By battlefordsNOW

N.B. drummer enjoying success with High Valley

Oct 10, 2017 | 6:00 PM

A North Battleford area musician is making a name for himself south of the border these days, playing with the band High Valley.

Drummer Andrew Hemmerling decided to moved to Nashville with his wife Cheilon, also from North Battleford, in June 2016 to work with the band.

The 29-year-old has been playing with brothers Brad and Curtis Rempel from Alberta, for six years now.

“When they signed the record deal, they got busy enough that we had to be down here,” he said.

“We decided we kind of had to be here. We are playing so much that I’d either have to be here full-time, or we’d have to commute and plane tickets would add up pretty fast,” he said with a laugh.

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While he misses family in North Battleford, Hemmerling said he enjoys living in Nashville, and calls it “a happening city.”

He said he and his wife are able to keep in touch with family via the internet and FaceTime.

Gospel start

Hemmerling started off playing with his family’s gospel band Canada’s Double Portion. He later went on to co-found the Christian alternative rock band Cities Under Fire.

High Valley continues to stay busy. The group performed in Europe last February and will start the first U.S. headline tour in about a week.

“I’ve been able to play the Grand Ole Opry with them four times in the last year,” Hemmerling said. “In January we played on the Today show in New York City.”

The band was recently nominated for duo of the year in the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) awards ceremony in Saskatoon. 

“We kicked off the awards show with a song,” Hemmerling added. “I just love that I’m able to do something that I love, and enjoy doing.”

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow