Chris Knight (musician)
Encyclopedia
Chris Knight is a singer and songwriter from Kentucky
. He only recently came to national attention, but has written songs for Confederate Railroad
, John Anderson
, and Randy Travis
among others. He is best known for writing the hit Montgomery Gentry
song "She Couldn't Change Me
" and because of his particular fame in Texas, was named an "Honorary Texan" by Texas Governor Rick Perry.
. When he was three years old, he asked for a plastic guitar for Christmas. At 15, however, he became serious and began teaching himself John Prine
songs on his older brother's guitar.
Knight earned a degree in agriculture from Western Kentucky University
. He worked for ten years as a mine reclamation inspector and as a miner's consultant. In 1986, he heard Steve Earle
on the radio and decided to start writing songs. After six years he came to Nashville and won a spot on a songwriters' night at the Bluebird Cafe. He attracted the interest of Frank Liddell, who signed him to a contract with Bluewater Music. When Decca Records hired Liddell for an A&R position, Knight received a contract and in 1998 Decca released his self-titled debut. Knight lived in a house trailer on 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) in Slaughters when the album was released. He has since become a major name in the alternative country music genre. He is considered one of the best singer-songwriters.
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. He only recently came to national attention, but has written songs for Confederate Railroad
Confederate Railroad
Confederate Railroad is an American country rock band founded in 1987 in Marietta, Georgia by Danny Shirley , Michael Lamb , Mark Dufresne , Chris McDaniel , Warren "Gates" Nichols and Wayne Secrest...
, John Anderson
John Anderson (musician)
John David Anderson is an American country music artist with a successful career that has lasted more than 30 years...
, and Randy Travis
Randy Travis
Randy Travis is an American country music singer and actor. Since 1985, he has recorded 20 studio albums and charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 22 of which were number one hits...
among others. He is best known for writing the hit Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo composed of vocalists Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. The two began performing in the 1990s as part of a band which also included Eddie Montgomery's brother John Michael Montgomery, and founded the existing duo in 1999.Signed to Columbia Records,...
song "She Couldn't Change Me
She Couldn't Change Me
"She Couldn't Change Me" is a song written by Gary Nicholson and Chris Knight and recorded by country music duo Montgomery Gentry. It was released in February 2001 as the lead-off single from their album Carrying On...
" and because of his particular fame in Texas, was named an "Honorary Texan" by Texas Governor Rick Perry.
Biography
Knight grew up in the mining town of Slaughters, KentuckySlaughters, Kentucky
Slaughters is a city in Webster County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 238 at the 2000 census. Slaughters lies just west of US 41 and 9 miles east of Dixon. According to local tradition, it was named for Gustavus G...
. When he was three years old, he asked for a plastic guitar for Christmas. At 15, however, he became serious and began teaching himself John Prine
John Prine
John Prine is an American country/folk singer-songwriter. He has been active as a recording artist and live performer since the early 1970s.-Biography:...
songs on his older brother's guitar.
Knight earned a degree in agriculture from Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. It was formally founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier....
. He worked for ten years as a mine reclamation inspector and as a miner's consultant. In 1986, he heard Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
on the radio and decided to start writing songs. After six years he came to Nashville and won a spot on a songwriters' night at the Bluebird Cafe. He attracted the interest of Frank Liddell, who signed him to a contract with Bluewater Music. When Decca Records hired Liddell for an A&R position, Knight received a contract and in 1998 Decca released his self-titled debut. Knight lived in a house trailer on 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) in Slaughters when the album was released. He has since become a major name in the alternative country music genre. He is considered one of the best singer-songwriters.
Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Heat Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
US Indie Independent Albums The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels... |
||
| Chris Knight Chris Knight (album) Chris Knight is the self-titled debut album from country music singer and songwriter Chris Knight. It was released on February 10, 1998 by Decca Nashville... |
|
— | — | — |
| A Pretty Good Guy |
Dualtone Records Dualtone Music Group, Inc. is an independent entertainment companybased in Nashville, TN. The staunchly independent label has beennominated for thirteen GRAMMY awards, garnering three wins... |
— | — | — |
| The Jealous Kind |
|
67 | — | — |
| Enough Rope |
|
— | — | — |
| The Trailer Tapes |
|
68 | 40 | — |
| Heart of Stone Heart of Stone (album) Heart of Stone is Chris Knight's sixth album. It was released in August 2008.-Track listing:#"Homesick Gypsy" - 3:51#"Hell Ain't Half Full" - 3:38... |
|
37 | 7 | 31 |
| Trailer II |
|
64 | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Singles
| Year | Song | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | "Framed" | Chris Knight |
| "It Ain't Easy Being Me" | ||
| 2001 | "Becky's Bible" | A Pretty Good Guy |
| 2002 | "Oil Patch Town" | |
| 2003 | "The Jealous Kind" | The Jealous Kind |
| 2006 | "Cry Lonely" | Enough Rope |
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | "Framed" | Roger Pistole |
| "It Ain't Easy Being Me" | ||
| 2002 | "Oil Patch Town" | |
| 2006 | "Cry Lonely" | Milton Sneed |
Songs written or co-written by Knight
- "A Pretty Good Guy" - Fred EaglesmithFred EaglesmithFrederick John Elgersma , known by the stage name Fred Eaglesmith, is a Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter, one of nine children raised by a farming family in rural Southern Ontario. As a teenager Eaglesmith hopped a freight train out to Western Canada, and began writing songs and...
- "A Train Not Running" - Stacy Dean CampbellStacy Dean CampbellStacy Dean Campbell is an American country singer-songwriter, author and TV host.Campbell's father was a gospel singer, though he was raised by his grandparents. Campbell moved to Nashville after his brother, Spencer, launched a professional career there. He became a songwriter for Tree Music, and...
- "Becky's Bible" - Jason Savory
- "Highway Junkie" - Randy Travis, Gary AllanGary AllanGary Allan Herzberg is an American country music artist, known professionally as Gary Allan.Signed to Decca Records in 1996, Allan made his debut on the United States country music scene with the release of his single "Her Man", the lead-off to his gold-certified debut album Used Heart for Sale,...
, The YayhoosThe YayhoosThe Yayhoos are an American rock group. The band was once described as the "Harlem Globetrotters of Roots Rock", "a genuine, supergroup of southern-rock and alt.country heavyweights" and just "supergroup." The four bandmates share singing, songwriting and playing duties.- Members' background :*Dan...
, The Von Ehrics - "I Don't Want to Hang Out With Me" - Confederate Railroad
- "It Ain't Easy Being Me" - John Anderson, Jason McCoyJason McCoyJason McCoy is a Canadian singer/songwriter who performs country music.He was born in Barrie, Ontario and was raised for a time in Camrose, Alberta before his family settled in Anten Mills, Ontario.He has won many awards including the 2001 Male Vocalist of the Year at the Canadian Country Music...
, and Blake SheltonBlake SheltonBlake Tollison Shelton is an American country music artist. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". Released as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts... - "Love and Gasoline" and "She's Leaving This Town" - The Great DivideThe Great Divide (band)The Great Divide was an American Red Dirt/Texas Country music group, originally from Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Great Divide formed its own record label, publishing company and operating company, and began recording. The group's first two albums, Goin' For Broke and Break In The Storm, were...
- "Love at 90 Miles an Hour" - Ty HerndonTy HerndonBoyd Tyrone "Ty" Herndon is an American country music and Christian singer. Signed to Epic Records in 1995, Herndon made his debut that year with the Number One single "What Mattered Most", followed by the release of his first album, also entitled What Mattered Most...
- "She Couldn't Change Me" - Montgomery Gentry
- "The Hammer Goin Down" - The Road HammersThe Road HammersThe Road Hammers was a Canadian Country music group composed of Jason McCoy, Clayton Bellamy and Chris Byrne. Formed by McCoy as a side project, the trio's music is influenced by 1960s and 1970s trucker music and Southern rock. Their first self-titled album included remakes of several classic...