Nickelback and Shenandoah Release New Version of 1989 Country Hit

Shenandoah and Nickelback have partnered for a daring cross-genre collaboration that gives a modern twist to Shenandoah's 1989 hit "The Church on Cumberland Road." The song, which was a No. 1 hit in both the U.S. and Canadian country charts, is back with a rock flavor courtesy of Nickelback's frontman Chad Kroeger. The new rendition is respectful of the original song, while Kroeger's modern vocals breathe new life into the track, creating a fusion that pays tribute to the original while introducing it to a new audience.

The project arrives with a fully animated music video produced by Cartuna, which visually recreates the 1989 Shenandoah version and features Kroeger. Shenandoah teased the collaboration on social media earlier this month with the caption "Two worlds collide," signaling a daring fusion of country and rock.

The collaboration seems to have stemmed from informal encounters and sociable discourse between the two bands at festivals, culminating in an exchange of ideas — a cross-genre experiment. This collaboration originally unfolded following a text conversation between Shenandoah lead singer Marty Raybon and Nickelback's Chad Kroeger about the similarities in the music they produced and whether they could swap some things in their live sets.

"First, let me say that it's always a great opportunity to befriend those in the music industry, regardless of the genre," shares Marty Raybon. "Nickleback's Chad Kroeger and I had the chance to talk about their music and ours, and the parallels of some of the tunes that could be swapped out on the setlists. The idea came up, and after a few text messages, we were off and running with what is one of the coolest things we've ever done. Shenandoah and Nickleback. Who would have thunk it."

"We've always had a deep respect for the artists who came before us, and Shenandoah is one of those bands that helped define an era," says Chad Kroeger. "Getting the chance to collaborate with them on 'The Church On Cumberland Road' was an absolute blast. It's a song that feels as vibrant today as it did when it first came out."

The updated track is now available to stream via Shenandoah's official link to "Cumberland Road," along with the animated video on YouTube.