The Chantones
Singers, Music Groups
Roy Lesperance – Vocals, Bass
Jim Nantais– Vocals, Baritone
Frank Menard – Vocals
Orville Marentette – Vocals
Larry Desjarlais – Vocals, Tenor
Jack Grenier – Vocals
It was the summer of 1953 when Roy Lesperance, Jim Nantais, Frank Menard, and Orville Marentette called themselves the Teen Tones and competed in the Catholic Youth Organization talent contest. The group won the contest with their rendition of “Have You Talked to the Man Upstairs,” by The Four Lads.
The group went on to compete at other local events, and after winning some they decided to become more serious. The group soon started to work in small clubs throughout the Windsor area including The Canada Tavern, The Sunnyside Tavern, and the Elmwood Casino.
Larry Desjarlais and Jack Grenier soon replaced Menard and Marentette and the Teen Tones became The Chantones.
In 1958 Bud Davies from CKLW’s Bud Davies Dance Party called the Chantones and let them know that Jack Scott was looking for backup vocals. Scott liked what he heard, and they soon recorded Scott’s first big hit “My True Love.” Out of the nineteen hit records that Scott had, the Chantones were on eighteen.
The Chantones remained as a group and worked steadily recording background vocals and playing at clubs until 1962 when Lesperance, who was expecting his first child, decided he had had enough of being on the road.
During their time together the Chantones sang around one hundred songs, many of which were recorded with Jack Scott.
Sources:
Owen B. Jones, “Natural Harmony,” in Music from Windsor: Generations of Local Minstrels Tell Their Tales. (Windsor: Owen B. Jones, 2013), 47-53.
https://www.durhamregion.com/whatson-story/3515884-canada-s-rock-n-rolling-chantones/