Located in northeast Oklahoma, Green Country is a heavily-wooded area of the state with many rolling hills and mountains and much foliage, as opposed to western and central Oklahoma, which have geography similar to the rest of the Great Plains region of the United States. Average precipitation totals in Green Country are generally above 40 inches per year, making it considerably wetter and greener than most of the state. The area is one of the most populous regions of Oklahoma, and contains Tulsa, the state's second-largest city.

Its name was devised in the 1960s by the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation as one of six travel destination regions within the state, but is the most historically significant of all of them, as the name's usage can be traced to the early part of the 20th century.

Alternate definitions

The term "Green Country" may be used unofficially to describe all of eastern Oklahoma, though southeastern Oklahoma has its own official regional designation, Kiamichi Country. An alternate usage of the term can include solely the immediate vicinity of Green Country's principal city, Tulsa; the Tulsa Metropolitan Area or the city of Tulsa proper is often referred to as "Green Country" in its own right. In this case, the terms "Tulsa Metropolitan Area" and "Green County" are used interchangeably.

Geography

The official borders of "Green Country," according to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, include all of northeastern Oklahoma, reaching in the northwest to include Osage County, Okfuskee County in the southwest, the Canadian River in the south, and the Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas state lines in the north, northeast, and east.

The region is anchored by the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, which includes the cities of Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso, and Bixby, among others. Muskogee, Bartlesville, Vinita, and Tahlequah are other cities.

Northeastern Oklahoma has the most diversified agricultural economy in the state, as well as the state's second largest city, Tulsa. In addition to the area's abundance of foliage and rolling hills, it has more lakes than any other geographical area of Oklahoma, as well as more than half of the state's registered state parks. Oklahoma is one of only four states with more than 10 ecoregions, but six of its 11 ecoregions are located in northeastern Oklahoma.

The heavily-wooded Ozark Mountains and their foothills dominate most of northeast Oklahoma from the immediate Tulsa vicinity south and eastward towards the Arkansas state line, containing both evergreen pine and deciduous forests. In its western counties, the far eastern extent of the Great Plains transition to woodlands through the Cross Timbers region. This area includes most of Oklahoma's portion of the Flint Hills, some of which is protected by the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve near Pawhuska, one of the last remnants of tallgrass prairie in the United States. Prairie terrain is most apparent in a strip of Green Country's northern section, which borders Kansas, running roughly from Bartlesville to Miami, where the landscape can most accurately be described as a mix of true prairie and forest. A small portion of the Ouachita Mountains extend into the southern areas of northeast Oklahoma, though the Ozark highlands are the primary range in the area.

Infrastructure

The Tulsa International Airport is the primary commercial flight operation in Green Country, delivering flights to major cities in the United States. Also in the area, the Tulsa Port of Catoosa and Port of Muskogee are Oklahoma's only seaports, connecting the state directly with international trade routes. From either of these two ports, goods may be transported via the Arkansas River's connection to the Mississippi River.

The area's highway system is dominated by turnpikes. Toll roads account for the primary highways in and out of the city of Tulsa in almost every direction. The Will Rogers Turnpike serves the city to the northeast, the Turner Turnpike to the southwest, the Cimarron Turnpike to the west, The Muskogee Turnpike to the southeast, and the Cherokee Turnpike to the east.

Interstate 44 in the primary thoroughfare, and runs diagonally through Green Country, exiting on the southwest and northeast corners. All portions of the road through northeastern Oklahoma exists as a toll road, except for in the city of Tulsa. Interstate 40 straddles the southernmost border of Green Country, while other important highways include the north-south Highway 75 (not a turnpike), The Muskogee Turnpike, the north-south Highway 69, Highway 169, and the east-west Highway 412. In addition, Historic U.S. Route 66 is an active road the entire way (with breaks) between the Kansas line and Stroud, the southwestern most town in the region.

Important cities and towns

Tulsa

Owasso

Broken Arrow

Bartlesville

Jenks

Bixby

Claremore

Okmulgee

Muskogee

Miami

Tahlequah

Vinita

Oologah

Sapulpa

Sand Springs

Stilwell

Nowata

Pawhuska

See also

Tulsa Metropolitan Area

Eastern Oklahoma

External links

Green Country Marketing Association

Green Country North Eastern Oklahoma Business and Events Showcase - Features 48,000 Businesses and Hundreds of Local Events

References

Category:Official tourism regions in Oklahoma Category:Regions of the Southern United States Category:Regions of Oklahoma Category:The Ozarks

simple:Green Country (Oklahoma)

Coordinates	45°30′″N73°40′″N
name	Don Gibson
background	solo_singer
birth name	Donald Eugene Gibson
birth date	April 03, 1928
death date	November 17, 2003
origin	Shelby, North Carolina
instrument	Guitar
genre	Country
occupation	Singer-songwriter
years active	1948–2003
label	RCA, Hickory
associated acts	Dottie West, Sue Thompson
notable instruments	}}

Donald Eugene "Don" Gibson (April 3, 1928 – November 17, 2003) was an American songwriter and country musician. A Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Gibson penned such country standards as "Sweet Dreams" and "I Can't Stop Loving You", and enjoyed a string of country hits from 1957 into the early 1970s.

