The band was formed in 1995 originally known under the name 12 Gauge. The band was forced to change their name because a rap group had already owned the name. They decided to choose Emerson Drive as their name and is named for the Emerson Trail that crosses Western Alberta and joins the Alaskan Highway. They released their debut album "Open Season" in 1996. Their newest album "Decade of Drive" was released on February 8, 2011. They will release their seventh studio album in 2012. The first single, "She's My Kind of Crazy" was released on July 16, 2012.