Gord Bamford, the 2010 Canadian Country Music Association’s Male artist of the Year, is Canada’s answer to pure country!

The way Gord Bamford lives his life transcends through his music. His songwriting ability allows him to craft songs of love, family, hanging out with the boys and then illustrate them vividly in his lyrics. He’s sincere, hard-working and it shows. Gord’s just as comfortable playing in front of 35,000 screaming fans opening for George Strait at the Calgary Stampede as he playing for an intimate theatre setting in rural Ontario.

For Gord, it’s all about remaining true to your roots—roots which are firmly entrenched in Lacombe, Alberta. Although he was born in Traralgon, Australia, Gord has lived in the rural Alberta town since his parents divorced when he was four, and his mother moved the family back to Canada. His love of music started at an early age and although he spent his teenage years playing sports and entertaining a professional career in baseball, but his love of country music never waned.
This independent singer/songwriter has been making country music a priority for the past 16 years. The road to releasing Day Job—Gord’s fourth studio CD—was serious business. The CD explores a time when Gord wondered if a career in music was realistic. While working a day job as a concrete truck driver, Bamford discovered the freedom to explore country music in the security of that truck cab.

“In that truck, I was on my own. I loved it. My mind could go wherever it wanted and it gave birth to many of my song ideas,” Gord says. “That’s when I realized I wasn’t done with music.” Shortly thereafter Bamford won a local radio station’s talent contest in 1994, which included a professional studio recording session.

Gord recorded his first full length album in 2001 titled God’s Green Earth. That song was sent to him from respected Nashville hit-maker Byron Hill. (Hill wrote Fool Hearted Memory, George Strait’s first number one single.) Since that time, Byron has been co-producing and co-writing with Gord ever since.

Life Is Good was released in 2004 to rave reviews and generated six top 20 radio hits. Songs such as Life Is Good, Heroes, All About Her, and I Would For You, firmly established Bamford as a serious musician in the Canadian country music scene. Next Bamford released Honkytonks and Heartaches in September, 2007. His skills as a songwriter are evident in the CD’s first two singles: Blame it On That Red Dress, Stayed ‘Til Two, raced up the charts to become number one top charting Canadian singles on country radio.

2008 was a banner year for Gord Bamford. Gord performed at the 2008 Juno Awards and received his first ever Juno nomination for Country Recording of the Year. This honour was followed by the Calgary Stampede asking Gord to write the 2008 Stampede theme song titled “This Old Hat”. The year closed off at the Canadian Country Music Awards, where Gord picked up the CCMA for Top New Male Talent, Record Producer Of The Year (with Byron Hill), and Video Producer of The Year (Stefano Barberis) for “Blame It On That Red Dress”. Red Dress also was a number one video on CMT Canada.
In November, 2009, Bamford won a SOCAN (The Society of Composers Authors and Music Publishers of Canada) award for his song “Stayed Til Two” as one of the top three Country Music songs that achieved the greatest number of performances on domestic radio in 2008. The CD was named top Canadian Country Album of the Decade by Canadian Country Music News in December, 2009.
Gord continues to define his place in the Canadian Country music business. Released on April 6, 2010, Day Job is already Gord’s best-selling album to date. It was named the 2010 CCMA Album of the Year, and Gord and Nashville’s Byron Hill were named as the 2010 CCMA Producer of the Year. The video from Day Job was awarded the 2010 CCMA CMT Video of the Year. Of the 13 songs on the album, Gord wrote 11 of the tracks.

In addition to his devotion to country music, Gord is a steadfast family man, working tirelessly to find ways to give back. The Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation and Gord’s annual charity golf tournament has raised just under $500,000 in three years to support central Alberta charities. As a result of his efforts, the Canadian Country Music Association named Gord as its 2010 Humanitarian of the Year.

Gord kicked off 2011 by being named as one of the CanCon Artists to watch for in 2011. Said Jimmy Hughes, morning co-host, Calgary’s Classic Country AM 1060: “Gord Bamford is Australian-born, but he lives in Lacombe, Alta., and has a great, great sound. His music is big and so is his talent and he plays this driving country music. He does ballads, but you should see him here during the Stampede. People go wild.”

In addition, Gord received his second Juno nomination, for Country Album of the Year as well as an Indie Award for Country Artist, Group of the Year. Those awards will be announced March 26 and March 12, respectively.

Family, country music and the western lifestyle make up the fabric of Gord Bamford’s life. It’s also the support of his fans, partnerships and family and friends that keep him grounded.

“Every day my wife Kendra reminds me about the important things in life and helps me find that balance,” Gord says. “She encourages me to enjoy all of the loves in my life without having to sacrifice one for the other.”
Gord takes those encouraging words with him, especially while out on the road. “I love looking out the window at the prairie scenery. I get lost in my thoughts. That bus takes me to places to do what I love best – perform and entertain. And then, it takes me back home again. I never see myself changing. I am country, pure country.”
You only have to read the lyrics of a Gord Bamford song to realize he’s the real deal.