Biography

Don Gibson was born in Shelby, North Carolina, into a poor working-class family, and he dropped out of school in the second grade.

His first band was called Sons of the Soil, with whom he made his first recording in 1948.

In 1957, he journeyed to Nashville to record "Oh Lonesome Me" and "I Can't Stop Loving You" for RCA. The afternoon session resulted in a double-sided hit on both the country and pop charts.

"Oh Lonesome Me" set the pattern for a long series of other RCA hits. "Blue Blue Day", recorded prior to "Oh, Lonesome Me" was a number 1 hit in 1958. Later singles included "Look Who's Blue" (1958), "Don't Tell Me Your Troubles" (1959), "Sea of Heartbreak" (1961); "Lonesome No. 1", "I Can Mend Your Broken Heart" (1962), and "Woman (Sensuous Woman)", a number one country hit in 1972.

Gibson recorded a series of successful duets with Dottie West in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the most successful of which were the Number two country hit "Rings of Gold" (1969) and the top 10 hit "There's a Story Goin' Round" (1970). West and Gibson released an album together in 1969, titled ''Dottie and Don''. He also recorded several duets with Sue Thompson among these being the Top 40 hits, "I Think They Call It Love" (1972), "Good Old Fashioned Country Love" (1974) and "Oh, How Love Changes" (1975).

A talented songwriter, Gibson was nicknamed The Sad Poet because he frequently wrote songs that told of loneliness and lost love. His song "I Can't Stop Loving You", has been recorded by over 700 artists, most notably by Ray Charles in 1962. He also wrote and recorded "Sweet Dreams", a song that would become a major 1963 crossover hit for Patsy Cline. Roy Orbison was a great fan of Gibson's songwriting, and in 1967, he recorded an album of his songs simply titled ''Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson''. Gibson's wide appeal was also shown in Neil Young's recorded version of "Oh Lonesome Me" on his 1970 album ''After the Gold Rush'', which is one of the few songs Young has recorded that he did not write.

Gibson was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1973, and in 2001, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Following his death from natural causes on November 17, 2003, he was buried in the Sunset Cemetery in his hometown of Shelby, North Carolina.

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Chart Positions		Label
		! width="50"	! width="50"
	''Songs by Don Gibson''			Lion
''That Gibson Boy''
	''Look Who's Blue''
''Sweet Dreams''
1961	''Girls, Guitars and Gibson''
1962	''Some Favorites of Mine''
	''I Wrote a Song''
''God Walks These Hills''
	''A Blue Million Tears''
''The Best of Don Gibson''
''Too Much Hurt''
	''Don Gibson with Spanish Guitars''
''Great Country Songs''
1967	''All My Love''
	''The King of Country Soul''
''More Country Soul''
	''Dottie and Don'' (with Dottie West)
''Don Gibson Sings All-Time Country Gold''
	''The Best of Don Gibson 2''
''Hits, The Don Gibson Way''
''A Perfect Mountain''
	''Hank Williams as Sung by Don Gibson''
''Country Green''
	''Woman (Sensuous Woman)''
''The Two of Us Together'' (with Sue Thompson)
1973	''Touch the Morning / That's What I'll Do''
	''Snap Your Fingers''
''The Very Best of Don Gibson''
''Bring Back Your Love to Me''
	''I'm the Loneliest Man''
''Oh, How Love Changes'' (with Sue Thompson)
''Don't Stop Loving Me''
	''I'm All Wrapped Up in You''
''If You Ever Get to Houston''
	''Starting All Over Again''
''Look Who's Blue''

Singles

Year	Single	Chart Positions			Album
		! width="45"	! width="45"	CAN Country
1956					single only
	"Oh Lonesome Me"
"I Can't Stop Loving You"
"Blue Blue Day"
"Give Myself a Party"
"Look Who's Blue"
	"Who Cares"
"A Stranger to Me"
"Lonesome Old House"
"Don't Tell Me Your Troubles"
	"Big Hearted Me"
"Just One Time"
"Far, Far Away"
"Sweet Dreams" (re-recording)
	"What About Me"
"Sea of Heartbreak"				single only
"Lonesome Number One"				''I Wrote a Song''
	"I Can Mend Your Broken Heart"
"So How Come (No One Loves Me)"
	"Head Over Heels in Love with You"
"Anything New Gets Old (Except My Love for You)"
	"Oh Such a Stranger"
"Cause I Believe in You"
	"Again"
"Watch Where You're Going"
	"A Born Loser"
"(Yes) I'm Hurting"
"Funny, Familiar, Forgotten, Feelings"				''More Country Soul''
	"A Lost Highway"				''Great Country Songs''
"All My Love"				''All My Love''
	"Ashes of Love"
"Good Morning, Dear"
"It's a Long, Long Way to Georgia"				''More Country Soul''
"Ever Changing Mind"				''The King of Country Soul''
	"Solitary"				''The Best of Don Gibson 2''
"I Will Always"
"There's a Story (Goin' 'Round)" (with Dottie West)
	"Don't Take All Your Loving"
"A Perfect Mountain"
"Someway"
	"Guess Away the Blues"
"(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle"				''Hank Williams as Sung by Don Gibson''
"Country Green"				''Country Green''
	"Far, Far Away" (re-recording)
"Woman (Sensuous Woman)"
"Is This the Best I'm Gonna Feel"
	"If You're Goin' Girl"
"Touch the Morning"
"That's What I'll Do"
"Snap Your Fingers"
	"One Day at a Time"
"Good Old Fashioned Country Love" (with Sue Thompson)				single only
"Bring Back Your Love to Me"
	"I'll Sing for You"
"(There She Goes) I Wish Her Well"				''I'm the Loneliest Man''
"Don't Stop Loving Me"
"I Don't Think I'll Ever (Get Over You)"
	"You've Got to Stop Hurting Me Darling"
"Doing My Time"
"I'm All Wrapped Up in You"
	"Fan the Flame, Feed the Fire"
"If You Ever Get to Houston (Look Me Down)"
"When Do We Stop Starting Over"
	"Starting All Over Again"
"The Fool"
"Oh, Such a Stranger"
"I Love You Because"
"Any Day Now"
1979	"Forever One Day at a Time"
	"Sweet Sensuous Sensations"
"I'd Be Crazy Over You"
"Love Fires"

