The Washboard Union is a Canadian country music group from Vancouver, British Columbia led by principal members David Roberts, Aaron Grain (aka Brett Ellis) and Chris Duncombe.
Biography Aaron Grain and Chris Duncombe met in Kelowna, British Columbia at age 15 when Duncombe's father began dating Grain's mother. Duncombe and Grain eventually moved to Vancouver, where they met David Roberts, who was living in a Point Grey mansion. The three began writing and singing together. They originally performed under the name Run GMC. Their debut album, The Washboard Union, was released in 2012 and produced by Garth Richardson and Bob Ezrin.
In January 2015, The Washboard Union recorded an extended play, In My Bones, at RCA Studio A in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Trey Bruce. It was released by Slaight Music/Warner Music Canada on July 10, 2015. The first single, "Some Day", went top 40, and the second and third singles, "Maybe It's the Moonshine" and "Shot of Glory", reached the top 10 and top 5 respectively on the Billboard Canada Country chart. In October 2015, The Washboard Union won the British Columbia Country Music Association Award for Roots Canadiana of the Year.
The Washboard Union's next album, What We're Made Of, was produced by Matt Rovey (Zac Brown Band, Dean Brody) in Nashville and Jeff "Diesel" Dalziel in Toronto and Vancouver over the winter of 2017/18. The album's first single, "Shine", was the band's third Top Ten Country Radio hit which they performed live on the Canadian Country Music Awards and walked away with a CCMA Award for 2017 Roots Artist of the Year.
In 2018, the group performed in Liverpool, Nova Scotia at the Queens Place Emera Centre."The best Nova Scotia concerts of 2018". Chronicle Herald, Stephen Cooke, Dec 20, 2018 On November 22, 2019, The Washboard Union released "Country Thunder" as the leadoff single to their third studio album, Everbound, which was released on April 24, 2020. The album's second single was "Dock Rock," followed by "If She Only Knew" and "Never Run Outta Road."
In 2023, the band released their single "I Run on Country" as part of a new distribution partnership with Universal Music Canada.
In 2026, the band signed with indie label Arts & Crafts in Canada, and with ABC Music for Australia and New Zealand.
Discography Studio albums Title Details The Washboard Union Release date: June 26, 2012 Label: self-released Formats: CD, digital download What We're Made Of Release date: April 20, 2018 Label: Warner Music Canada Formats: CD, digital download EverboundRelease date: April 24, 2020 Label: Warner Music Canada Formats: CD, digital download WesterlyRelease date: July 12, 2024 Label: Washboard Union Productions Inc. Formats: Digital download
Extended plays Title Details In My Bones Release date: July 10, 2015 Label: Slaight Music/Warner Music Canada Formats: CD, digital download
Singles Year Title Peakpositions Certifications Album CANCountry"She Gets Me": "I Run on Country": "Gather Round": "Band on Her T-Shirt": "Somebody to Love": "Whisky Wings": 2015 "Some Day" 38 In My Bones "Maybe It's the Moonshine" 10 2016 "Shot of Glory" 5 MC: Platinum "Head Over Heels" 19 2017 "Shine" 9What We're Made Of 2018 "Feel Like That" 11 2019 "She Gets Me" 16 MC: GoldEverbound "Country Thunder" 2 MC: Gold 2020 "Dock Rock" 9 MC: Gold "If She Only Knew" 33 2021 "Never Run Outta Road" 17 2023 "I Run on Country" 14Westerly "Gather Round" 34 2024 "Band on Her T-Shirt" 17 2025 "Somebody to Love" 26 rowspan="2" 2026 "Whisky Wings" 37
Christmas singles Year Single Peak positions Album CAN Country 2021 "Feliz Navidad" 46 align="left"
Music videos Year Video Director 2015 "Some Day" Emma Higgins "Maybe It's the Moonshine" Stefan Berrill 2016 "Shot of Glory" "Head Over Heels" 2017 "Shine" Travis Nesbitt 2018 "What We're Made Of" Stephano Barberis "Feel Like That" Joel Stewart 2019 "She Gets Me" "Country Thunder"Stephano Barberis 2021 "If She Only Knew" "Never Run Outta Road"
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominee/Work Result Ref 2014 BCCMA Roots Canadiana of the Year The Washboard Union 2015 Album of the Year In My Bones Group Duo of the Year The Washboard Union Roots Canadiana of the Year Songwriter of the Year Single of the Year "Some Day" Video of the Year 2016 CCMA Awards Roots Artist of the Year The Washboard Union Rising Star Group or Duo of the Year CMT Video of the Year "Maybe It’s the Moonshine" BCCMA Group Duo of the Year The Washboard Union Roots Canadiana of the Year Entertainer of the Year Fans Choice Award Songwriter of the Year "Maybe It’s the Moonshine" Single of the Year Video of the Year 2017 Canadian Radio Music Awards Best New Group or Solo Artist: Country BCCMA SOCAN Songwriter of the Year "Head Over Heels" Single of the Year Fan Choice The Washboard Union Website of the Year Gaylord Wood Traditional Country Award/Roots Country Award Western Canadian Music Awards Country Artist of the Year The Washboard Union CCMA Group Duo of the Year Roots Artist or Group of the Year 2018 CCMA Album of the Year What We're Made Of Group or Duo of the Year The Washboard Union Roots Artist or Group of the Year 2019 Juno Awards Breakthrough Group of the Year - The Washboard Union CCMA Group or Duo of the Year The Washboard Union Roots Album of the Year What We're Made Of 2020 2020 Canadian Country Music Awards Group or Duo of the Year The Washboard Union Roots Album Of The Year Everbound Video Of The Year "Country Thunder" 2021 2021 Canadian Country Music Awards Group or Duo of the Year The Washboard Union 2024 Canadian Country Music Association Group or Duo of the Year The Washboard Union 2025 Canadian Country Music Association Group or Duo of the Year The Washboard Union
Tours Headlining 2017 Dates: Rockin' River Music Fest in Merrit, BC; 2018 Dates: July 12 in Calgary, AB at Calgary Stampede;"Nashville North 2018" Country 105 2019 Dates: May 8 in Halifax NS; May 10 in Moncton, NB; May 12 in St. John's, NL; August 2 in Lake Cowichan BC.
Supporting Happy Endings World Tour (2018) with Old Dominion (Western Canada Only)
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