Deric Ruttan
Encyclopedia
Deric J. Ruttan is a Canadian country music
artist from Bracebridge, Ontario
. Signed to Lyric Street Records
in 2003, he made his chart debut on the U.S. and Canadian country music charts that year with the release of his single "When You Come Around". His self-titled debut album was released that year, producing a total of five singles on the Canadian country music charts. A second album, titled First Time in a Long Time
, was released in April 2008.
in 1994 to pursue his music career, spending his days writing songs and his nights scouring the city getting ideas and learning from local singer/songwriters. He got his break in 1999 when producer Steve Bogard heard one of Deric's tapes and liked it. Steve signed Deric to a songwriting deal and immediately began recording his first demos. After Doug Howard at Lyric Street Records
heard his demo and Deric played five songs live for Randy Goodman, Deric scored a record deal with the label. In 2003, he released his debut album, Deric Ruttan
.
In 2003, just as his first single [When You Come Around was released, he celebrated his first #1 as a songwriter when friend and collaborator Dierks Bentley
took the Ruttan/Bentley/Brett Beavers co-write "What Was I Thinkin'
" to the top of the charts in the US. The song helped set Bentley on the path to country stardom. (To date, Bentley has recorded six Ruttan co-writes, including the 2005 chart-topper Lot of Leavin' Left To Do.) In 2004 Ruttan's "My Way", recorded by Aaron Pritchett
, was the most-played Canadian country song of that year. Capitol Nashville's Eric Church
had an American Billboard hit with his and Ruttan's "Guys Like Me
" in 2007, and cuts on other acts followed (over two dozen to-date), on artists like Gary Allan
, Paul Brandt
, Doc Walker
, Jason Blaine
, and The Higgins
.
In September 2007, Ruttan was awarded his first Canadian Country Music Award (CCMA) for Songwriter Of The Year (along with co-writers Aaron Pritchett
and Mitch Merrett), for "Hold My Beer", recorded by Pritchett.
"It wasn't just that writing songs for other artists was taking time away from me writing my next record", says Ruttan. "It was that suddenly I was known as a guy who'd written radio hits for other acts – the bar had been raised for me, creatively, because of that. I felt the next record I made needed to be really, really good."
It took over four years for Ruttan to follow up his 2003 self titled release. In 2008 he released his second album, aptly titled First Time In A Long Time, which yielded four hit radio singles at Canadian country radio; the title track "Lovin' You Is Killin' Me", "California Plates" (co-written with members of Manitoba country band Doc Walker), and "Good Time", a duet with Ruttan's friend and collaborator Dierks Bentley
. (The video for "Good Time" reached #1 on CMT Canada's video countdown).
At the Canadian Country Music Awards that September, Ruttan earned a total of four nominations – "Male Artist", "Songwriter", "Record Producer", and "Best Album," and closed the show performing alongside The Guess Who/Bachman Turner Overdrive guitar legend Randy Bachman. By the following year, "First Time In A Long Time" had garnered so much radio airplay that it earned Ruttan and co-writer Jimmy Rankin a SOCAN Country Music Award at the 2009 SOCAN Awards in Toronto.
" and "Lot of Leavin' Left to Do
" by Dierks Bentley
, "Hold My Beer" and "My Way" by Aaron Pritchett
, "Guys Like Me
" and "Hell on the Heart
" by Eric Church
, "Promise Broken" by Gary Allan
, "Shotgun Girl" by The JaneDear Girls
, and many more.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist from Bracebridge, Ontario
Bracebridge, Ontario
Bracebridge is a town and the seat of the Muskoka District Municipality of Ontario, Canada.The town was built around a waterfall on the Muskoka River in the centre of town, and is known for its other nearby waterfalls . It was first incorporated in 1875...
. Signed to Lyric Street Records
Lyric Street Records
Lyric Street Records was an American record label specializing in country music. The label was part of the Disney Music Group, owned by the The Walt Disney Company. President Randy Goodman, formerly a general manager for RCA Records, founded the label in 1997...
in 2003, he made his chart debut on the U.S. and Canadian country music charts that year with the release of his single "When You Come Around". His self-titled debut album was released that year, producing a total of five singles on the Canadian country music charts. A second album, titled First Time in a Long Time
First Time in a Long Time
First Time in a Long Time is the second studio album by Canadian country music artist Deric Ruttan. The album was released on April 1, 2008 on On Ramp Records.-Track listing:# "First Time in a Long Time" – 4:19# "maggie " – 1:12...
, was released in April 2008.