Singles from collaboration albums

Year	Single	Artist	Chart Positions		Album
			US Country	CAN Country
	"Rings of Gold"
"Sweet Memories"
1970	"Till I Can't Take It Anymore"
1971	"The Two of Us Together"
	"Did You Ever Think"
"I Think They Call It Love"
"Cause I Love You"
	"Go with Me"
"Warm Love"
	"No One Will Ever Know"
"Oh, How Love Changes"
"I Can't Tell My Heart That"
	"Get Ready-Here I Come"
"Let's Get Together"

References

Wolfe, Stacey (1998). "Don Gibson". In ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music''. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 199.

External links

Gibson discography at Emory Law

Gibson in the Country Music Hall of Fame

Gibson at the Nashville Songwriters Foundation

Category:1928 births Category:2003 deaths Category:American country singers Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Category:Grand Ole Opry members Category:RCA Victor artists Category:People from Shelby, North Carolina Category:Hickory Records artists

de:Don Gibson fr:Don Gibson it:Don Gibson nl:Don Gibson no:Don Gibson sv:Don Gibson

Coordinates	45°30′″N73°40′″N
name	Joe Diffie
background	solo_singer
birth name	Joe Logan Diffie
born	December 28, 1958
origin	Velma, Oklahoma, U.S.
instrument	Vocals, guitar
genre	Country
occupation	Singer-songwriter
years active	1989–present
label	Epic NashvilleMonument NashvilleBroken BowRounder
associated acts	Mary Chapin CarpenterHolly DunnLonnie Wilson
website	www.joediffie.com }}

Joe Logan Diffie (born December 28, 1958) is an American country music singer known for his ballads and novelty songs. Between 1990 and 2004, Diffie charted thirty-five cuts on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart, including five number one singles: his debut release "Home", "If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)", "Third Rock from the Sun", "Pickup Man" (his longest-lasting number one, at four weeks) and "Bigger Than the Beatles". In addition to these cuts, he has twelve other top ten singles and ten other top 40 hits on the same chart. He also co-wrote singles for Holly Dunn, Tim McGraw and Jo Dee Messina.

Diffie recorded for Epic Records from 1990 to 2000, releasing seven studio albums, a Christmas album and a greatest hits package under the Epic label. He also released one studio album each through Monument Records, Broken Bow Records and Rounder Records. Among his albums, 1993's ''Honky Tonk Attitude'' and 1994's ''Third Rock from the Sun'' are certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America; 1992's ''Regular Joe'' and 1996's ''Life's So Funny'' are both certified gold. His most recent album, ''Homecoming: The Bluegrass Album'', was released in late 2010 through Rounder.

Early life

Joe Diffie was born into a musical family in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1958. His first musical performance came at age four, when he performed in his aunt's country music band. Diffie's father played guitar and banjo, and his mother sang. Following in his mother's footsteps, Diffie began to sing at an early age, often listening to the albums in his father's record collection. Diffie has said that his "Mom and Dad claimed that [he] could sing harmony when [he] was three years old." His family moved to San Antonio, Texas while he was in the first grade, and subsequently to Washington state where he attended fourth and fifth grades. Later, he moved to Wisconsin for the years he was in sixth grade through his second year of high school, and back to Oklahoma where he attended high school in the town of Velma. In his last two years in high school, Diffie played football, baseball and golf in addition to running track; in his senior year he was recognized as Best All-Around Male Athlete.

After graduating, he attended Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma. Although he initially earned credits toward medical school, he decided against a medical profession after marrying for the first time in 1977, and ultimately dropped out before graduation. Diffie first worked in oil fields, then drove a truck that pumped cement out of oil wells in Alice, Texas, before he moved back to Duncan to work in a foundry. During this period, he worked as a musician on the side, first in a gospel group called Higher Purpose, and then in a bluegrass band called Special Edition. Diffie then built a recording studio, began touring with Special Edition in adjacent states, and sent demo recordings to publishers in Nashville. Hank Thompson recorded Diffie's "Love on the Rocks", and Randy Travis put one of Diffie's songs on hold but ultimately did not record it.

