Name	Country music
Color	white
Bgcolor	brown
Stylistic origins	Appalachian folk music, maritime folk music, blues, bluegrass, gospel, anglo-celtic music, old-time music
Cultural origins	Early 20th century Atlantic Canada and the Southern United States
Instruments	Guitar - Bass - Electric bass guitar - Dobro - Electric guitar - Steel guitar - Pedal steel guitar - Mandolin - Banjo - Double bass - Fiddle - Piano - Electronic keyboard - Drums - Harmonica - Vocals
Popularity	1920s–present High in Australia, Canada, South Africa (Afrikaners), Brazil and the US, Medium in United Kingdom, Ireland, Scandinavia and New Zealand Low in Asia, Africa, Latin America and mainland Europe.
Derivatives	Rock and roll, dansband, roots rock, southern rock, heartland rock
Subgenrelist	List of country genres
Subgenres	Bakersfield sound - Close harmony - Honky tonk - Jug band - Lubbock sound - Nashville sound - Neotraditional country - Outlaw country - Red Dirt - Western swing - Texas country
Fusiongenres	Alternative country - Country rock - Psychobilly - Rockabilly - Gothabilly - Cowpunk - Country-rap - Country pop - Country soul - Southern soul
Other topics	Country musicians - List of years in country music }}

Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the Southern United States in the 1920s.

The term ''country music'' gained popularity in the 1940s in preference to the earlier term ''hillbilly music''. The term ''country music'' is used today to describe many styles and subgenres.

Harlan Howard stated "Country music is three chords and the truth."

Early history

Immigrants to the Maritime Provinces and Southern Appalachian Mountains of North America brought the music and instruments of the Old World along with them for nearly 300 years. They brought some of their most important valuables with them, and to most of them this was an instrument: “Early Scottish settlers enjoyed the fiddle because it could be played to sound sad and mournful or bright and bouncy” The Irish fiddle, the German derived dulcimer, the Italian mandolin, the Spanish guitar, and the West African banjo were the most common musical instruments. The interactions among musicians from different ethnic groups produced music unique to this region of North America. Appalachian string bands of the early 20th century primarily consisted of the fiddle, guitar, and banjo. This early country music along with early recorded country music is often referred to as old-time music.

According to Bill Malone in ''Country Music U.S.A'', country music was “introduced to the world as a southern phenomenon." In the South, folk music was a combination of cultural strains, combining musical traditions of a variety of ethnic groups in the region. For example, some instrumental pieces from Anglo-British and Irish immigrants were the basis of folk songs and ballads that form what is now known as old time music, from which country music descended. It is commonly thought that British and Irish folk music influenced the development of old time music. British and Irish arrivals to the Southern U.S. included immigrants from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and England.

Often, when many people think or hear country music, they think of it as a creation of European-Americans. However, a great deal of style—and of course, the banjo, a major instrument in most early American folk songs—came from African Americans. One of the reasons country music was created by African-Americans, as well as European-Americans, is because blacks and whites in rural communities in the south often worked and played together, just as recollected by DeFord Bailey in the PBS documentary, ''DeFord Bailey: A Legend Lost''.

Throughout the 19th century, several immigrant groups from Europe, most notably from Ireland, Germany, Spain, and Italy moved to Texas. These groups interacted with Mexican and Native American, and U.S. communities that were already established in Texas. As a result of this cohabitation and extended contact, Texas has developed unique cultural traits that are rooted in the culture of all of its founding communities.

1920s

Local performers from Atlanta and Fort Worth were being played on radio stations in 1922. Along with local performers, barn-dance programs became popular among radio stations as well. Some record companies in Georgia turned away early artists such as Fiddlin' John Carson; while others realized that his music would fit perfectly with the lifestyle of the country's agricultural employees. The first commercial recordings of what was considered country music were "Arkansas Traveler" and "Turkey in the Straw" by fiddlers Henry Gilliland & A.C. (Eck) Robertson on June 30, 1922 for Victor Records. Columbia Records began issuing records with "hillbilly" music (series 15000D "Old Familiar Tunes") as early as 1924.

A year earlier on June 14, 1923, Fiddlin' John Carson recorded "Little Log Cabin in the Lane" for Okeh Records. Vernon Dalhart was the first country singer to have a nationwide hit in May 1924 with "Wreck of the Old '97". The flip side of the record was "Lonesome Road Blues," which also became very popular. In April 1924, "Aunt" Samantha Bumgarner and Eva Davis became the first female musicians to record and release country songs.

Many "hillbilly" musicians, such as Cliff Carlisle, recorded blues songs throughout the decade and into the 30s. Other important early recording artists were Riley Puckett, Don Richardson, Fiddlin' John Carson, Uncle Dave Macon, Al Hopkins, Ernest V. Stoneman, Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers and The Skillet Lickers. The steel guitar entered country music as early as 1922, when Jimmie Tarlton met famed Hawaiian guitarist Frank Ferera on the West Coast.

Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family are widely considered to be important early country musicians. Their songs were first captured at a historic recording session in Bristol on August 1, 1927, where Ralph Peer was the talent scout and sound recordist. A scene in the movie ''O Brother, Where Art Thou? (film)'' depicts a similar occurrence in the same timeframe.

Rodgers fused hillbilly country, gospel, jazz, blues, pop, cowboy, and folk; and many of his best songs were his compositions, including “Blue Yodel”, which sold over a million records and established Rodgers as the premier singer of early country music.

Beginning in 1927, and for the next 17 years the Carters recorded some 300 old-time ballads, traditional tunes, country songs and Gospel hymns, all representative of America's southeastern folklore and heritage.

1930s–1940s

One effect of the Great Depression was to reduce the number of records that could be sold. Radio, and broadcasting, became a popular source of entertainment, and "barn dance" shows featuring country music were started all over the South, as far north as Chicago, and as far west as California.

The most important was the ''Grand Ole Opry'', aired starting in 1925 by WSM-AM in Nashville to the present day. Some of the early stars on the ''Opry'' were Uncle Dave Macon, Roy Acuff and African American harmonica player DeFord Bailey. WSM's 50,000 watt signal (1934) could often be heard across the country,

Many musicians performed and recorded songs in any number of styles. Moon Mullican, for example, played Western swing, but also recorded songs that can be called rockabilly. Between 1947 and 1949, country crooner Eddy Arnold placed eight songs in the top 10.

Singing cowboys and Western swing

During the 1930s and 1940s, cowboy songs, or Western music, which had been recorded since the 1920s, were popularized by films made in Hollywood. Some of the popular singing cowboys from the era were Gene Autry, the Sons of the Pioneers and Roy Rogers.

And it wasn't only cowboys; cowgirls contributed to the sound in various family groups. Patsy Montana opened the door for female artists with her history making song "I Want To Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart". This would begin a movement toward opportunities for women to have successful solo careers.

Bob Wills was another country musician from the Lower Great Plains who had become very popular as the leader of a “hot string band,” and who also appeared in Hollywood Westerns. His mix of country and jazz, which started out as dance hall music, would become known as Western swing. Spade Cooley and Tex Williams also had very popular bands and appeared in films. At its height, Western swing rivaled the popularity of other big band jazz.

Changing instrumentation

Drums were scorned by early country musicians as being "too loud" and "not pure," but by 1935 Western swing big band leader Bob Wills had added drums to the Texas Playboys. In the mid 1940s, the Grand Ole Opry did not want the Playboys’ drummer to appear on stage. Although drums were commonly used by rockabilly groups by 1955, the less-conservative-than-the-Grand Ole Opry ''Louisiana Hayride'' kept its infrequently used drummer back stage as late as 1956. By the early 1960s, however, it was rare that a country band didn't have a drummer.

Bob Wills was one of the first country musicians known to have added an electric guitar to his band, in 1938. A decade later (1948) Arthur Smith achieved top 10 US country chart success with his MGM Records recording of "Guitar Boogie", which crossed over to the US pop chart, introducing many people to the potential of the electric guitar. For several decades Nashville session players preferred the warm tones of the Gibson and Gretsch archtop electrics, but a “hot” Fender style, utilizing guitars which became available beginning in the early 1950s, eventually prevailed as the signature guitar sound of country.

Hillbilly boogie

Country musicians began recording boogie in 1939, shortly after it had been played at Carnegie Hall, when Johnny Barfield recorded "Boogie Woogie." The trickle of what was initially called hillbilly boogie, or okie boogie (later to be renamed country boogie), became a flood beginning in late 1945. One notable release from this period was the Delmore Brothers' "Freight Train Boogie," considered to be part of the combined evolution of country music and blues towards rockabilly. In 1948, Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith achieved top ten US country chart success with his MGM Records recordings of "Guitar Boogie" and "Banjo Boogie," with the former crossing over to the US pop charts. Other country boogie artists included Merrill Moore and Tennessee Ernie Ford. The hillbilly boogie period lasted into the 1950s and remains one of many subgenres of country into the 21st century.

Bluegrass, folk and gospel

By the end of World War II, "mountaineer" string band music known as bluegrass had emerged when Bill Monroe joined with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, introduced by Roy Acuff at the Grand Ole Opry. Gospel music, too, remained a popular component of country music. Red Foley, the biggest country star following World War II, had one of the first million-selling gospel hits ("Peace In The Valley") and also sang boogie, blues and rockabilly.

In the post-war period, country music was called "folk" in the trades, and "hillbilly" within the industry. In 1944, ''The Billboard'' replaced the term "hillbilly" with "folk songs and blues," and switched to "country" or "country and Western" in 1949.

Honky tonk

Another type of stripped down and raw music with a variety of moods and a basic ensemble of guitar, bass, dobro or steel guitar (and later) drums became popular, especially among poor white southerners. It became known as honky tonk and had its roots in Texas. Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys personified this music which has been described as "a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, a little bit of black and a little bit of white...just loud enough to keep you from thinking too much and to go right on ordering the whiskey." East Texan Al Dexter had a hit with "Honky Tonk Blues," and seven years later "Pistol Packin' Mama". These "honky tonk" songs associated barrooms, were performed by the likes of Ernest Tubb, Ted Daffan, Floyd Tillman, and the Maddox Brothers and Rose, Lefty Frizzell and Hank Williams, would later be called "traditional" country. Williams' influence in particular would prove to be enormous, inspiring many of the pioneers of rock and roll, such as Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis, as well as Chuck Berry and Ike Turner, while providing a framework for emerging honky tonk talents like George Jones. Webb Pierce was the top-charting country artist of the 1950s, with 13 of his singles spending 113 weeks at number one. He charted 48 singles during the decade; 31 reached the top ten and 26 reached the top four.

1950s–1960s

By the early 1950s a blend of Western swing, country boogie, and honky tonk was played by most country bands, but a new style was about to become popular.

Rockabilly

Rockabilly was most popular with country fans in the 1950s, and 1956 could be called the year of rockabilly in country music. Rockabilly was a mixture of rock-and-roll and hillbilly music. During this period Elvis Presley converted over to country music. He played a huge role in the music industry during this time. The number two, three and four songs on ''Billboard's'' charts for that year were Elvis Presley, "Heartbreak Hotel"; Johnny Cash, "I Walk the Line"; and Carl Perkins, "Blue Suede Shoes".

