What are your names?
We are Jason McCoy and Clayton Bellamy, two-thirds of The Road Hammers. We’re missing our other member, Chris Byrne.
What is the band name, and how did you come up with it?
Clayton: Well, Jason came up with the name on a trip with his solo band. They did a filming with CMT, and they were out on scooters, and someone said their bike gang was called the Road Hammers lol – I think he just held on to that for the right moment.
What is your genre of music?
Jason: We consider ourselves country rock, but a lot of the time people refer to us as a ‘Trucker Band’, given the fact that we do tend to sing about the Big Rigs. Truth be told, we just always want people to put our music on when they hit the open road. I’m the Country Guy, Clay is the Rock Guy, and Chris comes from the Blues world… put it all together, and it’s a special thing.
Give us a little bio about you for those who are not familiar with your music.
Jason: Well, we are Canada’s highest-selling Canadian country band with 5 Canadian Country Music Awards and a JUNO Award (Canadian Grammy) for country recording of the year. We are celebrating our 20th year as a band with our new single “Dirty Hands Clean Money,” and we have had 2 seasons of a TV show in North America called The Road Hammers about putting the band together and building a career. We’ve had the pleasure of performing everywhere from the Grand Ole Opry to sharing the stage with President Carter. This year, we also just launched a brand new record label, Skysong Records, that is releasing music from The Road Hammers and Dan Davidson.
What made you go into music?
Clayton: For me personally, I’ve always been a creative person, and it was just an area where I seemed to thrive growing up, and I love performing, writing, and creating music, so I just never stopped once I started!
Jason: I was going to be a pilot, actually. My dad had a small plane when we were growing up. My sister just retired from Air Canada as a Captain. I became the youngest licensed pilot in Canada on Aug 27, 1987, and was planning to follow in her footsteps, but… I recorded an independent record about that same time, and some singles started to catch at radio. And then I was signed to MCA Records out of Toronto a short time later. I was hooked!
Who are your influences?
Clayton: I draw a lot of influences from rock ‘n’ roll and singer-songwriter artists like Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, and then rock bands like the Black Crowes and the Rolling Stones.
Jason: All the greats: Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Waylon, etc., but these days I’d say the guys in the band. They always open my ears to new sounds, and continually educate me on the genres outside of Country.
Are you signed?
Jason: Clayton and I started our own label, SkySong Records, this year, along with our business partners Craig Senyk and Dan Davidson. We led with Dan’s single “Buckle Rubbin” and now the new Hammer single “Dirty Hands”. Clay is working on his next EP scheduled for 2026, and we’re already looking to launch a few new artists. It’s an amazing opportunity to be part of this!
You released your latest single, ‘Dirty Hands Clean Money’, tell us more about the single and the meaning behind it.
Jason: Basically, it’s a blue-collar anthem for those who work hard and play hard. Honest pay for an honest day’s work!
Describe the track in two words.
Clayton: Pure Hammers!
What was the writing and recording process like?
Clayton: Making this record was different than a lot of the records we’ve made in the past. We did a lot of the writing in the studio with our producer while we were recording, which was very exciting and fresh, I think, for everyone.
Who did you work with on the song?
Jason: We worked with our longtime producer on this, Scott Baggett. And we wrote the song with our pal Tim Hicks, and brought it into the studio pretty much ready to go! I fired up the Dobro, Clay nailed the harp parts, and Chris kept that foundation rocking on the bass. It’s just a fun track where we all get to show off a bit!
Will we see an EP or album, and if so, what can we expect from the album?
Clayton: Yes, the album and more songs are coming in 2026! Our next single, “Til The Wheels Fall Off,” is coming out on January 9th, 2026, so stay tuned.
Do you have any live shows or a tour coming up or in planning, what can you tell us about it?
Jason: Yes! We are teaming up with our pals Doc Walker for the “Till The Wheels Fall Off” Tour starting in January 2026. You can get tickets now at theroadhammers.ca.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Clayton: Sitting on a beach with a margarita, smoking a Cuban, watching my grandkids throw sand in each other‘s faces.
Jason: Propping up the careers of the next generation of artists – and the crop is strong!
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
Clayton: Love your neighbor as yourself. Love covers all things; it fills all cups. You can never run out, and you can never give or get enough of it.
Jason: Get Er Done!
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
Clayton: Protein bars, guitars, clean socks, and a cool hat.
Jason: Water, picks, gum, coffee, and more coffee!
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you? https://www.instagram.com/theroadhammers/ https://www.facebook.com/theroadhammers
https://www.tiktok.com/@theroadhammers
https://www.youtube.com/theroadhammers
