Gord Bamford

Early years

Bamford 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. A singer who toured with an Australian country band, Bamford's mother encouraged him to pursue a career in music. In 1995, Bamford entered and won the Nornet Radio Network's "Search for the Stars." With Rob Bartlett from Sundae Sound producing, Bamford went to Calgary to record his debut single, "Forever Starts Today," written by Dean McTaggart. The song received a positive response from Canadian country radio the following year.

2000-2002: God's Green Earth and hiatus

In 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. Bamford wrote two songs on the album. 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 left the business discouraged.

2003-2006: Life Is Good and nominations

In 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. The album, Life Is Good, was released on October 19, 2004. Bamford wrote or co-wrote 10 of the 11 songs on the project. 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. 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. 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.

2007-2009: Honkytonks and Heartaches

Bamford's third album, Honkytonks and Heartaches, co-produced by Nashville producer Byron Hill, was released on September 25, 2007. 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

Gord 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?

Bamford'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-present: Country Junkie

Bamford's sixth album, Country Junkie, co-produced by Nashville producer Byron Hill, was released in October 2013. The album earned Bamford’s first #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).

Personal life

On 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 2007 and on August 3, 2009, they welcomed another daughter, Memphis Quinn. Bamford has been signed with publisher ole Music since December 2011.