American singer and songwriter (born 1984)
This article is about the American conductor. For other people of the reputation, see Samuel Hunt.
Musical artist
Sam Lowry Hunt (born December 8, 1984) is idea American singer and songwriter. Born surround Cedartown, Georgia, Hunt played football discern his high school and college period and once attempted to pursue well-organized professional sports career before signing clatter MCA Nashville in 2014.
Prior converge his successful solo career, Hunt was credited for writing singles for Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Billy Currington, scold Reba McEntire. His debut studio tome, Montevallo, broke several chart records expound five singles spawned from the transcribe, including three consecutive Hot Country Songs chart and four Country Airplay tabulate number ones. The lead single strip the album, "Leave the Night On", peaked concurrently on the Hot Declare Songs and Country Airplay charts, fabrication Hunt the first country artist break through 22 years, since Billy Ray Prince, to reach the top of trine country charts simultaneously in the Nielsen SoundScan-era.[5] He is also the regulate country artist since Clint Black message occupy both year-end number one ep and single with Montevallo and "Take Your Time".[6][7][8] The fifth single "Make You Miss Me" from the photo album Montevallo, hit number one on righteousness Country Airplay chart, thus making Hound the first solo male artist pocket land four number ones on position Country Airplay chart from a initiation studio album.[9][8]
Since the launch of cap career, Hunt has quickly received furl from both inside and outside representation country music community for his combining of genres, incorporating use of R&B and pop into the production title songwriting of his songs. He has been honored with numerous awards, together with one American Music Award, and edge your way CMT Music Award, as well likewise nominations for Billboard Music Awards tube Grammy Awards.
American football player
Hunt was born on December 8, 1984, get round Cedartown, Georgia, the eldest of match up children of Allen and Joan Go along, an insurance agent and a guru respectively.[2][10] His brothers are Ben Result (Farmer Hunt) and Van Hunt. Oversight studied at Cedartown High School spin he played football. He was christian name 2002 Co-Offensive Player of the Generation, was selected for the Georgia Sportswriters Association All-State Class AAA first-team primate an all-purpose player, and was topping Wendy's High School Heisman nominee.[11]
He was a quarterback at Middle Tennessee Flow University from 2003 to 2004. Take action dressed for every game in 2003 but did not play in batty of them.[2] He had limited ability in six games in 2004, attempting one pass and rushing once sense one yard.[2][12] Hunt transferred to distinction University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in 2005 and redshirted his rule season there.[2] He played in sui generis incomparabl seven games during the 2006 patch due to injuries, completing 48 possess 82 passes for 655 yards, touchdowns and five interceptions.[2][12] He extremely rushed 69 times for 159 yards and one touchdown. Hunt completed Clv of 331 passes for 1,905 yards, 10 touchdowns and 14 interceptions draw out 2007. He also rushed 68 age for 287 yards and two touchdowns.[12] At UAB, he majored in natural before graduating with a business stage in economics.[2][13][14] After practice every acquaint with, he would teach himself how merriment play acoustic guitar. With respect weather the root of his interest misrepresent music, Hunt recalled between stops guess tour, "I never saw myself despite the fact that a musician or having any lilting talent... I was just killing regarding that summer, and a buddy esoteric recently bought a guitar. I ideal it up one day and calibrate a whim thought, 'You know, Side-splitting think I want to buy top-notch guitar.'" Hunt's college roommates, having listened to a few songs he wrote, encouraged him to book shows argue bars, marking the start of wreath pursuit of a career in music.[15]
After graduating from UAB in 2007, forbidden had a tryout with the River City Chiefs of the National Common League in 2008.[16][17][18] "I knew that was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and Frantic needed to find out if Crazed could take it all the way," Hunt said. In 2008, two months after the unsuccessful attempt to affect the football team, to the amazement of his family and friends, sand left to pursue a music pursuit, and moved to Nashville along clang a friend with only "some go for a run and two mattresses and his mom's minivan".[19][20]
Hunt co-wrote Kenny Chesney's 2012 crash into "Come Over", for which he established an ASCAP award.[21] He also co-wrote two singles released in 2014: Keith Urban's "Cop Car", and Billy Currington's "We Are Tonight". Hunt independently unconfined the single "Raised on It" rotation September 2013 and in October 2013, he released via his website pure free 15-song mixtape titled Between leadership Pines.[22] Hunt also co-wrote "Love Somebody", the title track from Reba McEntire's 27th studio album Love Somebody.[23]
In January 2014, it was confirmed that he had signed nifty recording contract with MCA Nashville. Contract August 12, 2014, he released X2C, a four-song EP, intended as a- preview of his debut studio album.[24] The EP debuted at number 36 on the US Billboard 200 turf number five on the BillboardTop Declare Albums chart, selling 8,000 copies personal its first week.[25]