After the foundry closed in 1986, Diffie declared bankruptcy and sold the studio out of financial necessity. He also divorced his wife, who left with their two children. Diffie spent several months in a state of depression before deciding to move to Nashville, Tennessee. There, he took a job at Gibson Guitar Corporation. While at Gibson, he contacted a songwriter and recorded more demos, including songs that would later be recorded by Ricky Van Shelton, Billy Dean, Alabama and The Forester Sisters. By mid-1989, he quit working at the company in order to record demos full-time. Diffie also met Debbie, who would later become his second wife. That same year, Diffie was contacted by Bob Montgomery, a songwriter and record producer known for working with Buddy Holly. Montgomery, who was then the vice president of A&R; at Epic Records, said that he wanted to sign Diffie to a contract with the label, but had to put the singer on hold for a year. In the meantime, Holly Dunn released "There Goes My Heart Again", which Diffie co-wrote and sang the backing vocals. Following this song's chart success, Diffie signed with Epic in early 1990.

Professional music career

1990–1991: ''A Thousand Winding Roads''

The label released Diffie's debut album, ''A Thousand Winding Roads'', at the end of 1990. Montgomery and Johnny Slate co-produced the album. Its first single, "Home", reached the top of the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs charts. The song was also rated number one on the country music charts published by ''Radio & Records'' and ''Gavin Report'', making him the first country music artist to have a number one debut single on all three charts, as well as the first country music artist to have a debut single spend more than one week in the number one position at the latter two publications. Diffie co-wrote the album's second and fourth releases, "If You Want Me To" and "New Way (To Light Up an Old Flame)"; both peaked at number two on ''Billboard'', and the former reached number one on the ''RPM'' country music charts in Canada. Between these two songs, "If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)" became Diffie's second ''Billboard'' number one. The album itself peaked at number 23 on Top Country Albums. Diffie also performed his first concerts in late 1990, touring with George Strait and Steve Wariner. In that same year, ''Cash Box'' magazine named him Male Vocalist of the year.

1992: ''Regular Joe''

Diffie's second album, titled ''Regular Joe'', was released in 1992 and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The first two singles from the album both peaked at number five on ''Billboard'': "Is It Cold in Here" and "Ships That Don't Come In", the latter of which went to number one on ''Radio & Records''. The album's third single, "Next Thing Smokin, made its chart debut one month before "Not Too Much to Ask", a duet that Diffie recorded with Mary Chapin Carpenter for her album ''Come On Come On''. Both of these songs made the country Top 20, respectively reaching sixteen and fifteen, and the duet was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals at the 35th Grammy Awards in 1993. The final single from ''Regular Joe'' was "Startin' Over Blues" (originally the b-side to "Ships That Don't Come In"), which peaked at number 41.

Brian Mansfield gave the album a positive review in Allmusic, saying that it "has all the clichés of country music, and all the good stuff too." ''Richmond Times-Dispatch'' reviewer Norman Rowe referred to Diffie as a "pleasant surprise" and called "Is It Cold in Here" "the sort of tear-jerker George Jones has worked wonders with in the past". Alanna Nash of ''Entertainment Weekly'' thought that Diffie "[sang] in his natural voice", but thought that its material "punches all the predictable thematic buttons."

1993: ''Honky Tonk Attitude''

1993's ''Honky Tonk Attitude'' shipped a million copies in the United States and was certified platinum. The first three singles from the album all reached the Top Ten on the country singles charts: the title track (which Diffie co-wrote) and the Dennis Linde composition "John Deere Green" both peaked at number five, with the number three "Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die)" in between. "John Deere Green" also accounted for Diffie's first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 69. "In My Own Backyard", the last release from ''Honky Tonk Attitude'', reached number nineteen on the country charts. Diffie told the ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram'' that the album was "a little rowdier than the first two." Nash rated the album more favorably than the ones before it, saying that Diffie "is maturing into a first-rate interpreter of working-class woes."

Also in 1993, Diffie was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. He and several other artists won that year's Country Music Association award for Vocal Event of the Year, for their guest vocals on George Jones's "I Don't Need Your Rocking Chair". In addition, Diffie co-wrote two cuts on Tim McGraw's 1993 self-titled debut album, one of which was the single "Memory Lane".

1994–1996: ''Third Rock from the Sun'', ''Mr. Christmas'' and ''Life's So Funny''

''Third Rock from the Sun'' was Diffie's highest-charting Top Country Album (where it reached number six), as well as his second consecutive platinum album. It was also the first album that he co-produced, doing so with Johnny Slate. The album included two consecutive number one singles in its title track and in "Pickup Man". The latter of those two songs was Diffie's longest-lasting number one, at four weeks. Both songs also entered the Hot 100, respectively peaking at 84 and 60. In 2005, "Pickup Man" was repurposed by the Applebee's restaurant chain for use in its television commercials. The album's next single, "So Help Me Girl", peaked at number two on the country charts and 84 on the pop charts, in addition to topping the ''RPM'' country charts. The song was covered in 1997 by English singer Gary Barlow. Diffie followed the song with "I'm in Love with a Capital 'U and "That Road Not Taken", which respectively reached country peaks of 21 and 40. ''Third Rock from the Sun'' received critical praise for adding more rock and up-tempo material. Thom Owens wrote that he began "adding more rock flourishes" on this album, and Nash said that Diffie "not only understands the blue-collar ethic from the inside out – he's also familiar with its humorous underbelly."

