The Road Hammers
Encyclopedia
The Road Hammers was a Canadian Country music
group composed of Jason McCoy
, Clayton Bellamy and Chris Byrne. Formed by McCoy as a side project, the trio's music is influenced by 1960s and 1970s trucker
music and Southern rock
. Their first self-titled album included remakes of several classic truck-driving songs. It was recognized with a Juno Award in 2006, along with numerous Canadian Country Music Association
awards. After five years together, the group disbanded after one last show on December 31, 2010 in Langley, British Columbia
.
, a multiple Canadian Country Music Association male vocalist of the year winner. He stated the idea was to play trucker music, and came together with two other musicians with similar views on music - country-rocker Clayton Bellamy, whose father is a truck driver, and bassist Chris Byrne, both Alberta
ns. The first sign of the band was in a video by Paul Brandt
for his remake of the classic song "Convoy
". McCoy appears in the video, wearing a Road Hammers shirt. Originally the entire band was to appear, but scheduling conflicts didn't allow for that to happen. In addition to recording their self-titled album, the Road Hammers was also the subject of a reality show
of the same name on Country Music Television in Canada.
The album The Road Hammers
was released in 2005, and received strong reviews for its Southern rock sound and covers of classic songs. It debuted at #1 on the Canadian country albums chart. Covers on the album included "Girl on the Billboard," the 1965 number-one hit for Del Reeves
, "East Bound and Down" by Jerry Reed
, and Little Feat
's "Willin'." In the wake of the album release, The Road Hammers swept to the upper end of the Canadian country charts; four songs reached the top 10 through 2005 and 2006, and the band was nominated for six CCMA Awards winning Group or Duo of the Year. It was also recognized at the Juno Awards
for Country Recording of the Year. The album's success continued into 2006, with the Road Hammers receiving two CCMA awards, Group or Duo of the Year and Best Video.
In July 2007, McCoy stated that the band will be part of a second season of its reality show, following its attempts to secure a recording deal with an American label. In late 2007, The Road Hammers signed to an American record label, Montage Music Group
and the group's debut American single, "I Don't Know When to Quit" was released on December 10. Their second album, entitled Blood, Sweat, and Steel
, was released on June 24, 2008.
The Road Hammers released their second Canadian album, The Road Hammers II
, on February 24, 2009. The album's first single, "Homegrown," has reached the Top 20 of the Canadian country singles chart.
Clayton and Jason were contestants on the reality show Mantracker
on September 6, 2010, where they both beat the hunters to the finish line.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
group composed of Jason McCoy
Jason McCoy
Jason McCoy is a Canadian singer/songwriter who performs country music.He was born in Barrie, Ontario and was raised for a time in Camrose, Alberta before his family settled in Anten Mills, Ontario.He has won many awards including the 2001 Male Vocalist of the Year at the Canadian Country Music...
, Clayton Bellamy and Chris Byrne. Formed by McCoy as a side project, the trio's music is influenced by 1960s and 1970s trucker
Truck driver
A truck driver , is a person who earns a living as the driver of a truck, usually a semi truck, box truck, or dump truck.Truck drivers provide an essential service to...
music and Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
. Their first self-titled album included remakes of several classic truck-driving songs. It was recognized with a Juno Award in 2006, along with numerous Canadian Country Music Association
Canadian Country Music Association
The Canadian Country Music Association was founded in 1976 as the Academy of Country Music Entertainment to organize, promote and develop a Canadian country music industry. The association changed its name to the Canadian Country Music Association in 1987.-Awards:The CCMA held the first Canadian...
awards. After five years together, the group disbanded after one last show on December 31, 2010 in Langley, British Columbia
Langley, British Columbia (city)
The City of Langley is a municipality in Metro Vancouver. It lies directly east of the City of Surrey, adjacent to Cloverdale, and surrounded on the north, east and south by Township of Langley.-History:...
.
History
The Road Hammers was founded in 2004 as a project by lead singer and guitarist Jason McCoyJason McCoy
Jason McCoy is a Canadian singer/songwriter who performs country music.He was born in Barrie, Ontario and was raised for a time in Camrose, Alberta before his family settled in Anten Mills, Ontario.He has won many awards including the 2001 Male Vocalist of the Year at the Canadian Country Music...
, a multiple Canadian Country Music Association male vocalist of the year winner. He stated the idea was to play trucker music, and came together with two other musicians with similar views on music - country-rocker Clayton Bellamy, whose father is a truck driver, and bassist Chris Byrne, both Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
ns. The first sign of the band was in a video by Paul Brandt
Paul Brandt
Paul Rennée Belobersycky is a Canadian country music artist, known professionally as Paul Brandt. Growing up in Calgary, he was a pediatric RN at the time of his big break...
for his remake of the classic song "Convoy
Convoy (song)
"Convoy" is a 1975 novelty song performed by C. W. McCall that became a number-one song on both the country and pop charts in the US. Written by McCall and Chip Davis, the song spent six weeks at number one on the country charts and one week at number one on the pop charts...
". McCoy appears in the video, wearing a Road Hammers shirt. Originally the entire band was to appear, but scheduling conflicts didn't allow for that to happen. In addition to recording their self-titled album, the Road Hammers was also the subject of a reality show
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
of the same name on Country Music Television in Canada.
The album The Road Hammers
The Road Hammers (album)
The Road Hammers is the debut album of The Road Hammers, a Canadian-based country rock band fronted by singer Jason McCoy. Released in 2005 on Open Road Recordings, it produced the singles "I'm a Road Hammer", "East Bound and Down" , "Nashville Bound" and "Girl on the Billboard"...
was released in 2005, and received strong reviews for its Southern rock sound and covers of classic songs. It debuted at #1 on the Canadian country albums chart. Covers on the album included "Girl on the Billboard," the 1965 number-one hit for Del Reeves
Del Reeves
Franklin Delano Reeves , better known as Del Reeves, was an American country music singer, best known for his "girl-watching" novelty songs of the 1960s including "Girl on the Billboard" and "The Belles of Southern Bell"...
