I had heard this song once years ago and it stuck in my brain. I'm glad to finally know what it was!
Richie Knight and The Mid-Knights were a Canadian rhythm and blues band (none of whom were named Richie Knight). "Charlena" was a cover of the Sevilles' 1961 version of the song; the Mid-Knights' version is way better.
The Wikipedia page for this band claims that they were the first Canadian band to reach #1 in Canada; I'll see whether I can confirm this and will edit this page if necessary. The Mid-Knights released a few other singles after "Charlena" and a couple of them reached the lower reaches of the Canadian music charts but they never managed a successful followup. The band broke up in 1968 after numerous personnel changes, including two members leaving at various times to join Ronnie Hawkins's band.
Created December 9, 2025.