The Washboard Union

The Washboard Union

The Washboard Union is a Canadian country and rock group from Vancouver, British Columbia, made up of Chris Duncombe, Aaron Grain and David Roberts. Grain and Duncombe meet in Kelowna when they are 15, after Duncombe’s father begins dating Grain’s mother. The pair later move to Vancouver, where they meet Roberts, who lives in a Point Grey mansion, and the three begin writing and singing together.

Early name and first album

The group first performs under the name Run GMC. Its self-titled debut album, The Washboard Union, is released in 2012 and produced by Garth Richardson and Bob Ezrin.

In My Bones and chart success

In January 2015, the band records the EP In My Bones at RCA Studio A in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Trey Bruce. It is issued by Slaight Music and Warner Music Canada. The single “Some Day” reaches the top 40, while “Maybe It’s the Moonshine” and “Shot of Glory” reach the top 10 and top 5 respectively on the Billboard Canada Country chart.

Awards and later releases

In October 2015, The Washboard Union wins the British Columbia Country Music Association Award for Roots Canadiana of the Year. Its next album, What We’re Made Of, is produced by Matt Rovey in Nashville and Jeff “Diesel” Dalziel in Toronto and Vancouver over the winter of 2017/18. The first single, “Shine”, is the band’s third Top Ten country radio hit. The group performs the song live at the Canadian Country Music Awards and receives the CCMA Award for 2017 Roots Artist of the Year.

Everbound and later work

In 2018, the band performs in Liverpool, Nova Scotia at the Queens Place Emera Centre. It releases “Country Thunder” in 2019 as the lead single from its third studio album, Everbound, which follows in 2020. The album also includes “Dock Rock”, “If She Only Knew” and “Never Run Outta Road”. In 2023, the band releases “I Run on Country” as part of a new partnership with Universal Music Canada.