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The Inside Film Awards (now known as the IF Awards) is an annual awards ceremony and broadcast platform for the Australian film industry, a format created by Australian Producer Andrew Dillon. The awards are determined by a national audience poll, which differentiates it from the Australian Film Institute Awards, which are judged by industry professionals.

The event is held in November each year, and is broadcast on SBS television and showtime movie channels. The IF Awards were first held in 1999, and until 2006 were also known as the Lexus Inside Film Awards, in recognition of its principal sponsor, Lexus. Sponsorship since then has included multiple broadcast and event partners, with the new Naming Rights Partner for 2011 being Jameson Irish Whiskey. In 2011, the Jameson IF Awards were held in November in Sydney again.

It has recently been announced that as of 2012, the IF Awards will be 'on hold'.^[1]

The Winners of the 2010 Kodak IF Awards[link]

""The AUTODESK IF Award for Best Short Animation""

• The Lost Thing – Directors: Shaun Tan, Andrew Ruhemann, Producer: Sophie Byrne

The Holding Redlich IF Award for Best Short Film

• Celestial Avenue – Directors: Colin & Cameron Cairnes, Producer: Scott Alexander

The FACB IF Award for Best Short Documentary

• From Dope to Dalai Lama – Director: Jason Raftopoulos, Producer: Jason Raftopoulos

SBS Best Documentary IF Award

• Strange Birds in Paradise – Director: Charlie Hill-Smith, Producer: Jamie Nicolai, John Cherry

The SAE INSTITUTE IF Award for Best Music Video

• "Big Jet Plane" - Angus & Julia Stone – Director: Kiku Ohe, Producer: Richard Halstead

The AFTRS IF Award for Best Direction

• Animal Kingdom – David Michôd

JAMESON IF Award for Best Script

• Tomorrow When the War Began – Stuart Beattie

Events NSW IF Award for Best Actor

• Animal Kingdom – Ben Mendelsohn

The IF Award for Best Actress

• Tomorrow When the War Began – Caitlin Stasey

The SHOWTIME MOVIE CHANNELS IF Award for Best Feature Film

• Tomorrow When the War Began

SA FILM IF Award for Best Sound

• Beneath Hill 60 – ROBERT SULLIVAN, LIAM EGAN, MARK CORNISH, TONY MURTAGH

Dinosaur Designs IF Award for Best Music

• Tomorrow When The War Began – JOHNNY KLIMEK, REINHOLD HEIL

CineAlta by SONY IF Award for Best Cinematography

• The Waiting City – DENSON BAKER

DYSON IF Award for Best Production Design

• Bright Star – JANET PATTERSON

AVID IF Award for Best Editing

• The Waiting City –VERONIKA JENET

National Film and Sound Archive Independent Spirit IF Award

• CAUGHT INSIDE – Directed by Adam Blaiklock, Produced by Paul S Friedman

EFilm IF Award for Rising Talent

• Ariel Kleiman

The Media Super Out of the Box IF Award

• Ryan Corr

Docklands Studios Melbourne IF Award for Contribution to TV

• Penny Chapman

2007 nominations[link]

The IF Award for Best Feature Film

• The Home Song Stories – directed by Tony Ayres and produced by Michael McMahon & Liz Watts
• The Jammed – directed by Dee McLachlan and produced by Sally Ayre–Smith, Andrea Buck & Dee McLachlan
• Lucky Miles – directed by Michael James Rowland and produced by Jo Dyer & Lesley Dyer

The Animal Logic IF Award for Best Director

• Tony Ayres – The Home Song Stories
• Matthew Saville – Noise
• Kriv Stenders – Boxing Day

The Queensland Events Corporation IF Award for Best Actor

• Brendan Cowell – Noise
• Richard Green – Boxing Day
• Joel Lok – The Home Song Stories

The In Style IF Award for Best Actress

• Brenda Blethyn – Clubland
• Joan Chen – The Home Song Stories
• Veronica Sywak –The Jammed

The Kodak IF Award for Best Cinematography

• The Home Song Stories – Nigel Bluck
• The Jammed – Peter Falk
• Lucky Miles – Geoff Burton, ASC.

