Canada's most popular roots rock band, Blue Rodeo became a veritable institution in their home country, although they never quite moved beyond cult status in the U.S. Their sound was a basic blend of country, folk, and rock, but with a definite pop appeal that underlined their devotion to later-period , in addition to expected touchstones like , , and .
Consistency was the hallmark of Blue Rodeo's output, both in terms of sound (which followed much the same blueprint throughout their career) and quality (thanks to the songwriting team of vocalists/guitarists and ). That, in turn, allowed the band considerable longevity, and they started to earn a whole new audience with the advent of the No Depression movement.
Blue Rodeo was founded in Toronto by its two lead singers, guitarists, and songwriters, and .
The two met in high school and had been playing together since 1977, when they started a punk-influenced band called the HiFis. In 1981, they moved to New York in search of a record deal, and reorganized the band under a new name, Fly to France. Three years of hunting proved fruitless, and the group switched styles several times before and returned to Toronto in 1984.
The following year, they assembled a new band with the idea of returning to organic, guitar-based music in an era dominated by synth-pop. Christened Blue Rodeo, the initial lineup also featured drummer Cleave Anderson, bassist , and keyboardist .
Blue Rodeo quickly became a popular live act on the Toronto scene, which was already geared toward the kind of music the band was playing.
They caught the attention of John Caton's Risque Disque label, which signed them and worked out a distribution deal with Warner's Canadian division. Their 1987 debut album, , was a smash hit in Canada, selling over 200,000 copies (the Canadian equivalent of double platinum) and landing them a slot on tour opening for . The more introspective, socially aware followed in 1989, and it sold even better, not to mention winning the band its first of many Juno Awards.
That same year, they appeared in the Meryl Streep film Postcards From the Edge, but also lost drummer Anderson, who retired from music and was replaced by Mark French. Meanwhile, released his first solo album, In Her Dream: Bob Wiseman Sings Wrench Tuttle.
Moving up from the now-defunct Risque Disque to Warner itself, Blue Rodeo made a promotional push in the United States with their third album, 1990's slightly poppier .
Produced by (of fame), the album was a hit with American critics, but not American record buyers; nonetheless, it still went platinum in Canada. Blue Rodeo returned in 1992 with one of their most acclaimed albums, ; it marked the final appearances of Mark French and , the latter of whom had already completed a second solo record and departed for a highly idiosyncratic career on his own. New drummer , keyboardist James Gray, and steel guitarist Kim Deschamps were all onboard for 1994's folky, largely acoustic .
Recorded at 's rural farmhouse the previous summer, it proved to be one of the band's biggest critical and commercial successes in Canada, introducing a number of fan favorites.
Blue Rodeo's hot streak continued with 1995's , a more eclectic record that re-established the group's connection to '60s psychedelia. The follow-up, 1997's , was a looser, more jam-oriented record that focused on spontaneity over careful songcraft; perhaps as a result, it received mixed reviews.
Meanwhile, issued his first solo album, , that year, and 's own debut, , followed in 1998. Following those side projects, Blue Rodeo issued the double live collection in 1999, and reconvened in the studio for . By the time it was released in 2000 (again to mixed reviews), Kim Deschamps had parted ways with the band, and was replaced by former member .
Following the release of a album in 2001, made his debut on 2002's . The group returned in 2005 with Are You Ready for WEA International. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide multi-instrumentalist Bob Egan.
Keyboardist James Gray recently left the band. Drummers Cleave Anderson and Mark French, keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Kim Deschamps ( , , )are also former band members.
Blue Rodeo is one of the most successful and well known contemporary Canadian bands, having released 10 studio albums, one and Keelor have released solo albums.
Blue Rodeo members have collaborated extensively with other notable Canadian artists, awards, including 7 and 7 awards.
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