before they went their separate ways in the work world, scattering about Canada and beyond. Music stayed with most of them as they joined other bands in their respective new cities and along the way they kept in touch of each other’s lives.

Original members were Rob Burditt (keys/voice), Frank Candido (bass), Gary Elliott (trumpet), Jon Frolick (drums/voice), Martin Gilmour (guitar), and Barry Gilmour (guitar). Jeff Holmes (keys/voice) joined shortly thereafter, and it was Jeff that stirred the idea of playing again with four of the inaugural members.

These core five went onto play Pegasus reunion gigs in 2022 and 2024 at Rotary Fest and at the Water Tower Inn, with various guest players in each iteration. Jay Dinsdale (trumpet), Vincent Feletti (trombone), Mark Zorzit (guitar), Rusty McCarthy (guitar), Lindsay Pugh (guitar), Ken Suriano (saxophone), Steve Burditt (trombone), and Josh Norling (saxophone), were Pegasus bandmates for those shows, with some of those shows being amateur-recorded. Local music history is better for that, in telling the story of this popular music group.

Pegasus covered radio’s top pop tunes by the great rock’n’roll horn bands that began surfacing in the late 60s, large outfits like Chicago, Lighthouse, Downchild Blues Band, Vehicle, and Blood, Sweat & Tears. It was a sound not often heard anywhere by cover bands in local venues because of the several challenges involved, among them; band size, lack of horn players and the complexity of the music.

But Pegasus paid no mind and pressed forward, entering and winning Battle Of The Band competitions at a local and regional level, even reaching a national level competition. All the while Pegasus gigged everything from concerts to high school dances to weddings. They were good times and the fans loved them.

Visit: https://jonfrolick.com

PEGASUS (1973)

 “When I’m with you, it doesn’t matter where we are
Or what we’re doing. I’m with you, that’s all that matters.
Time passes much too quickly when we’re together laughing.”

‘beginnings’ – CHICAGO’S FIRST ALBUM 1969