Cash and Presley placed songs in the top 5 in 1958 with No. 3 "Guess Things Happen That Way/Come In, Stranger" by Cash, and No. 5 by Presley "Don't/I Beg Of You." Presley acknowledged the influence of rhythm and blues artists and his style, saying "The colored folk been singin' and playin' it just the way I'm doin' it now, man for more years than I know." But he also said, "My stuff is just hopped-up country." Within a few years, many rockabilly musicians returned to a more mainstream style or had defined their own unique style.

Country music gained national television exposure through ''Ozark Jubilee'' on ABC-TV and radio from 1955–1960 from Springfield, Missouri. The program showcased top stars including several rockabilly artists, some from the Ozarks. As Webb Pierce put it in 1956, "Once upon a time, it was almost impossible to sell country music in a place like New York City. Nowadays, television takes us everywhere, and country music records and sheet music sell as well in large cities as anywhere else."

The late 1950s saw the emergence of the Lubbock sound, but by the end of the decade, backlash as well as traditional artists such as Ray Price, Marty Robbins, and Johnny Horton began to shift the industry away from the rock n' roll influences of the mid-50s.

The Nashville and countrypolitan sounds

Beginning in the mid 1950s, and reaching its peak during the early 1960s, the Nashville sound turned country music into a multimillion-dollar industry centered in Nashville, Tennessee. Under the direction of producers such as Chet Atkins, Owen Bradley, and later Billy Sherrill, the sound brought country music to a diverse audience and helped revive country as it emerged from a commercially fallow period.

This subgenre was notable for borrowing from 1950s pop stylings: a prominent and "smooth" vocal, backed by a string section and vocal chorus. Instrumental soloing was de-emphasized in favor of trademark "licks". Leading artists in this genre included Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves and Eddy Arnold. The "slip note" piano style of session musician Floyd Cramer was an important component of this style.

Nashville's pop song structure became more pronounced and it morphed into what was called countrypolitan. Countrypolitan was aimed straight at mainstream markets and it sold well throughout the later 1960s into the early 1970s. Top artists included Tammy Wynette and Charlie Rich.

Country soul - crossover

In 1962, Ray Charles surprised the pop world by turning his attention to country and western music, topping the charts and rating number three for the year on ''Billboard's'' pop chart with the "I Can't Stop Loving You" single, and recording the landmark album ''Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music''.

The Bakersfield sound

Another genre of country music grew out of hardcore honky tonk with elements of Western swing and originated north-northwest of Los Angeles in Bakersfield, California. Influenced by one-time West Coast residents Bob Wills and Lefty Frizzell, by 1966 it was known as the Bakersfield sound. It relied on electric instruments and amplification, in particular the Telecaster electric guitar, more than other subgenres of country of the era, and can be described as having a sharp, hard, driving, no-frills, edgy flavor. Leading practitioners of this style were Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Tommy Collins, Dwight Yoakam, Gary Allan, and Wynn Stewart, each of whom had his own style.

Country rock

The late 1960s in American music produced a unique blend as a result of traditionalist backlash within separate genres. In the aftermath of the British Invasion, many desired a return to the "old values" of rock n' roll. At the same time there was a lack of enthusiasm in the country sector for Nashville-produced music. What resulted was a crossbred genre known as country rock.

Early innovators in this new style of music in the 60s and 70s included Bob Dylan who was the first to revert to country music with his 1967 album John Wesley Harding followed by rock n' roll icon band The Byrds (Gram Parsons on "Sweethearts of the Rodeo") and its spin-off The Flying Burrito Brothers (also featuring Gram Parsons), guitarist Clarence White, Michael Nesmith (Monkees and First National Band), the Grateful Dead, Neil Young, Commander Cody, The Allman Brothers, The Marshall Tucker Band, Poco, Buffalo Springfield, and The Eagles among many. The Rolling Stones also got into the act with songs like "Honky Tonk Women" and "Dead Flowers".

Described by Allmusic as the "father of country-rock", Gram Parsons' work in the early '70s was acclaimed for its purity and for his appreciation for aspects of traditional country music. Though his career was cut tragically short by his 1973 death, his legacy was carried on by his mentee and duet partner Emmylou Harris; Harris would release her debut solo in 1975, an amalgamation of country, rock and roll, folk, blues and pop.

Subsequent to the initial blending of the two polar opposite genres, other offspring soon resulted, including Southern rock, heartland rock and in more recent years, alternative country.

In the decades that followed, artists such as Juice Newton; Alabama; Hank Williams, Jr.; Gary Allan; Shania Twain; Brooks & Dunn; Faith Hill; Garth Brooks; Dwight Yoakam; Steve Earle; Dolly Parton; Rosanne Cash and Linda Ronstadt moved country further towards rock influence.

1970s–1980s

Outlaw country

Derived from the traditional and honky tonk sounds of the late 1950s and 1960s, including Ray Price (whose band, the "Cherokee Cowboys", included Willie Nelson and Roger Miller) and mixed with the anger of an alienated subculture of the nation during the period, outlaw country revolutionized the genre of country music.

"After I left Nashville (the early 70s), I wanted to relax and play the music that I wanted to play, and just stay around Texas, maybe Oklahoma. Waylon and I had that outlaw image going, and when it caught on at colleges and we started selling records, we were O.K. The whole outlaw thing, it had nothing to do with the music, it was something that got written in an article, and the young people said, 'Well, that's pretty cool.' And started listening." (Willie Nelson)

The term ''outlaw country'' is traditionally associated with Hank Williams, Jr, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, David Allan Coe, Whitey Morgan & The 78's, John Prine, Billy Joe Shaver, Gary Stewart, Townes Van Zandt and with a few female vocalists such as Jessi Colter and Sammi Smith. It was encapsulated in the 1976 album ''Wanted! The Outlaws''. A related subgenre is Red Dirt.

Country pop

Country pop or soft pop, with roots in both the countrypolitan sound and in soft rock, is a subgenre that first emerged in the 1970s. Although the term first referred to country music songs and artists that crossed over to top 40 radio, country pop acts are now more likely to cross over to adult contemporary music. It started with pop music singers like Michael Nesmith, The Bellamy Brothers, Glen Campbell, John Denver, Olivia Newton-John, Marie Osmond, B. J. Thomas and Anne Murray having hits on the country charts. Campbell's "Rhinestone Cowboy" was one of the biggest crossover hits in country music history.

In 1974, Newton-John, an Australian pop singer, won the "Best Female Country Vocal Performance" as well as the Country Music Association's most coveted award for females, "Female Vocalist of the Year". In the same year, a group of artists, troubled by this trend, formed the short-lived Association of Country Entertainers. The debate raged into 1975, and reached its apex at that year's Country Music Association Awards when reigning Entertainer of the Year Charlie Rich (who himself had a series of crossover hits) presented the award to his successor, John Denver. As he read Denver's name, Rich set fire to the envelope with a cigarette lighter. The action was taken as a protest against the increasing pop style in country music.

During the mid-1970s, Dolly Parton, a highly successful mainstream country artist since the late '60s, mounted a high profile campaign to crossover to pop music, culminating in her 1977 hit "Here You Come Again", which topped the U.S. country singles chart, and also reached No. 3 on the pop singles charts. Parton's male counterpart, Kenny Rogers came from the opposite direction, aiming his music at the country charts, after a successful career in pop, rock and folk music, achieving success the same year with "Lucille", which topped the country charts and reached No. 5 on the U.S. pop singles charts. Parton and Rogers would both continue to have success on both country and pop charts simultaneously, well into the 1980s. Artists like Crystal Gayle, Ronnie Milsap and Barbara Mandrell would also find success on the pop charts with their records as well. In 1975, author Paul Hemphill stated in the ''Saturday Evening Post'', “Country music isn’t really country anymore; it is a hybrid of nearly every form of popular music in America.”

During the early 1980s, country artists continued to see their records perform well on the pop charts. Willie Nelson and Juice Newton each had two songs in the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100 in the early eighties: Nelson charted "Always On My Mind" (No. 5, 1982) and "To All The Girls I've Loved Before" (No. 5, 1984), and Newton achieved success with "Queen of Hearts" (No. 2, 1981) and "Angel of the Morning" (No. 4, 1981). Four country songs topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the 1980s: "Lady" by Kenny Rogers, from the late fall of 1980; "9 to 5" by Dolly Parton, "I Love a Rainy Night" by Eddie Rabbitt (these two back-to-back at the top in early 1981); and "Islands in the Stream", a duet by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers in 1983, a pop-country crossover hit written by Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees. Newton's "Queen of Hearts" almost reached No. 1, but was kept out of the spot by the pop ballad juggernaut "Endless Love" by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie. Although there were few crossover hits in the latter half of the 1980s, one song — Roy Orbison's "You Got It", from 1989 — made the top 10 of both the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles" and Hot 100 charts.

The record-setting, multi-platinum group, Alabama, was named Artist of the Decade for the 1980s by the Academy of Country Music.

Neocountry

In 1980, a style of "neocountry disco music" was popularized by the film ''Urban Cowboy'', which also included more traditional songs such as "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" by the Charlie Daniels Band. A related subgenre is Texas country music.

Sales in record stores rocketed to $250 million in 1981; by 1984, 900 radio stations began programming country or neocountry pop full time. As with most sudden trends, however, by 1984 sales had dropped below 1979 figures.

=== Truck driving country === Truck driving country music is a genre of country music and is a fusion of honky tonk, country-rock and Bakersfield Sound. It has the tempo of country-rock and the emotion of honky-tonk, and its lyrics focus on a truck driver's lifestyle. Truck driving country songs often deal with trucks and love. Well-known artists who sing truck driving country include Dave Dudley, Red Sovine, Dick Curless, Red Simpson, Colonel Robert Morris, and Waylon Speed. Dudley is known as the father of truck driving country.

Neotraditionalist movement

During the mid-1980s, a group of new artists began to emerge who rejected the more polished country-pop sound that had been prominent on radio and the charts, in favor of more, traditional, "back-to-basics" production. Led by Randy Travis, whose 1986 debut album ''Storms of Life'', sold four million copies and was Billboard's year-end top country album of 1987, many of the artists during the latter half of the '80s drew on traditional honky tonk, bluegrass, folk and western swing. Artists who typified this sound included Travis Tritt, Ricky Skaggs, Kathy Mattea, George Strait and The Judds.

1990s

Country music was aided by the FCC's Docket 80-90, which led to a significant expansion of FM radio in the 1980s by adding numerous higher-fidelity FM signals to rural and suburban areas. At this point, country music was mainly heard on rural AM radio stations; the expansion of FM was particularly helpful to country music, which migrated to FM from the AM band as AM became overcome by talk radio. This wider availability of country music led to producers seeking to polish their product for a wider audience.

With his debut on the national country music scene in 1989, singer and songwriter Clint Black would usher in a new sound that would define much of country music for the 1990s and beyond.

In the 1990s, country music became a worldwide phenomenon thanks to Billy Ray Cyrus and Garth Brooks. The latter enjoyed one of the most successful careers in popular music history, breaking records for both sales and concert attendance throughout the decade. The RIAA has certified his recordings at a combined (128× platinum), denoting roughly 113 million U.S. shipments.

Mindy McCready, Jo Dee Messina, Shania Twain, Faith Hill all released platinum selling albums in the 90s.

The Dixie Chicks became one of the most popular country bands in the 90s and early 00s. Their 1998 debut album ''Wide Open Spaces'' went on to become certified 12x platinum while their 1999 album ''Fly'' went on to become 10x platinum.