The IF Award for Best Music

• The Home Song Stories – Antony Partos
• The Jammed – Grant Innes McLachlan
• Noise – Bryony Marks

The Australian Film Commission IF Award for Best Script

• The Jammed – Dee McLachlan
• The Home Song Stories – Tony Ayres
• Lucky Miles – Michael James Rowland & Helen Barnes

The Holding Redlich IF Award for Best Short Film

• Crocodile Dreaming – Directed by Darlene Johnson & produced by Sue Milliken
• Nana – Directed by Warwick Thornton & produced by Kath Shelper
• Soul Mates – Directed by Naomi Rossdeutscher & produced by Rachel Clements and Paul Howard

The Lab Sydney IF Award for Best Short Animation

• The Goat That Ate Time – Directed & produced by Lucinda Schreiber
• Richard – Directed & produced by Mick Elliott
• Sweet & Sour – Directed by Eddie White & produced by Sam White and The People's Republic of Animation

The SBS IF Award for Best Short Documentary

• Flour, Sugar, Tea – Directed by Lee Willis & produced by Gina Twyble
• My Brother Vinnie – Directed by Steven McGregor & produced by Sarah Bond
• Nigger Lovers – Directed by Rhonda Hagan & produced by Daryl Sparkes & Stephen Hagan

The IF Award for Best Documentary

• Bomb Harvest – Directed by Kim Mordaunt & produced by Sylvia Wilczynski
• 4 – Directed by Tim Slade & produced by Joanna Buggy
• Unlikely Travellers – Directed by Michael Noonan & produced by John Hart

The 3 IF Award for Best Music Video

• God Told Me To – Directed by Natasha Pincus. Artist: Paul Kelly
• Heart's A Mess – Directed by Brendan Cook. Artist: Gotye
• I Thought About You – Directed by Kiku Ohe. Artist: The Beautiful Girls

The Production Book IF Award for Best Production Design

• Clubland – Nell Hanson
• The Home Song Stories – Melinda Doring
• Lucky Miles – Pete Baxter

The Cutting Edge IF Award for Best Editing

• The Jammed – Anne Carter & Dee McLachlan
• Lucky Miles – Henry Dangar, ASE
• Noise – Geoff Hitchins

The Zig Zag Lane IF Award for Best Sound

• Clubland – Liam Egan, Ian McLoughlin, Andrew Neil & Steven Jackson Vaughan
• The Home Song Stories – Craig Carter, John Wilkinson, James Harvey & Andrew Neil
• Noise – Emma Bortignon, Doron Kipen & Philippe Decrausaz

The Independent Spirit IF Award

• Cross Life – Claire McCarthy
• Searching 4 Sandeep – Poppy Stockell
• Darling! The Pieter–Dirk Uys Story – Julian Shaw

The Atlab IF Award for Rising Talent

• Philippa Campey
• Bonnie Elliott
• Ben Hackworth
• Erin White

ZTudio What IF? Award for Best Unproduced Screenplay

• The Adventures of Abigail Storm – Luke Preston
• The Farm – Peter Dai Evans
• Intersection – Robin de Crespigny

2008 nominees[link]

(winners in each category are listed first, with nominees in alphabetical order following):

SHOWTIME IF Award for Best Feature Film

• Men's Group- Michael Joy & John L. Simpson
• The Black Balloon - Elissa Down & Tristram Miall
• Son of a Lion - Benjamin Gilmour & Carolyn Johnson

Screen Australia IF Award for Best Director

• PETER DUNCAN - Unfinished Sky
• Elissa Down - The Black Balloon
• Andrew Traucki & David Nerlich - Black Water

Queensland Events Corporation IF Award for Best Actor

• GRANT DODWELL - Men's Group
• Rhys Wakefield - The Black Balloon
• William McInnes - Unfinished Sky

IF Award for Best Actress

• MONIC HENDRICKX - Unfinished Sky
• Gemma Ward - The Black Balloon
• Maeve Dermody - Black Water

