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The Road Hammers

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The Road Hammers
OriginCanada
GenresCountry rock
Years active2005–2010, 2013–present
LabelsOpen Road (Canada)
Montage (US)
MembersJason McCoy
Clayton Bellamy
Chris Byrne
Past membersCorbett Frasz

The Road Hammers are a Canadian country rock 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 went on hiatus after one last show on December 31, 2010, in Langley, British Columbia.The group reformed in 2013 and released Wheels in 2014.[1] In May 2017, The Road Hammers released their latest album, The Squeeze.[2]

History

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The Road Hammers was founded in 2004 as a project by lead singer and guitarist Jason McCoy, a multiple-time winner of Canadian Country Music Association male vocalist of the year. 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, a Newfoundlander. 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.[3] It debuted at No. 1 on the Canadian country albums chart.[4] 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[5] 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.[6]

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.[7] 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.[8] The album's first single, "Homegrown," has reached the Top 20 of the Canadian country singles chart.

Bellamy and McCoy were contestants on the reality show Mantracker on September 6, 2010, where they both beat the hunters to the finish line.

On October 8, 2013, The Road Hammers released a single titled "Get On Down the Road" on iTunes in Canada and the United States.

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales threshold)
CAN US Country US
Heat
The Road Hammers
Blood Sweat & Steel
  • Release date: June 24, 2008
  • Label: Montage
50 39
The Road Hammers II
  • Release date: February 24, 2009
  • Label: Open Road
Wheels
  • Release date: June 3, 2014
  • Label: Open Road
21
The Squeeze
  • Release date: May 12, 2017
  • Label: Open Road
10 Big Truckin' Hits, Vol. 1
  • Release date: April 21, 2018
  • Label: Open Road
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

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2000s

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Year Single Peak chart positions Album
CAN Country
[10]
CAN
[11]
US Country
[12]
2005 "I'm a Road Hammer" 5 _ The Road Hammers
"East Bound and Down" 2
2006 "Nashville Bound" 9
"Girl on the Billboard" 5
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" 11 87 The Road Hammers II
2009 "I've Got the Scars to Prove It"
(Canadian release)
10 86
"Goodbye Dust" 18
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

2010s and 2020s

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Year Single Peak chart
positions
Certifications
(sales threshold)
Album
CAN Country
[10]
CAN
[11]
2013 "Get On Down the Road" 12 82 Wheels
2014 "Mud" 16 68
"I've Been Everywhere" 27
2015 "Hillbilly Highway" (feat. Colt Ford) 43
"One Horse Town" (with Tim Hicks) 41 The Squeeze
2017 "Crazy About You" 7
"Your Love Is the Drug" 28
2018 "All Your Favorite Bands" 46
2019 "Zamboni"
2021 "The Boys Are Back At It" 40 The Boys Are Back
"Give'r" 49
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Guest singles

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Year Single Artist Peak positions Album
CAN Country
2014 "Run" Blackjack Billy
(with Doc Walker)
35
2021 "Roll With It" Dan Davidson TBD

Music videos

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Year Video Director
2005 "I'm a Road Hammer" Margaret Malandruccolo
"East Bound and Down" Milton Sneed
2006 "Girl on the Billboard" Margaret Malandruccolo
2008 "Homegrown" Roger Pistole
2009 "I've Got the Scars to Prove It" Geoff McLean/Christopher Mills
2013 "Get On Down the Road" Margaret Malandruccolo
2014 "Mud"
"I've Been Everywhere" Sean Smith
"Run" (with Blackjack Billy and Doc Walker)
2015 "Hillbilly Highway" (with Colt Ford) Sean Smith
"Wheels"
"One Horse Town" (with Tim Hicks)
2017 "You're Love Is The Drug"
"Haulin' Ass"
2018 "All Your Favorite Bands"
2019 "Zamboni"

Awards and nominations

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Year Association Category Result
2005 Canadian Country Music Association Group or Duo of the Year Won
Chevy Trucks Rising Star Award Nominated
Album of the Year – The Road Hammers Nominated
Single of the Year – "I'm a Road Hammer" Nominated
CMT Video of the Year – "I'm a Road Hammer" Nominated
2006 Juno Awards of 2006 Country Recording of the YearThe Road Hammers Won
Canadian Country Music Association Kraft Cheez Whiz Fans' Choice Award Nominated
Group or Duo of the Year Won
Single of the Year – "East Bound and Down" Nominated
CMT Video of the Year – "East Bound and Down" Won
Top Selling Album of the Year – The Road Hammers Nominated
2007 Group or Duo of the Year Nominated
2010 Juno Awards of 2010 Country Album of the Year – The Road Hammers II Nominated
Canadian Country Music Association Group or Duo of the Year Nominated
2014 Group or Duo of the Year Nominated
2015 Juno Awards of 2015 Country Album of the Year – Wheels Nominated
Canadian Country Music Association Group or Duo of the Year Nominated
2017 Canadian Country Music Association Group or Duo of the Year Won

References

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  1. ^ Road Hammers end their run at Cascades Casino
  2. ^ "New Country Releases You Need To Know - May 12, 2017". Top Country Music | Country Music News, Charts, Playlists, Videos. 2017-05-12. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
  3. ^ Hammers give country a Southern-fried injection, Georgia Straight, October 6, 2005
  4. ^ Road Hammers truck on through Blood Sweat & Steel, Country Standard Time, June 2008
  5. ^ Brandt, Road Hammers lead Canadian country nominees, Billboard.com, August 3, 2005
  6. ^ Canyon, Road Hammers, Lund Band Lead CCMA Winners, Billboard.com, September 12, 2006
  7. ^ Country rockers' reality show returns for Season 2, Edmonton Journal, July 9, 2007
  8. ^ All Roads Lead Home for the Hammers, CMT, January 20, 2009
  9. ^ "Canadian album certifications – The Road Hammers – The Road Hammers". Music Canada.
  10. ^ a b "The Road Hammers - Canada Country". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 11, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  11. ^ a b "The Road Hammers - Billboard Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 11, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  12. ^ "The Road Hammers - Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 7, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  13. ^ "Canadian single certifications – The Road Hammers – Mud". Music Canada.
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