In the early-mid 1990s, country western music was influenced by the popularity of line dancing. This influence was so great that Chet Atkins was quoted as saying "The music has gotten pretty bad, I think. It's all that damn line dancing." By the end of the decade, however, at least one line dance choreographer complained that good country line dance music was no longer being released.

Alternative country

In the 1990s, alternative country came to refer to a diverse group of musicians and singers operating outside the traditions and industry of mainstream country music. In general, they eschewed the high production values and pop outlook of the Nashville-dominated industry, to produce music with a lo-fi sound, frequently infused with a strong punk and alternative aesthetic, bending the traditional rules of country music. Lyrics were often bleak, gothic or socially aware. Key alternative country artists include Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle, Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, Lucinda Williams, Ryan Adams, Will Oldham, Drive-By Truckers, and Old 97's.

2000s

Several rock and pop stars have ventured into country music. In 2000, Richard Marx made a brief cross-over with his ''Days In Avalon'' album, which features five country songs and several singers and musicians. Alison Krauss sang background vocals to Marx's single "Straight From My Heart." Also, Bon Jovi had a hit single, "Who Says You Can't Go Home", with Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland. Singer song writer Unknown Hinson became famous for his appearance in the Charlotte television show Wild,Wild, South. After which Unknown Hinson started his own band and toured in southern states. Other rock stars who featured a country song on their albums were Don Henley and Poison.

One infrequent, but consistent theme in modern country music is that of proud, stubborn individualism. "Country Boy Can Survive" and "Copperhead Road" are two of the more serious songs along those lines; while "Some Girls Do" and "Redneck Woman" are more light-hearted variations on the theme.

In 2005, country singer Carrie Underwood rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of ''American Idol'' and became a multi-platinum selling recording artist and multiple Grammy Award winner. With her first single, "Inside Your Heaven", Underwood became the only country artist to have a #1 Hit on Billboard Hot 100 Songs chart in the 2000-2009 decade. In 2007, Underwood won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist and became the first country artist in 10 years to win such award and the second of only three to ever win it. Underwood also made history by becoming the seventh woman to win Entertainer Of The Year for the Academy of Country Music Awards, and the first woman in history to win Entertainer of the Year for the Academy of Country Music Awards twice, as well as twice consecutively. Underwood's debut album, "Some Hearts", was not only the fastest-selling debut album by any country artist in history, but was ranked by Billboard.com as the #1 Country Album of the 2000-2009 decade.

In 2008, Taylor Swift rose as a major country-pop artist, with her single "Love Story" becoming the first country song to reach No. 1 one on the Nielsen BDS CHR/Top 40 chart. Another of her singles, "You Belong with Me", also reached No. 1, making Swift the only country artist to have two No. 1 singles atop the chart. Both "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me" became the best-selling country song of all time, with "Love Story" in the first position with a domestic total of 4.4 million digital copies sold, and "You Belong with Me" in the second with 3.4 million sales, respectively. In 2010, Swift's second album "Fearless" was awarded the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, becoming the first album in history to win the American Music Award (AMA), Academy of Country Music Award (ACM), Country Music Association Award (CMA), and the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in the same year.

In the same year, Hootie & the Blowfish vocalist Darius Rucker released his second solo album and country music debut, ''Learn to Live''. The first three singles from that album all debuted at No. 1, making Rucker the first solo artist to debut with three No. 1 hits in over a decade. He is also the first African American with a No. 1 country hit since Charley Pride in 1983.

In 2009, George Strait was named Artist of the Decade by the Academy of Country Music.

2010s

In 2010, the group Lady Antebellum won five Grammys, including the coveted Song of the Year and Record of the Year for "Need You Now".

International

Canada

Outside of the US, Canada has the largest country music fan and artist base. Mainstream country music is culturally ingrained in the Maritimes and the prairie provinces: areas with large numbers of rural residents. Canadian country music originated in Atlantic Canada in the form of British and Irish folk music popular amongst Irish and Scottish immigrants to Canada's Maritime Provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island). Like the southern United States and Appalachia, all three regions are of heavy British Isles stock and rural; as such, The development of country music in the Maritimes mirrored the development of country music in the US south and Appalachia.

Don Messer's Jubilee was a Halifax, Nova Scotia based country/folk variety television show that was broadcast nationally from 1957 to 1969. It out drew the Ed Sullivan Show from the United States and became the #1 rated television show in Canada throughout much of the 1960s. Don Messer's Jubilee followed a consistent format throughout its years, beginning with a tune named "Goin' to the Barndance Tonight", followed by fiddle tunes by Messer, songs from some of his "Islanders" including singers Marg Osburne and Charlie Chamberlain, the featured guest performance, and a closing hymn. It ended with "Till We Meet Again".

The guest performance slot gave national exposure to numerous Canadian folk musicians, including Stompin' Tom Connors and Catherine McKinnon. Some Maritime country performers went on to further fame beyond Canada. Hank Snow, Wilf Carter (also known as Montana Slim), and Anne Murray are the three most notable.

The cancellation of the show by the public broadcaster in 1969 caused a nationwide protest, including the raising of questions in the Canadian parliament.

Despite country's roots in the Maritimes, many traditional country artists are present in Eastern and Western Canada. They make common use of fiddle and pedal steel guitar styles. Some notable Canadian country artists include: Shania Twain, Blue Rodeo, Marg Osburne, Hank Snow, Johnny Mooring, Don Messer, Doc Walker, Emerson Drive, Paul Brandt, The Wilkinsons, Wilf Carter, Michelle Wright, Corb Lund and the Hurtin' Albertans, Stompin' Tom Connors, Terri Clark, Crystal Shawanda, Shane Yellowbird, The Road Hammers, Anne Murray, and Prairie Oyster and The Higgins.

Australia

Australian country music has a long tradition. Influenced by American country music it has developed a distinct style, shaped by British and Irish folk ballads and Australian bush balladeers like Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson. Country instruments, including the guitar, banjo, fiddle and harmonica create the distinctive sound of country music in Australia and accompany songs with strong storyline and memorable chorus.

Folk songs sung in Australia between the 1780s and 1920s based around such themes as the struggle against government tyranny, or the lives of bushrangers, swagmen, drovers, stockmen and shearers continue to influence the genre. This strain of Australian country, with lyrics focusing on Australian subjects, is generally known as "bush music" or "bush band music". Waltzing Matilda, often regarded as Australia's unofficial National anthem, is a quintessential Australian country song, influenced more by British and Irish folk ballads than by American Country and Western music. The lyrics were composed by the poet Banjo Paterson in 1895. Other popular songs from this tradition include The Wild Colonial Boy, Click Go The Shears, The Queensland Drover and The Dying Stockman. Later themes which endure to the present include the experiences of war, of droughts and flooding rains, of Aboriginality and of the railways and trucking routes which link Australia's vast distances.

Pioneers of a more Americanised popular country music in Australia included Tex Morton (known as ''The Father of Australian Country Music'') in the 1930s and other early stars like Buddy Williams, Shirley Thoms and Smoky Dawson. In 1952, Dawson began a radio show, and went on to national stardom as a singing cowboy of radio, TV and film.

Slim Dusty (1927–2003) was known as the ''King of Australian Country Music'', and helped to popularise the Australian bush ballad. His successful career spanned almost six decades and his 1957 hit "Pub With No Beer" was the biggest-selling record by an Australian to that time, and with over seven million record sales in Australia he is the most successful artist in Australian musical history Dusty recorded and released his one-hundredth album in the year 2000 and was given the honour of singing ''Waltzing Matilda'' in the closing ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Dusty's wife Joy McKean penned several of his most popular songs.

Chad Morgan, who began recording in the 1950s has represented a vaudeville style of comic Australian country; Frank Ifield achieved considerable success in the early 1960s, especially in the UK Singles Charts and Reg Lindsay was one of the first Australians to perform at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry in 1974. Eric Bogle's 1972 folk lament to the Gallipoli campaign "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" recalled the British and Irish origins of Australian folk-country. Singer-songwriter Paul Kelly whose music style straddles folk, rock, and country is often described as the ''poet laureate'' of Australian music.

By the 1990s, country music had attained cross-over success in the pop charts with artists like James Blundell and James Reyne singing "Way Out West", and country star Kasey Chambers winning the ARIA for Best Female Artist in 2003. The cross-over influence of Australian country is also evident in the music of successful contemporary bands The Waifs and The John Butler Trio. Nick Cave has been heavily influenced by the country artist Johnny Cash. In 2000, Cash, covered Cave's "The Mercy Seat" on the album ''American III: Solitary Man'', seemingly repaying Cave for the compliment he paid by covering Cash's "The Singer" (originally "The Folk Singer") on his ''Kicking Against the Pricks'' album. Subsequently, Cave cut a duet with Cash on a version of Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" for Cash's ''American IV: The Man Comes Around'' album (2002).

Popular contemporary performers of Australian country music include: John Williamson (who wrote the iconic "True Blue"), Lee Kernaghan (whose hits include "Boys From the Bush" and "the Outback Club"), Gina Jeffreys and Sara Storer. In the USA, Olivia Newton John, Sherrié Austin and Keith Urban have attained great success.

Country music has also been a particularly popular form of musical expression among Indigenous Australians. Troy Cassar-Daley is among Australia's successful contemporary indigenous performers Aboriginal artists and Kev Carmody and Archie Roach employ a combination of folk-rock and country music to sing about Aboriginal rights issues.

The Tamworth Country Music Festival began in 1973 and now attracts up to a 100,000 visitors annually. Held in Tamworth, New South Wales (Country music capital of Australia), it celebrates the culture and heritage of Australian country music. During the festival the CMAA holds the Country Music Awards of Australia ceremony awarding the Golden Guitar trophies.

Other significant country music festivals include the Whittlesea Country Music Festival (near Melbourne) and Boyup Brook Country Music Festival (Western Australia) in February; the Bamera Country Music Festival in June (South Australia), the National Country Muster held in Gympie during August, Mildura Country Music Festival for "independent" performers during October and the Canberra Country Music Festival held in the national capital during November. Some festivals are quite unique in their location: Grabine State Park in New South Wales promotes Australian country through the Grabine Music Muster Festival; Marilyns Country Music Festival is a unique event held in South Australia's Smoky Bay in September and is the only music festival in the world using an oyster barge as a stage.

''Country HQ'' showcases new talent on the rise in the country music scene downunder. CMC (the Country Music Channel), a 24 hour music channel dedicated to non-stop country music, can be viewed on pay tv and features once a year the Golden Guitar Awards, CMAs and CCMAs alongside international shows such as The Wilkinsons, The Road Hammers, and Country Music Across America.

Other international country music

Tom Roland, from the Country Music Association International, explains Country Music’s global popularity: “In this respect, at least, Country Music listeners around the globe have something in common with those in the United States. In Germany, for instance, Rohrbach identifies three general groups that gravitate to the genre: people intrigued with the American cowboy icon, middle-aged fans who seek an alternative to harder rock music and younger listeners drawn to the pop-influenced sound that underscores many current Country hits.”

One of the first Americans to perform country music abroad was George Hamilton IV. He was the first country musician to perform in the Soviet Union; he also toured in Australia and the Middle East. He was deemed the "International Ambassador of Country Music" for his contributions to the globalization of country music. Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Keith Urban, and Dwight Yoakam have also made numerous international tours.

