Most of you know that I’ve been working with Josh for a couple of years now, since just before the release of “To The Wind” way back in the spring of 2020. Since then the pressure has been on to find, not just the next single but, the next single worthy of releasing. Over the past two years there have been a few that really stuck with us but with the pandemic and Josh’s work / travel schedule in western Canada it was almost impossible for him to get into the studio with his producer, Jason Barry. In the end it was thanks to his work / travel schedule that an opportunity came up for Josh to connect with Ches Anthony on his way home last fall…Boondocks is the musical love child of that meeting.
I first met Ches Anthony shortly after the JUNO Awards came to Ottawa. We struck up a fast friendship and a few years later, as Ches was embarking on his solo career, he reached out and asked if I’d be willing to help with some marketing and publicity to help kick things off. Never one to stray from a challenge I agreed. We worked together on his debut single “Written In Stone” and through Ches’ success the marketing side of SCE was born.
Officially launched the marketing division in March 2020…yes I know a global pandemic also launched in March 2020…and later that same month I get a call from New Brunswick out of the blue. On the other end of the phone I hear “hey this is Josh Norrad, I’m a musician down here in New Brunswick and I’m getting ready to release a single that was produced by Jason Barry and features members of Dean Brody’s band…I’ve been told you might be able to help me release it.” Little did we know that in the months and years that would follow Josh would not only become a client but also an honest to goodness member of my family.
When Josh recorded himself performing “Boondocks” in the grain silo, in true Hunter Brothers fashion, last year I asked him if he had ever considered recording and releasing a cover while we continue looking for that key song. At the time he told me “not a chance” and basically that he’d rather release something original when the timing was right. (after having him up to the Brockville area twice to perform I knew the world needed new music from Josh Norrad so I kept pushing him).
It wasn’t until his trip home to New Brunswick from the farm in BC this fall that suddenly the opportunity to jump into the studio with Ches came up. Only in order to go into a studio and record you need a song to record…somewhere in the conversation it came up that “well you know I have this cover of Boondocks that did really well on social media and Hendrik keeps saying I should record it so why don’t we give that one a try” (I’m sure the conversation went exactly like that lol).
One thing about Josh is that he’s a giant kid at heart and when he gets excited about something he can’t wait to spill it and tell everyone lol. I remember getting this Facetime call one evening from Josh. When I answered the call it wasn’t just Josh on the other end it was Josh and Ches, you could tell the two of them were up to something as they both kinda had that look you get when you get caught taking a cookie out of the cookie jar when you’re not supposed to. They gave a quick update on things there were doing and told me that they had recorded “Boondocks”, you might be familiar with Ches Anthony as an artist but he’s also an incredible producer so I knew that something magical would come out of that session.
Josh Norrad, Happy Green Acres. August 2020 photo Ron Pettitt
It was only a week or two after that Josh messaged me again saying he got the first cut from Ches, I knew it was good before I listened to it because Josh was excited about it. The song was then sent on to Brent Farva to get a bit more polish and boy when we got it back from Brent the level of excitement went from excitement to EXCITEMENT. At this point we just couldn’t wait for this song to get out there and be heard…but even through all of this Josh was still hesitant in releasing a cover. But you know how many artists had their breakthrough with a cover song? Chris Stapleton, Darius Rucker, Luke Bryan, Garth Brooks, Leanne Rimes, heck even Reba (did you know that her smash hit Fancy was a cover? The song was a Top 30 hit in 1970 for Bobbie Gentry). And this list only includes country artists and is far from complete.
So today it’s out there, the world can finally hear “Boondocks” the Canadian version. If I wasn’t sitting in a hotel room in Edmonton where it’s -500 outside I’d say the song of the summer is here so since I can’t say that I’ll just leave you with Josh’s own words about what Boondocks means to him: “The song “Boondocks” takes me back to not only my time as a child, but my life in general. My home is IN me wherever I go. I always think of getting the canoe out on the river, jumping in the river, 4 wheeling, camping, fires, spinning tires, it is all a part of our culture, and that makes us who we are. “Boondocks” is not just a song to me; it is who I am.
Josh Norrad’s Boondocks isn’t just the song of the summer, it’s the song we need to hear right now. It’s the cover we all never knew we needed and I’m touched to have been part of the process to bring it to you all. I’ve included the Spotify track below but it you click here you’ll find links to other popular streaming sites that have the song so pick your favourite and let’s all take a trip down to the “Boondocks” together!
