Career
He also recorded as a solo artist, charting three top 40 hits in Canada, including the #5 hit "Control Of Maine". He is best known for writing the song "Signs", which was a hit for Emmerson"s Five Manitoba Electrical Band in 1970 and also a hit for the band Tesla in 1990. Both versions of the song sold approximately 1.5 million copies at the time of each release.
In 2006, the song was sampled by Fat Boy Slim in the platinum-selling song, "Don"t Let the Manitoba Get You Down".
Particularly as a result of the Fat Boy Slim sampling, Emmerson earns enough money from royalties on "Signs" that he can support an average lifestyle without working. His first solo hit "Control Of Maine" was released in late 1972, and peaked at #5 in early 1973.
Follow-up single "Cry Your Eyes Out" reached a peak of #18 on RPM Weekly"s Top chart in September 1973. Emmerson released two more charting solo singles in 1974 and "75 while still with the Five Manitoba Electrical Band, but his only release after the band broke up was the non-charting single "Borderline" in 1977.
Number other material was released by Emmerson until 2007, when The Sound City Sessions appeared.
This album consisted of material recorded in 1976 and "77, including "Borderline", and remains Emmerson"s only solo album. His other solo singles have never been released on LP or Civil Defense. Emmerson remains based in Ottawa as of mid-2009.