Growing up in the country, at the edge of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Dean started at a very young age to appreciate the rural way of life. He spent a significant part of his childhood involved in country fairs, 4-H, fishing, hunting and splitting firewood, and in his spare time began playing guitar and writing songs.
At the age of 16, Dean did what most other boys did around town and started working at the local sawmill after school and on weekends, eventually becoming a full time employee. But after years of working and writing on the side, Dean knew that to move forward with music he had to move on to Nashville. So in March of 2004, he loaded up a U-haul, hit the I-15 into Montana and began the 2500 mile trek to Tennessee.
After 2 years with a Music Row publishing company, Dean got the news that his contract and US work permit would not be renewed. He and his family moved back to Canada. A year later, after pursuing deals and watching doors slowly close, Dean started looking for work at the local mines. "It was a sobering time in our lives, having tried so hard - and come so close," Dean says, "But we knew I had to find a solid job to look after our family." So he and his wife drove up to a mining town to find a place to live and made the decision to move - letting the dream of a career in country music go. The following day Dean made the call to friend and producer Matt Rovey to give him the news, but Matt had some news of his own... producer Keith Stegall, (Alan Jackson and George Jones) wanted to sign him to Broken Bow Records! Dean once again hit the I-15 into Montana and moved his family back to Nashville. He is now working on his first album with the label.
Favorites: Fly-fishing, hangin with friends and family, long drives and football
Movies: Open Range, Gladiator
Food: Jim & Nick's barbecue and sweet tea
Little Known Fact:
*Dean lived 4 hours from the nearest football program when he was a child, but always dreamed of playing pro football. "I began punting in the 4th grade because I knew that was the one thing I could do without being coached. I used to punt back and forth over our 3 story farmhouse and out in the horse pasture hoping someday I'd get the chance to play." When he was 19, he went to a walk-on tryout and made a semi-pro team...
