Gord Bamford Honkytonks & Dive Bar

Gord Bamford has been busy lately and no signs of slowing down anytime soon with his Honkytonks & Dive Bar Tour just announced. We just attended CCMA week in Hamilton, Ontario. While there, we got invited to McMaster Children’s Hospital to attend a special little event. Gord Bamford’s foundation donated $10,000 to the hospital. For more information on his foundation, check out https://gordbamfordfoundation.com

I had the chance to chat with Gord just a couple days before CCMA, here is what he had to say:

What does it mean to you to be nominated for Apple Music Fans Choice Award?

A: ITS ALWAYS AN HONOUR TO BE NOMINATED AND THE FANS CHOICE IS THE CREAM OF THE CROP, I LOVE WRITING AND PLAYING MUSIC AND MY JOB IS AWESOME. BUT IF NOT FOR THE FANS THERE WOULD BE NOTHING, I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO THE LOYAL AND NEW FANS I AM ABLE TO GET AND I THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT HAVE BOUGHT A TICKET, T-SHIRT OR SANG ALONG, DANCED OR CRIED TO MY MUSIC. ITS ALL ABOUT THE FANS!!!

You just announced your Honkytonks & Dive Bar Tour- tell me bit about that?

A: I HAVE BEEN SO VERY FORTUNATE TO PLAY MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF VENUES FROM ARENA’S TO FESTIVALS AND BEAUTIFUL THEATERS’S ALL OVER THE THE WORLD REALLY. HOWEVER, IT ALL STARTED IN A HONKYTONK OR A DIVE BAR AND I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A GRASS ROOTS TYPE OF ARTIST WHO IS VERY MUCH IN THE BELIEF OF “DON’T FORGET WHERE YOU COME FROM”. I THINK THIS “UNDERPLAY” TOUR WE ARE ABOUT TO GO ON MIGHT BE THE MOST EXCITED I HAVE BEEN FOR A TOUR, ITS GOING BACK TO THE PLACES AND PEOPLE THAT HELPED BUILD GORD BAMFORD’S CARRER AND SUCCESS TO DATE. IF IT’S ANY INDICATION ON EARLY TICKET SALES ITS GOING TO BE QUITE A PARTY AS IT SEEMS TO BE VERY POPULAR. WE HAVE ANNOUNCED SECOND SHOWS AND POSSIBLY THIRD SHOW IN SOME LOCATIONS ALREADY.

How did you choose JoJo Mason to be your special guest?

A: I MEET JOJO A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND JUST REALLY LIKED HIS POSITIVE VIBE NOT TO MENTION HOW TALENTED HE IS, JOJO BRINGS A DIFFERENT DYNAMIC TO THE TOUR AND SHOW. ITS A GREAT PACKAGE AND VALUE FOR THE TICKET BUYER, HAPPY TO HAVE HIM ALONG.

If you could record a cover song from any artist… What would it be and why?

A: WELL THATS A TUFF QUESTION, I HAVE A LOT OF CURRENT AND PAST SONGS THAT I LIKE.. PROBABLY WOULD HAVE TO SAY A SONG CALLED “POLITICS RELIGION AND HER “ IT WAS CO WRITTEN BY A MENTOR AND FRIEND OF MINE “BYRON HILL” AND RECORDED A WHILE BACK BY SAMMY KERSHAW. ITS JUST A GREAT MESSAGE AND SONG. I ACTUALLY WANTED TO RECORD IT A NUMBER OF YEARS BACK BUT IT WAS STILL A BIT TO CURRENT THEN. I GUESS YOU NEVER KNOW NOW!!

Tell us a bit about what you have going on during CCMA week.

A: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN 8 YEARS I HAVE NOT PERFORMED ON THE A AWARDS SHOW AND I’M ACTUALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO JUST TAKING IT ALL IN. I WILL BE PRESENTING AN AWARD AS WELL AS TAKING PART IN THE SUNDAY SONGWRITER IN THE ROUND SHOW (ONE OF MY FAVS AT COUNTRY MUSIC WEEK). MY LABEL, SONY MUSIC WILL BE HOSTING A FREE PUBLIC PARTY SATURDAY NIGHT THAT I WILL BE PERFORMING AT AND I’M GONNA PLAY IN THE GOLF EVENT. I ALWAYS ENJOY CHECKING OUT THE UP AND COMING ARTISTS AND THE NEW ARTISTS WE HAVE TRYING TOI MAKE A NAME FOR THEMSELVES AND GET STARTED IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS. CANADA IS A GREAT MARKET TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS IN AND OUR INDUSTRY AND ARTISTS KEEP RAISING THE BAR EACH YEAR.

If you could choose one highlight in your career so far that you are most proud of, what would it be?

A: ITS BEEN A VERY GREAT RUN FOR ME OVER THE YEARS AND BEING RECOGNIZED AS MUCH AS I HAVE HAS BEEN SIMPLY AMAZING AND HUMBLING, ITS NICE TO SEE EVERYONES HARD WORK AND EFFORT PAY OFF. TIME SEEMS TO FLY BY AND I FEEL LIKE I AM JUST HITTING MY STRIDE SO THATS A GOOD THING. I GUESS MY TOP MOMENT WOULD BE GETTING THE HUMANITARIAN RECOGNITION FOR ALL THE GORD BAMFORD FOUNDATION HAS ACHIEVED OVER THE LAST 11 YEARS. THE TEAM OF PEOPLE I WORK WITH SHARE MY VISION AND ARE REMARKABLE IN WHAT THEY DO WE HAVE RAISED OVER 3.5 MILLION DOLLARS NOW AND ITS BEEN DIRECTED TOWARDS YOUTH & CHILDREN RIGHT ACROSS CANADA FROM CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS TO RONALD MACDONALD HOUSES, BIG BROTHERS AND SISTERS, MULTI USE FACILITIES IN SMALL COMMUNITIES AND A HUGE COMMITMENT TO MUSICOUNTS KEEPING INSTRUMENTS AND MUSIC ALIVE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO NAME A FEW. ITS A LEGACY I WANT TO LEAVE NOT ONLY THROUGH MUSIC BUT AS A PROUD CANADIAN AND HUMAN BEING.

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be?

GOT TO DO A SONG WITH JIM CUDDY LAST YEAR WHICH WAS A HIGHLIGHT, AND VERY CANADIAN WHICH WAS ALSO COOL. I GREW A HUGE MERLE HAGGARD FAN SO IF HE WAS ALIVE TODAY IT WOULD BE AT THE TOP OF MY LIST, OF ARTIST THAT ARE STILL HERE TODAY I WOULD HAVE TO SAY REBA WOULD BE A HIGHLIGHT. I TOURED WITH HER ACROSS CANADA AND I ALWAYS SAY OUTSIDE OF MY WIFE SHE’S THE CLASSIEST LADY I HAVE EVER MET AND TREATED EVERYONE LIKE GOLD.