The Guess Who, R. Dean Taylor, Paul Anka, Joni Mitchell, The Irish Rovers, among the biggest and best known acts of these eras to make a splash outside of Canada. 
You also have late 60s acts like The Band and Steppenwolf, who (due to a technicality) are considered to be American bands, which I still cannot and will not ever accept lol

So allow me to school you on some of other great Canadian bands of the 50s and 60s.  Some you knew about, some you didn't, and some you probably didn't even know were Canadian


THE DIAMONDS
Toronto's The Diamonds had a small collective of hits in their day, but you would probably best remember Little Darlin' which was such the hit, I don't think there's a person alive who doesn't know it lol

♦ Little Darlin'


BOBBY CURTOLA
My dad went to school with him.  In the 60s, he was a very popular teen idol.  His first hit was 'Hand in Hand With You' in 1960, and his biggest hit was 'Fortune Teller' in 1962.  He didn't really become a big star outside of Canada, but he did chart two minor hits in America with rTeller' and 'Aladdin'

My favourite of his is still 'Three Rows Over' followed by 'Indian Giver'.  Mr. Curtola does live shows in Las Vegas and Toronto these days which somewhat makes me laugh because of the fact that he wasn't well known outside of Canada, people who never heard of him that come to see his shows might think it's a little creepy to see a man in his 60s singing songs about having a crush on a teenage girl who sat three rows over and two seats down LOL

♦ Fortune Teller
♦ Aladdin
♦ Hitchhiker
♦ I'll Never Be Alone Again
♦ Three Rows Over
♦ Indian Giver
♦ Johnny Take Your Time
♦ Hand in Hand With You
♦ Don't You Sweetheart Me



THE PAUPERS
short-lived group of the mid-late 60s.  They gained a live following as the opening acts for names like Bob Dylan and Jefferson Airplane.  Their first single 'If I Call You By Some Name' was a Top 40 hit in Canada and led to a small string of hits

♦ If I Call You By Some Name
♦ Simple Deed



THE ORIGINAL CASTE
They were best known for the 1969 single 'One Tin Soldier' which they wrote and performed.  It crept into the US Top 40 making them one hit wonders there, but the song would later become a bigger hit in the 70s for the US group COVEN

Largely The Original Caste were a 70s group as they went on to further Top 40 hits in Canada, but One Tin Soldier is such a beautiful song that truly showcases that singer/songwriter era of hte late 60s

♦ One Tin Soldier



DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS
Before joining Blood, Sweat and Tears as lead vocalist, David Clayton-Thomas had already established himself in Canada with several hit singles both solo, with The Shays and with his band The Bossmen

♦ Walk That Walk
♦ Brainwashed
♦ Take Me Back



THE STACCATOS
The Staccatos was the original name of the Five Man Electrical Band, and during the 60s, they had several popular singles in Canada.  Their biggest hit during this era was 'Half Past 'Midnight'

♦ Half Past Midnight
♦ Let's Run Away



JACK LONDON AND THE SPARROWS
A band that should be referred to as "The band when Steppenwolf were actually Canadian".  Basically a backing band for British born Canadian Jack London, The Sparrows had several hits in Canada, most notably 'Hard Times With the Law' which was their biggest.  On and off, they had also been known as The Sparrow and Sparrow

♦ Hard Times With the Law
♦ If You Don't Want My Love
♦ Tomorrow's Ship
♦ Green Bottle Lover

Missed a few, like hte obvious Gordon Lightfoot, Anne Murray.  Lightfoot had a bunch of hits in the 60s in Canada before he reached the US chart in the 70s.  Here's more ...


THE 4 LADS
Hits like 'Istanbul' and 'Moments to Remember' were extremely popular.  The latter was their most popular, where it peaked at #5 in the US chart in 1955


THE CREW CUTS
They made a name for themselves covering other people's songs including 'Sh-Boom' and 'Crazy About You Baby'

THE 4 LADS
Hits like 'Istanbul' and 'Moments to Remember' were extremely popular.  The latter was their most popular, where it peaked at #5 in the US chart in 1955


Being a versatile group, they were frequently used as backing vocalists for a clutch of artists on the US Columbia label, most notably Johnnie Ray & Frankie Laine...

Gisele MacKenzie from Winnipeg recorded 'Seven Lonely Days' exclusively for the British market in 1953...it was her sole British hit, but with it, she became the first Canadian to chart in Britain...

The Beau-Marks from Quebec made a little bit of history when their one and only US charter, 'Clap Your Hands' reached the dizzy heights of #45 in 1960...why 'history'? Well, they were the first Canadians to have a 'rock' hit in the States with a Canadian produced recording!

Being a versatile group, they were frequently used as backing vocalists for a clutch of artists on the US Columbia label, most notably Johnnie Ray & Frankie Laine...

Gisele MacKenzie from Winnipeg recorded 'Seven Lonely Days' exclusively for the British market in 1953...it was her sole British hit, but with it, she became the first Canadian to chart in Britain...

The Beau-Marks from Quebec made a little bit of history when their one and only US charter, 'Clap Your Hands' reached the dizzy heights of #45 in 1960...why 'history'? Well, they were the first Canadians to have a 'rock' hit in the States with a Canadian produced recording!


That is interesting stuff.  I always forget about Gisele MacKenzie.  She had a very popualr hit in Canada circa 1957 called 'Oh, Pain! Oh, Agony! (Know What I Mean Jellybean)'.  That title still cracks me up LOL

You just reminded me of another Canadian ...

Gale Garnett and her beautiful song We'll Sing in the Sunshine, which also became a hit in the 70s for Judy Collins, or was it Joan Baez?  I can never remember lol

That is interesting stuff.  I always forget about Gisele MacKenzie.  She had a very popualr hit in Canada circa 1957 called 'Oh, Pain! Oh, Agony! (Know What I Mean Jellybean)'.  That title still cracks me up LOL

Very strange title! I may have to 'investigate' that one!

By then, she'd 'jumped ship' and had became a US citizen, just like bandleader Percy Faith, who had several big US hits in the 50s/60s...

You just reminded me of another Canadian ...

Gale Garnett and her beautiful song We'll Sing in the Sunshine, which also became a hit in the 70s for Judy Collins, or was it Joan Baez?  I can never remember lol


Hers is the only version I'm familiar with...

She got around a bit...she was born in New Zealand, moving to Canada in her early teens...

I have a few Canadian bands in my collection of 60's psychedelic/garage rock.

I Can Only Give You Everything.....Haunted    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct8n5VX5Az4

That's My Girl (Rotten To The Core)......The Great Scots    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdqtKB_c1BA&feature=related

Gaslight....The Ugly Ducklings    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUuTvLMAoCA

I'd forgotten The Ugly Ducklings were Canadian

'Gaslight' was a Top 20 hit in Canada

They hade other great hits like ..
♦ Nothin'
♦ Just in Case You Wonder
♦ She Ain't No Use to Me'

all which were top 40 in Canada