Screen Australia IF Award for Best Script

• Men's Group - Michael Joy & John L. Simpson
• The Black Balloon - Elissa Down & Jimmy The Exploder
• Unfinished Sky - Peter Duncan

Sony IF Award for Best Cinematography

• JULES O'LOUGHLIN ACS - September
• Denson Baker ACS - The Black Balloon
• Robert Humphreys ACS - Unfinished Sky

Dinosaur Designs IF Award for Best Music

• AMANDA BROWN - Son of a Lion
• Michael Yezerski - The Black Balloon
• Haydn Walker - Men's Group

Cutting Edge IF Award for Best Editing

• SURESH AYYAR - Unfinished Sky
• Veronika Jenet ASE - The Black Balloon
• Rodrigo Balart - Black Water

The Production Book IF Award for Best Production Design

• LAURIE FAEN - Unfinished Sky
• Nicholas McCallum - The Black Balloon
• Sam Hobbs - September

The Zig Zag Lane IF Award for Best Sound

• SAM PETTY, ROB MACKENZIE, YULIA AKERHOLT, PETER GRACE & MICHAEL MCMENOMY - The Square
• Paul Pirola & Ben Osmo - The Black Balloon
• Andrew Plain, Annie Breslin, Will Ward & John Scheifelbein - Unfinished Sky

IF Award for Box Office Achievement

• The Black Balloon

SBS IF Award for Best Documentary

• The Burning Season - Cathy Henkel (director/producer), Jeff Canin (producer) & Trish Lake (producer)
• The Oasis - Ian Darling (director/producer) & Sascha Ettinger Epstein (director)
• Playing In The Shadows - Sascha Ettinger Epstein (director/producer) & Marco Ianniello (director/producer)

St Arnou IF Award for Best Short Documentary

• UNDRESSING VANESSA - Matthew Pond (director) & Tina Lymberis (producer)
• Mad Morro - Kelrick Martin (director) & Tom Zubrycki (producer)
• Rare Chicken Rescue - Randall Wood (director) & Vickie Gest (producer)

Holding Redlich IF Award for Best Short Film

• fOUR - Erin White (director) & Zyra McAuliffe (producer)
• Spider - Nash Edgerton (director) & Nicole O'Donohue (producer)
• You Better Watch Out - Steve Callen (director) & Jules Callen (producer)

Autodesk IF Award for Best Short Animation

• THE COVENANT OF MR KASCH - Joshua Beahan (director/producer) & Ruwan De Silva (director/producer)
• Dog With Electric Collar - Steve Baker (director) & Damon Escott (producer)
• Mutt - Glen Hunwick (director) & Beth Frey (producer)

3 mobile IF Award for Best Music Video

• JUST A BOY BY ANGUS & JULIA STONE - Angus & Julia Stone (directors), Josh Groom (director), Andrew Yoole (director), Madeleine Milasas (producer) & Jodie Passmore (producer)
• Emergency! Emergency! by The Hot Lies - Luke Eve (director) & Simon Ritch (producer)
• If You Keep Losing Sleep by Silverchair - Stephen Lance (director), Damon Escott (director) & Leanne Tonkes (producer)

ZTudio What IF? Award for Best Unproduced Screenplay

• MEMORIAL DAY - Kieran Darcy-Smith
• Get Black - Matthew C Vaughan
• Red Light Revolution - Sam Voutas

Efilm IF Award for Rising Talent

• LEON FORD
• Amy Gebhardt
• Cris Jones

Post Op Group IF Award for Independent Spirit

• BENJAMIN GILMOUR & CAROLYN JOHNSON - Son of a Lion
• Jason Byrne - Rats & Cats
• Christopher Weekes - Bitter & Twisted

V Australia IF Award for Living Legend

• Hugo Weaving

Inside Film magazine IF Award for Festival of the Year

• Flickerfest International Film Festival^[2]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (March 2008)

Jason Aldean
Background information
Birth name	Jason Aldine Williams[1]
Born	(1977-02-28) February 28, 1977 (age 35)[2] Macon, Georgia, USA[2]
Genres	Country, country-rock
Occupations	Singer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	2005–present
Labels	Capitol Nashville Broken Bow
Associated acts	Kelly Clarkson Colt Ford Miranda Lambert, Ludacris, Brantley Gilbert Lionel Richie
Website	JasonAldean.com

