Gordon Bamford (born April 17, 1976) is an Australian-Canadian country music singer.[1] He has released ten studio albums. Alberta-raised Bamford stands as one of the most decorated artists in Canadian country music with 26 Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) awards, along with multiple JUNO nominations. Additionally, Bamford is one of two multi-time winners of Nashville's Country Music Association (CMA) Global Country Artist of the Year award, along with the Shires.
Gord Bamford | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 17, 1976 Traralgon, Victoria, Australia |
| Origin | Lacombe, Alberta, Canada |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | www |
Biography
editEarly years
editBamford was born in Traralgon, Victoria, Australia. When Bamford was five years old, he moved with his mother, Marilyn, from Australia to Lacombe, Alberta, Canada after his parents' divorce.[2] A singer who toured with an Australian country band, Bamford's mother encouraged him to pursue a career in music.[2] In 1995, Bamford entered and won the Nornet Radio Network's "Search for the Stars."[1] With Rob Bartlett from Sundae Sound producing, Bamford went to Calgary to record his debut single, "Forever Starts Today," written by Dean McTaggart.[1][2] The song received a positive response from Canadian country radio the following year.
2000–2002: God's Green Earth and hiatus
editIn January 2001, Bamford released his debut album, God's Green Earth, on his own GWB Records. The album was produced by Bart McKay at Sound Edge Productions in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.[2] Bamford wrote two songs on the album.[1] Five songs were released from the project – "God's Green Earth," "24 x 24," "Where a Cowboy Likes to Roam," "Man of the House" and "Classic Country Song." The album didn't do as well as Bamford had expected and he left the business discouraged.[3]
2003–2006: Life Is Good and nominations
editIn 2003, Bamford began spending time in Nashville, Tennessee writing with Steve Fox, Tim Taylor, and Byron Hill who went on to co-produce his second album.[1] The album, Life Is Good, was released on October 19, 2004.[4] Bamford wrote or co-wrote 10 of the 11 songs on the project.[2] Six singles were released from the album, including the top 20 singles "Heroes," "My Heart's a Genius," "All About Her," "Life Is Good" and "I Would for You." A music video was shot for "All About Her," and reached No. 8 on CMT Canada's Chevy Top 20.
Over the next few years, Bamford opened shows for Tim McGraw, Kenny Rogers, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Don Williams and Terri Clark.[1] In both 2005 and 2006, he was nominated at the Canadian Country Music Awards for Independent Male Vocalist of the Year, Independent Song of the Year, and the Chevy Trucks Rising Star Award.[5] On June 4, 2007, Bamford was one of only two Canadian artists invited to perform at the Global Artist Party at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville.[5]
2007–2009: Honkytonks and Heartaches
editBamford's third album, Honkytonks and Heartaches, co-produced by Nashville producer Byron Hill, was released on September 25, 2007.[5] The first single, "Blame It On That Red Dress," was Gord's first top 10 hit on the Canadian country singles chart and the music video, directed by award-winning director Stephano Barberis, reached No. 1 on CMT Canada's Chevy Top 20 for one week.
2010–2011: Day Job
editGord Bamford's fourth album, Day Job, co-produced by Nashville producer Byron Hill, was released in April 2010. Four singles were released from the album: "Day Job", "Put Some Alcohol On It", "My Daughter's Father" and "Hank Williams Lonesome".
2012–2013: Is It Friday Yet?
editBamford's fifth album, Is It Friday Yet?, co-produced by Nashville producer Byron Hill, was released in March 2012. Five singles were released from the album: "Is It Friday Yet?", "Leaning on a Lonesome Song", "Disappearing Tail Lights", "Farm Girl Strong" and "Must Be a Woman".
2013–2019: Country Junkie, Tin Roof, and Neon Smoke
editBamford's sixth album, Country Junkie, co-produced by Nashville producer Byron Hill, was released in October 2013. The album earned Bamford's first No. 1 single "When Your Lips Are So Close" (2013), a CRIA Gold Digital Single certification for "When Your Lips Are So Close" (2013), CCMA Single of the Year for "When Your Lips Are So Close" (2014), a Top-10 Country single ‘Unreal’ (2014), a Top-10 Country single ‘Where A Farm Used To Be’ (2014), a JUNO nomination for Country Album of the Year (2014), a fourth chart single "Groovin With You" (2015), CCMA Single of the Year for "Where A Farm Used To Be" (2015), and CCMA Song of the Year for "Where A Farm Used To Be" (2015).