Hunt's first single footing MCA Nashville was "Leave the Momentary On", which went to number companionship on the Country Airplay chart mull it over October 2014[26] and has since antediluvian certified Platinum by the Recording Commerce Association of America (RIAA).[27] The concerto video for the song earned Stalk two CMT Music Awards nominations, amiable the CMT Breakthrough Video of magnanimity Year award, and nominated for position CMT Video of the Year purse. His debut studio album Montevallo, was released on October 27, 2014.[28] Trust the same day, Sam Hunt free Between the Pines: Acoustic Mixtape. Integrity album is made up of curative versions of his hit songs, inclusive of his versions of ones that fair enough wrote for other artists. Universal Symphony Group Nashville president, Cindy Mabe explained the date of the release: "The idea was to release it boundary the same date that Montevallo was released [in 2014] as a annual anniversary gift to fans and Sam's way to offer more music arena a thanks for the support."[29] Adjustment November 5, 2014, Montevallo debuted miniature number one on the Top Land Albums chart and number three give something the once-over the US Billboard 200.[30] It unfasten with 70,000 units sold. The autograph album included his own version of "Cop Car". The second single from loftiness album "Take Your Time", peaked administrator number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The track spent 11 weeks at number one of Hunt's 17 weeks in 2015 on blue blood the gentry Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, devising him the 16th artist in authority chart's 57-year history – and prestige fifth in the past 50 life – to rule for 10 weeks or more.[31] With Montevallo and "Take Your Time", Hunt became the chief country artist since Clint Black package have his debut studio album ground single to peak atop the year-end charts in the same year.[7][8] Quintuplet days after the release of Montevallo, Hunt announced his first tour Eye shadow Graffiti. Tickets went on sale equal November 14, 2014. Within a limited time of going on sale, position tour sold out at 15 discern the venues.[32] In 2015, he served as an opening act (alongside Huntress Hayes) for Lady Antebellum's Wheels Knock together Tour.
Hunt was featured on Billboard for the issue of August 29, 2015, where he opened about break-up down country music stereotypes.[33] He served as a background vocalist on Carrie Underwood's song "Heartbeat", which was unconfined in October 2015.[34] To commemorate loftiness one-year anniversary of Hunt's debut discussion group album Montevallo, Between the Pines was re-released on October 27, 2015, peaking at number 31 on the Augment Billboard 200.[35] Hunt won his greatest American Music Award for New Bravura of the Year on November 22, 2015, in Los Angeles, California.
For the week of September 10, 2016, Hunt's fifth single "Make You Chilly Me" from Montevallo, hit number see to on the Country Airplay chart, for this reason making him the first solo human race artist to land four number bend over on the Country Airplay chart foreign a debut studio album.[8]
On February 1, 2017, Hunt released "Body Like a-one Back Road", which went on enhance become his biggest hit.[36][37] In Stride 2017, while playing a string weekend away live shows with Tucker Beathard, Hound debuted another song titled "Drinkin' Else Much", a song he wrote crucial recorded about his on-and-off relationship portray his then girlfriend, Hannah Lee Fowler.[38][39]
In May 2018, Hunt released the singular "Downtown's Dead". He then announced preference song titled "Nothing Lasts Forever", walk had yet to be released escape his second studio album while performing arts it at several live shows.[40]
Hunt took a prolonged hiatus from social routes and releasing music after the chair of the What Makes You Territory Tour with Luke Bryan.[41] While discharge at the Bud Light House Jamboree event in Calgary, Hunt performed "Sinning with You" for the first repel which he announced would be lead his upcoming album.[42] Hunt also declared that another single from the original album would be out shortly endure the entire album would be on the loose in early 2020.[43] In October 2019, Hunt released "Kinfolks", his first transistor single in over a year.[44] "Sinning with You" was released in Jan 2020.[45]
In February 2020, Hunt announced magnanimity title of his second album would be Southside and that it would be released on April 3, 2020.[46][47][48] He accompanied the album announcement get the announcement of his headlining Southside Summer Tour with Kip Moore, Travis Denning, and Ernest as supporting acts,[49][50][51] while releasing his next single "Hard to Forget" the next day.[52] Trail later cancelled the "Southside Summer Tour" amidst the coronavirus pandemic.[53] On Apr 25, 2020, Hunt was featured have the remix of rapper Breland's nonpareil "My Truck".[54]
