Jamey Johnson

As a child Jamey Johnson was influenced by many country artists such as Alabama and Alan Jackson. Johnson attended the same university as Randy Owen from the band Alabama, but Johnson dropped out of college after two years and joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve where he served for eight years. While in the Marine Corps, Johnson wrote original music and would perform his songs for his fellow Marines. After exiting the Marine Corps he started to perform his music at bars across Montgomery and had the opportunity to open for renowned country acts like David Allan Coe. In the year 2000 he moved to Nashville, US in order to launch his career in country music. By 2002 Johnson self-released his debut album “They Call Me Country”. While in Nashville Johnson started to make connections with well-known artists in the industry, which would lead to the record producer Buddy Cannon helping him get signed to the record label, BNA Records.

In 2006 Johnson released his second studio album and first major label album “The Dollar”. The album reached the No. 20 spot on the US Billboard Top Country Albums chart and its single “The Dollar” reached the No. 14 spot on the US Country charts. Although the album was a fairly successful album and conveyed Johnson’s talents as a songwriter, the other single from the album “Rebelicious” failed to place on the charts, which resulted in Johnson being dropped from BNA. After his departure from the label Johnson focused on his songwriting abilities and wrote many songs for different artists to perform. During that time he wrote the No. 1 hit “Give It Away”, which was performed by George Strait. In 2007 he also co-wrote the hit songs “Ladies Love Country Boys”, which was performed by Trace Adkins and “Another Side of You”, which was performed by Joe Nichols.

In 2008 Johnson released new material under his name by releasing the album “That Lonesome Song”, which was put out by Mercury Nashville Records. His hit singles “In Color” and “High Cost of Living” both made it on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. “In Color” was the more popular of the two singles and earned Johnson an Academy of Country Music award as well as a Grammy Award nomination. The album reached the No. 6 position on the US Top Country Albums chart and has been certified platinum by the RIAA. The album has also been lauded by critics. Rhapsody listed the album as the fifth best country album of the 2000s and CMT listed the album under “A Dozen Favorite Country Albums of the Decade”.

Johnson released his fourth studio album “The Guitar Song” in 2010. The album was met with great commercial success as well as critical praise. The sound of the album contained a classic old school country sound that featured songs that were presented in an outlaw country style as well as songs that were presented in a ballad format. The album reached the No. 4 position on the US Billboard 200 chart and reached the No. 1 position on the US Billboard Top Country Albums chart. Many publications such as Rolling Stone, The Los Angeles Times, and The Boston Globe all highly praised the album as well as placed it in high rankings on their top albums of the year list.

Jamey Johnson has proven himself as one of the most prominent singer/songwriters in modern country music. He has collaborated with many notable artists like Alison Krauss, Elvis Costello, and Merle Haggard, as well as embarked on many high profile tours where he has shared the bill with people such as Kid Rock and Willie Nelson.

Born in Atlanta, TX, U.S. and raised in Foreman, Arkansas, U.S. Lawrence grew up on a solid diet of traditional country and Southern rock. The singer identified his talents and began performing around the local area’s honky tonk circuit before he’d reached 18. After attending college, the singer packed his things and moved to Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. in the hope of finding success. After winning a number of talent shows, which led to a live radio performance Lawrence was noticed by Atlantic Records and signed with them in 1991.

Prior to the release of his debut album, Lawrence was shot four times in a failed mugging in which he fought back allowing his girlfriend to escape in the chivalric act of the century. The move did Lawrence’s album “Sticks and Stones” wonders in the south and was released later in 1991 when the singer was able to promote it. The album’s title track hit No. 1 in the U.S. Country Chart and subsequent songs “Runnin’ Behind”, “Today’s Lonely Fool” and “Somebody Paints the Wall” all reached the Top 10.

Lawrence’s stardom was signed, sealed and delivered with his 1993 follow-up album “Alibis” which was a platinum seller and produced hits such as “Can’t Break It to My Heart” and “My Second Home”.

In 1994 he released the single “Renegades, Rebels and Rogues” which he contributed to the film “Maverick”, and his two subsequent albums “I See It Now” in 1994 and “Time Marches On” in 1996 both produced a number of hits, however marked Lawrence’s commercial and personal decline.

After charges related to hitting and threatening his wife, the singer divorced his partner and lay low before of the autobiographical “Lessons Learned” in 2000. Soon after Lawrence parted ways with Atlantic and made a deal with Warner Bros. Music through which he has released the albums “Strong” in 2004, “For the Love” in 2007 and the Christian cross-over “The Rock” in 2009.