In mid-1995, he recorded the title track for Columbia Records's ''Runnin' Wide Open'', an album comprising NASCAR-themed songs by various artists. He issued two albums later in the year. The first was a Christmas project titled ''Mr. Christmas'', which comprised covers of traditional Christmas songs as well as newly written songs. One of these original songs, "LeRoy the Redneck Reindeer", was issued as a Christmas single late in the year, peaking at number 33 upon its initial release and re-entering the country music charts for the next two years based on Christmas airplay. Of this album, Stephen Thomas Erlewine said, "it's pleasant, but it's not particularly distinguished."

His other release that year was the studio album ''Life's So Funny''. It was led off by "Bigger Than the Beatles", the last number one single of his career. The album's other two singles were "COUNTRY" and "Whole Lotta Gone" (previously the b-side of "Bigger Than the Beatles"), both of which peaked at 23 on the country music charts in 1996. ''Country Standard Time'' critic George Hauenstein praised the album for containing "songs that are slightly different from [what] those other artists sing." Owens thought that it was a "varied collection of ballads and midtempo rockers", but said that it was not "as consistently engaging" as ''Third Rock from the Sun''. Nash gave "Bigger Than the Beatles" a C-minus rating, calling it "just a lame device to evoke the names of beloved rock heroes."

1996–1998: ''Twice Upon a Time'' and ''Greatest Hits''

''Twice Upon a Time'' followed in 1996. Its singles all failed to make the Top Ten on the country charts, with lead-off "This Is Your Brain" reaching number 25, followed by "Somethin' Like This" at number 40 and "The Promised Land" at number 61, the lowest-peaking single of his career. The album also failed to achieve a gold certification. Doug Virden and Drew Womack, who then recorded on Epic in the band Sons of the Desert, sang backing vocals on it. Jeffrey B. Remz criticized the two novelty songs on the album ("This Is Your Brain" and "Houston, We Have a Problem") for lacking substance, and thought that most of the ballads were well-sung, but that the production "lacks any soul." Owens said that it "doesn't offer anything new or especially remarkable from Joe Diffie."

In mid-1998, Epic Records released Diffie's ''Greatest Hits'' package, which featured three new cuts. Among these were "Texas Size Heartache", and its b-side, "Poor Me", which respectively reached numbers four and forty-three on the country charts. At the end of the year, Diffie recorded a cover of Charlie Rich's "Behind Closed Doors" for the multi-artist album ''A Tribute to Tradition'' on Columbia Records. Diffie's version of the song peaked at number 64 based on unsolicited airplay. He also contributed to another cut on that album, "Same Old Train", which featured Marty Stuart and eleven other country music singers. This song peaked at 59 on the country charts and won the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for all artists involved.

1999–2000: ''A Night to Remember''

His final album for Epic Records, titled ''A Night to Remember'', was released in 1999. As he did with the new cuts for his ''Greatest Hits'' package, Diffie worked with producer Don Cook and producer/session drummer Lonnie Wilson, a friend of Diffie's who formerly fronted the band Bandana. Its title track spent twenty-nine weeks on the country charts and peaked at number six; it was his only Top 40 on the Hot 100, where it reached number 38. After this song came "The Quittin' Kind" and "It's Always Somethin' ", which respectively reached twenty-one and five on the country charts, and 90 and 57 on the Hot 100. The latter spent thirty-seven weeks on the country music charts, the longest chart run achieved by any of his singles.

''Country Standard Time'' gave the album a positive review for having "nary a novelty tune in the bunch", and Nash wrote that it had a "surprising depth of feeling." Erlewine also noted that the album did not contain any novelty songs, and called it the "purest country album he's ever made."

2001–2004: ''In Another World'' and ''Tougher Than Nails''

In 2001, Sony Nashville transferred Diffie from its Epic division to the Monument Records division. This move was due to a corporate decision that Epic had too many artists and Monument had too few. Cook and Wilson also produced his only album for Monument, which was titled ''In Another World''. Regarding this album, Diffie told ''Billboard'' that its material had a common theme of love, and that he wanted to create a more contemporary sound through the production. The album's title track peaked at number ten on the country charts and number 66 on the Hot 100. Only one other single was released from the album: "This Pretender" (co-written by Rascal Flatts lead singer Gary LeVox), which failed to make the country music Top 40.