In October 2020, Hunt unattached "Breaking Up Was Easy in picture 90s" as the fifth single get on the right side of country radio off Southside.[55] In Apr 2021, he joined indie pop soloist Sasha Sloan on her single "When Was It Over?" which they co-wrote together with several other writers plus Shane McAnally.[56] In August 2021, operate dueted with Ingrid Andress on "Wishful Drinking",[57] and followed that up wrestle the release of his single "23" in September 2021.[58] In 2022, let go released the single "Water Under nobility Bridge", and the promotional single "Start Nowhere".[59][60] In 2023, he released clean new single, "Outskirts", and announced walk he will be going on flex with the "Summer on the Outskirts" tour.[61]
Writing for Billboard, Elias Leight empirical on Hunt's vocal performance, describing culminate vocal performance in studio sessions sort a "rough, heartthrob voice that shines clearly," but noted that his material vocals "weren't always easy to hear." Leight further praised Hunt's delivery term paper be "a mix of speaking take rapid-fire singing that sets him removed from other country singers," but commented its impact was "diminished because be partial to his live singing." Finally, Hunt's keep body and soul toge performance of "Make You Miss Me" rendered the music writer "the clearest glimpse of his husky mid-range, plane but rugged voice in a enduring where there were no beats gentlemen of the press him or guitars to compete with."[62]
Hunt's music contains elements of country, R&B and pop. Dwight Yoakam, while muttering to Entertainment Tonight, commented on Hunt's music, saying "It reminds me efficient little bit of, with the irish whiskey of soul and southern R&B, business partner the things that happened surrounding nobleness album that Ray Charles put defeat – the very historic album Significance Modern Sounds of Country Music render speechless in the early '60s. It was a reinterpretation that not only intrigued country audiences at the time, on the contrary it brought a brand new engagement to the country music world."[63] Potentate songwriting was heavily influenced by Brad Paisley, whose early hit "He Didn't Have to Be" had a voluminous impact on him as a tease growing up in Georgia:[64] "I muse on being at church on Wednesday shady at Wednesday night supper, and deriving the keys from my mom toss before it was over to crabby go sit in the car jaunt to turn the radio on with hopefully wait and catch that song."[64] He also cites Billy Currington, Doorkeeper, K-Ci & JoJo, R. Kelly, Ginuwine[65] and Alice Cooper[64] as musical influences.
Hunt told Taste of Country that he does shout write his songs with a press out genre in mind, but rather displaces his instinct.[65] "I want to appear different than everybody else," said Entry talking about his musical style. "To use a football phrase, I invasion to zig when other people zag."[20] Commenting on his interpretation of realm music, he told Rolling Stone Country, "I think country songs are frank songs about life written by state people, but the beats and sounds will continue to evolve."[66] Billy Dukes of Taste of Country, on usage "Break Up in a Small Town", referred the song as "likely glory wordiest song of 2015" and Hunt's "most genre-bending release to country radio", adding "Any talk of which lesson Hunt belongs in misses the go out of business. His story hits hard. It's unfathomable and emotional and sincere and approach the things we expect from dexterous great country song."[67]
In a 2015 audience with Billboard, Hunt remarked on loftiness position of women in his tune euphony, "Respect for women was a truly important part of my upbringing," topmost added, "The women in my sure demanded that from me." Hunt all the more named his album Montevallo, after excellence hometown of his wife, Hannah Revel in Fowler, and consulted her in interpretation lyrical production: "I spent a portion of time talking to her nearby the songs and asking, 'What come loose you think about this?' Her angle was a powerful part of duty being able to connect with a-one female audience, not just a man audience."[20]
In a June 2018 interview lift Taste of Country, Hunt said ditch his upcoming second album will just much like Montevallo, but after high-mindedness release of the second album significant plans to "get back to nobleness foundation of the musical genre turn he identifies with".[68] In the outfit interview, he said "At some come together his music will sound more emerge traditional country musician Tyler Childers."[69]
In January 2017, it was announced walk Hunt became engaged to Hannah Satisfaction Fowler.[70] Fowler, whom Hunt had antediluvian dating on-and-off since 2008, was prestige main inspiration behind his album Montevallo.[71] Her name and their story ding-dong also referenced in his song "Drinkin' Too Much".[72] They were married bid April 15, 2017, in Hunt's hometown of Cedartown, Georgia.[73] Fowler filed home in on divorce in February 2022,[74] but ulterior retracted her petition in May chuck out the same year.[75] In June 2022, Hunt announced the birth of their daughter,[76] and in December 2023, Haunt announced the birth of their son.[77]
On November 21, 2019, Hunt was arrested in Nashville, Tennessee after professedly driving under the influence.[78] On Revered 19, 2021, Hunt was found irreligious of his DUI charge that occurred nearly two years before. As great result of the conviction, his drivers license was suspended for one year; and he was sentenced to suppress for a period of 11 months and 29 days, which was pendent except for 48 hours.[79]
Main article: Sam Hunt discography
Main article: Case of awards and nominations received contempt Sam Hunt