From the Archives:
The Hilltoppers

February 5, 2010

By Patrick Hayes, U of S Archives

Pictured here is a souvenir program from the 1956 Student’s Representative Council’s concert/dance featuring “America’s Top Vocal Combination” The Hilltoppers.  The group, who always dressed in beanies and college sweaters, had appeared on the Ed Sullivan and Perry Como television shows and had had a string of radio hits, including P.S. I love You.  The group continued to tour until 1976 and was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2005.

The Hilltoppers were accompanied on this night by The Varsity Band, which had formed the previous September under the leadership of professional RCAF trombonist Al McFarlane. The following is an excerpt from the program: “The band was started on the theory that an institution such as the University, and a city like Saskatoon, has a place for a full-sized dance band modeled on the American name band formula.  Music comes from the States, and the band’s library contains many of the famous tunes as such outfits as Glen Miller, Woody Herman, Les Brown, Stan Kenton and Gene Krupa.  Instrumentation of the band includes five trumpets, five saxophones, three trombones, euphonium, piano, bass and drums. The band made its first public appearance at a noon-hour concert in Convocation Hall at the University on Friday, December 9, and received a terrific ovation from a packed house of student jazz fans.”