Hammer's Struggles Become GAC Reality Series

Posted by amyclark on 08/25/2008
Keywords:

5/2/2008 Webb     Road Hammers MySpace photo

 
 
Two years ago, two-time Canadian Country Music Awards Top Male Vocalist Jason McCoy had an idea to start a band called The Road Hammers. McCoy explains, “We made an album and it went platinum, won two CCMAs and a Juno and then I had another idea, ‘Why not move the band to Nashville and tackle the American market? It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
 
Now McCoy and the band’s adventure is a reality series on Great American Country (GAC). “The Road Hammers,” premiers Thursday, June 12, 8:30 pm/ET on GAC, and follows the roller coaster reality faced by McCoy, Clayton Bellamy, Chris Byrne and Corbett Frasz as they negotiate a U.S. record deal, move their families to a city where they know no one, and learn the rhythm of an industry and a town they hope to conquer.  They try to please their new American business partners but at the same time fight to hold on to what has made them so successful in Canada.
 
Directed by fellow Canadian Jason Priestley, the eight-episode series doesn’t hold back in showing the frustration, tension and occasional angry moments that become a regular part of the members' lives.  “There better be a payoff at the end of this whole thing,” says drummer Corbett Frasz. 
 
Perhaps lead guitarist and vocalist Clayton Bellamy summed up the group’s growing pains best when he said, “We are in the music business, not the friend business.”
 
“The Road Hammers” is the latest GAC series that chronicles the stories and lives of artists before they land a record deal. 
 
“GAC followed the success of The Road Hammers during our coverage of the Canadian Country Music Awards and we found an energetic band both in concert and in person,” says Sarah Trahern, senior vice-president, programming for GAC.  "We feel it's important for our viewers to see what artists go through as they pursue that elusive record deal.  We introduced Taylor Swift as she was landing her record deal and now we’re providing the in-depth real world look at The Road Hammers' U.S. adventure."