because what little money he had, he spent on booze. One guy who still tried to help him occasionally was Ronnie Hawkins. Ronnie added him as a second drummer to his band for several one-nighters where he shared the stage with regular drummer Levon Helm. In the early seventies, he started rebuilding his career with some success. In 1971, he made the cover of the prestigious The Globe and Mail Magazine and appeared on the Pierre Burton Show, while CBC TV did a special on him called "Return of a Singer". At the same time, he married a girl who owned three massage parlors and then he turned around and became involved with Xavier Hollander, also known as The Happy Hooker. They remain close friends. In 1972, Gene Lees, a Canadian composer and editor of the jazz magazine Down Beat, who had just started a new record label called Kanata Records, offered to cut a blues album on him and his band. Recorded at Sound Canada Studios the album, "I Paid My Dues", produced the single "I'm Movin' On" / "The Old Man" which became a double-sided hit in Canada, reaching just below the Top 20. In 1974, he returned to Ollie McLaughlin in Detroit and recorded "You've Gotta Love" backed with a song called "I'm So Thankful". Musicians on the session included Minnie Ripperton, Donnie Hathaway, and Phil Upchurch. The single was released in 1974 or 1975 on Quality Records, Canada's largest independent record company. The record became a hit in Canada, and also appeared on an album called "Disco mania" with songs by acts like Van McCoy, Gloria Gaynor and The Ohio Players. Caribbean In 1975, his wild life caught up with him. He had a heart attack, almost died and he decided to make some drastic changes in his lifestyle. He received an offer to go on tour with Buck Owens, starting at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Toronto, Ontario. The same day he also received a call from Sid Rudeau in Tampa, Florida. Sid had The Bellamy Brothers and Jim Stafford and he offered him a job at the Rodeway Inn in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Hoping the move to a warmer climate and different surroundings would enhance his chances of making a full recovery from his heart attack, he left Canada and started spreading his brand of Rock & Roll and Blues music amongst the cajuns.