The Sheepdogs

The Sheepdogs

The Sheepdogs are a Canadian rock and roll band from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, formed in 2006 and active since then. Their line-up includes Ewan Currie on lead vocals and guitar, Ryan Gullen on bass and backing vocals, Sam Corbett on drums and backing vocals, Jimmy Bowskill on guitar, and Shamus Currie on trombone, keyboards and tambourine; other members associated with the group include Ricky Paquette, Leot Hanson and Rusty Matyas. Ewan and Shamus Currie are brothers.

The band plays blues rock, boogie rock, rock and southern rock, and it is known for a sound built around dual guitars, bass and drums, group harmonies and an old-school rock approach. Their early material draws on classic rock influences, and their debut LP, Trying to Grow, is a guitar-driven set of original songs. The title track of that album is used in a province-wide campaign in Saskatchewan.

The Sheepdogs gain wider attention in 2011 when they become the first unsigned band to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone after winning a contest. By then they are already playing festivals, headlining Junofest in 2007, opening for acts including Matt Mays and el Torpedo, and performing at the Saskatoon Centennial Celebration in 2006. They later build an audience across Canada and the United States, and their second album incorporates southern rock and soul elements alongside straightforward rock songs.