Jason Aldine Williams (born February 28, 1977 in Macon, Georgia) is an American country music singer, known professionally as Jason Aldean. Since 2005, Aldean has recorded for Broken Bow Records, an independent record label for which he has released four albums and fifteen singles. His 2005 self-titled debut and 2009 album Wide Open are both certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), while 2007's Relentless is certified gold. Of his singles, seven have reached the number one position on the Hot Country Songs charts: "Why", "She's Country", "Big Green Tractor", "The Truth", "Don't You Wanna Stay" (a duet with Kelly Clarkson), "Dirt Road Anthem", and "Fly Over States." Eight more have reached top ten on the same chart.

Early life[link]

Aldean's parents, Barry and Debbie, divorced when he was three. He was raised by his mother, mainly in Macon, Georgia, where he went to high school at Windsor Academy. During the summer he would spend time with his father in Homestead, Florida.

Before going to work during the day, his dad would map out guitar chords on notebook paper to show Jason where to place his fingers to play the chords. Jason sat and practiced all day while his dad was at work. When his dad got home, he got out his own guitar and they played together. Soon, after hearing a song only a few times, he could play it. His early favorites included George Strait's "The Cowboy Rides Away", Hank Williams Jr.'s "The Blues Man", and Alabama's "My Home's in Alabama". Both parents encouraged young Jason as he progressed musically. From age 14, after watching the country-music awards on TV, he wanted to perform on stage. With his mother's help, he performed at the local VFW hall in Macon, Georgia. He sang John Anderson's song "Seminole Wind" and Tracy Lawrence's "Sticks and Stones". He would later say that the entire audience — all ten — applauded, and that he almost had to be dragged off the stage because he was hooked on performing. He began performing at area talent contests and local fairs. At 15, he joined the "house band" at Georgia nightspot Nashville South.

Personal life[link]

Aldean married his high school sweetheart, Jessica, and they now have two daughters, Keeley and Kendyl. Aldean married Jessica on August 4, 2001.^[3]

Musical career[link]

After high school, with his father's help, Aldean and his band performed in college towns in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia, and then further up the southeastern seaboard. With one of the band's members, Justin Weaver, Aldean began writing songs. In 1998 he performed his original songs at a showcase staged by Atlanta nightclub The Buckboard. He was approached by Michael Knox, then of the Warner-Chappell song-publishing company.^[4] After signing with Warner-Chappell, Aldean moved to Nashville on November 1, 1998, at age 21.

A month after moving to Nashville, Aldean was offered a recording contract but was subsequently dropped. He signed with another label but again was dropped in 2000 for postponing his recording sessions repeatedly. Various showcases failed to bring him a contract. The last straw was an attempt at the Wildhorse Saloon where the promised label talent scouts never even showed up. Finally, Lawrence Mathis spotted Jason at one of the showcases at The Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville. Mathis signed as Aldean's first manager. Still frustrated and discouraged with his struggling career, Aldean gave himself six months before planning to leave Nashville and return home to Georgia. Then five weeks later, he was offered a deal from Broken Bow Records in Nashville. Shortly after the release of his first album, Jason picked up his new (and current) agent, Kevin Neal. And while recording Relentless, Jason moved to Clarence Spalding and Spalding Entertainment for management.

[edit] Jason Aldean (2005-2006)

Aldean's first single, "Hicktown", was released in early 2005.^[4] It served as the lead-off to his album Jason Aldean, and reached a peak of #10 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. The album also produced his first Number One hit in "Why", as well as the #4-peaking "Amarillo Sky", which had previously been a non-charting single in 2002 for McBride & the Ride. Amarillo Sky earned a 2006 ACM nomination for song of the year and video of the year. Jason Aldean earned the title of "Top New Male Vocalist" at the 2006 Academy of Country Music Awards. Jason Aldean has sold over one million copies in the United States, and was certified platinum by the RIAA in 2007.

