Luke Simmons (September 15, 1927*) was a Canadian Country singer.
Luke was born in Vancouver, Canada. He enjoyed the country music he heard at barn dances and on the radio and took an active interest in music by the time he was 4 years old. By the age of 7 he was playing his first guitar.
At the age of 14. he and a long time friend Vic Crane explored Canada, working in the lumber and fishing industries, cowboying and even a spell as hobo's, but returned to Vancouver two years later. After joining the Merchant Navy, his ship docked at New Zealand which impressed the young Luke.
In late 1952, now married to Lois, Luke with Vic Crane and his wife boarded a ship bound for Auckland in new Zealand, with Luke determined to make a name as an entertainer. The boys soon joined Noel Peach of Astor Records.
It was Peach who formed a band with Luke and Vic plus steel guitarist Bill Sevesi and rhtyhm guitarist Joe Marvin, who he named The Blue Mountain Boys. Before long the band were releasing records on the Tanza label with radio stations giving them extensive airplay. A few more musicians were added by Peach and very soon Luke and the boys were making personal radio appearances. Simmons also later signed to His Master's Voice (NZ) Limited who recorded him on their EMI Columbia label.
By this time Luke and his wife Louis had a baby daughter which they named Jeanie. The Simmons decided to return to Canada to visit family and the band soon dissolved. Luke spent no time in forming his own Blue Mountain Boys and was soon signed by the Canadian Rodeo label with which he cut some superb tracks in 1957.
Little is known of Luke beyond that point. Whether or not he became disillusioned with the music business is unclear, but he appears to have dropped out of the industry and moved from Canada to Seattle in the USA.
(Edited from Jasmine liner notes) (* other sources give 27th September as birth-date)