The Cadillac Three Reveal Headbanging Roots With Win at Classic Rock Awards
The Cadillac Three may be busy wrapping up work on their U.S. country debut, but as the old cliché goes, they’re already huge overseas — as a rock band. On Tuesday night, the grunge-country trio was named Best New Band at the Classic Rock Roll of Honour ceremony. Traditionally held in the U.K., the Classic Rock Awards, presented by Classic Rock magazine, relocated to Los Angeles for their 10th annual show, hosted by Sammy Hagar.
Despite a full schedule during CMA Awards week in Nashville for the Cadillac Three’s Jaren Johnston, Kelby Ray and Neil Mason, the group flew across the country to L.A. to attend the show and collect their award, before returning the next day to headline the CMA afterparty of their record label, Big Machine Records. Armed with their chugging new single “Party Like You” and the anthemic ode to their roots, “The South,” the Cadillac Three will set out on a mini-tour of England in December, marking their latest trip across the Atlantic. In July, they performed with Metallica at the U.K. Sonisphere festival.
Johnston told Rolling Stone Country earlier this fall that breaking Europe is a goal of the band. “I think it’s important for us to not ignore that something is happening over there,” he said with regard to their burgeoning popularity. “It’s hard on the body and financially sometimes, but it’s very important to build over there. Cause honestly, nobody [in country music] goes there. I think if we can be that band that does, it’s exciting.”
Other winners at the Classic Rock awards included Gregg Allman, named Living Legend, Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine, as Metal Guru, and Metallica‘s concert film Metallica Through the Never. The ceremony will air on AXS TV on December 28th.