The Country Music Association undertakes various initiatives to promote country music internationally.

In the United Kingdom, a country-derived genre known as skiffle peaked in the 1950s thanks to the efforts of Lonnie Donegan; though the genre as a whole was very short-lived, most of the bands involved with the British Invasion began their careers as skiffle musicians.

In South America, on the last weekend of September, the yearly "San Pedro Country Music Festival" takes places in the town of San Pedro, Argentina. The festival features bands from different places of Argentina, as well as international artist from Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Peru and the United States.

In India, the Anglo-Indian community is well known for enjoying and performing country music. An annual concert festival called "Blazing Guitars" held in Chennai brings together Anglo-Indian musicians from all over the country (including some who have emigrated to places like Australia).

In Ireland TG4 began a quest for Ireland's next country star called ''Glór Tíre'', translated as Country Voice, it is now in its 6th season and is one of TG4 most watched TV shows. A recent success in the Irish arena has been Crystal Swing.

In Sweden, Rednex rose to stardom combining country music with electro-pop in the 1990s. In 1994, the group had a worldwide hit with their version of the traditional Southern tune "Cotton-Eyed Joe". Other notable Swedish country acts include Jill Johnson and Calaisa.

Rhodesia during the 1970s had an active country and western music scene. Many songs combined country ballads with patriotic or military inspired lyrics. For example, Clem Tholet's ''Rhodesians Never Die'' rose to the top of the Rhodesian pop charts.

Performers and shows

US cable television

Five U.S. cable TV networks are at least partly devoted to the genre: CMT and CMT Pure Country (both owned by Viacom), Rural Free Delivery TV (owned by Rural Media Group), GAC (owned by The E. W. Scripps Company), and The Country Network (a privately owned channel distributed by Sinclair Broadcast Group). The first American country music video cable channel was The Nashville Network, launched in the early 1980s. In 2000, the channel was renamed and reformatted as The ''National'' Network, a general-interest network, and eventually became Spike TV.

Canadian television

Only one television channel is currently dedicated to country music in Canada and that is CMT (Canada) owned by Corus Entertainment (90%) and Viacom (10%). But in the past the show Don Messer's Jubilee had great impact on country music in Canada in fact it is the program that launched Anne Murray's career.

Australian cable television

The only network dedicated to Country Music in Australia is the Country Music Channel owned by XYZnetworks.

See also

Academy of Country Music

Australian country music

Canadian Country Music Association

Country and Western dance

Country Music Association

Country Music Hall of Fame

Country and Irish

Grand Ole Opry

Great American Country

List of Billboard Hot Country Songs chart achievements

List of country genres

Música sertaneja

Southern Culture

Tejano: country music performed in Spanish to a polka beat

Western Music Association

Western music (North America)

WSM Radio

Notes

Further reading

''In The Country of Country: A Journey to the Roots of American Music'',Nicholas Dawidoff, Vintage Books, 1998, ISBN 0-375-70082-X ''Are You Ready for the Country: Elvis, Dylan, Parsons and the Roots of Country Rock'',Peter Dogget, Penguin Books, 2001, ISBN 0-14-026108-7 ''Roadkill on the Three-Chord Highway'',Colin Escott, Routledge, 2002, ISBN 0-415-93783-3 ''Guitars & Cadillacs'',Sabine Keevil, Thinking Dog Publishing, 2002, ISBN 0-9689973-0-9 ''Proud to Be an Okie: Cultural Politics, Country Music, and Migration to Southern California'',Peter La Chapelle, University of California Press, 2007, ISBN 0-52-024889-9 ''Creating Country Music: Fabricating Authenticity'',Richard A. Peterson, University of Chicago Press, 1999, ISBN 0226662853 ''The Best of Country: The Official CD Guide'',Stacy Harris, CollinsPublishers, 1993, ISBN 0-00-255335-X ''Country Music USA'',Bill C. Malone, University of Texas Press, 1985, ISBN 0-292-71096-8, second Rev ed, 2002, ISBN 0-292-75262-8 ''Don't Get Above Your Raisin': Country Music and the Southern Working Class (Music in American Life)'',Bill C. Malone, University of Illinois Press, 2002, ISBN 0-252-02678-0

External links

The Country Music Association - Nashville, Tennessee(CMA)

Western Music Association (WMA)

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum - Nashville, Tennessee

Texas Country Music Hall of Fame & Tex Ritter Museum - Carthage, Texas

Heart of Texas Country Music Association - Brady, Texas

Country Chart Music Reviews

Grand Ole Opry - Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation

TIME Archive of country music's progression

Xroad.virginia.edu, alt country from American Studies at the University of Virginia

Top 100 Country Songs - A listing of the top 100 country songs updated every week to reflect sales and popularity of country songs

Choice Country Countdown - The Top 25 country songs of the week.

Category:Culture of the Southern United States Category:Radio formats Category:Western (genre) Category:African American music Category:American styles of music

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name	Rodney Atkins
background	solo_singer
birth name	Rodney Allan Atkins
born	March 28, 1969
origin	Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, U.S.
instrument	Vocals, guitar
genre	Country
occupation	Singer-songwriter
years active	1997–present
label	Curb
associated acts	Ted Hewitt
website	http://www.rodneyatkins.com/ }}

Rodney Allan Atkins (born March 28, 1969, in Knoxville, Tennessee) is an American country music artist. Signed to Curb Records since 1996, Atkins charted his first single on the ''Billboard'' country charts that year, but did not release an album until 2003's ''Honesty'', which included the Top 5 hit "Honesty (Write Me a List)."

''If You're Going Through Hell'', his second album, was released in 2006. Its first two singles, "If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)" and "Watching You", each spent four weeks at the top of the country music charts. Both songs were also named as the Number One country song of the year by ''Billboard'' magazine ("If You're Going Through Hell" in 2006, and "Watching You" in 2007). The album, which has since been certified platinum in the United States, has produced two more Number One singles in "These Are My People" and "Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy)" as well as "Invisibly Shaken" which peaked at #41. A twelfth single, "It's America," was released in November 2008 as the first release from his third album ''It's America'' and the song became his fifth Number One charting single and was performed on numerous awards shows and national TV shows. In the summer of 2010, Atkins released “Farmer’s Daughter”, his seventh top five country hit peaking at #5, which is included on the 2010 reissue of ''It's America'' and the September 2010 special release from Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores, ''Rodney Atkins''.

Biography

Rodney Atkins was born in Tennessee, and put up for adoption not long after his birth. As an infant at the Holston Methodist Home for Children in Greeneville, Tennessee, he was so sick that two couples who had taken him home returned him a few days later. A third couple, Margaret and Allan Atkins from Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, adopted him as well and, even though his ailments worsened, refused to give him up. His adoptive mother had been raised in a coal mining family near a tannery camp, and his dad survived an upbringing marked by poverty and episodes of abuse.

He attended high school at Powell Valley High in Speedwell, TN. During high school, Atkins played guitar in his spare time at events and festivals. He went to college at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tennessee, where he worked various jobs in order to pay for his education as well as playing baseball. He also went into Nashville to play gigs and write songs.

Musical career

''Rodney Atkins''

Atkins was signed to Curb Records in 1997. That year, he charted for the first time with the single "In a Heartbeat", which peaked at #74 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts. He had also planned to release a self-titled debut album that year on September 17; however, after deciding that he was not satisfied with the album's contents at that point, he asked Mike Curb (the label's president) to allow him more time to work on the album. For two more years, Atkins continued to work on his debut album, although it was never released.

''Honesty''

In 2002, Atkins released his second single, entitled "Sing Along". Both it and its followup, "My Old Man", peaked in the lower regions of the Top 40 on the country charts. He entered the Top 10 for the first time in late 2003-early 2004 with "Honesty (Write Me a List)", which went on to peak at #4. The song was the title track to his album ''Honesty'', which was released by the end of 2003. "Someone to Share It With" and "Monkey in the Middle" were also issued as singles from this album, although the former peaked at #41, and the latter failed to chart.

''If You're Going Through Hell''

Having been absent from the country music charts for most of 2004 and 2005, Atkins returned in 2006 with a single entitled "If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)", which served as the lead-off to his second released album, ''If You're Going Through Hell''. The song went on to become not only his first Number One hit on the country charts, but also the Number One country song of the year 2006 according to ''Billboard''. This single's followup, "Watching You", earned him a second consecutive Number One, and in 2007, it was also declared by ''Billboard'' as Number One country song of the year.

The album went on to achieve RIAA platinum certification in the United States, in addition to producing two more Number One hits, for a total of four consecutive Number Ones: "These Are My People" and "Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy)". "Invisibly Shaken", previously recorded by Lee Greenwood, was the fifth and final single from ''If You're Going Through Hell''. The single peaked at #41 on the Country Singles Chart.

''It's America''

Atkins' thirteenth single, "It's America", was released in November 2008. This is the first single from his third album, ''It's America'', released on March 31, 2009. The song became his fifth number one song on the chart dated May 2, 2009. The second single, "15 Minutes", was released to radio on May 26, 2009, where it peaked at number 20 in September 2009, marking his seventh Top 20 hit on the country chart. "Chasin' Girls" was sent to radio in October as the third single and failed to make top 40. After this song, "Farmer's Daughter" debuted in 2010. Reaching top 5 on the country singles charts, this single was added to later presses of ''It's America''.

In 2010, Atkins also released "Get Together", a promotional single for Kraft Velveeta Shells and Cheese, which sponsored Atkins for his "Get Together" tour.

''Take a Back Road''

"Take a Back Road", the lead-off single to his fourth album, also titled ''Take a Back Road'', debuted in early 2011.

Charitable efforts

Madeleine Rose Trudel (August 26, 1999-November 26, 2006), a young girl from St. Clair, Michigan, was dying of cancer when on October 25, 2006 Atkins gave Maddie a private concert in her hospital room. Atkins learned about Maddie when somebody sent him a link to the Free Press series about Maddie and her illness. He sang "If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)", his signature song as well as Maddie's favorite song.

Family and personal life

Atkins is married to Tammy Jo (who can be seen in Rodney's video "Farmer's Daughter") and has a son named Elijah, who appears in the video for "Watching You". Atkins also has two stepdaughters, Lindsey and Morgan, from Tammy's previous relationship.

