Biography

Grant Heywood - Currently, Grant is juggling performances with Crackerjack Palace, a 60’s/70’s rock band. As well, Grant continues playing country music with several bands and top recording acts, and some veteran blues players and singers, when he’s not performing his own shows. This latest song, Something Better, was written by Grant, with his good friend, Robert Carlton. It’s an upbeat song of hope that was inspired by the recent, uncertain past couple of years. It’s got a positive hook, and is indicative of many of the songs Grant has written and continues to write. There are many more projects in the works, including some solo efforts Grant will be releasing soon. As Grant says, “I sing with soul & passion, no matter what kind of music I perform. I always give the audience 110 %. It’s what I‘ve been doing my whole life.”

From his hometown in Wingham, Ontario, at age 8, Grant was Canada’s youngest recording artist at that time, touring, making TV appearances, and performing with the Heywood Family. Grant’s Dad, Earl Heywood, was known as Canada’s # 1 singing cowboy and was one of the first to be inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. Grant soon forged his own musical path playing both country, and rock and roll in several bands including performing magic
onstage with his band Wizzard. Eventually, Grant was asked to join the newly reformed, popular group, Major Hooples Boarding House. He wrote, & co-wrote many of the songs on the pop/rock band Major Hoople’s second album, The New Adventures of Hooples. The lead off single Heywood/Lodge song, Late Night Invitation soon became a Top 10 adult contemporary hit & video, The group toured across Canada several times, and was the opening act for Roy Orbison during an Ontario tour. Grant and Major Hooples also performed at Kitchener’s Centre in the Square.

During the early 90’s, Grant spent time as a stay at home dad, with twin girls, but continued penning songs and performing at night. By the late 90’s Grant & the Desert Dolphins band, became new country favourites, with the album Hang of the Heartache, produced by award winning producer, Randall Prescott. The Desert Dolphins were nominated multiple times for the R.P.M. Big Country awards. Grant had a Canadian country Top 10 hit with the self penned song, Dynamite, from the Desert Dolphins album, on the Quality label. Getting credibility was key, so he spent time in Nashville co-writing at Polygram Records for a short time as well, before returning to Canada. Grant continued writing songs and toured with bands throughout Canada and even New York & Vegas.