Sunday, September 28, 2014

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Emerson Drive

Artist:Emerson Drive
Song:Moments
Album:Decade Of Drive: 10 Years Of Hits





The Canadian country group Emerson Drive had modest success in the mid-00s with their brand of country pop. Moments was their only number one country hit in 2006. Emerson Drive are from Grande Prairie, AB. They started out in 1995 as 12 Gauge. Lead singer Brad Mates formed the band after entering a local talent contest. They recorded two albums and won a Battle of the Bands. They moved to Nashville in 1999. After a couple of personnel changes, band members were Pat Allingham on fiddle, Chris Hartman on keyboards, Dannick Dupelle on guitar, Jeff Loberg on bass and Mike Melancon on drums. Since there was already a group called 12 Gauge, the group name was changed to Emerson Drive. They signed with DreamWorks Records and I Should Be Sleeping and Fall Into Me were both top five country hits and crossed over to the pop top 40. Then Loberg, Hartman and Allingham all left and were replaced by Patrick Bourque, Dale Wallace and David Pichette. The band clicked with producer Richard Marx and he produced their second album What If?. That album did not perform as well and DreamWorks dropped Emerson Drive in 2004. DreamWorks Records closed in 2005. Emerson Drive signed with Midas Records and released the CD Countrified in 2006. Moments topped the country charts. The song was written by Dave Berg and the husband and wife team of Sam and Annie Tate. Berg has recorded a couple of CD but he is primarily known as a songwriter and has written several hits with the Tates. The song is about redemption and helping a homeless man. Patrick Bourque died from an apparent suicide in Sept. 2007. While Emerson Drive were recording their next album I Believe, Midas closed their Nashville division. Emerson Drive signed with Valory but Midas wouldn't allow the CD to be released in the US. Emerson Drive moved back to Canada and signed with Open Road. Open Road released this comp and then the 2012 CD Roll. Emerson Drive signed with Quarterback Records in the US. David Pichette left and Emerson Drive now tour as a four piece band. We should see new music from them in 2015. Here's the video for Moments by Emerson Drive.

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