Emerson Drive began in the western Alberta town of Grand Prairie, where singer
Brad Mates, bassist
Jeff Loberg, fiddler
Pat Allingham, and keyboardist
Chris Hartman began honing their sound as high-school talent-show competitors. After everyone came on board, they chose the name
12 Gauge, refurbished a rickety old school bus, and began gigging throughout Canada. Eventually guitarist
Danick Dupelle and drummer Mike Melocon joined up, and new manager Gerry Leiske sent the young sextet out on the road yet again. The six hard years of touring paid off when a Nashville showcase impressed industry powerhouse Dreamworks into offering a contract in 2001. The band's self-titled debut arrived in May of the following year. Produced by
Richard Marx, the album was a slick pop-country affair that had as much in common with boy bands like
BBMak as it did with country new traditionalists such as
Mark Wills. ~ Johnny Loftus, Rovi
