By this time Bobby had already become somewhat of a legend for his guitar prowess live and as a session player with The Guess Who as well as his own projects, trend setting recordings and various bands he formed. We found a very flattering letter from recording producer Jack Richardson which says quote;

I have known Bob Bilan for 10 years, and during that time I have employed him both as a recording session musician, and as a composer under assignment to create specific projects.

The compositions written by Mr. Bilan, some of which were used on projects for the Guess Who, show a solid understanding of the song writing craft. As a player, he is able to provide a superior level of performance and creative input to any project in which he is asked to participate.

I would recommend him highly to anyone wishing to align themselves with a talented, capable, musical professional.

Sincerely,
Jack Richardson
JAR/jw

Some very kind words from a world renown producer who not only took The Guess Who to stardom but also Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, Bob Seeger and many others as well as launching the careers of several other producers. As a matter of fact, when the very young Bobby decided to resurrect the 7inch EP [extended play] vinyl disc format for his first solo recording in 1976, it was Jack's pressing plant JAMF that had the only working machine in North America and that was in mothballs so to speak so it was lucky it worked at all. This of course caused a huge resurgence in this 7inch EP recording/pressing format. Using this format seemed logical to Bobby since most A&R label people and radio program directors of the day only listened to demos which were 3-4 songs in length, so why not use a 7inch EP, two songs a side, far less expensive than a 12inch album. He immediately followed with a limited pressing of the same release but as a picture disc which also became an extremely popular packaging scheme. His inspiration - a childhood memory of an hysterical Alfred E. Newman burping record attached to one of his old MAD magazines.

More local CBC producers certainly took notice of Bobby's career, the very popular Jim Christie headed various recording sessions, Clive Bennett was quoted as saying of Bobby's playing, "He's the only guy I know who can make a Gibson sound like a Telecaster, and he can magically make a Telecaster sound like a pedal steel!", and for a while Clive enjoyed hanging out with the lads. Yet another CBC producer Phil Kusie and his production company QC3, produced this very same 1979 Pantages Playhouse show. And quite the show it was. The opening number featuring a Bilan improv composition in some mysterious open tuning for a single solo guitar that was improvised to by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Contemporary dancers. Definitely not what you normally see at a rock show. Bobby had the IATSE crew fly all his Marshall 4x12 cabinets which checkered the stage as his backdrop creating a very new look and unique sound quality never seen or heard before, backup vocalists and an amazing set of improvisations on seriously beefed up R&B songs by the Marvellettes, even one arranged for an electric sitar, mixed with originals penned by Bobby Bilan as well as a couple of tunes co-penned by James Harlton and Brian Gordon. Jazz great Steve Senyk joined in the latter part of the show for some very memorable sax and clarinet trade offs with Bobby's interstellar guitar stylings. There are not too many musicians of that or any time that could pull together such diverse and polar opposite styles, bring them together and make them work. As a crowning touch to the evening, Bobby grabbed the crowd completely by imitating the whisles of the audience during a slide solo, and as they say the rest is history for this concert. But there was more.

(also see; HISTORY button link subsection PRESS RADIO TELEVISION for many more related items of interest pertaining to this page)