[edit] Relentless (2007-2008)

Aldean spent most of January 2007 in the studio with producer Michael Knox to finish his second album, Relentless.^[4] This album was released on May 29, 2007, and at Wal-Mart, it was released with a Limited Edition CMT Pick DVD that includes performances from Jason Aldean. The album's lead-off single, "Johnny Cash", was originally recorded by Tracy Byrd and peaked at #6 when Aldean released it. Its followup, "Laughed Until We Cried", has become his fifth consecutive Top Ten hit. Relentless has also been certified gold by the RIAA, and its title track was released as its third single. The song has also been Aldean's lowest charting single in both the U.S. and Canada, failing to reach Top Ten on the country charts.

[edit] Wide Open (2009-2010)

Aldean released a seventh single titled "She's Country" to radio on December 1, 2008. It is the first single from his third album Wide Open which was released on April 7, 2009. The single debuted at #51 on the Hot Country Songs chart in late-November 2008. His seventh consecutive Top 40 hit on the country charts, it is also his first Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and became his second number-one hit, and his first since "Why" in May 2006. The next single, the David Lee Murphy-Jim Collins co-write "Big Green Tractor," became Aldean's third Number One hit. Wide Open debuted at #2 on the Top Country Albums chart. "The Truth" became the album's third consecutive Number One hit in January 2010, with "Crazy Town" being the album's fourth single, peaking at #2 on the country charts.

Jason Aldean performed with Bryan Adams on an episode of CMT Crossroads in the beginning of May, and the episode premiered on June 26, 2009.^[5] In an interview with Shave Magazine, Jason explained that working with Bryan on Crossroads "was great. He was a lot of fun." But the real highlight for Jason was working with Randy Owen. "I am a big fan of Alabama so I got a chance to work with Randy Owen on this album (it didn’t make the album but it eventually made a bonus track). It was really cool. Alabama were like ‘The Beatles’ for me so working with him was definitely one of the highlights. I mean, both of those guys were really cool moments, but, if I had to pick one highlight, it would be working with Randy this year."^[6]

A live DVD titled Wide Open Live & More was released on August 25, 2009.

At the 2010 CMT music Awards Jason Aldean picked up 3 nominations in Video of the Year and Male Video of the Year for "The Truth", as well as collaborative video of the year and CMT performance of the year for his performance of "Heaven" with Bryan Adams.^[7]

[edit] My Kinda Party (2010-2012)

Aldean released a new single in August 2010, "My Kinda Party," which entered the Hot Country Songs chart at #41, which is the lead-off single from his album of the same name, released on November 2, 2010.^[8] It marks as Aldean's tenth top 10 country hit. He also collaborated with Kelly Clarkson on the intimate duet "Don't You Wanna Stay". Aldean and Clarkson's performance on November 10, 2010 at the CMA Awards received positive recognition, and debuted at #59 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart from unsolicited airplay for the week of November 20, 2010. In March 2011, "Don't You Wanna Stay" became Aldean's fifth number one hit.

In early 2011, Aldean's recording of "Dirt Road Anthem", recorded previously by both of its writers, country rap artist Colt Ford and Brantley Gilbert (who also wrote "My Kinda Party"), debuted on the Hot Country Songs chart at #57 as an album cut from unsolicited airplay for the week of February 5, 2011.^[9] In March 2011, "Dirt Road Anthem" was selected as the third single from My Kinda Party. Aldean also collaborated with Ludacris on the song "Dirt Road Anthem" at the 2011 CMT Music Awards in Nashville, Tennessee on Wednesday, June 8, 2011. In addition to making number one on the Hot Country Songs chart for the week of July 30, 2011, "Dirt Road Anthem" has also become Aldean's first top ten hit on the Hot 100 chart.

Aldean performed his song My Kinda Party at the start of the 2011 Home Run Derby, aired on ESPN.

Aldean won the CMA Country Album of the Year 2011 as well as the Musical Event of the Year with his duet, "Don't You Wanna Stay", with Kelly Clarkson. It was his first win.