In January 2018, Bamford released his eighth studio album Neon Smoke. It includes his second #1 Canada Country hit "Dive Bar",[6] as well as collaborations with Jim Cuddy and Tracy Lawrence.[7] He also performed at Casino Nova Scotia with Aaron Goodvin and Clay Walker.[8]
2020–present: Diamonds in a Whiskey Glass and Fire It Up
editIn June 2021, Bamford released his ninth studio album Diamonds in a Whiskey Glass on Anthem Records and Cache Entertainment. It includes the singles "Diamonds in a Whiskey Glass" and "Heaven on Dirt".[9] In November 2021, Bamford released the new single "Drink Along Song".[10]
In January 2023, Bamford released the single "One Heartbeat From Heaven". It is the lead single off his tenth studio album Fire It Up, which was released in April 2023.[11]
Personal life
editOn August 30, 2004, Gord and his wife Kendra welcomed a boy, Nash David weighing in at 6 pounds, 7 ounces. They had a daughter, Paisley in 2006 and on July 31, 2009, they welcomed another daughter, Memphis Quinn.
Discography
edit- God's Green Earth (2001)
- Life Is Good (2004)
- Honkytonks and Heartaches (2007)
- Day Job (2010)
- Is It Friday Yet? (2012)
- Country Junkie (2013)
- Tin Roof (2016)
- Neon Smoke (2018)
- Diamonds in a Whiskey Glass (2021)
- Fire It Up (2023)
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Association | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Canadian Country Music Association | Chevy Trucks Rising Star Award | Nominated |
| Independent Male Artist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Independent Song of the Year – "Heroes" | Nominated | ||
| 2006 | Chevy Trucks Rising Star Award | Nominated | |
| Independent Male Artist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Independent Single of the Year – "All About Her" | Nominated | ||
| 2007 | Independent Male Artist of the Year | Nominated | |
| 2008 | Juno Awards of 2008 | Country Recording of the Year – Honkytonks and Heartaches | Nominated |
| Canadian Country Music Association | Top New Talent of the Year – Male | Won | |
| Top New Talent of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Single of the Year – "Blame It on That Red Dress" | Nominated | ||
| Songwriter of the Year – "Blame It on That Red Dress" | Nominated | ||
| CMT Video of the Year – "Blame It on That Red Dress" | Nominated | ||
| 2009 | Male Artist of the Year | Nominated | |
| Single of the Year – "Little Guy" | Nominated | ||
| Songwriter of the Year – "Little Guy" | Nominated | ||
| CMT Video of the Year – "Little Guy" | Nominated | ||
| 2010 | Fans' Choice Award | Nominated | |
| Male Artist of the Year | Won | ||
| Album of the Year – Day Job | Won | ||
| Single of the Year – "Day Job" | Nominated | ||
| Songwriter of the Year – "Day Job" | Nominated | ||
| CMT Video of the Year – "Day Job" | Won | ||
| 2011 | Juno Awards of 2011 | Country Album of the Year – Day Job | Nominated |
| Canadian Country Music Association | Male Artist of the Year | Nominated | |
| Single of the Year – "My Daughter's Father" | Nominated | ||
| Songwriter of the Year – "Put Some Alcohol on It" | Nominated | ||
| CMT Video of the Year – "My Daughter's Father" | Nominated | ||
| 2012 | Fans' Choice Award | Nominated | |
| Male Artist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Single of the Year – "Is It Friday Yet?" | Nominated | ||
| Songwriter of the Year – "Is It Friday Yet?" | Won | ||
| Interactive Artist of the Year | Won | ||
| 2013 | Fans' Choice Award | Nominated | |
| Male Artist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Album of the Year – Is It Friday Yet? | Won | ||
| Single of the Year – "Leaning on a Lonesome Song" | Won | ||
| Songwriter of the Year – "Leaning on a Lonesome Song" | Won | ||
| CMT Video of the Year – "Leaning on a Lonesome Song" | Won | ||
| 2014 | Juno Awards of 2014 | Country Album of the Year – Country Junkie | Nominated |
| Canadian Country Music Association | Fans' Choice Award | Nominated | |
| Male Artist of the Year | Won | ||
