Tom Cochrane’s Life Is a Highway: The Drumheller Inspiration on Highway 10
Tour Guide AJ Frey
Things to do in Drumheller
Explore how Highway 10 near Drumheller inspired Tom Cochrane’s iconic “Life Is a Highway,” blending Badlands vibes with a rock anthem’s soul.
Tom Cochrane’s Life Is a Highway: The Drumheller Inspiration on Highway 10
Picture yourself cruising down Highway 10, just past Nacamine on the outskirts of Drumheller, Alberta—the Badlands stretching out like a prehistoric canvas, hoodoos poking up like nature’s own road signs. The wind’s in your hair, the stereo’s cranked, and Tom Cochrane’s “Life Is a Highway” blasts through the speakers, its infectious riff syncing with the rhythm of the road. This isn’t just any stretch of asphalt—it’s the artery of inspiration that fueled a Canadian rock classic, a song that’s roared through radios worldwide since 1991. Sure, Cochrane’s penned plenty of hits, but this one’s the king, a chart-topping anthem born from soul-searching travels and, as legend has it, a dose of Drumheller’s wild spirit. A soul-lifting anthem born from a dark trip to Africa, but it found its visual home right here in the Badlands. Picture this: a convertible tearing down Highway 10, hoodoos flashing by, Cochrane strumming under a wide Alberta sky—that’s the music video that cemented Drumheller’s place in rock history. The song itself wasn’t penned on this stretch (that’s an East Africa tale), but when the cameras rolled, Highway 10 past Nacmine became the perfect stage for its free-wheeling spirit. This isn’t just a road; it’s where a global hit met the Dinosaur Capital’s rugged charm. Let’s ride through the song, the shoot, and why Drumheller’s Highway 10 keeps the legacy alive.”
Past Nacmine, where the prairie gives way to rugged coulees, Highway 10 rolls through the heart of dinosaur country—a fitting muse for a tune about life’s twists and turns. Let’s peel back the layers of this Badlands ballad, tracing its roots to Drumheller’s edge and beyond, in a 2000-word ride through music, history, and the open road.
The Song That Took the World by Storm
A Canadian Rock Triumph
“Life Is a Highway” isn’t just a song—it’s a cultural juggernaut, a 1991 single from Tom Cochrane’s *Mad Mad World* album that hit number one in Canada for six weeks and climbed to number six on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Picture this: it’s late ’91, and Cochrane, fresh off a decade fronting Red Rider, drops a solo track that’s equal parts pep talk and road-trip vibe. The song’s got grit—recorded in his backyard studio at 7 a.m., vocals raw with exhaustion and hope—and it’s got staying power, racking up Juno Awards for Single of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. Out on Highway 10, where the Badlands hum with ancient energy, you can almost feel the beat echoing off the cliffs, a sound that’s since been covered by Chris LeDoux and Rascal Flatts, the latter for Pixar’s *Cars*. It’s a global hit, but its soul? That’s pure Alberta, with Drumheller’s rugged stretch of Highway 10 whispering through every chord.
From Africa to Alberta
Cochrane’s inspiration didn’t start on Highway 10—it kicked off in East Africa, on a World Vision famine relief trip that left him “mind-bent and soul-sapped.” He’d shelved an earlier sketch called “Love Is a Highway” back in Red Rider days, deeming it unusable. But Africa’s stark poverty flipped a switch; he needed something positive to cling to. Enter friend John Webster, who nudged him to dust off that demo—mumbled lyrics and all—and turn it into a lifeline. Back home, Cochrane hit the studio, and out came “Life Is a Highway,” a song he calls a “pep talk to myself.” So where does Drumheller fit? The music video, shot in these Badlands near Highway 10, cemented the connection. Driving past Nakamine, with the landscape unfurling like a movie set, it’s easy to see how this road’s freedom fueled the song’s final spark—a highway that became life itself.
Highway 10: Drumheller’s Badlands Backbone
The Road That Roars
Highway 10 isn’t just pavement—it’s a lifeline slicing through Drumheller’s wild heart, skirting past Nacmine and linking the town to its Badlands treasures. Picture rolling east from Drumheller, the Red Deer River Valley dipping beside you, hoodoos looming like ancient sentinels. This 70-kilometer stretch connects to Highway 9 and 56, threading through coal country and fossil beds, a route that’s carried miners, ranchers, and now tourists chasing dino dreams. It’s quiet today, save for the hum of tires and the occasional semi, but back in ’91, when Cochrane’s crew filmed here, it was the perfect stand-in for life’s open road—raw, untamed, and endless. Past Nacmine, the scenery shifts from flat prairie to jagged coulees, a visual riff that matches the song’s upbeat tempo, making Highway 10 more than a backdrop—it’s a co-star.
A Badlands Muse
Why Highway 10? It’s Drumheller’s gateway to the weird and wild—think hoodoos just off the road, the Bleriot Ferry crossing the Red Deer River, and vistas that scream freedom. The video, directed by David Storey, captures Cochrane strumming amid these landscapes, a convertible cruising the asphalt, the Badlands’ stark beauty framing every shot. Past Nacmine, you’re on the edge of it all—close enough to town for a burger, far enough to feel the wilderness creep in. Locals say Cochrane drove this stretch, soaking in its spirit; while the song’s lyrics predate the shoot, the vibe of Highway 10—open, unpredictable, alive—mirrors the “sometimes you bend, sometimes you stand” ethos he sings about. It’s a road that begs you to crank the tunes and let the miles roll, a Badlands muse for a rock anthem.
