On the Cover – The Road Hammers

October/November 2008 – October/November 2008—Publisher Special

Label: Montage Music Group
Booking: Buddy Lee Attractions, agent Kevin Neal
Management: Ron Kitchener/RGK Entertainment Group
Producers: Scott Baggett, Michael Knox, Jason McCoy
Current Single: “I’ve Got The Scars To Prove It”
Current Album: Blood Sweat & Steel
Current Video: “Girl on the Billboard”

Interesting Facts: McCoy is addicted to caffeine, ketchup, and Merle Haggard; Bellamy loves to snowboard and wants to be on The Price Is Right; Byrne reads books by the Dalai Lama and is the youngest of 10 kids; Frasz is a body art addict who also goes by Captain Awesome
Awards: 2006 CCMA Group or Duo of the Year, Video of the Year, and All Star Band Awards to Frasz (Drums) and Byrne (Bass); 2005 CCMA Group or Duo of the Year; 2005 JUNO for Country Recording of the Year
Special TV Appearances: The Road Hammers reality series aired on GAC TV, and CMT Canada. The band has also been on GAC Nights, Studio 330 Sessions, and CMT Canada’s Live & Upfront.
Hits: “I’m a Road Hammer,” “East Bound and Down,” “Nashville Bound,” “Girl on the Billboard”
Musical Influences: Jerry Reed, Del Reeves, Red Sovine

Like an 18-wheeler barreling across the Canadian border, The Road Hammers are determined to deliver tough, real, country music to the United States. Conceived as a side project by Canadian country star Jason McCoy and forged under the unforgiving reality-TV lights of CMT Canada’s Making the Band, The Road Hammers have had considerable success north of the border and are now making a mark in the U.S.

“We always say, if you drive 18 wheels, four wheels, two wheels or a unicycle; if you make your living on or near the highway; or if you’ve just got a restless spirit in your heart, then you’re a road hammer,” explains McCoy.

While his own decade-long career—which has produced six hit albums, 10 Top-10 singles, and a slew of awards—was running on plenty of momentum, McCoy’s restless creative spirit moved him to take to a sharp left turn at the end of 2005, and The Road Hammers was born.

Word of the band’s success at home quickly drifted south to Nashville, and The Road Hammers eventually signed with indie upstart Montage Music Group and headed into the studio with Jason Aldean producer Michael Knox to record some additional tracks and fine-tune their debut for American release.