Country Band Emerson Drive Deserves More Credit

When I saw their video, "Fall Into Me," years ago, I knew their sound was worth "falling" for. I've worn out the CD I have with that track on it. It's one of those CDs that I can put on continuous play and not get tired of. The song, "I should be sleeping," still plays on my local radio station from that album. I knew they were from Canada but I wondered where their music went after that album since I relied on the radio instead of looking them up anywhere.

Then last year their song, "Moments," came out with a touching video where a man was going to give up on life by tossing himself over a bridge. He was stopped by a homeless man who said, "... I haven't always been this way. I've had my moments...." And the homeless man saved the man on the bridge from giving his life away.

When I saw this video and heard the song I wondered what Emerson Drive has been doing since the first album I bought. I posted a question about them on a forum and someone told me that Emerson Drive's music played a lot in Alberto, Canada where they are from. I thought they didn't get enough credit for their music in America. Though I predict from their song "Moments," that it's just a matter of time before they gain more popularity in the USA.

Who are the guys from Emerson Drive? I looked further by checking out their website: www.emersondrive.com Let me introduce you to a little trivia about this music group:

It seems that in the past year they have set up homes in Nashville. They may be getting established there but since, "Moments," they've had a new surge of air play in Dallas, Texas area country radio stations.

There are six members of the band Emerson Drive. Brad Mates is the lead vocalist. Dale Wallace plays keyboards. David Pichette plays the fiddle, which is most noticeable in their rendition of Charlie Daniels' song "the Devil Went Down to Georgia." Also in the band are Danick Dupelle as guitarist, Mike Melancon on drums, and Patrick Bourque on bass.

Even in 2004 when they thought their, "boy band look" comparisons were over they were asked if they would be the new boy band of country music. Brad Mates commented on this in a CMA close up in 2004.

"The biggest thing someone will take from seeing us for the first time may be that we look like a boy band," Brad said. "But how are you supposed to get past that, to explain that we traveled for seven years, played clubs 300 days a year, made no money, traveled in a van and slept in it, lost two trailers and a ton of equipment and basically paid our dues to get to this level?"

However, in the past three years since then, the video for "moments" shows that they've grown up in looks to match the perseverance they've endured over the years. They've certainly paid their dues and I believe they deserve credit for their hard work.