On October 25, 2011 it was announced that Aldean will be performing on “The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music’s Biggest Night”, the one-hour special which takes place live on Wednesday, Nov. 30, at the Nokia Theatre L.A. The show will announce nominations in several categories as well as feature performances by past GRAMMY winners and/or nominees.^[10]

Jason Aldean released his fifth single from his award winning album, titled "Fly Over States" on February 6, 2012.

Tours[link]

• Me & My Gang Tour 2006 with Rascal Flatts & Gary Allan (Eric Church was kicked off for playing too long and Jason took his spot)
• Live Your Voice Tour with Tim McGraw 2008
• CMT ON TOUR:Relentless with Lady Antebellum
• Last Rodeo Tour with Brooks & Dunn 2010
• Wide Open Tour 2010 with Luke Bryan (Fall Leg)
• My Kinda Party Tour 2011 with
  • Spring Leg: Eric Church & The JaneDear Girls
  • Fall Leg: Chris Young & Thompson Square
• My Kinda Party Tour 2012 with Luke Bryan & Lauren Alaina
• First night headline at Stagecoach Country Music Festival 4/27/12.

Awards and nominations[link]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• 2005: Jason Aldean
• 2007: Relentless
• 2009: Wide Open
• 2010: My Kinda Party

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Jason Aldean at Allmusic

Luke Bryan
Bryan in April 2010
Background information
Birth name	Thomas Luther Bryan[1]
Born	(1976-07-17) July 17, 1976 (age 35)[2] Leesburg, Georgia, USA[3]
Genres	Country
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, acoustic guitar
Years active	2005-present
Labels	Capitol Nashville
Associated acts	Billy Currington, Jason Aldean, Ash Bowers, Travis Tritt, Lady Antebellum, Jeff Stevens
Website	www.lukebryan.com

Luke Bryan (born July 17, 1976) is an American country singer. Bryan began his musical career in the mid-2000s, writing songs for Travis Tritt and Billy Currington. After signing with Capitol Records Nashville in 2007, he released the album I'll Stay Me, which included the singles "All My Friends Say", "We Rode in Trucks" and "Country Man". Followup album Doin' My Thing included "Do I", which Bryan co-wrote with Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum, and the number one singles "Rain Is a Good Thing" and "Someone Else Calling You Baby". Tailgates & Tanlines, released in 2011, includes "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)" and his third number one, "I Don't Want This Night to End". Bryan co-wrote all of his singles with the exception of "Drunk on You" and co-produced all three albums with Jeff Stevens.

Biography[link]

Bryan was born and raised in Leesburg, Georgia. At age fourteen, his parents bought him his first guitar, and after learning to play it, he joined various local bands and began to play in local clubs.^[3] After graduating Lee County High School, Bryan planned to move to Nashville, Tennessee; however, this move was delayed, due to the death of his brother, Chris, on the same day he planned to leave. Luke attended Georgia Southern University, and is a member of the Eta Zeta chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.^[4] After graduation Luke went to work for his dad, despite everyone encouraging him to move to Tennessee. His dad encouraged him to relocate and he arrived in Nashville in 2001, signing a record deal only two months later.^[5]

[edit] 2007-2008: I'll Stay Me

He moved to Nashville on September 1, 2001 and landed a deal as a songwriter within two months. In that time his first serious girlfriend was Terri Hasty. ^[3] Among his first cuts was the title track of Travis Tritt's 2004 album My Honky Tonk History.^[6] An A&R representative at Capitol Records saw Bryan perform at a club, and signed him to a recording contract. In the meantime, Bryan co-wrote Billy Currington's single "Good Directions", which went to number 1 on the Hot Country Songs charts in mid-2007.^[7] Bryan co-wrote his debut single, "All My Friends Say", with producer Jeff Stevens. This song reached a peak of number 5 on Hot Country Songs in mid-2007. In August 2007, Capitol released Bryan's debut album, I'll Stay Me.^[8] Bryan wrote or co-wrote all but one of its 11 songs. The album's second single, "We Rode in Trucks", peaked at number 33 in early 2008, while "Country Man" reached number 10.

