The Road Hammers are a Canadian country rock group composed of Jason McCoy, Clayton Bellamy and Chris Byrne. Formed by McCoy as a side project, the trio's music is influenced by 1960s and 1970s trucker music and southern rock. Their first self-titled album included remakes of several classic truck-driving songs. It was recognized with a Juno Award in 2006, along with numerous Canadian Country Music Association awards. After five years together, the group went on hiatus after one last show on December 31, 2010, in Langley, British Columbia. The group reformed in 2013 and released Wheels in 2014.Road Hammers end their run at Cascades Casino In May 2017, The Road Hammers released their latest album, The Squeeze.
History
The Road Hammers was founded in 2004 as a project by lead singer and guitarist Jason McCoy, a multiple-time winner of Canadian Country Music Association male vocalist of the year. He stated the idea was to play trucker music, and came together with two other musicians with similar views on music - country-rocker Clayton Bellamy, whose father is a truck driver, and bassist Chris Byrne, a Newfoundlander. In addition to recording their self-titled album, the Road Hammers was also the subject of a reality show of the same name on Country Music Television in Canada.
The album The Road Hammers was released in 2005, and received strong reviews for its southern rock sound and covers of classic songs.Hammers give country a Southern-fried injection, Georgia Straight, October 6, 2005 It debuted at No. 1 on the Canadian country albums chart.Road Hammers truck on through Blood Sweat & Steel, Country Standard Time, June 2008 Covers on the album included "Girl on the Billboard," the 1965 number-one hit for Del Reeves, "East Bound and Down" by Jerry Reed, and Little Feat's "Willin'." In the wake of the album release, The Road Hammers swept to the upper end of the Canadian country charts; four songs reached the top 10 through 2005 and 2006, and the band was nominated for six CCMA AwardsBrandt, Road Hammers lead Canadian country nominees, Billboard.com, August 3, 2005 winning Group or Duo of the Year. It was also recognized at the Juno Awards for Country Recording of the Year. The album's success continued into 2006, with the Road Hammers receiving two CCMA awards, Group or Duo of the Year and Best Video.Canyon, Road Hammers, Lund Band Lead CCMA Winners, Billboard.com, September 12, 2006
In July 2007, McCoy stated that the band will be part of a second season of its reality show, following its attempts to secure a recording deal with an American label.Country rockers' reality show returns for Season 2, Edmonton Journal, July 9, 2007 In late 2007, The Road Hammers signed to an American record label, Montage Music Group and the group's debut American single, "I Don't Know When to Quit" was released on December 10. Their second album, entitled Blood, Sweat, and Steel, was released on June 24, 2008.
The Road Hammers released their second Canadian album, The Road Hammers II, on February 24, 2009.All Roads Lead Home for the Hammers, CMT, January 20, 2009 The album's first single, "Homegrown," has reached the Top 20 of the Canadian country singles chart.
Bellamy and McCoy were contestants on the reality show Mantracker on September 6, 2010, where they both beat the hunters to the finish line. On October 8, 2013, The Road Hammers released a single titled "Get On Down the Road" on iTunes in Canada and the United States.
In 2025, the Road Hammers signed with a new independent label Skysong Records, which McCoy and Bellamy co-founded alongside Dan Davidson and Craig Senyk. The band embarked on the "Til the Wheels Fall Off Tour" across Canada in early 2026 alongside fellow Canadian country band Doc Walker.
Discography
Studio albums Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications(sales threshold) CAN US Country USHeat The Road Hammers Release date: May 10, 2005 Label: Open Road — — — MC: Platinum Blood Sweat & Steel Release date: June 24, 2008 Label: Montage — 50 39 The Road Hammers II Release date: February 24, 2009 Label: Open Road — — — Wheels Release date: June 3, 2014 Label: Open Road 21 — — The Squeeze Release date: May 12, 2017 Label: Open Road 10 Big Truckin' Hits, Vol. 1 Release date: April 21, 2018 Label: Open Road "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Extended plays Title Details Back at It Release date: April 17, 2021 Label: Airstrip Music Inc.
Singles
2000s Year Title Peak chart positions Album CAN CAN Country "Dirty Hands Clean Money": US Country 2005 "I'm a Road Hammer" — 5 — The Road Hammers "East Bound and Down" — 2 — 2006 "Nashville Bound" — 9 — "Girl on the Billboard" — 5 — 2007 "I Don't Know When to Quit" — — 51 Blood Sweat & Steel 2008 "Girl on the Billboard" (US release) — — 54 "I've Got the Scars to Prove It" — — — "Homegrown" 87 11 — The Road Hammers II 2009 "I've Got the Scars to Prove It"(Canadian release) 86 10 — "Goodbye Dust" — 18 — "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
2010s and 2020s Year Title Peak chartpositions Certifications(sales threshold) Album CAN CAN Country 2013 "Get On Down the Road" 82 12 Wheels 2014 "Mud" 68 16 MC: Platinum "I've Been Everywhere" — 27 2015 "Hillbilly Highway" (feat. Colt Ford) — 43 "One Horse Town" (with Tim Hicks) — 41 The Squeeze 2017 "Crazy About You" — 7 "Your Love Is the Drug" — 28 2018 "All Your Favorite Bands" — 46 2021 "The Boys Are Back at It" — 40 Back at It "Give'r" — 49 2025 "Dirty Hands Clean Money" — 40 Til The Wheels Fall Off "—" denotes releases that did not chart
Guest singles Year Single Artist Peak positions Album CAN Country 2014 "Run" Blackjack Billy(with Doc Walker) 35 align="center" 2021 "Roll With It" Dan Davidson — 6 Songs to Midnight
Music videos Year Video Director 2005 "I'm a Road Hammer" Margaret Malandruccolo "East Bound and Down" Milton Sneed 2006 "Girl on the Billboard" Margaret Malandruccolo 2008 "Homegrown" Roger Pistole 2009 "I've Got the Scars to Prove It" Geoff McLean/Christopher Mills 2013 "Get On Down the Road" Margaret Malandruccolo 2014 "Mud" "I've Been Everywhere" Sean Smith "Run" (with Blackjack Billy and Doc Walker) 2015 "Hillbilly Highway" (with Colt Ford) Sean Smith "Wheels" "One Horse Town" (with Tim Hicks) 2017 "You're Love Is The Drug" "Haulin' Ass" 2018 "All Your Favorite Bands" 2019 "Zamboni"
Awards and nominations Year Association Category Result 2005 Canadian Country Music Association Group or Duo of the Year Chevy Trucks Rising Star Award Album of the Year – The Road Hammers Single of the Year – "I'm a Road Hammer" CMT Video of the Year – "I'm a Road Hammer" 2006 Juno Awards of 2006 Country Recording of the Year – The Road Hammers Canadian Country Music Association Kraft Cheez Whiz Fans' Choice Award Group or Duo of the Year Single of the Year – "East Bound and Down" CMT Video of the Year – "East Bound and Down" Top Selling Album of the Year – The Road Hammers 2007 Group or Duo of the Year 2010 Juno Awards of 2010 Country Album of the Year – The Road Hammers II Canadian Country Music Association Group or Duo of the Year 2014 Group or Duo of the Year 2015 Juno Awards of 2015 Country Album of the Year – Wheels Canadian Country Music Association Group or Duo of the Year 2017 Canadian Country Music Association Group or Duo of the Year
References
External links Official Homepage