''In Another World'' received mixed reviews. ''Country Weekly'' reviewer wrote that Diffie "deals with adult emotions" and described the title track as "a shimmering ballad perfect for his expressive tenor." William Ruhlmann called the album "sturdy formula country", and Jeffrey B. Remz of ''Country Standard Time'' said that he "easily interpret[s]" the songs but "doesn't seem to be doing anything too dramatically different." After Monument closed its Nashville branch, Diffie began touring with Mark Chesnutt and Tracy Lawrence on the Rockin' Roadhouse Tour, which began in 2002. That same year, Diffie was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.

Diffie signed to the independent Broken Bow Records in 2003. His only album for the label was ''Tougher Than Nails'', which he and Wilson produced with Buddy Cannon. It included five songs that Diffie co-wrote, as well as a duet with George Jones entitled "What Would Waylon Do". ''Tougher Than Nails'' produced a Top 20 hit in its title track, followed by "If I Could Only Bring You Back", which peaked at number 50 and spent only eight weeks on the charts. This latter song was also his last charting single. Erlewine said of the album's content, "there's nothing new, but there doesn't need to be", and ''Country Standard Time'' said that the album "shows that he's still got the talent that took him to stardom in the first place."

In 2005, Jo Dee Messina released "My Give a Damn's Busted", which Diffie co-wrote and originally recorded on ''In Another World''. Her version of the song, included on her album ''Delicious Surprise'', was a number one single that year.

2004–2010: ''The Ultimate Collection'' and ''Homecoming''

After leaving Broken Bow, Diffie continued to tour, primarily playing smaller venues and county fairs. In 2007, he joined with Lonestar, Charlie Daniels and Craig Morgan to perform a benefit concert for Sgt. Kevin Downs, a soldier who was severely wounded in Iraq. In 2008, Diffie compiled and released a live album, and he signed to Rounder Records later in that year. Rounder released an album called ''The Ultimate Collection'', which comprised re-recordings of his hits for Epic.

His next project for Rounder, ''Homecoming: The Bluegrass Album'', was released on October 26, 2010. It includes collaborations with The Grascals, Rhonda Vincent and other bluegrass artists. Diffie toured at various county fairs in August 2010 in support of it. He co-produced the album with Luke Wooten, and included on it the song "Tennessee Tea", which Diffie originally recorded while he was in Special Edition. Allmusic reviewer j. poet and The 9513 reviewer CM Wilcox both gave this album positive reviews for showing Diffie's bluegrass influences.

Musical styles

Steve Huey of Allmusic wrote that Diffie "lent his traditional sensibilities to humorous, rock-tinged novelties and plaintive ballads." His early albums for Epic mostly consisted of ballads, but starting with ''Honky Tonk Attitude'', he began to include more up-tempo and novelty numbers. Starting with ''A Night to Remember'', Diffie returned to a more ballad-oriented sound; Mike Kraski, then the senior vice president of sales for Sony Music Nashville, thought that the albums before it had over-emphasized his novelty releases.

Alanna Nash regularly compared Diffie's voice to that of George Jones. In her review of ''A Thousand Winding Roads'', she contrasted the album with Mark Chesnutt's debut ''Too Cold at Home'' by saying, "While Chesnutt merely takes his inspiration from Jones, Diffie mimics Jones' delivery ... But now that he's making records himself, [his vocal imitation] drops him to the rear of the pack, as a stylist with little style of his own." She thought that Diffie began to move away from his George Jones influences on ''A Night to Remember''. William Ruhlmann wrote that Diffie "has put together a decade-plus career in country largely on his ability to succeed" in "scour[ing] Nashville publishers for ten good compositions in the established style", and that he was an "adequate but undistinguished singer." Similarly, Wilcox described Diffie as having "the vocal chops to sound like just about anyone" and thought that none of his Epic material showed any musical identity.

Personal life

Diffie has been married three times. His first wife was Janise Parker, whom he married while in college. The couple divorced in 1986 and had two children: Parker and Kara. Parker later worked as Diffie's on-road manager in the mid-2000s, and in mid-2010, he and Kara auditioned for ''American Idol''. Two years after divorcing Janise, Diffie married Debbie Jones, a nurse technician. They had two sons, Drew and Tyler, the latter of whom was born with Down syndrome and nearly died in 1991 following complications from a tonsillectomy. Diffie began an affair with Liz Allison, the widow of NASCAR driver Davey Allison, in 1993. In 1994, a judge ordered Diffie to pay Jones $3,000 per month towards their pending divorce settlement, and not to allow Drew and Tyler to be in the presence of any girlfriend; he divorced Jones in 1996. In 2000, Diffie married the former Theresa Crump, whom he met at a concert, at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. They have one daughter, Kylie Tarissa, born in 2004.

From 1992 to the early 2000s, Diffie held a charity concert and golf tournament benefiting First Steps, a nonprofit organization for the education of mentally and physically impaired children. His contributions to this organization won him a Humanitarian Award from the Country Radio Broadcasters in 1997.

