Raised in the small farming town of Standard, AB, you will continue to see Drew Gregory representing his roots with pride. Playing hockey and baseball to being an active member on the Ag Society, Drew always supports in the small town way. During high school, he was always the one with the guitar strapped to his back, singing for friends till the wee hours of the morning, even after a long day in the field.
As every graduate seeks a new career path, Drew sought his by attending SAIT and obtaining a degree in Geomatics. Spending a year surveying in the field, he quickly realized this was not the correct career choice for him. In search of his future, he set off on a backing adventure to Australia. Upon returning to his native homeland on the farm, Drew realized the pursuit of a music career and staying true to his roots, was where his heart lay. With his path laid out, Drew immediately began honing his songwriting skills and developing his vocals. His sister, Natalie, secured a position with a local recording studio and it was inevitable that some recording would develop. The first recording of his songs would be a gift to his mom for Christmas, which rather quickly spread amongst his friends, all of them asking for a CD.
Without hesitation, Drew packed some clothes and guitar and headed to Nashville. Being from a small town, it was unknown what would be in store upon his arrival. Arriving in a city where no one knew him became a humbling experience. Living in hostels, Drew immediately made many new friends, songwriters and industry connections. Through this whole experience, he gained a greater appreciation for the music business and continues to spend winters continually connecting and writing in Nashville.
Drew’s time in Nashville eventually lead to the recording of his debut album “Country Hurricane”. This album became a must have CD in his hometown and in the surrounding areas. In 2010 he secured a spot as a finalist in the Lammles/Country 105 Rising Star contest. Drew found himself center stage for the Best original song with the title track “Country Hurricane”. The desire to give his fans more, a fun summer party 4 song EP came to light, “My Drunk Friends”, along with a video for the song “Gonna Get Drunk”.
In 2011, Drew sought guidance to further his career, signing a management/development deal with Sirroma Entertainment. With a strategic plan now in effect, Drew headed to the studio to re-record three songs which would become radio singles. He released his debut single “Lay It All Out There” to Canadian radio in early January 2012, experiencing the exhilaration of three weeks charting in the top 90. With this inspirational song, Drew was honored to be a guest speaker at the local high school graduation, encouraging graduates to “Lay It All Out There”. Following this single was an all time fan favorite “Country Hurricane” in April 2012 and “Small Town Way” in August 2012. In light of CMT’s Big in a Small Town contest, it seemed fitting to enter with the single “Small Town Way”. Finding himself among the top 30 finalists, Drew gained national exposure with the program, watched by over 2.7 million viewers, performing his debut single “Lay It All Out There”.
Kicking off into 2013, Drew was honored to be among many talented Alberta artists on the ballot for Male Artist at the ACMA banquet. There, it was announced that he had made the top five nominees. With his career maneuvering in a cogent manner, Drew welcomed Katt Stearns to the team for her expertise with social media and marketing.
Pre-production began on his sophomore album “The Way I Was Raised”, at Insomnia Studios in Nashville under the guidance of long time friend and producer, Aaron Goodvin and the incredible Eddie Gore. The energy started with Drew’s own role as a prolific songwriter, continuing throughout the recording sessions alongside Johnny Gasparic as engineer and co-producer at MCC Recordings in Calgary, AB. Together they brought excitement to each of the 12 songs on the album. The first single out to radio in February 2013, was entitled titled “Truck. Beer. Girl.”, It has enjoyed the success of charting within the top 100. Drew’s penmanship shines through on six of the twelve tracks, with a host of respected writers on the remaining songs. Drew Gregory carries the great tradition of edgy country music and is ready to shake up Canadian Country by delivering the “goods” with this album and live performances.
Drew continues to look forward to connecting with his many followers and friends he’s made along the way while continuing to work on the family farm. With his two passions in life at full swing, this rising star couldn’t be happier. Keep an eye out for Drew Gregory and his band, The Hired Guns, for a charismatic and edgy stage performance coming your way! Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.