Album flashback
Diamond In The Rough - Self-titled [1988]
Hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba - Lewis Nitikman has led quite a musical life.
The keyboard player parlayed a chance meeting with some of the members of Stonebolt into an audition and a chance to record with the group on their 1982 release ‘Juvenile American Princess’. This chapter did not last long, as he had caught the band on their way down - so he made his next move, to Berklee.
With his schooling complete, Nitikman was now looking to craft a record that would demonstrate all of his composition and production skills. He was also searching for a singer.
The voice he needed was David ‘Bucky’ Buckthorpe, who is a native of my hometown - Calgary, Alberta. He had become disillusioned of the music business and was building a waterbed franchise with his brother when he was connected with Nitikman.
The duo shared the same musical vision and had intended to seek out a publishing deal, but ended up in a Vancouver studio with some great musicians and a solid set of tunes. Further work was done at Triumph’s Metalworks.
The resulting LP is considered to be an AOR masterpiece. Slick and sophisticated. Four singles were released to various levels of success, with most feeling that the group’s status as a studio entity may have held them back.
Nonetheless, the album attained Gold status here at home - selling a solid 50,000 units. The project did end up as a ‘one and done’, though.
Your first four album cuts were the singles, so I’ll go through them in album order here.
Walk On The Wire - peaked #90 in 1988
Hear that guitar? Yup, Triumph’s Rik Emmett is in the building!
Great opening track. Peppy, incredible horns and clean production.
Where Is Love, peaked #83 in 1987
Whoo! Tom Christianson bringing some amazing slap bass here, I believe he and Bucky were bandmates at one time.
Amazing BGs from Sharon Lee Williams as well, who made the CanCon rounds in the 80s working with M+M, Luba, Glass Tiger and many more!
Ain’t Good Lovin’ - peaked #48 in 1988
This one’s a showcase for sax man Tom Keenlyside, another veteran of many a CanCon session. Just ask Prism, BTO, Stonebolt and Rock & Hyde.
I Wish There Was A Way, peaked #74 in 1988
This one is all about Nitikman’s piano melody, the arrangement, and a buttery vocal from Buckthorpe. Oh, and breathy, sax-focused bridge.
Great stuff!
There you have it, the story of Diamond In The Rough! Please drop a comment if you remember this one or if you found a track that you liked.
Not sure what happened to Bucky, although I did see him commenting on some of these videos. If you’re in Calgary, hit me up!
Lewis was last spotted in Sheffield, but did produce a Canadian project in 2019 for a group called Stranded.
They sound a little Journey-ish.