Awards and nominations

! Year	! Association	! Award	! Result
		Top New Male Vocalist
Song of the Year ("If You're Going Through Hell")
	Top Male Vocalist
Album of the Year (''If You're Going Through Hell'')
Song of the Year ("Watching You")
Video of the Year ("Watching You")
	Horizon Award
2008	New Artist of the Year

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Details	Peak chart positions				! style="width:45px;"	! style="width:45px;"
		! scope="row"		* Release date: October 14, 2003		* Label: [[Curb Records">Music recording sales certification
! style="width:45px;"	! style="width:45px;"	! style="width:45px;"
! scope="row"		* Release date: October 14, 2003	* Label: [[Curb Records	Compact disc>CD	50	—	47
''If You're Going Through Hell''		* Release date: July 18, 2006	* Label: Curb Records	* Formats: CD, music download	1	3	—		Recording Industry Association of America>US: Platinum
''It's America''		* Release date: March 31, 2009	* Label: Curb Records	* Formats: CD, music download	3	15	—
''Take a Back Road''		* TBR: October 4, 2011	* Label: Curb Records	* Formats: CD, music download

Compilation albums

Title	Details	Peak chartpositions
		! style="width:45px;"	! style="width:45px;"
''Rodney Atkins''		* Release date: September 7, 2010	* Label: Cracker Barrel	* Formats: CD	11	64

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions				Album
		! style="width:40px;"	! style="width:40px;"	! style="width:40px;"	! style="width:40px;"
		74	—	—	—
	—	—	—	—
		37	—	—	—
	36	—	—	—
2003		4	57	—	—
		41	—	—	—
	—	—	—	—
		1	33	57	—		US">Music recording sales certification	Album
! style="width:40px;"	! style="width:40px;"	! style="width:40px;"	! style="width:40px;"
		74	—	—	—
	—	—	—	—
		37	—	—	—
	36	—	—	—
2003		4	57	—	—
		41	—	—	—
	—	—	—	—
		1	33	57	—		US: Gold
style="text-align:left;"	1	36	57	—		* US: Gold
		1	42	96	—
	1	40	83	84		* US: Gold
		41	—	—	—
style="text-align:left;"	1	44	—	—
	style="text-align:left;"	20	115	—	—
	48	—	—	—
2010	"Farmer's Daughter (Rodney Atkins song)	Farmer's Daughter"[A]	5	47	—	—
2011	"Take a Back Road (song)	Take a Back Road"[B]	5	40	—	66

Music videos

! Year	! Video	! Director
1997	"In a Heartbeat"	Jeffery C. Phillips
2003	"Honesty (Write Me a List)"	D.J. Webster
	"If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)"
"Watching You"
2007	"These Are My People"
2008	"Invisibly Shaken"
2009	"It's America"
2010	"Farmer's Daughter"	Chris Hicky

References

External links

Official Website

Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:American country singers Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:American male singers Category:Curb Records artists Category:Musicians from Tennessee Category:People from Greeneville, Tennessee Category:American adoptees

ar:رودني أتكينس de:Rodney Atkins es:Rodney Atkins

name	Brad Paisley| image Paisley, Brad (2007) 2.jpg
landscape	yes
background	solo_singer
birth name	Brad Douglas Paisley
birth date	October 28, 1972
origin	Glen Dale, West Virginia,United States
instrument	Vocals, guitar, mandolin
genre	Country
occupation	Singer-songwriter, musician
years active	1997–present
spouse	Kimberly Williams-Paisley
label	Arista Nashville
associated acts	Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Martina McBride, Chely Wright
website	BradPaisley.com
notable instruments	Bill Crook TelecastersFender Telecasters }}

Brad Douglas Paisley (born October 28, 1972) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His style crosses between traditional country music and Southern rock, and his songs are frequently laced with humor and pop culture references.

Paisley was the 2008 CMA and ACM Male Vocalist of the Year winner. Starting with the release of his 1999 album ''Who Needs Pictures'', Paisley has recorded seven studio albums and a Christmas compilation on the Arista Nashville label, with all of his albums certified gold or higher by the RIAA. In addition, he has charted 25 singles on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart, 16 of which have reached #1 with a record 10 consecutive singles reaching the top spot on the chart. On November 10, 2010, Paisley won the Entertainer of the Year award at the 44th annual CMA Awards.

Biography

Paisley was born on October 28, 1972 in Wheeling, West Virginia to Douglas Edward "Doug" Paisley, who worked for the West Virginia Department of Transportation, and Sandra Jean "Sandy" (née Jarvis) Paisley, a teacher. He was raised in Glen Dale, West Virginia. He has stated that his love of country music stems from his maternal grandfather, Warren Jarvis, who gave Paisley his first guitar, a Sears Danelectro Silvertone at 8-years-old and taught him how to play. At age 10, he performed for the first time in public by singing in his church. He later recalled that, "Pretty soon, I was performing at every Christmas party and Mother's Day event. The neat thing about a small town is that when you want to be an artist, by golly, they'll make you one".

Paisley graduated from John Marshall High School in Glen Dale, West Virginia in 1991, studied for 2 years at West Liberty University (WV) and later was awarded a full-paid ASCAP scholarship to Belmont University, in Nashville, Tennessee (from 1993 to 1995). He interned at ASCAP, Atlantic Records, and the Fitzgerald-Hartley management firm. While in college, he met Frank Rogers, a fellow student who went on to serve as his producer. Paisley also met Kelley Lovelace, who became his songwriting partner. He also met Chris DuBois in college, and he too would write songs for him.

1999–2001: ''Who Needs Pictures''

His debut as a singer was with the label Arista Nashville, with the song "Who Needs Pictures" (released February 22, 1999). In May of that same year, he made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Seven months later he had his first #1 hit with "He Didn't Have to Be," which detailed the story of Paisley's frequent co-writer Kelley Lovelace and Lovelace's stepson, McCain Merren. ''We Danced'' also was a hit for Paisley off the debut album, reaching #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. By February 2001, the album was certified platinum.

In 2000, Paisley's mainstream notoriety received a huge boost when he was exposed to his first national non-country music oriented audience on the TLC special, "Route 66: Main Street America." Producer, Todd Baker, tapped the young musician to appear on this show when he was a relative unknown outside the world of country music. It featured Paisley and band doing rare live and acoustic versions of Route 66. The international and home video versions of this program end with a full, un-cut acoustic rendition of the piece, which was performed live on Rainbow Bridge in Riverton, KS. The show accurately predicted that Paisley would become a legendary musician, and also featured blues artist, Buddy Guy.

Later in 2000, Paisley won the Country Music Association's (CMA) Horizon Award and the Academy of Country Music's best new male vocalist trophy. He received his first Grammy Award nomination a year later for Best New Artist. On February 17, 2001, Paisley was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry He was 28 when he accepted the invitation, and was the youngest member ever to join. PBS did a 75th anniversary concert special, which saw Paisley pair up with Chely Wright and sing a song called ''Hard to Be a Husband, Hard to Be a Wife'', and would be included on the album ''Backstage at the Opry'', It would get a CMA nomination for Vocal Event of the Year.

2001–2003: ''Part II''

In 2002, he won the CMA Music Video of the Year for "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)." Several celebrities made notable guest appearances in the video, including Little Jimmy Dickens, Kimberly Williams, Dan Patrick, and Jerry Springer. His three other singles off the ''Part II'' album, "I Wish You'd Stay", "Wrapped Around", and "Two People Fell in Love", all charted in the top 10. The album stayed in the charts for more than 70 weeks and was certified platinum in August 2002. To support his album, he toured the country as the opening act for Lonestar.

2003–2005: ''Mud on the Tires''

Paisley released his third album, ''Mud on the Tires'' (2003), following ''Who Needs Pictures'' and ''Part II.'' The album features the hit song "Celebrity", the video of which parodies reality shows such as ''Fear Factor'', ''American Idol'', ''The Bachelorette'' and ''According to Jim'', and included such celebrities as Jason Alexander, James Belushi, Little Jimmy Dickens, Trista Rehn and William Shatner. (Paisley later contributed to Shatner's album ''Has Been''.) The album's title track, "Mud on the Tires", reached Billboard #1 in 2004.

In addition, the ninth track from ''Mud on the Tires'', "Whiskey Lullaby", a duet with Alison Krauss reached #3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts, and #41 on the Billboard Hot 100. The music video for ''Whiskey Lullaby'' also won several awards and was rated #2 on the 100 Greatest Music Videos by CMT in 2008. The album would be certified double platinum. "Online" featured the Brentwood High School marching band playing toward the end of the song, a cameo by Jason Alexander, and again featured a cameo by William Shatner. ''Throttleneck'' would also reach number one, which would get Paisley his first Grammy.

The fifth single from ''5th Gear'' actually came from a reissued version of the album – a new recording of "Waitin' on a Woman", a track cut from ''Time Well Wasted.'' The reissued version received unsolicited airplay in late 2006, and features less prominent string guitar and violin parts and a more "muted" musical tone. For the chart week of September 20, 2008, the song became Paisley's twelfth number-one single and his eighth straight number-one hit, making him the artist with the most consecutive Number One country hits since the inception of Nielsen SoundScan in 1990.

In July 2006, producer Todd Baker tapped Brad for a television appearance as an animated character in The Wonder Pets, Daddy Armadillo. The yet-to-be-broadcast episode features Brad's wife, Kimberly Williams, as Mama Armadillo.

Paisley toured April 26, 2007 through February 24, 2008 in support of ''5th Gear'' on the Bonfires & Amplifiers Tour. The tour visited 94 cities over a 10 month period and played for over 1,000,000 fans. The tour was so successful that it was extended past its original end date to February 2008. Some of the opening acts who appeared during the tour were Taylor Swift, Kellie Pickler, Jack Ingram, Rodney Atkins and Chuck Wicks.

Paisley was nominated for three 2008 Grammy Awards related to ''5th Gear'': Best Country Album (for ''5th Gear''), Best Country Collaboration (for "Oh Love" with Carrie Underwood), and Best Country Instrumental (for "Throttleneck"). On February 10, 2008, he won his first Grammy award for Best Country Instrumental for "Throttleneck".

In March 2008, Brad Paisley announced his next tour, "The Paisley Party," a 42-date tour sponsored by Hershey's. The tour kicked off on June 11, 2008, in Albuquerque, New Mexico with Chuck Wicks, Julianne Hough and Jewel as the opening acts. Brad Paisley and Keith Urban released to country radio their first duet together on September 8, 2008, "Start a Band." It was the first and only single from ''Play,'' and it went on to become Paisley's thirteenth number one hit and his ninth in a row. The album also features collaborations with James Burton, Little Jimmy Dickens, Vince Gill, John Jorgenson, B.B. King, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Buck Owens, Redd Volkaert and Steve Wariner. Paisley and Urban both received Entertainer of the Year nominations from the CMA on September 10, 2008. On November 12, 2008 Brad Paisley won Male Vocalist of the Year and Music Video of the Year for "Waitin' on a Woman" during the CMA's.

2009–2010: ''American Saturday Night''

Brad Paisley announced on January 26, 2009 his new tour named "American Saturday Night." Dierks Bentley and Jimmy Wayne will be opening in the majority of the shows. Brad Paisley's newest album, ''American Saturday Night'' was released on June 30, 2009. The album's lead off single, "Then" was released in March 2009 and performed for the first time on ''American Idol'' on March 18. It went on to become Paisley's 14th number one single and his tenth in a row.

On May 6, 2009, Paisley gave an exclusive performance to a small group of members from his fan club in Studio A of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN as he and his band taped an episode of CMT Invitation Only. The show gives fans a chance to see their favorite artists in a more intimate setting up close and personal. There was a Q & A session and interaction between Paisley and his fans. The show aired on Monday, August 3 at 9:00 p.m. on CMT.

On July 21, 2009, Paisley performed at the White House in celebration of country music. "Country Music at the White House " was streamed live on the White House web-site as well as a special on Great American Country.

On November 11, 2009, Paisley co-hosted the CMA Awards for the second straight year. He also performed "Welcome to the Future", and won both Male Vocalist of the Year and Musical Event of the Year for Start a Band with Keith Urban.

On March 1, 2010, Paisley was the first musical performance with "American Saturday Night" for the second tenure of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

On Friday March 5, 2010, Paisley slipped and fell performing his last song of the set, "Alcohol," at a concert at the North Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, South Carolina, on the final date of the American Saturday Night Tour. Fearing a broken rib, he was held overnight at an area hospital, but was released when a CT scan was negative.

