by Richard Skelly » Wed May 16, 2018 12:48 am
Egads! Back in 1978, did Arista Records pull a fast one in stamping the MAPL Canadian Content logo on Like I’ve Never Been Gone?
I ask because it seems this oft-played CanCon single appears to have only qualified for one category—production. Matthew McCauley and then-partner Fred Mollin oversaw the session. Otherwise, the artist Fran McKendree was a Connecticut native previously in the progressive folk band McKendree Spring. Music and lyrics were by Gary Benson. Also known as Harry Hyams, Benson was a British composer best remembered for writing Let Her In—a 1975 John Travolta hit
Perhaps Arista thought having two Canadian producers listed on the label would suffice to deem the McKendree recording CanCon eligible. By my reckoning, it was one category shy of qualifying. In any event, the song did much better in Canada than McKendree’s America.
According to Fran McKendree’s website, he had a spiritual awakening after launching his solo career. He and his wife embraced the Episcopal Church. He’s spent ensuing decades organizing conferences plus musical workshops and arts events for Episcopal churches. He also records religious and secular artists out of his home studio in Hendersonville, North Carolina.