Emerson Drive In Concert

Lake County Fair
Painesville, Ohio

Emerson Drive - Countrified

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Emerson Drive’s new album on Midas Records Nashville proves they’ve definitely come to play. Over the past few years, the six talented musicians have patiently paid their dues, honed their skills and crossed the country dozens of times with a relentless touring schedule. They were virtually homeless, except for a tour bus, while they worked toward their turn at bat and now their time has come. After a year and a half of the most soul-stretching, creatively fulfilling work of their lives, they have emerged with an album that finally defines who they really are and what they’re all about.

The title of the record basically sums up everything we are as a group,” says lead vocalist Brad Mates. “It’s the music we feel is Emerson Drive, and it’s a stamp of what we believe is our kind of country music – something our fans can really relate to.”

The fans have never had a difficult time relating to the explosively exciting band, whose live show is so engaging and entertaining that Shania Twain tapped them to open for her on her last major North American tour. In fact, after losing their record deal on Dreamworks Records a year and a half ago the band has still maintained an active touring schedule – another testament to their popularity and the unending devotion of their fans. “Our fans are so supportive and have been there for us from the very beginning. We’re lucky to have them,” explains bassist Patrick Bourque.

The fans have been there since the success of our first 2 records but it’s definitely our hits ‘Fall Into Me,’ ‘I Should Be Sleeping’ and ‘Last One Standing,’ that have connected us to so many people. We already have a good foundation for a fan base across the country and we hope to continue to build on that with the music on this new album.”

Emerson Drive’s history is based on a solid foundation which garnered them their loyal
fans. The band emerged from Canada onto the Nashville country music scene in 2001 with their brand of hip country combined with stellar musicianship and signed with DreamWorks Nashville. Emerson Drive is one of the VERY few bands ever signed to a major record label who have the distinction of playing their own instruments on ALL of their records. They humbly accept this honor because they are true instrumentalists. Their first release EMERSON DRIVE garnered numerous industry awards and nominations including, ACM Top New Vocal Group/Duo [awarded in 2003]; Billboard’s #1 Top Country Artist of the Year for 2002; R&R’s #1 New Artist MVP for 2002; Group of the Year for two consecutive years, from the Canadian Country Music Association; two Top 5 hits with “Fall Into Me” and “I Should Be Sleeping”; as well as a number one music video on CMT's Top Twenty Countdown with “Fall Into Me.” Most recently the band took home top honors at the 2005 CCMA’s with coveted spots in the “2005 CCMA All Star Band,” Dale Wallace (keyboards) and David Pichette (fiddle) were awarded the distinction of being best on their instrument. Their release, the second on DreamWorks, WHAT IF, was released in June 2004 just before the band was prey to corporate restructuring and a company merger. Committed to their music and their genre the band set down roots in Nashville and purchased homes there and have dedicated themselves even more to their careers.

We’ve all purchased homes in Nashville in the past year,” says lead guitarist Danick Dupelle, “and we feel like we are a part of the community now. We’ve set up shop here and it’s more accessible to songwriting and any other business that needs to be done. It’s nice to have a home base for our personal belongings, whereas before it was always in a hotel or on a bus. It’s just a more comfortable setting that allows us to relax more and be creative.”

The near two-year hiatus gave band members a chance to hone their own writing skills and to really take some time to select songs with messages they felt they could really relate to on a personal level. “As a singer my job is to interpret the songs, and make people feel something when I sing them. Danick and I both have some songwriting credits on this new record. The entire band made decisions on song selections this time also and I think that made a difference too,” says Mates.

When Alabama member Teddy Gentry and producer Josh Leo came out to hear Emerson Drive just after the band had been released from DreamWorks, Gentry and Leo were immediately blown away by what they heard and wanted to work with the band. It was the ultimate compliment for a group of guys who had idolized Alabama and their music. Obviously the input and direction of two industry leaders like Gentry and Leo proved invaluable to the band and added even more to their rejuvenated recording process.