On July 31, 2010 Brad performed alongside Carrie Underwood at the inaugural Greenbrier Classic PGA Tour Event in Lewisburg, W.Va. An estimated 60,000 people attended the out door event to watch Carrie and Brad perform in the pouring rain.

On August 4, 2010, it was announced on his official website that Paisley would release his first official greatest hits package, entitled ''Hits Alive''. Released on November 2, 2010, ''Hits Alive'' is a double-disc collection, with one disc containing studio versions of Paisley's hit singles, while the companion disc features previously unreleased live versions of his songs.

Brad Paisley cohosted the 44th Annual CMA Awards on November 10, 2010, where he was also awarded the CMA's top award, Entertainer of the Year. During his acceptance speech, Paisley emotionally honored his grandfather, who inspired him to play the guitar.

2011-Present: ''This Is Country Music''

In December 2010, Paisley released "This Is Country Music" as the title track to his eighth studio album, released May 23, 2011. The album's second single, "Old Alabama" (with Alabama), released to country radio on March 14, 2011 and became Paisley's nineteenth number one hit. "Remind Me," with Carrie Underwood, was released May 23, 2011 to radio.

On March 22, 2011, Paisley's website announced a new beta game titled "Brad Paisley World." The game is modeled after other Facebook games such as Farmville or Mafia Wars and features original animation. The game provides a new way for fans to interact with each other and view exclusive material that would otherwise be unavailable.

On May 12, 2011, Paisley's website announced that he would release two songs on the soundtrack for the film ''Cars 2''. One of them would be a collaboration with British pop singer Robbie Williams.

Tours

''Brooks & Dunn's Neon Circus & Wild West Show 2003

''Mud & Suds Tour 2004'' (w/ Sara Evans, Andy Griggs)

''Two Hats & A Redhead Tour 2005'' (w/ Reba McEntire, Terri Clark)

''Time Well Wasted Tour 2006'' (w/ Sara Evans, Sugarland, Carrie Underwood, Jake Owen, Josh Turner, Billy Currington)

''Bonfires & Amplifiers Tour 2007–2008'' (w/ Taylor Swift, Jack Ingram, Kellie Pickler, Rodney Atkins, Chuck Wicks)

''The Paisley Party Tour 2008'' (w/ Chuck Wicks, Julianne Hough, Jewel)

''The Paisley Party Tour 2009'' (w/ Dierks Bentley, Darius Rucker, Crystal Shawanda)

''American Saturday Night Tour 2009'' (w/ Dierks Bentley, Jimmy Wayne)

''American Saturday Night Tour 2010'' (w/ Miranda Lambert, Justin Moore)

''The H2O Tour 2010'' (w/ Darius Rucker, Justin Moore, Easton Corbin, Steel Magnolia, Josh Thompson)

''The H2O Frozen Over Tour 2011'' (w/ Darius Rucker, Jerrod Niemann)

''H2O II: Wetter and Wilder World Tour'' (w/ Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Jerrod Niemann, Sunny Sweeney, The JaneDear Girls, Brent Anderson, Edens Edge)

Band

Paisley records his studio albums, in most part, with the backing of his live band, The Drama Kings. Their first gig together was May 7, 1999. The only changes have been Randel Currie's addition on the steel guitar in 2000 and Jimmy Heffernan's departure in 2001. Also, Jody Harris worked as Paisley's guitar tech until officially becoming a bandmember for the American Saturday Night Tour. As of 2010, the lineup is:

Brad Paisley – lead vocals, lead guitar

Gary Hooker – rhythm guitar

Randle Currie – steel guitar

Kendal Marcy – keyboards, banjo, mandolin

Justin Williamson – fiddle, mandolin

Kenny Lewis – bass guitar

Ben Sesar – drums

Personal life

Paisley had seen ''Father of the Bride'' with a former girlfriend. They broke up, but when ''Father of the Bride Part II'' was released, he went to see the sequel alone. He said that he watched Kimberly Williams' performance and "thought, She seems like a great girl — smart and funny and all those things that are so hard to find." Paisley wrote several songs on ''Part II'' about his former girlfriend, including one about going to see ''Father of the Bride'', and when it was time to cast the video, Paisley thought of the girl in the movie.

In 2001, Paisley began dating Kimberly Williams. Williams appeared in a video for the song, "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)," in 2002, the last release from his ''Part II'' album. The two married on March 15, 2003, at Stauffer Chapel on the campus of Pepperdine University after a nine month engagement.

They live in Franklin, Tennessee, and have another home in Malibu.

Their first son, William Huckleberry, or "Huck", was born on February 22, 2007, in Nashville, Tennessee. Their second son, Jasper Warren (named after his grandfather who bought Brad his first guitar), was born on April 17, 2009.

Paisley is a member of the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, and a Noble of the AAONMS, also known as Shriners. He was accompanied by his father, Doug Paisley (32º), for the ceremony on October 28, 2006.

He is also a lifelong fan of the Cleveland Browns. Paisley sang the national anthem before a game during the 1999 season, and stated in an interview, with ESPN his dream job would be to play football for them. He also invited former Browns Quarterback Brady Quinn to a concert at the Blossom Music Center, in 2008.

Paisley is also a fan of West Virginia University athletics and the Boston Red Sox.

In fall of 2009, it was announced in ''Variety'' that Paisley would enter the world of scripted television as an executive producer of a new hour-long drama series for The CW network called, appropriately, ''Nashville''. The plot was written and created by Neal Dodson and Matt Bomer (an actor on the USA Network series, ''White Collar''). The creator of the series ''One Tree Hill'', Mark Schwahn will direct the pilot and oversee the series. ''Star Trek'' and ''Heroes'' actor Zachary Quinto is also an executive producer on the series, along with Dodson, Bomer, and Corey Moosa.

As of July 2010, the series is not on the CW's fall schedule or mid-season schedule for 2010–2011 and the status of the project is unknown.

In 2010, Paisley was named a "Citizen of the Next Century" by Future-ish for his song "Welcome to the Future".

Gear

Paisley's first guitar was a Sears Danelectro Silvertone, and has since then been replaced with multiple Fender Telecasters. He uses amps by Tony Bruno and Dr. Z, along with Bill Crook model Telecaster style guitars. For pedals, he uses the Wampler Paisley signature overdrive and pedals by BOSS and Hermida Audio.

Discography

Albums

;Studio Albums

1999: ''Who Needs Pictures''

2001: ''Part II''

2003: ''Mud on the Tires''

2005: ''Time Well Wasted''

2006: ''Brad Paisley Christmas''

2007: ''5th Gear''

2008: ''Play''

2009: ''American Saturday Night''

2011: ''This Is Country Music''

;Compilations

2010: ''Hits Alive''

Awards

Brad Paisley has won the following awards:

Academy of Country Music

* 1999 – Top New Male Vocalist of the Year

* 2004 – Vocal Event of the Year ("Whiskey Lullaby")

* 2004 – Video of the Year ("Whiskey Lullaby")

* 2005 – Album of the Year ("Time Well Wasted")

* 2005 – Vocal Event of the Year ("When I Get Where I'm Going")

* 2005 – Video of the Year ("When I Get Where I'm Going")

* 2007 – Top Male Vocalist of the Year

* 2008 – Top Male Vocalist of the Year

* 2008 – Video of the Year ("Online")

* 2009 – Video of the Year ("Waitin' on a Woman")

* 2009 – Vocal Event of the Year ("Start a Band")

* 2009 – Top Male Vocalist of the Year

* 2010 – Top Male Vocalist of the Year

* 2011 – Top Male Vocalist of the Year

Country Music Association Awards

* 2000 – Horizon Award

* 2001 – Vocal Event of the Year ("Too Country")

* 2002 – Music Video of the Year ("I'm Gonna Miss Her")

* 2004 – Musical Event of the Year ("Whiskey Lullaby")

* 2004 – Music Video of the Year ("Whiskey Lullaby")

* 2006 – Album of the Year (''Time Well Wasted'')

* 2006 – Musical Event of the Year ("When I Get Where I'm Going")

* 2007 – Music Video of the Year ("Online" – director Jason Alexander)

* 2007 – Male Vocalist of the Year

* 2008 – Music Video of the Year ("Waitin' on a Woman")

* 2008 – Male Vocalist of the Year

* 2009 – Male Vocalist of the Year

* 2009 – Musical Event of the Year ("Start A Band" with Keith Urban)

* 2010 – Entertainer of the Year

Grammy Awards

* 2008 – Best Country Instrumental Performance ("Throttleneck")

* 2009 – Best Country Instrumental Performance ("Cluster Pluck")

* 2009 – Best Male Country Vocal Performance ("Letter to Me")

Country Weekly Presents the TNN Music Awards

* 2000 – The Discovery Award

* 2000 – Song of the Year ("He Didn't Have to Be")

* 2000 – CMT Music Video of the Year ("He Didn't Have to Be")

Flameworthy Awards/CMT Music Awards

* 2002 – Concept Video of the Year ("I'm Gonna Miss Her")

* 2005 – Collaborative Video of the Year ("Whiskey Lullaby")

* 2006 – Most Inspiring Video of the Year ("When I Get Where I'm Going")

* 2008 – Comedy Video of the Year ("Online")

* 2009 – CMT Performance of the Year ("Country Boy")

* 2009 – Collaborative Video of the Year ("Start a Band")

* 2009 – Male Video of the Year ("Waitin' On a Woman")

American Music Awards

* 2008 – Favorite Country Male Artist

* 2010 – Favorite Country Male Artist

American Country Awards

* 2010 – Artist of the Year - Male

''Orville H. Gibson Guitar Award''

* 2002 – Best Country Guitarist (Male)

''Nashville Songwriters Association International Award''

* 2002 – Songwriter/Artist of the Year

* 2005 – Songwriter/Artist of the Year

''ASCAP Country Music Award''

* 2004 – Songwriter/Artist of the Year

References

External links

Official Website

Category:1972 births Category:American guitarists Category:American songwriters Category:American country guitarists Category:American country singers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American country songwriters Category:American male singer-songwriters Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:American male singers Category:American people of Scottish descent Category:Arista Records artists Category:Belmont University alumni Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Grand Ole Opry members Category:Living people Category:Lead guitarists Category:People from Marshall County, West Virginia Category:Musicians from West Virginia

de:Brad Paisley fr:Brad Paisley it:Brad Paisley nl:Brad Paisley ja:ブラッド・ペイズリー pl:Brad Paisley pt:Brad Paisley ru:Пейсли, Брэд simple:Brad Paisley sv:Brad Paisley tr:Brad Paisley vi:Brad Paisley

Name	Sara Evans
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Sara Lynn Evans
Birth date	February 05, 1971
Birth place	Boonville, Missouri, U.S.
Instrument	Vocals
Genre	Country
Occupation	Singer-songwriter
Years active	1992–present
Label	RCA Nashville
Associated acts	Vince Gill, Lee Ann Womack, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Carrie Underwood, LeAnn Rimes, Mindy McCready
Website	saraevans.com }}

Sara Lynn Evans (; born February 5, 1971) is an American country singer and songwriter.