Breakthrough
Deric moved to NashvilleNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
in 1994 to pursue his music career, spending his days writing songs and his nights scouring the city getting ideas and learning from local singer/songwriters. He got his break in 1999 when producer Steve Bogard heard one of Deric's tapes and liked it. Steve signed Deric to a songwriting deal and immediately began recording his first demos. After Doug Howard at Lyric Street Records
Lyric Street Records
Lyric Street Records was an American record label specializing in country music. The label was part of the Disney Music Group, owned by the The Walt Disney Company. President Randy Goodman, formerly a general manager for RCA Records, founded the label in 1997...
heard his demo and Deric played five songs live for Randy Goodman, Deric scored a record deal with the label. In 2003, he released his debut album, Deric Ruttan
Deric Ruttan (album)
Deric Ruttan is the first studio album by Canadian country music singer/songwriter Deric Ruttan. The album was released on September 9, 2003 on Lyric Street Records...
.
In 2003, just as his first single [When You Come Around was released, he celebrated his first #1 as a songwriter when friend and collaborator Dierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley is an American country music artist who has been signed to Capitol Records Nashville since 2003. That year, he released his self-titled debut album. Both it and its follow-up, 2005's Modern Day Drifter, are certified platinum in the United States. A third album, 2006's Long Trip...
took the Ruttan/Bentley/Brett Beavers co-write "What Was I Thinkin'
What Was I Thinkin'
"What Was I Thinkin" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Dierks Bentley. Released in April 2003 as the first single from his self-titled debut album, the song became his first Number One hit on the U.S...
" to the top of the charts in the US. The song helped set Bentley on the path to country stardom. (To date, Bentley has recorded six Ruttan co-writes, including the 2005 chart-topper Lot of Leavin' Left To Do.) In 2004 Ruttan's "My Way", recorded by Aaron Pritchett
Aaron Pritchett
Aaron Pritchett is a Canadian country music singer. He was born in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.-Biography:...
, was the most-played Canadian country song of that year. Capitol Nashville's Eric Church
Eric Church
Kenneth Eric Church is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to Capitol Records in 2006, Church released his debut album Sinners Like Me that year...
had an American Billboard hit with his and Ruttan's "Guys Like Me
Guys Like Me
"Guys Like Me" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Eric Church. It was released in January 2007 as the third single from his 2006 debut album Sinners Like Me. It peaked at number 17 on the United States Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and at number 99...
" in 2007, and cuts on other acts followed (over two dozen to-date), on artists like Gary Allan
Gary Allan
Gary 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,...
, Paul Brandt
Paul Brandt
Paul Rennée Belobersycky is a Canadian country music artist, known professionally as Paul Brandt. Growing up in Calgary, he was a pediatric RN at the time of his big break...
, Doc Walker
Doc Walker
Doc Walker is a country music group from Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, Canada. They have won Canadian Country Music Awards and had radio hits with the songs "I Am Ready" and "The Show is Free" from the 2003 album Everyone Aboard. In 2001 they released the album Curve...
, Jason Blaine
Jason Blaine
Jason Blaine is a Canadian country music singer/songwriter from Pembroke, Ontario. The winner of Project Discovery 2002, Jason's top 10 singles include "Rock In My Boot" and "Flirtin' With Me."-Career:...
, and The Higgins
The Higgins
The Higgins are a multi-award-winning Canadian country music group from Delta, British Columbia. The Higgins comprise three siblings: John , Eileen , and Kathleen Higgins . They have charted a total of three singles on the Canadian Country Music charts, two of which were Top 15...
.
In September 2007, Ruttan was awarded his first Canadian Country Music Award (CCMA) for Songwriter Of The Year (along with co-writers Aaron Pritchett
Aaron Pritchett
Aaron Pritchett is a Canadian country music singer. He was born in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.-Biography:...
and Mitch Merrett), for "Hold My Beer", recorded by Pritchett.
"It wasn't just that writing songs for other artists was taking time away from me writing my next record", says Ruttan. "It was that suddenly I was known as a guy who'd written radio hits for other acts – the bar had been raised for me, creatively, because of that. I felt the next record I made needed to be really, really good."
It took over four years for Ruttan to follow up his 2003 self titled release. In 2008 he released his second album, aptly titled First Time In A Long Time, which yielded four hit radio singles at Canadian country radio; the title track "Lovin' You Is Killin' Me", "California Plates" (co-written with members of Manitoba country band Doc Walker), and "Good Time", a duet with Ruttan's friend and collaborator Dierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley is an American country music artist who has been signed to Capitol Records Nashville since 2003. That year, he released his self-titled debut album. Both it and its follow-up, 2005's Modern Day Drifter, are certified platinum in the United States. A third album, 2006's Long Trip...
. (The video for "Good Time" reached #1 on CMT Canada's video countdown).
At the Canadian Country Music Awards that September, Ruttan earned a total of four nominations – "Male Artist", "Songwriter", "Record Producer", and "Best Album," and closed the show performing alongside The Guess Who/Bachman Turner Overdrive guitar legend Randy Bachman. By the following year, "First Time In A Long Time" had garnered so much radio airplay that it earned Ruttan and co-writer Jimmy Rankin a SOCAN Country Music Award at the 2009 SOCAN Awards in Toronto.
