Brad Paisley Biography

Country music singer, songwriter. Born October 28, 1972 in Glen Dale, West Virginia. Paisley's passion for music began at age eight, when his grandfather gave him his first guitar. By the age of 12, the young musician was singing in church and at civic meetings and playing in his first band, for which he wrote his own material. Paisley eventually secured a regular spot on Jamboree USA, a popular country music radio show. Paisley was so popular with listeners that he was invited to join the program as a full-time musician, opening for musicians such as The Judds and Roy Clark.

After two years at West Virginia's West Liberty State College, Paisley transferred to Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. At Belmont, Paisley studied under the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers scholarship, and met Frank Rogers and Kelley Lovelace, both of whom would help Paisley in his later career. A week after graduation, Paisley signed with EMI Records as a songwriter. His first success came with a hit penned in 1996 for David Kersh called "Another You."

Paisley made his debut as a solo artist after signing to Arista. He released his first album, Who Needs Pictures, in 1999. The record produced the No. 1 hit "He Didn't Have to Be," followed by the chart-topping single, "We Danced." The album sold more than one million copies, and catapulted Paisley to fame. The next year, the Academy of Country Music (ACM) named Paisley the year's Best New Male Vocalist, and the Country Music Association (CMA) granted him the prestigious Horizon Award.

In of February 2001, Paisley was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry's Hall of Fame. Several months later, he received his first Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist. He also released his second album, Part II, which featured his cheeky and unforgettable No. 1 single "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishing Song)." Three other songs on the album, "I Wish You'd Stay," "Wrapped Around" and "Two People Fell in Love," also made it into the Top 10 on the country charts. His next album, Mud on the Tires (2003), was equally if not more successful, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard chart, and featuring an acclaimed duet with Alison Krauss called "Whiskey Lullaby." The video for his collaboration with Krauss won several awards, and the single made it to No. 3 on the Hot Country charts.

Paisley's 2005 effort, Time Well Wasted, came on the heels of his sold-out Two Hats and Redhead Tour with Reba McEntire and Terri Clark. The album includes another notable collaboration, "When I Get Where I'm Going" with Dolly Parton, which won the Country Music Association (CMA) Award for Musical Event of the Year in 2006. The album also scored Paisley both ACM and CMA Awards for Best Album. That same year, Paisley embarked on a successful tour, with rising country star Carrie Underwood serving as his opening act.

Teaming up to record together, Paisley and Underwood sang a duet, "Oh Love," on his next release, 5th Gear (2007). Reaching the top spot on the country album charts, the album featured several No. 1 hit singles, including "Online," "Letter to Me," and "I'm Still a Guy." Paisley also took home several major awards that same year, winning the ACM Award for Top Male Vocalist and the CMA Award for Male Vocalist of the Year. He also won his first Grammy Award for the instrumental track "Throttleneck."