Evans was one of the few traditional-styled singers to emerge from Nashville in the late 1990s, according to Allmusic. Since emerging in the late 1990s, Evans has made five No. 1 Country hits and Gold and Platinum-certified albums by the RIAA, like 2003's ''Restless'' and 2005's ''Real Fine Place''. Her 2000 album, ''Born to Fly'' was certified Double-Platinum.

Biography

Early life and the rise to fame

Evans was born in Boonville, Missouri, in 1971, and is of Welsh, English, and Irish descent. She was raised on a farm near New Franklin, MO, the eldest girl of seven children. By five she was singing weekends in her family's band. At age eight, she was struck by an automobile in front of the family home, and her legs suffered multiple fractures. Recuperating for months in a wheelchair, she continued singing to help pay her medical bills. When she was 16, she began performing at a nightclub near Columbia, Missouri, a gig that lasted two years.

Evans moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1991 to be a country music artist. She met fellow musician Craig Schelske and left Nashville with him in 1992, moving to Oregon. They married in 1993. She returned to Nashville in 1995 and began recording demos. Nashville songwriter Harlan Howard was impressed by her demo of his song "Tiger by the Tail". He decided to help her music career, leading to a signed contract with RCA Nashville.

In 1997, Evans released her first album for RCA, ''Three Chords and the Truth''. Critics praised the album for returning to traditional country and included it in many of their yearly "Top 10" lists. The video for "Three Chords and the Truth", directed by Susan Johnson, was nominated for awards from ''Billboard'' Magazine, CMT, and the MVPA. The album included a cover version of an older Country song, Patsy Cline's "Imagine That", which originally reached No. 21 for Cline on the country charts in 1962. None of the three singles made the top 40. It would be another year before Evans gained full popularity. In 1998 Evans released her second album, ''No Place That Far''. Critics slammed her on choosing a more pop-country sound. Her first single, "Cryin' Game", hardly made a ripple on the charts but the music video, which re-teamed Evans with director Susan Johnson, did very well in rotation. However, it was her next single, "No Place That Far", a duet with Vince Gill, that brought her massive success, reaching #1 on the Country charts, as well as the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Top 40. Because of its success, the album was certified "Gold" by the RIAA.

Breakthrough: the ''Born to Fly'' and ''Restless'' albums

In 2000, Evans worked on a third album to be released later that year. The album, ''Born to Fly'', was released to stores on October 10, 2000, and later became another major-selling album. She insisted on hiring Seattle-based rock drummer Matt Chamberlain (The Wallflowers, Edie Brickell), who brought a different sound to her music. The album became Evans' first album to receive a "Platinum" rating by the RIAA, and spawned four country hits, including the title track ("Born to Fly") which was the first single released from the album, reaching the No. 1 spot on the Country charts, Evans' first No. 1 as a solo artist. Hits continued from the album all the way into 2002. After "Born to Fly", the second single, "I Could Not Ask for More", was released in 2001, the country version of Edwin McCain's big pop–rock hit from the year before. Evans' version reached No. 2 on the country charts and was a No. 35 Pop hit, ironically an even bigger Pop hit than McCain's version on Billboard's Hot 100 (McCain's version reached No. 37). In 2002, songs continued to be released from the album; "Saints and Angels" and "I Keep Looking" were the last two singles released from the album. "I Keep Looking" reached No. 5 and "Saints and Angels" reached No. 16. In 2004, the ''Born to Fly'' album was officially certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA.

In 2001, Evans was the most-nominated artist at the Country Music Association awards with seven nominations overall, and she won her first CMA award when "Born to Fly" won the award for ''Video of the Year'', her first major award from Country music.

In 2003, Evans recorded a long-awaited fourth album, which was titled ''Restless''. The album was released August 19, 2003 to stores. The first single released from the album in 2003, "Back Seat of a Greyhound Bus", was a Top 20 Country hit, reaching No. 16 on the Hot Country Songs list that year, but it did not hit the Billboard Hot 100, peaking outside it on the Bubbling Hot 100. Despite the album's first single not reaching the Top 10, the album still sold fairly well, debuting at No. 3 on the "Top Country Albums" list and the No. 20 on the "Billboard 200" list, and sold over 40,000 copies within its first week. However it was the album's next single, "Perfect" that broke Country's Top 10, eventually peaking in the top 5 at No. 2, barely missing Country's top spot. The third single from the album, "Suds in the Bucket", was the album's most successful single; it became Evans' third Number One hit and was also a Top 40 hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Additionally, it was Evans' first ever Gold-certified single by the RIAA. The album's fourth and final single, "Tonight", failed to reach the Top 40 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.

''Restless'' received a nomination in the 2005 Academy of Country Music Awards.

Success of the ''Real Fine Place'' album and ''Greatest Hits''

After 2003's ''Restless'' album, Evans re-emerged with a fifth studio album titled ''Real Fine Place'', released October 4, 2005. The album's lead single, "A Real Fine Place to Start," reached No. 1 on the Country charts in 2005, as well as reaching the Pop Top 40 at No. 38. The single marked the first time Evans charted on Billboard's "Pop 100" and "Hot Digital Songs" chart, reaching No. 67 and No. 62 respectively. "A Real Fine Place" was another Gold-certified single by the RIAA. The album sold 130,000 copies within its first week, becoming Evans' first album to reach the No. 1 spot on the "Top Country Albums" chart, while also becoming her most successful album on the "Billboard 200" to date, reaching No. 3. The album sold three times more copies than her previous album had done in their first weeks. On December 6, 2005, Evans released the compilation album ''Feels Like Home'' through Cracker Barrel stores. The album contains remixes of some of her most popular songs, including a live version of "Born to Fly" and an acoustic version of "No Place That Far". In 2005 the album's follow-up single "Cheatin'" was a top 10 Country hit, peaking at No. 9 there. The third single released from the album, "Coalmine", was the least successful single, just about breaking Billboard's Country Top 40 chart in early 2006.

In 2006, R&R; announced Evans as the "Female Vocalist of the Year" in its 2006 Readers' Poll. In spring 2006, Evans released ''Always There'' through Hallmark stores for Mothers' Day. The album has six of her favorite already-released songs, including a live version of "Suds in the Bucket" and an acoustic version of "Born to Fly". Two new songs are on the disc: "You Ought to Know by Now" and "Brooklyn & Austin". In 2006, the last significant single from the ''Real Fine Place'' album was released, titled "You'll Always Be My Baby", which was a Top 20 Country hit, but missing Billboard's Hot 100, reaching a peak position on the Bubbling Hot 100 at #105. An album cut released from the album in 2006, "Missing Missouri", reached No. 52 on the Country charts that year. On May 23, 2006, Evans competed and performed at the 2006 ACM awards show in Las Vegas, where she won her first ACM for the "Top Female Vocalist". Evans also became a spokesperson for National Eating Disorders Association, and has spoken out widely on this subject, as she has been personally affected by it. She also hosted a charity event, Fashion for Every Body, which featured a fashion show, silent auction and performance by Evans.

On October 9, 2007, Evans released her first ''Greatest Hits'' collection. The compilation features four new songs, including the lead-off single "As If", which was a Top 20 hit on the country charts. Evans released the gift book ''You'll Always Be My Baby'' (based on her song). It was written by Evans, Tony Martin and Tom Shapiro. It was announced on October 15, 2007, that Evans would host the 41st annual CMA Awards show with LeAnn Rimes on November 7, 2007.

A libertarian Republican, Evans also showed support for Texas Congressman Ron Paul in the 2008 Presidential election and was the headliner at his "Rally For The Republic" on September 2, 2008 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the same day as the Republican National Convention in neighboring St. Paul.

''Stronger'' and career today

The single "Low" (sung by Sara Evans) was released to radio on September 29, 2008, to promote ''Billy: The Early Years'' (for the movie released October 10). The song is featured on the movie's soundtrack which was released on October 7, 2008, and also includes other big name country artists. "Low" debuted (and peaked) on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart at No. 59 on October 12, 2008. It only remained on the chart for one week before returning for a second week in January 2009 at the same position.

A book called ''Sweet By and By'', written by Evans with author Rachel Hauck, was released on January 5, 2010. It is the first release of a four-book deal inked with Thomas Nelson Fiction. The second book is ''Softly and Tenderly'', and was released January 14, 2011, with the following third and fourth books to be released 2012 and 2013.

Evans stated in a video posting to her fan club on December 23, 2008, that she was working with her brother Matt Evans and producer Nathan Chapman on her sixth studio album. "Feels Just Like a Love Song", was released on July 20, 2009. The song debuted and peaked at No. 59 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart; after spending two weeks on the chart, it fell off. It was intended as the lead-off single to Evans' sixth studio album, ''Stronger'', but was later cut from the final track listing.

In 2009, ABC Daytime and SOAPnet sponsored a tour, headlined by Evans, that featured performances throughout the summer. Additionally, soap performers made appearances at her shows. Evans participated in performances on the networks, as well as on-air interstitial campaigns and online promotions.

In late 2009, Evans released a four-song Christmas EP, ''I'll Be Home for Christmas'', to coincide with her 2009 Christmas tour. The EP includes the title track as well as "O' Come All Ye Faithful", "Go Tell It on the Mountain", and "New Again" (a duet with Brad Paisley). It was released on November 3, 2009 to digital retailers.

During Evans' 2010 fanclub party on June 10, 2010, she debuted the first single from her sixth studio album, ''Stronger'', which was released on March 8, 2011. The song, titled "A Little Bit Stronger," was released to radio on September 27, 2010. One of the few songs on the album not co-written by the artist, it was pitched to Evans by its songwriter, Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum. Additionally, the song was included on the soundtrack to the 2010 film ''Country Strong''. It debuted at No. 56 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart for the week of October 2, 2010 and hit No. 1 in May 2011. The video for "A Little Bit Stronger" hit number one on the GAC top 20 country video countdown on May 20, 2011. Evans sang the song on the finale of season 12 of the American ABC TV show ''Dancing with the Stars'' on May 24, 2011.

She released "My Heart Can't Tell You No", her second single from ''Stronger'', to radio on June 20, 2011.

Television work

In April 2004, Evans appeared as a special guest on "Nashville Star". She appeared on the game show "Million Dollar Password" in June 2008.

In September 2006, Evans began competing with other celebrities on the third season of ABC's Dancing with the Stars with (professional) partner Tony Dovolani. Evans launched a new fan web site to provide behind-the-scenes material from her participation on the program. Evans was the first country music singer to ever participate in the show. However, she chose to withdraw from the competition due to her divorce.

Also in 2006, Evans guest starred on Jeff Foxworthy's TV show, ''Foxworthy's Big Night Out''.

Evans made an appearance judging on ''HGTV Design Star'' in which she chose which of two redesigned rooms at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center was most like her own style. This aired on July 6, 2008

In October 2008, Evans also hosted a charity skating fundraiser, "Skating for Life". Olympic skaters skated to Evans' songs.

In March 2009, Evans hosted the ''ACM GAC Top New Artist Special'', which launched the fan voting for the ACMs three new categories: Top New Female Vocalist, Top New Male Vocalist and Top New Vocal Duo or Group.

Evans sang "God Bless America" during the All Star Game in St Louis, Missouri on July 12, 2009.

In June 2011 Evans appeared on the Flatts Fest 2011 Tour with Rascal Flatts, Justin Moore, and Easton Corbin.