Thom Jurek of Allmusic gave the album a positive review, considering Bryan's lyrics "in the mainline of honky tonk tradition" although he thought some of the sound was "calculated".^[8]

[edit] 2009-2010: Doin' My Thing

In March 2009, he released an exclusive EP to iTunes titled Spring Break With All My Friends that featured two new songs, "Sorority Girls" and "Take My Drunk Ass Home," plus an acoustic version of "All My Friends Say." After this EP, he released his fourth single, "Do I". Bryan wrote the song with Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood of Lady Antebellum, whose lead singer Hillary Scott also sings backing vocals on it.^[9] It debuted at number 53 on the country singles charts dated for May 9, 2009 and reached number 2 in December, having been held from the Number One spot by Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now". "Do I" was included on Bryan's second album, Doin' My Thing, which was released in October 2009. Also included on the album was a cover of OneRepublic's "Apologize".^[10] Bryan wrote the album's next two singles, "Rain Is a Good Thing" and "Someone Else Calling You Baby", with Dallas Davidson and Jeff Stevens, respectively. Both of these songs went to number 1 on the country music charts.

Allmusic gave this album a positive review as well, with Stephen Thomas Erlewine considering Bryan more "relaxed" in comparison to his debut.^[10]

[edit] 2011-present: Tailgates & Tanlines

Bryan released his seventh single, "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)", to country radio on March 14, 2011. Also co-written by Bryan and Davidson, it served as the lead-off single to his third studio album, Tailgates & Tanlines, which was released August 13' 2011. The album debuted at number 1 on the Top Country Albums and number 2 on the Billboard 200. "Country Girl" peaked at number 4 on the country charts and number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. Bryan co-wrote the album's second single, "I Don't Want This Night to End", with Davidson, Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip, who are collectively known as the Peach Pickers. In early 2012, this song became Bryan's third number 1. "Drunk On You" is the album's third single. On March 6, 2012, Bryan released his fourth Spring Break EP entitled Spring Break 4 ... Suntan City. Along with the title track, which Bryan co-wrote with Dallas Davidson, Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip, the EP includes "Spring Breakup,"Little Bit Later On" and "Shake the Sand."^[11]

Personal life[link]

Luke Bryan married Caroline Boyer on Dec. 8, 2006. They welcomed a son, Thomas "Bo" Boyer in March of 2008.^[12] Their second son, Tatum "Tate" Christopher, was born in August of 2010.^[13]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Extended plays[link]

Singles[link]

• ^ACurrent single.

Other charted songs[link]

Music videos[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• LukeBryan.com

Eric Church
Eric Church
Background information
Birth name	Kenneth Eric Church
Born	(1977-05-03) May 3, 1977 (age 35)
Origin	Granite Falls, North Carolina, United States
Genres	Country, Southern rock
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	2005–present
Labels	Capitol Records Nashville, EMI Nashville
Associated acts	Terri Clark, Jay Joyce
Website	www.ericchurch.com

Kenneth Eric Church (born May 3, 1977) is an American country music singer-songwriter. Signed to Capitol Records in 2006, his debut album Sinners Like Me produced four singles on the Billboard country chart, including the Top 20 hits "How 'Bout You", "Two Pink Lines", and "Guys Like Me". His second album, 2009's Carolina, produced three more singles: "Smoke a Little Smoke" and his first Top 10 hits, "Love Your Love the Most" and "Hell on the Heart". 2011's Chief, his first #1 album, includes the singles "Homeboy" and "Drink in My Hand", which became his first #1 single in January 2012.

