Eleven years after they toured Canada in a school bus as 12 Gauge, Emerson Drive will roll into Morrell Gym today at 8 p.m.
The band, renowned for its energetic pop-country mix, is composed of members hailing from different locations around Canada, including Alberta, Quebec, and British Columbia. Brad Mates, Dale Wallace, Danick Dupelle, David Pichette, Mike Melanchon, and Patrick Bourque have created a big name for themselves with their dynamic concerts, their youthful sound, and their catchy harmonies.
As the first large country act to grace the Bowdoin campus, the band has created a huge buzz among students.
"People who know country are excited because this band is very well known in the world of country," said Katherine Finnegan '09, co-chair of the Campus Activities Board Lively Arts Committee.
Megan MacLennan '07, Campus Activities Board co-chair, added, "The Campus Activities Board is dedicated to providing new and different programming for students each year. We do bring back successful genres such as hip-hop, rock, and singer-songwriters on a year-to-year basis, but we are also committed to bringing acts that are unique and generate new excitement on campus."
After years of rigorous touring, the band was discovered in Nashville in 2001 by Dreamworks Records. It released its first, self-titled album that year. Featuring Billboard and CMT hit singles "I Should Be Sleeping" and "Fall into Me," Emerson Drive earned the titles of Billboard's No. 1 Top Country Artist of the Year in 2002 and the Academy of Country Music's award for top new vocal group/duo.
The band released the album "What If?" in 2004. After a brief hiatus, Emerson Drive joined forces with independent label Midas Records this year and released its newest album, "Countrified," in August. This energetic new album showcases the band's talents and songwriting abilities, pointing it in a new direction. Co-produced by Teddy Gentry of legendary Alabama fame, "Countrified" takes on a more classic, more country sound.
"Countrified," described by the band members themselves as "rockin'," is driven by powerful singles such as "Testify" and "Countrified Soul," which evokes the band's onstage energy. Citing The Charlie Daniels band as a major influence in the making of the album, Emerson Drive also covers "The Devil Went Down To Georgia."
After more than a decade of touring, including season openings for Alabama and Shania Twain as the band developed its name in the U.S., Emerson Drive has perfected its rowdy concert routine and never fails to please its audience.
The Campus Activities Board has high hopes for tonight's performance, which promises to be extremely entertaining.
"It should be a great event," said MacLennan, "and I am thrilled to see how the campus receives country."