Songwriting
Outside of writing for his own albums, Ruttan has co-written songs for many artist including; "What Was I Thinkin'What Was I Thinkin'
"What Was I Thinkin" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Dierks Bentley. Released in April 2003 as the first single from his self-titled debut album, the song became his first Number One hit on the U.S...
" and "Lot of Leavin' Left to Do
Lot of Leavin' Left to Do
"Lot of Leavin' Left to Do" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Dierks Bentley. It was released in January 2005 as the lead-off single from his album Modern Day Drifter...
" by Dierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley is an American country music artist who has been signed to Capitol Records Nashville since 2003. That year, he released his self-titled debut album. Both it and its follow-up, 2005's Modern Day Drifter, are certified platinum in the United States. A third album, 2006's Long Trip...
, "Hold My Beer" and "My Way" by Aaron Pritchett
Aaron Pritchett
Aaron Pritchett is a Canadian country music singer. He was born in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.-Biography:...
, "Guys Like Me
Guys Like Me
"Guys Like Me" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Eric Church. It was released in January 2007 as the third single from his 2006 debut album Sinners Like Me. It peaked at number 17 on the United States Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and at number 99...
" and "Hell on the Heart
Hell on the Heart
"Hell on the Heart" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Eric Church. It was released in October 2009 as the second single from his second studio album, Carolina...
" by Eric Church
Eric Church
Kenneth Eric Church is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to Capitol Records in 2006, Church released his debut album Sinners Like Me that year...
, "Promise Broken" by Gary Allan
Gary Allan
Gary 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,...
, "Shotgun Girl" by The JaneDear Girls
The JaneDear Girls
The JaneDear Girls is an American country duo, consisting of Susie Brown from Alpine, Utah, and Danelle Leverett from Amarillo, Texas. The duo has signed with Warner Music Group Nashville's Reprise label and released its debut single, "Wildflower." This song has charted on Hot Country Songs...
, and many more.
Studio albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Deric Ruttan Deric Ruttan (album) Deric Ruttan is the first studio album by Canadian country music singer/songwriter Deric Ruttan. The album was released on September 9, 2003 on Lyric Street Records... |
|
| First Time in a Long Time First Time in a Long Time First Time in a Long Time is the second studio album by Canadian country music artist Deric Ruttan. The album was released on April 1, 2008 on On Ramp Records.-Track listing:# "First Time in a Long Time" – 4:19# "maggie " – 1:12... |
|
| Sunshine Sunshine (Deric Ruttan album) Sunshine is the third studio album by Canadian country music artist Deric Ruttan. The album was released on January 12, 2010 on Black T Records. Its first single was "Sing That Song Again".-Track listing:-Singles:... |
|
Live albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Up All Night – Deric Ruttan Live |
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
|||
| 2003 | "When You Come Around" | — | 46 | Deric Ruttan |
| "Unbeatable" | — | — | ||
| 2004 | "I Saved Everything" | — | — | |
| 2005 | "Take the Wheel" | — | — | |
| "Shine" | — | — | ||
| 2006 | "Invisible" | — | — | |
| 2007 | "Good Time" (with Dierks Bentley Dierks Bentley Dierks Bentley is an American country music artist who has been signed to Capitol Records Nashville since 2003. That year, he released his self-titled debut album. Both it and its follow-up, 2005's Modern Day Drifter, are certified platinum in the United States. A third album, 2006's Long Trip... ) |
— | — | First Time in a Long Time |
| 2008 | "First Time in a Long Time" | 96 | — | |
| "Lovin' You Is Killin' Me" | — | — | ||
| 2009 | "California Plates" | — | — | |
| "Almost Beautiful" | — | — | ||
| "Sing That Song Again" | — | — | Sunshine | |
| 2010 | "Up All Night" | 91 | — | |
| "That's How I Wanna Go Out" | 87 | — | ||
| 2011 | "Sunshine (Hey Little Girl)" | — | — | |
| "She's Like a Song"A | — | Up All Night – Deric Ruttan Live | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
- ACurrent single.
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | "When You Come Around" | Trey Fanjoy Trey Fanjoy Trey Fanjoy is a country music and pop music video director. Fanjoy has directed over 150 major label music videos. Her videos have appeared on CMT, VH-1, GAC, The Nashville Network, CMT Canada, and MTV.-Music videos:... |
| "Unbeatable" | ||
| 2005 | "Take the Wheel" | |
| "Love Did" | ||
| 2007 | "Good Time" (with Dierks Bentley Dierks Bentley Dierks Bentley is an American country music artist who has been signed to Capitol Records Nashville since 2003. That year, he released his self-titled debut album. Both it and its follow-up, 2005's Modern Day Drifter, are certified platinum in the United States. A third album, 2006's Long Trip... ) |
|
| 2008 | "First Time in a Long Time" | |
| "Lovin' You Is Killin' Me" | ||
| 2009 | "California Plates" | Joel Stewart |
| 2010 | "That's How I Wanna Go Out" | Warren P. Sonoda |
| 2011 | "Sunshine (Hey Little Girl)" |