biographical info
The Story Of The Divorcees resonates with a lot of younger music fans who have made a return to their country roots.
Alex Madsen, Danny Roy, Denis "Turtle" Arsenault, Brock Gallant, and
Jason "J Byrd" Nicholson came up in the maritime music scene having
played in rock, punk, funk, grunge, and even metal bands.
But their love of country was always just under the surface.
Like many of their maritime friends and family, the back porch was a
prime spot to dig out their flattops and belt out the songs of their
honky tonk heroes late into the night.
It was only a matter of time before the five like-minded small towners
gravitated to each others gigs, parties and barbeques. By 2005, that
coalesced into what is now the The Divorcees.
In a matter of months, rock and roll friends and more than a few
die-hard country folk started filling the bars they were playing.
Before long, they were at The East Coast Music Awards, bringing their
brand of "country" country to an even larger audience.
In the making of their first album (You Ain't Getting My Country) they
had re-discovered a precious part of themselves and were eager to share
it. So, the band hit the road. The same thing happened; generations of
country fans as well as rock and rollers packed in to see their rowdy,
old-school outlaw country show from coast to coast.
Before they knew it, they had crossed the country numerous times,
sharing stages with people like George Canyon, Johnny Reid, Tim McGraw
and Faith Hill, Tim Hus, Corb Lund, Aaron Pritchett, and a host of new
found friends. Casey Clarke was wearing their tour shirts on CMT...and
playing The Divorcees first video for "Red Haired Red Blooded Woman".
Then, in 2008, the East Coast Music Association awarded them Country
Album Of The Year in Alex Madsen's hometown of Fredericton - a grateful
moment of validation after three years of hard work and hard touring.
As of 2009, The Divorcees have completed and are celebrating the
release of their sophmore album, titled "Last Of The Free Men",
produced Josh Finlayson (The Skydiggers) at the Tragically Hip's
Bathouse. They were also thrilled to have their second record mixed at
the legendary Blackbird Studios in Nashville (using components
originally found at Abbey Road) and mastered by Richard Dodd,
associated with artists such as Johnny Cash and Tom Petty.
The Divorcees live for the road, so it's no surprise that they're
almost always heading to the next town. They've just finished a
February-April tour that included The East Coast Music Awards in
Cornerbrook Newfoundland, a western tour of Alberta and British
Columbia and a run through Ontario. They're currently back in the
Maritimes launching their sophmore album with preparations for a summer
tour through Ontario.
The group's excited to hit the Canadian Country Music Awards towards
the end of the summer and raring to cross the border to bring their
brand of outlaw country to their American friends.
For The Divorcees, the next show always beckons.
lineup
Denis "Turtle" Arsenault Bass
Alex Madsen Guitars/Vocals
Brock Gallant main contact
Danny Roy guitars, vocals
Jason "J Byrd" Nicholson Acoustic guitars, vocals
influences
Waylon Jennings
Willie Nelson
Buck Owens
Johnny Cash
Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons
AC DC
KISS