The Departed (band)

The Departed
Background information
Origin	Yukon, Oklahoma, USA
Genres	Alternative Rock Roots Rock Americana Alternative Country Red Dirt
Years active	2011-present
Labels	Underground Sound
Associated acts	Cross Canadian Ragweed, ZZ Top Jason Boland & the Stragglers Wade Bowen Stoney LaRue Mike McClure Band Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights
Website	thedepartedmusic.com
Members	Cody Canada-Lead Vocals, Jeremy Plato-Bass Guitar, Eric Hansen-Drums
Past members	Dave Bowen, Seth James, Steve Littleton, Chris Doege, Ross Smith

The Departed (also known as Cody Canada and the Departed) is an American Rock/alternative country band. The band was formed in 2011 by Cody Canada, the former lead vocalist and guitarist for Cross Canadian Ragweed after the band broke up in 2010. He was joined by former Ragweed bass guitar player Jeremy Plato, Texas blues rocker Seth James on guitar and co-lead vocals along with drummer Dave Bowen and Steve Littleton on keyboard. The band currently consists of Canada (guitars and vocals), Plato (bass guitar and vocals), and drummer Eric Hansen.

This Is Indian Land

In 2011, with the band billed as Cody Canada & the Departed, the group released their first album in June 2011 titled This Is Indian Land through the band's own record label Underground Sound. The album was dubbed as a tribute album to Oklahoma Red Dirt musicians and some of their best known songs. The band's cover of the Red Dirt Rangers song "Staring Down the Sun", was the only released single from the album. The two most popular songs off the album, "The Ballad of Rosalie" and "Skyline Radio" were both made popular by Oklahoma Red Dirt Musician Tom Skinner.

Adventūs

On August 24, 2012, the band, now billing themselves as simply The Departed, announced through their website and social media that they would release their first original album titled Adventūs the Latin word for Arrival, on November 13, 2012 through Underground Sound. The band completely moved to an alternative rock sound with driving electric guitars and the power vocals of Seth James and Cody Canada. Jeremy Plato also lent his vocals on the track "Hobo." The album released the singles "Worth The Fight", "Prayer For the Lonely", and "Flagpole."

HippieLovePunk

In September 2013, Seth James announced that he intended to leave the band. The parting was amicable as James said: “After three years of great times and great music, I have decided to take a step down as a band member of the Departed. It has been an unbelievable ride and I am so grateful for the support and love along the way. My last show will be November 23 at Gruene Hall. I look forward to supporting these guys alongside you as they continue down the road.”^[1] The band continued performing as a four-piece group.

In 2014, the band finished a new album, titled HippieLovePunk.^[2] The album was released on January 13, 2015, and it debuted at No. 9 on the Top Alternative Country Albums chart, with 4,700 copies sold in the US in its debut week. The sound for the most part was still kept much like the heavy rock sound of Advnetus. ^[3] Cody Canada and The Departed, as they are once again known as, debuted a revamped band lineup at The MusicFest in Steamboat Springs, Colorado on January 8, 2015. Ross Smith, formerly of Wade Bowen's band, took on keyboards and rhythm guitars, while Eric Hansen became the drummer in place of Doege. In late November 2015, the band produced a music video for the song "All Nighter" on HippieLovePunk at John T. Floore's Country Store in Helotes, Texas. The Song and the video was dedicated to the former bass guitar player for Mickey and the Motorcars Mark McCoy, who had passed away in Idaho in 2012 while on vacation. The songs "Inbetweener" and "Easy" were also released singles off the album.

Jeremy Plato And The Departed: In Retrospect

In early 2016 The band announced via social media that they would be releasing an album consisting of covers of classic country songs. This project was named "Jeremy Plato And The Departed: In Retrospect', honoring 60's era Country Music with cuts by Johnny Paycheck, Stonewall Jackson, and Charlie Walker, among others. Bassist Jeremy Plato took the lead vocals and had Canada, Smith, and Hansen as his backing on the project. Reckless Kelly's Cody Braun and Cody Angel of Jason Boland and the Stragglers contributed their instrumentation, as well as Folk singer Jamie Lin Wilson, who sang backup and also was featured on a duet with Plato. Some of the songs that were featured were Country Classics such as "It Won't Be Long (And I'll be hating you)", which has become the most popular song off the album.

3

On April 20, 2018, the band released via social media the single "Lipstick" off their new album "3", set to be released on June 29, 2018 via the Underground Sound Label. Mike McClure, who had produced several of Cross Canadian Ragweed's albums, came back to produce the album. The name of the album comes from the once 5 piece band being cut to a trio. The group became a trio in the early part of 2017 as Ross Smith left and now features Canada, Plato, and Hansen.

Discography

References