Interview with Clayton Bellamy from The Road Hammers By Tammy Ann Chapman

The Road Hammers  – CLAYTON BELLAMY

 

Hamilton’s Rock and Country Magazine

Link to single art HERE

 

Link to press photos HERE

 

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“Till The Wheels Fall Off’ has a much heavier, rock-driven sound than some of your past releases. What inspired you to push the throttle down on this one?

 

• This was the first time the band was writing and recording at the same time in the studio and we really wanted to write something that was  going to not only open the show but kick off the record in a massive way!

This track features Ian Thornley and Tyler Connolly, two huge names in Canadian rock. How did those collaborations come together, and what did they each bring to the song?

 

1. A) Over the years I have written with Ian and we have played together many times and when this song started to come together it was an obvious fit and a perfect opportunity to get to work together in the studio.  Tyler also was someone I had known thru playing with bands on the road and since we were going down the rock anthem road we thought it would be perfect if he could lend his voice to the tune!  Each of them brought a whole other level of authenticity to the song and really helped dial in the sound we were going for!

 

Was there a specific moment or experience that influenced the message behind the song?

 

1.  Well I think the 20 year anniversary really was the driver behind the song.  We’ve been doing this for so long and we are not stopping what we are doing so we’ll just run it till the Wheels Fall Off!

 

You’ve been called the ‘voice of the open road.’ How has that identity evolved since your early days, especially now as the highest-selling country group in Canadian country music history?

 

1. Well I think it has always remained the same.  We always wanted to be the soundtrack to the road trip!  The music for the hard working man and woman.  The tunes you crank up when you hit the highway!

 

You’ve toured with artists ranging from Loretta Lynn to Nickelback. How have those very different influences shaped The Road Hammers’ sound over the years?

 

1. I think it’s what makes us unique.  The fact that we blend so many different influences together makes our music stand out.  It’s the reason people always come up to us and say “ I don’t like Country Music, But I love the Road Hammers”

 

With more than 60 million streams and multiple gold and platinum certifications, how do you personally measure success at this stage of your career?

 

• I think now I measure success in longevity.  The music business is a war of attrition and to still be standing after 20 years Hell I want to be doing this for another 20!

“The Till The Wheels Fall Off” tour kicks off right after the single drops. How does this new music translate to the live show, and what can fans expect on this run with Doc Walker?

 

1. Well the new music does exactly what we hoped it would do and that’s blow your hair straight back!  We have dug out a bunch of classics as well as some deep cuts for this tour as well as all the new stuff.  We’ve also worked up some really cool stuff with The Doc Walker boys together thats going to sound amazing.

 

Country-rock continues to blur genre lines. Do you feel more freedom now to experiment sonically than when The Road Hammers first started?

 

1. Oh for sure when we started nobody was doing what we were doing.  Now there are so many great acts pushing the boundaries of the genre Like Blackberry Smoke,

Eric Church, Brothers Osbourne

 

Looking back on your debut album being certified platinum, did you ever imagine the band would still be pushing boundaries and breaking ground years later?

 

1. I don’t think any of us thought we would still be a band after the first record!  This was supposed to be a one off record and then move on but it has eclipsed anything we’ve ever done and it continues to do that.

 

As 2026 begins, what excites you most about the road ahead for The Road Hammers; new music, touring, or something fans might not expect yet?

 

1. The thing that gets me excited the most right now is not only the new Hammer music but being able to release it on our own record Label “SKYSONG RECORDS”  It’s given us a new creative freedom we’ve never had and we can finally call the shots how we want them and get to our fans with no exceptions!