Nearly 60 years after the band’s inception, and following a lengthy legal battle to reclaim their name, classic rock legends Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings are once again touring together as The Guess Who for the first time in 23 years. They’ll make three stops in New York State, in Syracuse, Wantagh and Saratoga Springs in the first half of July, with the tour kicking off June 25 in Shakopee, MN at Mystic Lake Amphitheater.
As principal songwriters of The Guess Who’s early hits, Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings helped propel the band to international success with songs such as “These Eyes,” “Laughing,” “Undun,” “American Woman,” “No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature,” and “No Time”. Their 1970 album, American Woman, reached number one in Canada, and the title track became the first Billboard number one hit by a Canadian group.
As noted by Rolling Stone, the dispute over the Guess Who name goes back years. The band had apparently never filed a trademark claim for its name during the height of its fame in the late Sixties and early Seventies, and by 1986, Kale had filed a trademark request for the Guess Who name. Kale had arranged tours with a heavily rotating lineup since then, with Peterson also joining in the late Eighties. Kale retired in 2016, leaving Peterson as the sole original member in the band. But Peterson played infrequently with the band, Cummings and Bachman said, leaving the Guess Who with no original members for some shows.
Very few artists or bands in rock history have lost the legal rights to their name and successfully won them back, making the upcoming tour more than just a reunion but also a restoration of identity and legacy.
With their unmatched songwriting catalog and deep influence on rock music, this moment marks a rare and meaningful full-circle return, one that longtime fans have been waiting for, underscoring just how enduring their impact continues to be.
Catch The Guess Who in New York on July 7 at Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview, July 10 at Northwell at Jones Beach Theater, and July 14 at Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Tickets are available here.
The Guess Who – Takin’ It Back Tour – U.S. Leg
June 25 – Shakopee, MN – Mystic Lake Amphitheater
June 27 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
June 28 – Cuyahoga, OH – Blossom Music Center
June 30 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
July 1 – Grand Rapids, MI – Acrisure Amphitheater
July 3 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
July 5 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
July 7 – Syracuse, NY – Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview
July 8 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion
July 10 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
July 11 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City
July 14 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Albany Med Health System at SPAC
July 16 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
July 17 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion
August 6 – Atlanta, GA – Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park
August 8 – Houston, TX – Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
August 9 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
August 12 – Denver, CO – Fiddlers Green Amphitheater
August 14 – Salt Lake City, UT – Maverik Center
August 15 – Las Vegas, NV – Fontainebleau Las Vegas
August 17 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
August 19 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre
August 22 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
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