Dusty Road

Websites:  No
Origin: Guelph, Ontario → Calgary, Alberta, 🇨🇦
Biography:

Formed in Ontario in the mid-1970s, Dusty Road was a Canadian country and country-rock trio featuring John K. Gulley (lead electric, classical, and rhythm guitars, vocals), Brian J. Callan (drums, vocals), and Leslie R. Childs (bass, vocals). They were joined on their recordings by Bob Lucier (steel guitar, dobro) and Paul Hoffert (piano). All three members sang lead, giving the group a distinctive vocal versatility.

Gulley, born in Stayner, ON, began playing guitar at fourteen, inspired by his musically inclined family and their bluegrass leanings. By 1970, he was performing with the Top 40 group Gulley, Smith & Brewer at the Arlington Tavern in Collingwood, showcasing his Chet Atkins–style guitar work and original material. Bassist Les Childs had played with Gulley in Alfie Fromager’s band, while Brian Callan, originally from Durham, ON, had built his reputation with local groups, TV work, and one-nighters before joining the trio.

The group formed Dusty Road after Gulley’s stint with Rick Travis & California Country, securing booking representation from Marilynne Caswell. All three members were seasoned musicians, having shared stages with Glen Campbell, Hank Snow, Marty Robbins, Roy Clark, Tanya Tucker, and Charley Pride.

In 1976, after impressing Thunderbird Recordings head Jim Allison, Dusty Road signed to the label and recorded their self-titled debut album at Thunder Sound Studios in Toronto with producer Fred McKenna. The LP blended originals by Gulley, Childs, and Callan with songs by Fred McKenna, Jimmie Rodgers, and Charles Nobley, ranging from straight-ahead country to more contemporary country-rock. McKenna praised them as “one of the most refreshing, vibrant and energetic units I have ever had the privilege to work with… They have that ‘youth – talent – versatility.’”

Dusty Road’s debut was released in the fall of 1976, with the title track and “Fortune and Fame” among the standouts. The group toured extensively across Canada, sometimes backing artists such as Orville Prophet and Honey West, and made a television appearance on The George Hamilton IV Show.

By 1977, internal changes and Gulley’s departure for Whiskey River brought the original lineup to an end, despite industry interest and a potential Juno nomination. Childs and Callan continued with different configurations of Dusty Road into the 1980s, moving to Calgary and performing both country and Top 40 rock under the Dusty Road name or as The Moostachio Bros.

Leslie R. Childs passed away on February 13, 2020, in Owen Sound, ON, at the age of 69.
-Robert Williston