| Single of the Year – "When Your Lips Are So Close" | Won | ||
| Songwriter of the Year – "When Your Lips Are So Close" | Nominated | ||
| 2015 | Fans' Choice Award | Nominated | |
| Male Artist of the Year | Won | ||
| Single of the Year – "Where a Farm Used to Be" | Won | ||
| Songwriter of the Year – "Where a Farm Used to Be" | Won | ||
| Video of the Year – "Where a Farm Used to Be" | Nominated | ||
| 2016 | Album of the Year – Tin Roof | Won | |
| Male Artist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Single of the Year – "Don't Let Her Be Gone" | Nominated | ||
| Songwriter of the Year (with Wade Kirby, Phil O’Donnell) – "Heard You in a Song" | Nominated | ||
| 2017 | Juno Awards | Country Album of the Year – Tin Roof | Nominated |
| Canadian Country Music Association | Fans'Choice Award | Nominated | |
| Male Artist of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 2019 | Canadian Country Music Association | Fans' Choice Award | Nominated |
| Single of the Year – "Dive Bar" | Nominated | ||
| Songwriter of the Year (with Bart Butler, Brice Long) – "Down" | Nominated | ||
| 2021 | Western Canadian Music Awards | Country Artist of the Year | Pending |
| 2022 | Canadian Country Music Association | Album of the Year - Diamonds in a Whiskey Glass | Nominated[12][13] |
| Video of the Year - "Heaven on Dirt" | Nominated[14] | ||
| 2023 | Canadian Country Music Association | Musical Collaboration of the Year - "I Ain't Drunk" (with Terri Clark) | Nominated[15] |
| 2024 | Canadian Country Music Association | Musical Collaboration of the Year - "Cowboy Boots" (with Chris Buck Band) | Nominated[16] |
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f "Gord Bamford: About Gord". Archived from the original on October 12, 2004. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Country Music News Canadian country Music Artists CD's CDs CD Nashville report
- ^ Gord Bamford a smalltown storyteller[usurped]
- ^ "Gord Bamford: News and Tour Dates". Archived from the original on August 10, 2007. Retrieved August 28, 2007.
- ^ a b c Charles W. Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts and the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame (Festival Performance Hall – Events Calendar)
- ^ Dagg, Nanci (September 19, 2018). "Gord Bamford accomplishes what many hope to do with two #1 hits now under his belt and a #1 hit in Australia". Canadian Beats Media.
- ^ "Gord Bamford's New Album: Neon Smoke". Front Porch Music. January 7, 2018.
- ^ "The best Nova Scotia concerts of 2018". Chronicle Herald, Stephen Cooke, December 20, 2018
- ^ Nicolson, Deb (May 26, 2021). "Award-Winning Country Star Gord Bamford". Patch.
- ^ Arbour, Mallory (November 18, 2021). "Drink Along Song by Gord Bamford and The Wolfe Brothers – Song of the Day". Countrytown.
- ^ Dagg, Nanci (January 20, 2023). "Bamford releases his new single, "One Heartbeat From Heaven"". Canadian Beats Media. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
- ^ "2022 CCMA AWARD NOMINEES". Canadian Country Music Association. July 20, 2022. Archived from the original on September 13, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ "TENILLE TOWNES TAKES HOME FOUR WINS AT THE 2022 CCMA AWARDS PRESENTED BY TD". Canadian Country Music Association (Press release). Global News Wire. September 11, 2022. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022.
- ^ "CANADIAN COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION REVEALS FIRST ROUND OF 2022 AWARD WINNERS AT THE CCMA MUSIC INDUSTRY GALA DINNER & AWARDS". Canadian Country Music Association (Press release). Global News Wire. September 12, 2022. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
- ^ "2023 CCMA Awards Nominees". Canadian Country Music Association. July 13, 2023. Archived from the original on July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
- ^ "2024 CCMA AWARDS NOMINEES". Canadian Country Music Association. Archived from the original on July 19, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.