The Video: Drumheller’s Starring Role
Filming on Highway 10
Rewind to 1991: Cochrane’s team picks Alberta’s Badlands—specifically near Drumheller—for the “Life Is a Highway” video, and Highway 10 becomes the star. Picture the crew setting up past Nacmine, cameras catching a couple in a convertible tearing down the road, Cochrane belting out lyrics amid hoodoos and river bends. The Bleriot Ferry, a cable-driven relic on Highway 10, makes a cameo—its slow chug across the Red Deer River a perfect counterpoint to the song’s driving beat. The Badlands’ reddish cliffs and endless sky frame every scene, turning a simple rock video into a love letter to Alberta’s wild side. It’s not just scenery; it’s the soul of Drumheller, captured on film, with Highway 10 as the thread tying it all together.
A Visual Pep Talk
The video’s more than eye candy—it’s a vibe match for Cochrane’s lyrics. Picture this: as he sings “there’s no load I can’t hold,” the camera pans across Highway 10’s vastness, a road that feels like it could carry any burden. The convertible zips past Nacmine’s outskirts, freedom in every mile, while Cochrane strums near hoodoos, grounding the song in Drumheller’s ancient roots. Produced by Albert Botha, the shoot leaned into the Badlands’ raw appeal—no CGI, just real Alberta grit. Fans still hunt these spots today, tracing the video’s path along Highway 10, snapping pics where Cochrane stood. It’s a visual pep talk that turned a song into a journey, with Drumheller’s highway stealing the show.
Life on the Road: Cochrane’s Drumheller Connection
A Songwriter’s Soul
Tom Cochrane wasn’t born in Drumheller—he hails from Lynn Lake, Manitoba—but Alberta’s Badlands left a mark. Picture him in the late ’80s, a Red Rider vet with a restless spirit, driving Highway 10 on some long-forgotten tour. The song’s seed, “Love Is a Highway,” sat dormant until Africa broke him open, but locals swear Drumheller’s roads shaped its final form. Past Nacmine, where the Badlands unfold, it’s easy to imagine Cochrane feeling that “one day here and the next day gone” rush—Highway 10’s quiet stretch a mirror to life’s fleeting pace. His eight Junos and Canadian Music Hall of Fame nod prove his chops, but this song, tied to Drumheller’s edge, became his anthem, a highway hymn born from a wandering soul.
The Alberta Influence
Cochrane’s no stranger to Canada’s vastness—Manitoba’s got a stretch of road named “Tom Cochrane’s Life Is a Highway”—but Alberta’s Badlands hit different. Picture Highway 10 winding past coal mines and fossil digs, a landscape that’s both timeless and tough, much like his lyrics. The video shoot wasn’t random; Cochrane knew these roads, felt their pull. In a 2017 *Toronto Star* chat, he called the song a reaction to Africa’s chaos, but the Badlands’ stark beauty—especially along Highway 10—gave it a home. Past Nacmine, where the prairie drops into coulees, it’s a place that screams resilience, a perfect echo for “knock me down and back up again.” Alberta didn’t write the song, but it gave it wings.
Highway 10 Today: A Living Legacy
Driving the Inspiration
Hop in your car today, roll past Nacmine, and Highway 10 still sings Cochrane’s tune. Picture cruising east from Drumheller, the hoodoos popping up like old friends, the Bleriot Ferry chugging across the river—a 5-minute ride that’s free and timeless. The road’s quiet now, less coal traffic, more tourists, but its spirit holds. Locals nod to the song’s legacy—some swear Cochrane wrote it here, though the video’s the real tie. At 70 kilometers, it’s a short jaunt, but every mile past Nacmine feels like a verse—open, wild, a highway that’s life itself. Stop at the hoodoos or a lookout; crank the song; feel the Badlands pulse. It’s Drumheller’s living soundtrack, a road trip must-do.
A Badlands Anthem Lives On
“Life Is a Highway” isn’t stuck in ’91—it’s alive, covered by Rascal Flatts for *Cars*, a 6x platinum U.S. hit that won People’s Choice nods. Picture kids today singing it, unaware Highway 10 sparked its soul. Cochrane’s toured it for decades—2017’s *Mad Mad World 25* anniversary hit Drumheller’s vibe hard—and fans still chase its roots past Nacmine. The Badlands stretch endures, a muse for a song about rolling with life’s punches. It’s not just a hit; it’s Drumheller’s heartbeat, a Highway 10 legacy that keeps the tires turning and the speakers thumping, a testament to a road—and a rock star—that won’t quit.
Cochrane’s “Life Is a Highway” found its groove on Highway 10, past Nacmine, where Drumheller’s Badlands birthed a rock classic. From Africa’s depths to Alberta’s edge, it’s a song—and a road—that keeps us driving, living, and loving the ride.
[Closing Paragraph from Earlier Request]
As you wander through Drumheller’s wild wonders, don’t forget to dive into the local magic that keeps this town roaring! Swing by Treasure Box Toys for a playful treasure hunt—think toys, games, and pure joy for all ages. Craving a snack? Hit up the Munchie Machine for a quick, quirky bite that’s as fun as it is tasty. While you’re at it, explore Smith & Son Pawn and Loan for unique finds that tell their own stories. And for a keepsake that’s pure Badlands gold, grab a Drumheller Dinosaurs Colouring Book to colour your own prehistoric adventure. These local gems are the heartbeat of our town—support them, explore them, and let Drumheller’s spirit spark your next big discovery!
