About Bruce

Bruce Innes, a native of Calgary, Alberta, has been performing professionally since age 11. His father, a professional musician, acted as chauffeur on those early appearances, making sure the pre-teen was home safely before midnight. While at the University of Montana, Bruce formed the Big Sky Singers, a group voted "best vocal group in the nation" by a national jazz magazine. His final year in college he was hand picked by blues legend Josh White (in poor health at the time and unable to play guitar) to tour and play guitar behind Josh's vocals. After the tour, Josh, with his health improving, returned to New York City and Bruce went back to the U of M. After finishing his formal education, he moved to Los Angeles where the Big Sky Singers released an album with Dot Records. When David Stiles, the lead singer of the Big Sky Singers died suddenly, the group disbanded. Bruce's songwriting ability landed him the opportunity to write songs for various artists which led to the opportunity to write a show for, and perform internationally with L.A. Dodgers celebrity shortstop Maury Wills.

Bruce returned to Calgary and began performing in a little coffee house with incredible but undiscovered performers like Joni Mitchell (Joni Anderson, at the time) and David Wiffen. Using The Pig's Eye as a performance base he formed The North Country Singers with Graham Bruce, Bliss Mackie and Dixie Lee Stone. The group performed across Canada before moving to Los Angeles and changing the group name to THE ORIGINAL CASTE. At Dot Records they recorded two singles before signing with TA Records, a label distributed by Bell Records (Columbia). At TA Records Bruce met Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, who produced their first album and their two hit singles, ONE TIN SOLDIER and MR. MONDAY. The success of these two songs (Certified Gold in Canada and Japan) enabled the group to tour extensively in the United States, Canada and Japan. The band toured until Bruce returned to the United States. Along the way Bruce collaborated with other artists, including singing with his friend, John Denver on his Rocky Mountain High album and writing hit songs for Ray Stevens, Mickey Gilley, and international artists from Australia to Japan. Bruce now lives in Ketchum, Idaho and continues to write, record and perform. THE ORIGINAL CASTE (Bruce Innes and Jilla Web) can be seen in concert in theaters across the nation with their highly acclaimed traveling show, ONE TIN SOLDIER RIDES AGAIN.


Tunes He's Responsible For:
Wrote a top 10 hit in Japan
Wrote a top 10 hit in Australia

Trinkets He Was Given:
Two gold records in Canada
Two gold records in Japan
Producer of Western Music Association 2003 "Album of the Year"

Where He's Been Seen:
CBS-TV
NBC-TV
CBC-Canada
CTV-Canada

Where He's Been:
Canada - Vancouver to Toronto
U.S. - NYC to LA, Seattle to Albuquerque
Japan - Tokyo to Sapporo
Europe - France, Germany, Scotland, England
Mexico
Vietnam

Who He's Been With:
Josh White 

The Carpenters
Seals & Crofts 

John Denver
Joni Mitchell 

Michael MacDonald
Crosby Stills & Nash 

Ray Charles
Judy Collins 

Blood Sweat & Tears
Waylon Jennings 

Glen Campbell
Bobby Darin

Paul Shaffer
and many, many others both national and international