Songwriters Shotgun Jimmie and Dick Morello spent several years playing together in Toronto indie scene bands (The Janitors, Drummer) before reuniting in the Canadian north for a summer of heartbreak and hard labour. In the summer of 2003 the pair found themselves in Dawson City, Yukon, where they washed dishes in local restaurants by day and made music in the local taverns by night. Thus was born Shotgun and Jaybird, whose first CD - The Dawson Towne Recordings - on a 4-track in a tiny log cabin with no running water.

Entering 2005 with a new lineup (Paul Henderson on drums, Julie Doiron on bass & vocals), the band worked hard writing new songs and playing as many live shows as possible. Festival shows in '05 include Stereophonic in Sackville, North by North End in Halifax, the Dawson City Music Festival and Pop!Montreal where the band shared the stage and songs with Jagjaguwar/Endearing recording artist Julie Doiron, Other highlights from '05 included several shows with Chad Van Gaalen, Jon Rae & The River and Julie Doiron. Late in the year Julie joined the band on bass guitar and vocals and added vocals on the latest recording the "There Are Days and Then There Are Days" EP.