Red Rider

Red Rider, a Canadian band formed in 1976 in Toronto, blended AOR and new wave to achieve popularity in their home country, where their albums frequently went gold. Despite their success in Canada, Red Rider never broke through in the American music market. In the '80s, intraband tensions and personnel changes led to the band's dissolution as the decade came to a close. Bandleader Tom Cochrane found solo success in the '90s after the group disbanded.

Led by singer/guitarist Tom Cochrane, Red Rider gained attention with their hit debut single "White Hot" in 1979 and went on to release successful albums like 1981's platinum-selling As Far as Siam. Despite their enduring popularity in Canada, the band struggled to make an impact in the U.S. through various lineup changes and musical directions. After several albums and lineup shifts, Red Rider disbanded for good in the late '80s as Cochrane pursued a solo career, which eventually led to his breakthrough American hit "Life Is a Highway" in 1992.