They should be sleeping, but Emerson Drive doesn't have the time.

The six-piece band from Grande Prairie is too busy shining their star south of the border as their first single, I Should be Sleeping, rockets up the charts, cracking the Top 10.

"People are coming out to our shows and singing along ... it's great," says Emerson Drive's lead singer, Brad Mates, 23.

Though this fresh-faced group of twentysomethings may seem like an overnight success story, they are actually road veterans.

It all started during a Grande Prairie high school talent show when Mates, keyboardist Chris Hartman and fiddle player Pat Allingham played together for the first time.

Later they would be joined by Beaverlodge's Jeff Loberg (bass), as well as French Canadians Danick Dupelle (guitar) and Mike Melancon (drums) to form 12-Gauge.

"We've been playing for seven years now," says Mates. "If it wasn't for the club scene, we wouldn't have found Emerson Drive's sound."

Besides helping to define their sound, touring also taught the band to be a concise group.

"It taught us how to live together and that is so important. You have to know when you can have fun and when you can't ..."

Mates says they're all jokers, but admits Hartman and Loberg yuk it up more: "Chris should be on Saturday Night Live. If music doesn't work out, he should go over there."

Mates doesn't lack a funnybone of his own. During an interview with a major U.S. publication, he joked about how the band got its name. After explaining they took the name from a road in Grande Prairie, Emerson Tr., Mates decided to expand on the story a little.

"I started a little rumour ... that Jeff was conceived on Emerson Tr. It exploded after that," laughs Mates.

It was all fun and games until Mates had to face Loberg's parents during a visit home.

"I thought Jeff's dad was going to come after me, but (I avoided him). Thank gawd his mom wasn't there or I'd be dead meat!"

The little white lie can be excused as Emerson Drive has been burdened with dumb questions about their hometown.

Their favourite: "Once (an industry person) asked us if we had cows up in Canada ... some people have no clue."

Mates admits Emerson Drive felt a little clueless after their first visit to Nashville.

"Each year we saved money to come to Nashville. The first time, we were 17 and thought we had it together. We had a big eye-opener -- we had a lot of energy, but we had a lot of work to do."

It was during the fifth visit to Nashville that they secured a booking agent. When they finally got a chance to showcase for some major labels, it all clicked.

"Three labels were interested. It was kinda overwhelming at the time, but as soon as we met Dreamworks it felt right."