Discography

Studio albums

''A Thousand Winding Roads'' (1990)

''Regular Joe'' (1992)

''Honky Tonk Attitude'' (1993)

''Third Rock from the Sun'' (1994)

''Life's So Funny'' (1996)

''Twice Upon a Time'' (1997)

''A Night to Remember'' (1999)

''In Another World'' (2001)

''Tougher Than Nails'' (2004)

''Homecoming: The Bluegrass Album'' (2010)

''Billboard'' number-one singles

"Home" (1990)

"If the Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)" (1991)

"Third Rock from the Sun" (1994)

"Pickup Man" (1994)

"Bigger Than the Beatles" (1995–1996)

Awards and nominations

! Year	! Association	! Category	! Result
1990	''Cash Box''	Male Vocalist of the Year
	Grammy Awards
Academy of Country Music	Vocal Event of the Year —"I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair" (with George Jones et al.)
1998	Grammy Awards	Best Country Collaboration with Vocals —"Same Old Train" (with Marty Stuart et al.)

References

External links

Official website

Category:1958 births Category:American country singers Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:American male singers Category:Broken Bow Records artists Category:Epic Records artists Category:Foundrymen Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Grand Ole Opry members Category:Living people Category:Monument Records artists Category:Musicians from Oklahoma Category:Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame inductees Category:People from Tulsa, Oklahoma Category:Rounder Records artists

de:Joe Diffie

Coordinates	45°30′″N73°40′″N
name	Jason Aldean
background	solo_singer
birth name	Jason Aldine Williams
born	February 28, 1977
origin	Macon, Georgia, USA
instrument	Vocals, guitar
genre	Country, country-rock
occupation	Singer
years active	2005–present
label	Capitol NashvilleBroken Bow
associated acts	Kelly Clarkson Colt Ford Miranda Lambert, Ludacris, Brantley GilbertMichael Knox
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 twelve 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, six 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), and "Dirt Road Anthem", and seven more have reached top ten on the same chart.

Early life

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

Aldean is married to his wife Jessica and they have two daughters, Keeley and Kendyl. Aldean married Jessica on August 4, 2001.

Musical career

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. 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.

''Jason Aldean'' (2005-2006)

Aldean's first single, "Hicktown", was released in early 2005. 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.

''Relentless'' (2007-2008)

Aldean spent most of January 2007 in the studio with producer Michael Knox to finish his second album, ''Relentless''. 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.

''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. 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."

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.

''My Kinda Party'' (2010-2011)

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. 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. 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 wins.

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.

Awards and nominations

Academy of Country Music

!Year	!Organization	!Award	!Result
2005	|	Top New Male Vocalist
rowspan="17"	2011		Video of the Year - "My Kinda Party"
Male Video of the Year - "My Kinda Party"
Collaborative Video of the Year - "Don't You Wanna Stay" with Kelly Clarkson
Best Web Video of the Year - "My Kinda Party" (live from CMT.com webcast)
rowspan="5"	Country Music Association	Entertainer of the Year
Single of the Year - "Don't You Wanna Stay" with Kelly Clarkson
Musical Event of the Year - "Don't You Wanna Stay" with Kelly Clarkson
Album of the Year - ''My Kinda Party''
Male Vocalist of the Year
rowspan="8"	American Country Awards
Artist of the Year
Male Artist of the Year
Album of the Year - ''My Kinda Party''
Single of the Year: Male - "My Kinda Party"
Single of the Year: Vocal Collaboration - "Don't You Wanna Stay" with Kelly Clarkson
Touring Headline Act of the Year
Music Video: Group, Duo, or Collaboration - "Don't You Wanna Stay" with Kelly Clarkson

Discography

Albums

2005: ''Jason Aldean''

2007: ''Relentless''

2009: ''Wide Open''

2010: ''My Kinda Party''

References

External links

Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:People from Macon, Georgia Category:American country singers Category:American male singers Category:Broken Bow Records artists Category:Country musicians from Georgia (U.S. state)

pdc:Jason Aldean de:Jason Aldean fo:Jason Aldean fr:Jason Aldean pt:Jason Aldean simple:Jason Aldean

Coordinates	45°30′″N73°40′″N
name	Pat Green
landscape	yes
background	solo_singer
birth name	Patrick Craven Green
birth date	April 05, 1972
origin	San Antonio, Texas, USA
instrument	VocalsRhythm guitar
genre	Texas Country
occupation	Singer-songwriter
years active	1995–present
label	Green HorseMercury/Republic/UniversalBNA
website	http://patgreen.com }}

Patrick Craven (Pat) Green (born April 5, 1972 in San Antonio, Texas) is an American Texas Country artist. Active since 1995, he has recorded a total of ten studio albums, including several independent works, three for Republic Records and two for BNA. Fifteen of his singles have charted on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs charts, of which the highest-peaking is the #3 "Wave on Wave" from his gold-certified album of the same name.

Biography

Patrick Craven Green was born in San Antonio to Craven Earl Green and Patricia Burgess. He was raised Waco, Texas, where he attended Vanguard College Preparatory School for grades 7-12. Green's father was a former Air Force officer and stage actor who influenced his son's love of music. His parents divorced when he was seven. His mother later remarried.

After high school, Green attended Texas Tech University where he was a member of FarmHouse Fraternity. Green started his music career as an 18 year old at Texas Tech playing small gigs at bars and clubs around Lubbock. In 1995, Green independently recorded and released a series of albums produced by Lloyd Maines using money borrowed from his parents. Green did not commit fully to his music career until 1997 when his stepfather fired him from his job as a fuel wholesaler. Green had been counting his money from a weekend of singing and his stepfather knew he would need motivation to fully pursue music as a career.

