Emerson Drive

The roots of Emerson Drive trace back to Grand Prairie, a town situated in western Alberta, where vocalist Brad Mates, bassist Jeff Loberg, fiddler Pat Allingham, and keyboardist Chris Hartman first developed their musical approach while competing in high-school talent shows. Once the full lineup assembled, the group settled on the name 12 Gauge, restored an aging school bus, and launched a series of performances across Canada. Guitarist Danick Dupelle and drummer Mike Melocon later came aboard, after which manager Gerry Leiske dispatched the newly formed sextet on further road work. Those six demanding years of constant touring culminated in a Nashville showcase that prompted Dreamworks to sign the band in 2001. Their self-titled debut followed in May of the next year. Under the guidance of producer Richard Marx, the record emerged as a polished pop-country effort sharing equal ground with boy bands such as BBMak and country new traditionalists like Mark Wills.