, "East Bound and Down" by Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed Hubbard , known professionally as Jerry Reed, was an American country music singer, innovative guitarist, songwriter, and actor who appeared in more than a dozen films...
, and Little Feat
Little Feat
Little Feat is an American rock band formed by singer-songwriter, lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles....
's "Willin'." In the wake of the album release, The Road Hammers swept to the upper end of the Canadian country charts; four songs reached the top 10 through 2005 and 2006, and the band was nominated for six CCMA Awards winning Group or Duo of the Year. It was also recognized at the Juno Awards
Juno Awards of 2006
The Juno Awards of 2006 were held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on the weekend of 31 March to 2 April 2006. These ceremonies honour music industry achievements in Canada during the previous year....
for Country Recording of the Year. The album's success continued into 2006, with the Road Hammers receiving two CCMA awards, Group or Duo of the Year and Best Video.
In July 2007, McCoy stated that the band will be part of a second season of its reality show, following its attempts to secure a recording deal with an American label. In late 2007, The Road Hammers signed to an American record label, Montage Music Group
Montage Music Group
Montage Music Group was an American independent record label based in Nashville, Tennessee, specializing in country music. Acts signed to the label include Andy Griggs, Matt King, Ryan Shupe & the RubberBand, Little Texas, Minnie Murphy, and The Road Hammers...
and the group's debut American single, "I Don't Know When to Quit" was released on December 10. Their second album, entitled Blood, Sweat, and Steel
Blood, Sweat, and Steel
Blood Sweat & Steel is the second studio album of Canadian country music group The Road Hammers. Released on June 24, 2008, it also serves as their debut album in the United States. Its lead-off single, "I Don't Know When to Quit", peaked at #51 on the Hot Country Songs chart, giving the group...
, was released on June 24, 2008.
The Road Hammers released their second Canadian album, The Road Hammers II
The Road Hammers II
The Road Hammers II is the third and final studio album of Canadian country rock group The Road Hammers. Released on February 24, 2009 on Open Road Recordings, it is their second album to be released in Canada. Its first single, "Homegrown," has reached the Top 20 on the Canadian country music charts...
, on February 24, 2009. The album's first single, "Homegrown," has reached the Top 20 of the Canadian country singles chart.
Clayton and Jason were contestants on the reality show Mantracker
Mantracker
Mantracker is a Canadian reality television series produced by Bonterra Productions. It premiered in Canada in April 2006 on the Outdoor Life Network. In the United States, the show currently airs on the Science Channel and in the UK on Extreme Sports Channel...
on September 6, 2010, where they both beat the hunters to the finish line.
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... ) |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN | US Country | US Heat Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
|||||||
| 2005 | The Road Hammers The Road Hammers (album) The Road Hammers is the debut album of The Road Hammers, a Canadian-based country rock band fronted by singer Jason McCoy. Released in 2005 on Open Road Recordings, it produced the singles "I'm a Road Hammer", "East Bound and Down" , "Nashville Bound" and "Girl on the Billboard"...
|
21 | — | — |
Cria A cria is the name for a baby camelid such as a llama, alpaca, vicuña, or guanaco. It comes from the Spanish word cría, meaning "baby". Its false cognate in English, crya , was coined by British sailors who explored Chile in the 18th century and were quick to describe the camelids onomatopoeically... : Gold |
||||
| 2008 | Blood Sweat & Steel
Montage Music Group Montage Music Group was an American independent record label based in Nashville, Tennessee, specializing in country music. Acts signed to the label include Andy Griggs, Matt King, Ryan Shupe & the RubberBand, Little Texas, Minnie Murphy, and The Road Hammers... |
— | 50 | 39 | |||||
| 2009 | The Road Hammers II The Road Hammers II The Road Hammers II is the third and final studio album of Canadian country rock group The Road Hammers. Released on February 24, 2009 on Open Road Recordings, it is their second album to be released in Canada. Its first single, "Homegrown," has reached the Top 20 on the Canadian country music charts... |
34 | — | — | |||||
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart or not released | |||||||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
|||
| 2005 | "I'm a Road Hammer" | — | — | The Road Hammers |
| "East Bound and Down East Bound and Down "East Bound and Down" is the title of a song written by Jerry Reed and Dick Feller, and recorded by Reed for the soundtrack for the film Smokey and the Bandit. It was released in August 1977 as a single on RCA Records. The song spent sixteen weeks on the U.S. country music charts, reaching a peak... " |
— | — | ||
| 2006 | "Nashville Bound" | — | — | |
| "Girl on the Billboard Girl on the Billboard "Girl on the Billboard" is a 1965 single released by American country music singer Del Reeves. The novelty song was Reeves' fourth entry on the U.S. country chart and his only No. 1 single. "Girl on the Billboard" spent two weeks at No. 1 and a total of 20 weeks on the chart, in addition to... " |
— | — | ||
| 2007 | "I Don't Know When to Quit" | — | 51 | Blood Sweat & Steel |
| 2008 | "Girl on the Billboard" (US release) | — | 54 | |
| "I've Got the Scars to Prove It" | — | — | ||
| "Homegrown" | 87 | — | The Road Hammers II | |
| 2009 | "I've Got the Scars to Prove It" (Canadian release) | 86 | — | |
| "Goodbye Dust" | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||