After committing to music, Green drew the attention of Willie Nelson and joined a tour featuring Nelson and several other famous country musicians. Green's appearance at the 1998 Willie Nelson 4 July Picnic was his first step towards nationwide recognition, and he was soon playing sold out shows in Texas. Green was sponsored by Miller Lite and sold more than 250,000 albums, even without signing a major label recording contract.

Music career

Green's first major-label recorded album, ''Three Days'' was released in 2001. "Wave on Wave" was released in 2003, with the title track reaching as high as 3 on the charts. In late 2004 "Lucky Ones" was Green's 3rd and final CD release on the Universal/Republic label. After spending many years playing to young audiences in college towns across America, Green joined popular country music artists including Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson and Kenny Chesney on major tours.

Green released his album ''Cannonball'' in 2006. Later that year, he toured with labelmate Kenny Chesney. In February 2008, Green released a coffee table book containing photos of dance halls that he had frequented throughout his career entitled "Pat Green's Dance Halls & Dreamers". The book includes locations such a Gruene Hall, Luckenbach and Floore's Country Store as well as interviews with Texas musicians Willie Nelson, Jack Ingram, Cross Canadian Ragweed, and Robert Earl Keen.

In 2008, Green released "Let Me", as the first single from his album ''What I'm For''. The single reached 12 on the country charts, giving Green his first Top 20 single since "Feels Just Like It Should" reached #13 in 2006. Initially, "Country Star" was released as the second single, but it was withdrawn shortly after the title track ("What I'm For") began receiving airplay. "Country Star" peaked at 32, and "What I'm For" peaked at 28 on the country charts in July 2009. Green parted ways with BNA shortly after this.

Green started out releasing "Texas country music" with songs such as "I Like Texas" and "Southbound 35." His career has taken a significant turn since the release of his major label albums and big act tours. Now striving for more mainstream pop country stardom, Green continues to climb the Nashville charts and build a national fan base as he smooths out his sound with contemporary country releases.

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Album details	Peak chartpositions		! rowspan="2"
		! width="45"	! width="45"
''Dancehall Dreamer''		* Release date: December 10, 1995	* Label: self-released	—	—
''George's Bar''		* Release date: June 15, 1997	* Label: self-released	—	—
''Carry On''		* Release date: February 22, 2000	* Label: self-released	—	—
! scope="row"		* Release date: October 16, 2001	Universal Records>Universal/Republic	7	86
''Wave on Wave''		* Release date: July 15, 2003	* Label: Universal Records	2	10		RIAA>US: Gold
! scope="row"		* Release date: October 19, 2004	* Label: Universal/Republic	6	28
! scope="row"		* Release date: August 22, 2006	* Label: BNA Records	2	20
''What I'm For''		* Release date: January 27, 2009	* Label: BNA Records	2	18

Live albums

Title	Album details
''Here We Go (Live)''		* Release date: June 15, 1998	* Label: self-released
''Live at Billy Bob's Texas''		* Release date: April 27, 1999	* Label: Smith Music Group

Collaborative albums

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions
		! width="45"	! width="45"	! width="45"
''Songs We Wish We'd Written''(with Cory Morrow)		* Release date: March 6, 2001	* Label: Write On	26	13	20

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chartpositions		Album
		! width="45"	! width="45"
	"Texas on My Mind" (with Cory Morrow)	60	—
"Carry On"	35	—
2002	"Three Days"	36	—
2003	! scope="row"	3	39
	"Guy Like Me"	31	—
"Don't Break My Heart Again"	21	116
	"Somewhere Between Texas and Mexico"	42	—
"Baby Doll"	21	124
2006	! scope="row"	13	80
	"Dixie Lullaby"	24	—
! scope="row"	28	—
2008	"Let Me"	12	81
	"Country Star"	32	—
"What I'm For"	28	—

Other charted songs

All songs charted from unsolicited airplay on the country chart.

Year	Single	Peak chart positions	Album
		! width="60"
2003	"Winter Wonderland"	43
2006	! scope="row"	48

Guest singles

Year	Single	Artist	Peak chart positions	Album
			! width="60"
2001	"Texas in 1880"	Radney Foster	54
2011	! scope="row"	Josh Abbott Band

Music videos

! Year	Video	! Director
	"Carry On"	Thom Oliphant
"Texas In 1880" (with Radney Foster)	David McClister
2002	"Three Days"	Thom Oliphant
2003	"Wave on Wave"	Roger Pistole
2004	"Don't Break My Heart Again"	David Hogan
2005	"Baby Doll"	Tom Campbell
	"Feels Just Like It Should"
"Dixie Lullaby"

References

External links

Pat Green website

Pat Green Video- Acoustic Set- Interview

Category:1972 births Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:American country singers Category:BNA Records artists Category:Living people Category:People from San Antonio, Texas Category:Republic Records artists Category:Musicians from Texas Category:Texas Tech University alumni Category:Texas country musicians