Sara Evans' Band

Current band:

Sara Evans - Lead Vocals

Jim Bloodgood - Drums

Matt Evans - Bass/Band Leader/Harmony Vocals (Sara's brother)

Lesley Evans Lyons - Harmony Vocals (Sara's sister)

Ashley Evans Simpson - Harmony Vocals (Sara's sister)

Jonathan Lawson - Fiddle/Acoustic Guitar/Harmony Vocals

Justin Butler - Lead Guitar/Acoustic Guitar

Brent Wilson - Lead Guitar/Acoustic Guitar/Mandolin/Harmony Vocals

Personal life

Evans married Craig Schelske, an aspiring politician, on September 25, 1993, and divorced in September 2007. Evans and Schelske have three children: Avery Jack (born August 21, 1999), Olivia Margaret (born January 22, 2003) and Audrey Elizabeth (born October 6, 2004).

On June 14, 2008, Evans married Jay Barker, a former University of Alabama quarterback, national championship winner and current radio show host. They married in Franklin, Tennessee, with their children as their attendants. Evans and her three children now live in Mountain Brook, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, with Barker and his children.

Divorce

On October 12, 2006, Evans left ''Dancing with the Stars'', citing personal reasons, and the following day it was revealed that Evans had filed for divorce from her husband of 13 years, Craig Schelske. Documents filed by Evans' husband accused the singer of having close to a dozen affairs, including singer/songwriter Richard Marx, country star Kenny Chesney, ''Dancing with the Stars'' partner Tony Dovolani, various members of Evans' band, and four of the five members of the rock band 3 Doors Down. A representative for Chesney called the allegations "ridiculous," and Kirt Webster, a spokesman for the rock band 3 Doors Down, stated that the accusations are "ludicrous" and "untrue" and that the band members "are saddened by what she's going through."

On September 28, 2007, the divorce between Evans and Schelske became final. Evans will pay him a minimum of $500,000 in alimony over a ten-year period. Evans was awarded custody of their three children with visitation rights to Schelske.

An ex-nanny of Evans', Alison Clinton Lee, sued her for $3 million, claiming that Evans has smeared her name by including it in her divorce papers as one of the many women Evans claims her husband had affairs with. The case was settled in July 2009, for $500,000.

On February 25, 2010, Evans obtained a restraining order against Schelske. Documents say Schelske is not allowed to make any derogatory statements about Evans to the media or make allegations about what led to their divorce.

Awards and nominations

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- ! Year ! Award ! Category ! Result |- | 1997 | Billboard Music Video Awards | Best Country New Artist Video of the Year | |- | rowspan="2"|1999 | rowspan="2"|Country Music Association Awards | Vocal Event of the Year | |- | Horizon Award | |- | 2000 | Country Music Association Awards | Horizon Award | |- | rowspan="5"|2001 | rowspan="5"|Country Music Association Awards | Video of the Year for "Born to Fly" | |- | Single of the Year for "Born to Fly" | |- | Song of the Year for "Born to Fly" | |- | Album of the Year for ''Born to Fly'' | |- | Female Vocalist of the Year | |- | rowspan="2"|2002 | Academy of Country Music Awards | Top Female Vocalist | |- | Country Music Association Awards | Female Vocalist of the Year | |- | rowspan="3"|2004 | Country Music Association Awards | Female Vocalist of the Year | |- | CMT Flameworthy Awards | Female Video of the Year for "Perfect" | |- | BMI Country Awards | 50 Most Performed Country Songs Award for "Perfect" | |- | rowspan="5"|2005 | CMT Music Awards | Hottest Video of the Year for "Suds in the Bucket" | |- | rowspan="2"|Academy of Country Music Awards | Top Female Vocalist | |- | Album of the Year for ''Restless'' | |- | rowspan="2"|Country Music Association Awards | Musical Event of the Year for "New Again" (with Brad Paisley) | |- | Female Vocalist of the Year | |- | rowspan="4"|2006 | CMT Music Awards | Female Video of the Year for "A Real Fine Place To Start" | |- | R&R; | Female Vocalist of the Year | |- | Academy of Country Music Awards | Top Female Vocalist | |- | Country Music Association Awards | Female Vocalist of the Year | |- | rowspan="2"|2007 | CMT Music Awards | Female Video of the Year for "You'll Always Be My Baby" | |- | BMI Country Awards | 50 Most Performed Country Songs Award for "You'll Always Be My Baby" | |- | 2008 | BMI Country Awards | 50 Most Performed Country Songs for "As If" | |- | 2010 | Dove Awards | Special Event Album for ''Glory Revealed II: The Word of God In Worship'' | |- | rowspan="3"|2011 | CMT Music Awards | Female Video of the Year for "A Little Bit Stronger" | |- | rowspan="2"|Country Music Association Awards | Female Vocalist of the Year | |- | Single of the Year for "A Little Bit Stronger" | |- |}

Discography

;Studio Albums

1997: ''Three Chords and the Truth''

1998: ''No Place That Far''

2000: ''Born to Fly''

2003: ''Restless''

2005: ''Real Fine Place''

2011: ''Stronger''

;Compilation album

2007: ''Greatest Hits''

References

External links

SaraEvans.com (Official site)

Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:People from Boonville, Missouri Category:American people of Welsh descent Category:American female singers Category:Musicians from Missouri Category:American libertarians Category:Tennessee Republicans Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American people of English descent Category:RCA Records artists

pdc:Sara Evans de:Sara Evans nl:Sara Evans pl:Sara Evans pt:Sara Evans ru:Эванс, Сара Линн simple:Sara Evans fi:Sara Evans sv:Sara Evans

Name	Aaron Lewis
Landscape	Yes
Background	solo_singer
Born	April 13, 1972 Rutland, Vermont
Origin	Longmeadow, Massachusetts,United States
Instrument	Vocals, guitar
Genre	Alternative metal, nu metal, post-grunge, acoustic rock, country
Occupation	Musician, songwriter
Years active	1990–present
Label	Flip, Elektra, Atlantic, Stroudavarious, R&J; Records
Associated acts	Staind
Website	www.aaronlewismusic.com }}

Aaron Lewis, (born April 13, 1972), is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and founding member of the rock group Staind, with whom he has released six studio albums. He has since ventured into country music with his debut solo album, ''Town Line''. The EP was released on March 1, 2011 on Stroudavarious Records.

Early life

Lewis grew up, largely, in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, then moved to the Forest Park section of Springfield, MA from 8th grade through high school. His mother is Jewish with origins in Russia, Poland and Germany and his father is Catholic of Italian, Welsh and English origin. His hobbies include fishing, golf, riding his motorcycle and dirt bike, as well as hunting. He has worked in landscaping, cleaned hotel rooms, and played solo acoustic sets in bars, pool halls, restaurants and coffeehouses.

Career

Lewis was, before Staind, in a band known as J-CAT with Tori Sands, Chris Ballini, and Staind bandmate Jon Wysocki. An album surfaced on the internet with nine of J-CAT's performances at Club Infinity in Springfield, Massachusetts. The performances were recorded while ''Dysfunction'' was being recorded. Two of Staind's popular singles—"Outside" and "It's Been Awhile"—were both originally performed by J-CAT with somewhat different lyrics. Lewis has been nominated for three Grammys.

Solo career

Lewis has been performing solo acoustic shows since he was 17 and still does today. He has written and performed many songs that have never been officially released such as "Angel", "Something Like Me", "Bonghits for Breakfast" (originally performed with J-CAT), "Anywhere but Here", and "Sleeping at the Wheel".

In July 2010, Lewis finished recording a country music EP entitled ''Town Line'' that was released March 1, 2011 on Stroudavarious Records. It features 7 tracks including 3 versions of the first single "Country Boy" featuring George Jones, Charlie Daniels, and Chris Young, as well as the songs "Massachusetts", "Vicious Circles", "The Story Never Ends", and a re-recording of "Tangled Up in You" originally from ''The Illusion of Progress''. Lewis said in a July 2011 interview that he was introduced to country music as a child by his grandfather, but his interest was recently rekindled when he toured with Kid Rock.

Collaborations

He was featured on the song "No Sex" by Limp Bizkit on their album ''Significant Other''. He was also featured on a remix for the song "Crawling" on Linkin Park's album ''Reanimation'' (the remix is titled "Krwlng" on the album), as well as Cold's album ''13 Ways to Bleed on Stage''. He contributed vocals to the song "Follow" on Sevendust's third album, ''Animosity'', and to the songs "Bleed" and "Send in the Clowns" by the band Cold. He's also featured on Jimmie's Chicken Shack's song "Falling Out", the only single off their 2004 album ''re.present''.

Equipment

1950 Gibson Acoustic J-45

1951 Gibson Acoustic Southern Jumbo

1936 Gibson Acoustic Jumbo J-35

1956 Gibson Les Paul Gold Top

1968 Gibson Les Paul Gold Top

1980's Gibson Heritage Series Les Pauls (At least 5)

Personal life

He is married to Vanessa Lewis and has three daughters, Zoe Jane, Nyla Rae and Indie Shay. Aaron also has two sisters, Evyette and Rachel, as well as a brother, Jesse.

Aaron Lewis is a registered Republican. He is a constitutional conservative and opposes high taxes. His views were expressed in the song "Country Boy".

In a five minute interview with Outdoor Life magazine Aaron Lewis shared that he has been hunting whitetail deer since he was old enough to keep up in the woods, probably age 4 or 5. His preferred method of hunting deer is with a compound or recurve bow, and occasionally utilizes a muzzleloader.

Philanthropy

On November 4, 2006, Aaron performed at his old high school in Longmeadow, Massachusetts and gave all the proceeds to the music department to fund the department's expenses to buy new equipment and supplies. Lewis' main focus, however, is the nonprofit organization, It Takes a Community, where he and his wife have started to reopen their daughter's elementary school in Worthington, Massachusetts.

Discography

Extended plays

Title	Details	Peak chart positions
		! width="40"	! width="40"	! width="40"	! width="40"
''Town Line''		* Release date: March 1, 2011	* Label: Stroudavarious Records	Compact disc>CD, music download	1	7	3	3

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions						Album
		! width="35"	! width="35"	! width="35"	! width="35"	! width="35"	! width="35"
2000		56	31	2	1	—	—
2011		87	—	—	23	50	39

Music videos

! Year	! Video	! Director
2010	"Country Boy" (with George Jones and Charlie Daniels)	Alex Castino

Awards and nominations

! Year	! Association	! Category	! Result
		USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year - "Country Boy"
Collaborative Video of the Year - "Country Boy" (with George Jones and Charlie Daniels)

References

The Darkness Within by Jenny Eliscu, Rolling Stone, July 19, 2001 (In depth interview, includes birthplace)

External links

Official website

Official Staind website

ADDICTEDtoStAiND

Category:1972 births Category:Living people Category:American heavy metal guitarists Category:American heavy metal singers Category:American male singers Category:American rock singer-songwriters Category:Nu metal singers Category:Musicians from Vermont Category:Jewish American musicians Category:American musicians of English descent Category:American musicians of Italian descent Category:American musicians of German descent Category:American musicians of Russian descent Category:American musicians of Polish descent Category:People from Rutland County, Vermont Category:People from Springfield, Massachusetts Category:American country singers Category:Stroudavarious Records artists

de:Aaron Lewis es:Aaron Lewis it:Aaron Lewis he:ארון לואיס pl:Aaron Lewis pt:Aaron Lewis ru:Льюис, Аарон fi:Aaron Lewis