Brad Mates in the lead singer of Canadian Country Band Emerson Drive. Brad joins Country Music Made Me to discuss what he learned as a kid watching his Dad perform in his own local Country Music outfit "The Swinging Doors", the importance of the eleventh grade talent show when he jumped on stage to perform for the first time, and how the band was formed after he began jamming with other like minded musicians in his school. Brad and Brendan talk about the bands early days when they would play any show they could, how that benefited them after their move to Nashville, and what it was like to sign a major label record deal with DreamWorks in his early 20's. Brad explains what it was like to have their song "Moments" climbing the charts and hitting #1 as they were dealing with label issues, why they were content with taking a step back and slowing down their career in order to spend more time with their families, and how they were able to manage their career in a way that created longevity rather than simply chasing success. Finally, Brad talks about the group's latest single "Every Girl That Got Away", what the process is like in choosing their new music, and the positive view he continues to have on his career moving forward.