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

Eric Church was born and raised in Granite Falls, North Carolina. At thirteen, he bought a guitar and began writing songs of his own. By his senior year of high school, he had found a gig at a local bar, which occupied most of his time. He played many Jimmy Buffett cover songs and a few of his own original songs in some dive bars. Some of these places were so rough that he got into a few altercations from the stage. For a few years, the band played often in bars and restaurants throughout North Carolina.^[1] The band "Mountain Boys" consisted of his college roommate (Mark Snow), brother, and a fellow guitarist.^[2]

Before moving to Nashville, Eric Church graduated from South Caldwell High School and then Appalachian State University with a degree in marketing. Upon graduation, Church became engaged. The future bride's father attempted to persuade Eric into a corporate career, which he rejected as an aspiring musician. He broke the engagment and headed to Nashville with his father's financial backing. His father also provided the opportunity to make contacts, and more importantly, time to focus on developing his songwriting ability .^[1]

Music career[link]

[edit] 2006-2007: Sinners Like Me

Arthur Buenahora Jr. signed him to a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Tree Music Publishing. Terri Clark took "The World Needs a Drink", which he co-wrote with Casey Beathard, into the country Top 30.^[2]

He started recording with different producers. Capitol Nashville showed an interest and watched him perform but they were yet to be convinced enough to offer a recording contract.^[3] Autumn House-Tallant told HitQuarters that they didn't think the music was interesting enough.^[3] The record company's attitude changed after he started working with producer Jay Joyce. The strong sound and direction the two forged together finally convinced Capitol Nashville that he was ready.^[3] His first single, "How 'Bout You" peaked at #14 on Hot Country Songs and led off his debut album Sinners Like Me. In April 2006, he performed on the Grand Ole Opry for the first time.^[4]

The album's other two singles, "Two Pink Lines" and "Guys Like Me", both reached the Top 20 as well.^[2] The fourth single, the title track, peaked at #51. An additional track from the album, "Lightning", was made into a music video despite not being released as a single. Church wrote the song shortly after moving to Nashville, inspired by the movie The Green Mile.^[4] Following the album's success, Church toured with Brad Paisley and Rascal Flatts.^[4]

[edit] 2008-2010: Carolina

In 2008, Eric Church released a fifth single, "His Kind of Money (My Kind of Love)" to country radio. It debuted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart at #55 in early 2008, and reached its peak of #46 in August. Originally slated as the lead single to an upcoming second album, "His Kind of Money" was instead included as a bonus track on albums sold at Best Buy.

Following this song was "Love Your Love the Most", which debuted in late 2008 and was the first single from his second album Carolina, released on March 24, 2009.^[2] As with his debut album, Carolina was produced by Jay Joyce, and is entirely composed of songs that he co-wrote. "Love Your Love the Most" brought Church to the top 10 for the first time, peaking at #10 in September 2009. The album's second single, "Hell on the Heart", debuted in October 2009 and would also hit the top 10 in May 2010. The third single from "Carolina" was "Smoke A Little Smoke".

In June 2010 he moved to Capitol Nashville's new imprint EMI Records Nashville, becoming their second artist. On January 14, 2011, he released a four song EP entitled "Caldwell County".

[edit] 2011-2012: Chief

Eric Church released "Homeboy" to country radio in early 2011. The album Chief was released July 26, 2011, debuting at #1 on both Top Country Albums and the Billboard 200.^[5] The album sold 145,000 copies in its first week.^[5] On November 30, 2011, Chief was announced as a nominee for the 2012 Grammy Awards for Best Country Album. In January 2012 "Drink in My Hand" became his first #1 single. In February 2012, "Springsteen" was released as the third single from Chief, and has since become a Top 10 country hit, as well as his first Top 20 single on the Billboard Hot 100.

Personal life[link]

On January 8, 2008, Church married music publisher Katherine Blasingame in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. On October 3, 2011, they welcomed son Boone McCoy Church.^[6][7] Their home (along with Eric's "mancave"), located in Nashville, was featured in an episode of CMT "Cribs".^[8]

Tour[link]

• Me & My Gang Tour 2006 with Rascal Flatts & Gary Allan (Eric was kicked off for playing too long & Taylor Swift took his spot)
• Roadside Bars and Pink Guitars with Miranda Lambert (Select Dates)
• CMT Revolution Tour 2010 with Miranda Lambert & Josh Kelley
• My Kinda Party Tour 2011 with Jason Aldean & The JaneDear Girls (Spring Leg)
• Locked & Loaded Tour 2011 with Toby Keith
• Blood, Sweat and Beers Tour 2012 with Brantley Gilbert (First Headlining Tour)

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]