Copperpenny

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Copperpenny was a Canadian rock band from Kitchener, Ontario, formed in 1965 by Kenny Hollis and Rich Wamil. They started as the Penny Farthings to ride the British Invasion trend, then changed their name to Copperpenny after a B-side by The Paupers.

In 1968 they released Nice Girl on Columbia, then moved to RCA for Stop (Wait A Minute), a minor hit. Their first major success came after signing with Sweet Plum Records, a London Records division, with You're Still The One. The follow-up in 1973, Sitting on a Poor Man's Throne, was recorded in Dearborn with Richard Becker.

Copperpenny toured the United States with Led Zeppelin, Bob Seger, The Guess Who and Uriah Heep. In 1975 they signed with Capitol Records and appeared on TV shows such as Keith Hampshire's Music Machine. They also had a short-lived variety show that helped launch magician Doug Henning’s career. Notable singles from this era included Disco Queen, Good Time Sally and Suspicious Love. They toured Canada supporting the Fuse album, opening for Blue Swede.

By the time Fuse was released, many original members had left. Rich Wamil carried on as Rich Wamil & Copperpenny for a while, but the band broke up in 1978. Co-founder Kenny Hollis pursued a solo career with the single Goin’ Hollywood and later worked as a PR manager in Kitchener, with several Copperpenny reunions in the 1980s. Hollis died on July 12, 2002, of a heart attack.

Ron Hiller later spent years in a Toronto gospel group, earned a teaching degree, and since 1989 has worked as a children's entertainer and musician under the name Ronno.