“Without risk there’s no reward,” says Dean Brody. “It’s important to be fearless. You need to be persistent. You can’t give up.”

Brody would know. If there’s one thing the Jaffray, BC born singer/songwriter has proven in his career, it’s that he’s not afraid to pull up stakes and risk everything to chase down his dreams. Fair to say that ethic is a good part of the inspiration behind the title to his new record, Trail In Life, the follow up to his 2009 self-titled debut, and first on Open Road Recordings.

“My life’s been kind of a trail – it hasn’t been one spot for thirty years – it’s been a bunch of different places, different memories and different friends. It’s about time passing and reminiscing,” Brody says of the album. “Songs about driving, good old times, good old days and growing up.”

But while Trail In Life may dwell on the good old times Brody remembers so fondly, his own trail in life and pursuit of a career in music has sometimes been a struggle – A ‘one step forward, two steps back’ story of perseverance, dedication and hope that, even if it’s not the focus of his latest batch of songs, lends depth to his music and lyrics. “We’ve moved so much and done so many crazy things,” Brody says, “but each leap of faith has been about the music, and they’ve all been big ones.”

First there was the move to Tennessee in 2004 after landing a 2-year deal with a Nashville based music publisher. Brody wrote plenty, and honed his craft relentlessly, but when the contract ran out he was forced to pack up and head home to Canada; taking shifts at the same sawmill he’d first worked at in high school, looking for permanent work as a miner and preparing to pack in his dreams for good. Instead, on the strength of an eleventh hour call from Nashville based producer and good friend, Matt Rovey and an offer of a deal with Broken Bow Records, Brody turned the car around and headed back to Nashville.

That second attempt at a Nashville career paid off big time: His self-titled debut, and lead single, ‘Brothers’, made an impact at radio in both the US and Canada. And although a waterskiing accident on the Potomac River during his first radio tour required him to undergo extensive reconstructive surgery, Brody persevered.