Since graduating from Bonnyville Centralized High School, local boy Clayton Bellamy has made a name for himself in country music. He traded in the Bonnyville Opry's stage for country super group The Road Hammers, touring the world, picking up numerous awards, and taking over the radio waves. Despite it all, however, he has stayed an Albertan country boy at heart, even after relocating to Nashville, Tennessee.
"I loved growing up in Bonnyville," he said. "Of all the places I've travelled around the world playing music, I don't think I've found a place that beats Bonnyville."
After leaving Bonnyville, Bellamy first went to Red Deer and graduated from Red Deer College.
Then, "I sold everything that I owned and made my first record and hit the road at 19 years old," he said.
It was a gamble that paid off and he credits part of his success to being born and raised a local boy.
"I think that's what gave me the basis for all the stories that I tell and gave me the heart to want to play the kind of music that I play," he explained. "Heartland, roots, country music. Real music for real people."
Besides finding success with The Road Hammers, Bellamy has his solo efforts as well, and has been spending his time over the last year writing songs for acts like Big Sugar and Jason Blaine.
He is also one of the few people to take on Mantracker and come away a winner.
Bellamy and fellow Road Hammer Jason McCoy took on Mantracker in the season premiere of season five in an episode that aired September 6, 2010. The show pits two 'prey' against mantracker Terry Grant, who uses his tracking skills and the help of a local guide to track his prey in a 40-kilometre race through remote locations.
According to Bellamy, it was just another day on the farm - though one he had to train for in advance.
"Being a farm kid, all it was like was playing in the woods when you're a kid," he said. "Mantracker was awesome - winning was even better.
"It was a great experience and I've really been blessed to be in a band like the Road Hammers and have number one selling records and be on crazy TV shows like Mantracker and movies and whatnot. It's been a crazy ride thus far."
Even after finding international success, Bellamy has returned to his Bonnyville roots, playing a show in the area just over a year ago and speaking at the Northern Lights School Division's leadership conference earlier this year. On July 2, he will be previewing material from his new album at Just Country Bar in Cold Lake.
He promises to give the audience a high-energy show, with "lots of rockin' tunes" including those he wrote with The Road Hammers, songs from his new record, and songs he has written for other artists.
"It's like country rock, like Tom Petty meets Steve Earle, those are my influences," he said, laughing. "Anybody who's familiar with The Road Hammers will know exactly what they're getting into."
