There’s nothing like putting in a hard day’s work – and then having something to show for it! Alvinston, ON-based Celtic-rockers the Mudmen pay tribute to the ultimate sign of hard work in their fun, toe-tapping, raucous ditty “Farmer’s Tan.”
Written by bandmembers Sandy and Robby Campbell in their mother’s old farmhouse, “Farmer’s Tan” features rockin’ guitars juxtaposed with whimsical bagpipes, and the song carries an inspirational message about friends, family, community, and a strong work ethic.
Well, they raised us right, they made us strong,
and they taught us how to get along
That our roots are deep, and promises we keep,
and I’ll roll up my sleeves to show…
“Our mom, Mary Dewar Campbell, is the one who inspired hard work and the one who tried to raise us right,” the Campbell brothers said. “Still to this day, at 80 years old, she has a large garden and gives vegetables to seniors in town and keeps her farm well maintained. She’s a strong person and has likely never missed a day of work in her life.”
The song’s corresponding music video features performances from three different festivals – the Western Fair in London, ON; The Kincardine Scottish Festival; and New Year’s Eve in Ottawa, ON – as well as scenes of folks doing actual farming. It also includes heartwarming shots of fans rolling up their sleeves to “show your farmer’s tan,” which the Mudmen often ask people do at their live shows (kids, especially, love this!).
“Hopefully ‘Farmer’s Tan’ will become a summer anthem and a song people can relate to and have fun with,” The Mudmen said.
Always entertaining and definitely unique, The Mudmen are a blast of Celtic energy whose members are known to be characters both on and off the stage. First discovered in 1993 as The Campbell Brothers, the brothers signed a record deal with EMI Records and changed their name to Mudmen. The Mudmen – consisting of Robby and Sandy Campbell, Colin Amey, Jordon Brosseau, Andy Gingerich, and Alex Showdra – believe that nice guys can finish first, and they believe deeply in connecting with their audiences. Established in 1998, Mudmen will be celebrating their 25th Anniversary in 2023.
At this point, the longstanding Mudmen are a beloved institution. Their music has been featured on Xbox and PlayStation games, NBC’s The Black Donnelly’s, WWE Wrestling, six Don Cherry’s Rock ’Em and Sock ’Em hockey videos, The Mackenzie Brothers’ TWO-FOUR Anniversary Special on CBC, HBO’s Shameless, HNIC Coach’s Corner (a special tribute to Dale Hunter), six music videos on Much Music/MTV, as well as reaching the Top 20 Countdown on Toronto’s 102.1 The Edge radio. In 2008, the Campbell brothers were asked to perform on the new “Hockey Night in Canada” theme song produced by iconic Canadian music producer Bob Rock, whereupon Ron MacLean declared to the nation, “Mudmen, we love ’em!”