We all decided to start writing together and doing preproduction for a demo. At the time, we were doing preproduction for a project that we had no idea of where or when it might be released. The great thing was that we were getting really involved in our music and that time allowed us to get to know Teddy and Josh and find all of the songs that make up this album,” says keyboardist Dale Wallace. As producers, Gentry and Leo understood what kind of sound Emerson Drive was going for, especially in capturing the band’s live sound in the studio. With Gentry and Leo at the helm, the songs took center stage and the difference is evident in the finished product. “We really let the songs breathe a little bit this time around,” says Wallace “It is a much more relaxed and more like our live sound.”

When the newly formed independent label Midas Records Nashville heard some of the material the band was cutting, they immediately became interested and later signed the band, recognizing the quality and integrity of the music they were hearing. Renowned songwriter Keith Follese and publishing veteran Brad Allen helped in the song selection and production process as well, adding to the project. Emerson Drive became the flagship artist for the new record label.

Emerson’s electrifying onstage energy also comes through at every turn on their new CD called COUNTRIFIED. Rocking tunes like “Testify” and “Countrified Soul” let the band do what comes naturally and what they do best – tear it up on stage. “Countrified Soul” kicks off with a blast of the band’s signature harmonies, then quickly turns into a full-tilt, fun-filled, “the weekend’s-herelet’s- party” romp where the guys turn it up and let it loose. Dubbed “turbograss” by Gentry, the song allows Emerson Drive’s amazing musicianship to shine through during its fiery instrumental breakdowns, and offers up a groove that is equal parts squaredance/breakdance as they break it down countrified style. “’Countrified Soul’ is the party song on the record,” says drummer Mike Melancon. “It’s just so much fun to play live. I think it really captures the spirit and energy of this band.”

At the other end of the spectrum are songs like the sweetly reverent “Everyday Woman,” perhaps the jewel of the album and a career ballad. The touching sentiment is sure to capture more than a few female hearts with its simple yet elegant message singing the praises of the everyday woman who probably seems ordinary to most of the world but is actually everything to her man. Demonstrating his versatility and range even more, Mates taps into his Southern soul on the grooving, “Sweet Natural Girl,” (a tune that paints a picture of bliss through the eyes of a man totally and completely intoxicated by love ). On “Painted Too Much Of This Town,” and “You Still Own Me,” the band deals with the flip side of love, when a heart just can’t shake that certain someone and the longing that comes with that, while their first single, “A Good Man,” celebrates the small town life and rewards of just being a good person – a sentiment the members of Emerson Drive definitely relate and aspire to in the bigger picture.

As a special treat for fans on the album, the group included its own rendition of “The Devil Went Down To Georgia,” which they have been performing live in concert for years. In a flattering show of support for the band, Charlie Daniels himself recorded part of the track with them, which literally blew the minds of all of the members, especially fiddler David Pichette, who grew up honing his chops to Charlie’s songs.

I owe a great deal to guys like Charlie Daniels and Alabama,” admits Pichette. “They gave us fiddler players something to play coming up through the clubs when we were just starting out. It was just amazing to work with both Teddy and Charlie on this record…I can’t even explain it!”

The touching ballad “Moments,” demonstrates Mates’ strength as a singer by letting his vocals take center stage. The tear-jerking tune about a homeless man reflecting on the twists and turns of his life, and what he might have done differently, is sure to become another signature song for this versatile band. COUNTRIFIED and its eleven songs mark an artistic turning point for the band. They feel they have finally made a record that is truly indicative of their talents and musical capabilities. “These songs have incredible meaning and we are really proud of this album,” says Mates. “There’s a common bond between all them. You know, it’s important to make an album that makes sense…you can pick songs all day long, but if they don’t belong together, or there’s no common bond between them, you’re basically just putting material on a disc and saying, ‘Here’s a bunch of music, I hope you like it.’ But if you actually have something you can open up from front to back and have the story run through the whole thing, that’s when you have a real album. We feel like we have accomplished that. We hope our fans enjoy COUNTRIFIED.”

www.emersondrive.com