Gord Bamford - Ground Words Communications

Gord
Bamford
In Tune with
his Day Job
By Denise Broadbent and Tracey Feist
F
amily, country
music and
a western
lifestyle weave
the fabric of Gord
Bamford’s life. Like a
well-worn quilt, the
four-time Canadian
Country Music Award
winner carries his
fundamental principles
with him no matter
where his tour bus
Gord is passionate
about giving back
and helping those
who are less
fortunate, one of
the main reasons
why he formed
the Gord Bamford
Charitable
Foundation.
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Staying true to such virtues is easy for Bamford. He
credits his namesake and uncle, Central Alberta
cattleman Gord Graves, for instilling these passions
while growing up in Lacombe, Alta.
It was Graves, along with Bamford’s family, who
encouraged him to foster both his talent and love of
country music.
Fifteen years later, Bamford has maintained his
focus on music and honed his craft as one of Canada’s
leading country music songwriters. He wrote 11 of the
13 songs on his new album, Day Job.
The accolades keep stacking up. Bamford’s album
Honkytonks and Heartaches was recently named Album
of the Decade by Larry Delaney, an expert on Canadian
country music. Delaney has been publisher and editor
of Canada’s Country Music News for 30 years.
“Gord is right amongst the top songwriters that we
have,” says Delaney. “Personally, I’ve always been a big
fan of Gord’s vocal delivery. It’s very country.” The biggest
strength of Canadian country music lies in its songwriting
— and Bamford is picking up where Canadian greats Ian
Tyson and Gordon Lightfoot have left off.
The Society of Composers Authors and Music
Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) also recognized
Canadian Cowboy Country August/September 2010
PHOTOS BY EALANTA PHOTOGRAPHY/ EALANTAPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
takes him.
Bamford's songwriting talents for his song Stayed ‘Til
Two in November, 2009. It was one of the top three
country music songs that achieved the most plays on
domestic radio in 2008.
His new CD explores a time when Bamford
wondered if a career in music was realistic. While
working a day job as a concrete truck driver, he 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,” says Bamford. “That’s when I
realized I wasn’t done with music.” Shortly thereafter
Bamford won Q91 radio station’s “Search for the Stars”
talent contest in 1994, which included a recording
session at a professional studio.
Fast forward to 2010. Today the 34-year-old is one of
Canada’s brightest country stars. Bamford’s Nashvillebased company, Quinnford Publishing, currently houses
a catalogue of 325 songs. Yet most of the songs are not
about his life. “I write about other people’s lives.”
One exception to that rule, however, is the song
Little Guy. Bamford penned it four hours after the birth
of his first son. It only took 20 minutes to write. “I
always say Little Guy was a selfish song because I wrote
it about my son.” Now, with three young children all
under the age of five, his priorities have changed.
“Kendra and I live a pretty average life. We tie skates,
clean toilets, pick up toys, and read bedtime stories,” he
says. “Our house looks like the rest on the block — our
fridge is covered in the kids’ artwork and we shop at all
the same stores as everyone else in Lacombe.”
The importance of kids and the western lifestyle are
also apparent in Bamford’s recent partnership with the
Canadian 4-H Council. Set up as a fundraising initiative, 4-H members across the country will be selling
his CDs, with a portion of the profits going back to
their club.
www.cowboycountrymagazine.com
“I am very excited to have the chance to give back
to an organization that had such a big impact on
my youth,” says Bamford, who was a member of the
Lacombe 4-H Beef Club.
“Gord exhibits all the characteristics that 4-H
embodies,” says Mike Nowosad, CEO for the Canadian
4-H Council. “This is apparent in both his life and in his
music. We are extremely appreciative to Gord for this
opportunity and his support of 4-H Canada."
It’s the support of such organizations along with
the comfort of family and friends that keeps Bamford
grounded.
He takes this support with him, especially 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.” c
Left
Gord and his
wife Kendra have
three children, all
under the age of
five. Says Gord
of Kendra: “She
encourages me
to enjoy all of the
loves in my life
without having to
sacrifice one for
the other.”
Right
Gord held a
CD release
party at Cook
County Saloon in
Edmonton and
enjoyed playing for
the sold-out show.
Fourth-generation ranch girl Tracey Feist grew up south of
Cochrane. The award-winning writer now lives with her family near
a small cowboy town south of Denver, Colorado.
Denise Broadbent specializes in marketing and business management but relishes every opportunity to write about her childhood
dream — life out West.
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