John Anderson (musician)
Encyclopedia
John David Anderson is an American country music
artist with a successful career that has lasted more than 30 years. Starting in 1977 with the release of his first single, "I've Got a Feelin' (Somebody's Been Stealin')", Anderson has charted more than 40 singles on the Billboard
country music charts, including five Number Ones: "Wild and Blue
", "Swingin'
", "Black Sheep
", "Straight Tequila Night
", and "Money in the Bank
". He has also recorded twenty-two studio albums on several labels. His newest album, Bigger Hands, was released on June 2009, on the Country Crossing label.
, Anderson's first musical influences were not country artists, but rock and roll
musicians such as Jimi Hendrix
and The Rolling Stones
. He played in a rock band until the age of 15, when he discovered the music of Merle Haggard
and turned to country music. Anderson moved to Nashville, Tennessee
, in 1971, arriving unannounced at his sister's home, and took on odd jobs during the day - including one as a roofer
at the Grand Ole Opry
House - while playing in clubs during the evenings.
The club appearances finally paid off in 1977 when he signed his first recording contract with Warner Bros. Records
. He first hit the Billboard Country Hot 100
chart in 1977 with the song "I’ve Got a Feelin’ (Somebody's Been Stealin')", then broke into the country Top 40 with "The Girl At The End Of The Bar" the next year. Anderson's decidedly backwoods accent and distinctive vocal timbre helped land him in the forefront of the "New Traditionalist" movement with artists like Ricky Skaggs
and George Strait
.
A steady stream of singles through the late 1970s and early 1980s continued to build Anderson's name in the country genre. The song "I'm Just An Old Chunk Of Coal (But I'm Gonna Be A Diamond Someday)" from the 1981 album John Anderson 2
netted Anderson a Grammy Award
nomination for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.
, in 1982 led to his breakthrough to mainstream country when the single "Swingin'" hit the airwaves early the next year. Co-written with long-time writing partner Lionel Delmore, the song broke into the country charts and reached Number One by March, while at the same time crossing over to the Billboard Hot 100, reaching a peak of Number 43. The single became the biggest selling record in the history of Warner Bros. Records. In the wake of "Swingin'", Anderson received five nominations for Country Music Association
awards for the year. He was the winner of the Horizon Award, and the song was named Single of the Year; he also received nominations for Song of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Album of the Year.
Anderson's success with Wild & Blue carried on through several more albums, but none would match its chart numbers or sales, and only one single, "She Sure Got Away with My Heart," would crack the top 10 on the country charts. In 1986, Anderson and Warner Bros. parted ways.
and released two albums under that label, followed by one with Capitol Records
in 1990. Chart success was minimal throughout those years. However, that turned around in 1991 when Anderson joined BNA Records
and, working with legendary country producer James Stroud
, released the album Seminole Wind
. Powered by the title single, which rose to Number Two, and the Number One single "Straight Tequila Night
", the album proved a resurgence for Anderson's career. The album has been certified two times platinum
, the highest of any of Anderson's albums, and he was nominated for three CMA Awards - Male Vocalist, Song of the Year and Album of the Year.
The success of Seminole Wind brought a fresh life to Anderson's career, and he released a number of albums that charted well, producing several more singles that pushed to the upper levels of the country charts. The 1993 album Solid Ground
produced a Number One single, "Money in the Bank
", which turned out to be the most recent chart-topper of Anderson's career. He recorded for BNA through 1996 before leaving the label. In 1993, Anderson was awarded the Academy of Country Music
Career Achievement award.
Anderson has recorded for several labels since his departure from BNA, with moderate chart success. A new album titled Bigger Hands
, a return to working with Stroud as producer, was released in June 2009.
Over his career, Anderson has collaborated with a number of different artists. He has worked with John Rich
of Big & Rich
on his 2007 album Easy Money
, and co-wrote Rich's 2009 single "Shuttin' Detroit Down
" He has been named an honorary member of the MuzikMafia
, of which Rich is also a member.
Anderson lives in Smithville, Tennessee
, his home for more than 30 years.
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 with a successful career that has lasted more than 30 years. Starting in 1977 with the release of his first single, "I've Got a Feelin' (Somebody's Been Stealin')", Anderson has charted more than 40 singles on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
country music charts, including five Number Ones: "Wild and Blue
Wild and Blue (song)
"Wild and Blue" is the 1982 title track from John Anderson's fourth studio album. "Wild and Blue" was written by John Scott Sherrill and was John Anderson's eleventh country hit and the first of five number ones on the country chart. The single went to number one for two weeks and spent a total...
", "Swingin'
Swingin'
"Swingin" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer John Anderson. Released in 1983, it was included on his album Wild & Blue. The song was the second of five Number One singles in Anderson's career, spending one week at the top of the Hot Country Songs charts...
", "Black Sheep
Black Sheep (John Anderson song)
"Black Sheep" is a 1983 single written by Danny Darst and Robert Altman and recorded by John Anderson. "Black Sheep" was John Anderson's third number one on the country chart. "Black Sheep" went to number one for one week and spent a total of 14 weeks within the top 40.-Chart performance:...
", "Straight Tequila Night
Straight Tequila Night
"Straight Tequila Night" is the title of a song written by Debbie Hupp and Kent Robbins, and recorded by American country music singer John Anderson. It was released in December 1991 as the second track to Anderson's album Seminole Wind. It reached number-one on the country charts in the United...
", and "Money in the Bank
Money in the Bank (John Anderson song)
"Money in the Bank" is a song recorded by country music artist John Anderson. It is the lead-off single to his 1993 album Solid Ground. It peaked at number one on the United States Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, and #2 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart...
". He has also recorded twenty-two studio albums on several labels. His newest album, Bigger Hands, was released on June 2009, on the Country Crossing label.
Early career
Raised in Apopka, FloridaApopka, Florida
Apopka is a city located in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 26,969 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2006, the city grew to 53,563. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Apopka is an Indian word for “Potato...
, Anderson's first musical influences were not country artists, but rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
musicians such as Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
and The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
. He played in a rock band until the age of 15, when he discovered the music of Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
and turned to country music. Anderson moved to Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, 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 1971, arriving unannounced at his sister's home, and took on odd jobs during the day - including one as a roofer
Roof construction
This article is about the type of roof construction that consists of footings and an outer weatherproof skin, as found on most domestic architecture....
at the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
House - while playing in clubs during the evenings.
The club appearances finally paid off in 1977 when he signed his first recording contract with Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
. He first hit the Billboard Country Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart in 1977 with the song "I’ve Got a Feelin’ (Somebody's Been Stealin')", then broke into the country Top 40 with "The Girl At The End Of The Bar" the next year. Anderson's decidedly backwoods accent and distinctive vocal timbre helped land him in the forefront of the "New Traditionalist" movement with artists like Ricky Skaggs
Ricky Skaggs
Rickie Lee "Ricky" Skaggs is a country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, and banjo.-Early career:...
and George Strait
George Strait
George Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...
.
A steady stream of singles through the late 1970s and early 1980s continued to build Anderson's name in the country genre. The song "I'm Just An Old Chunk Of Coal (But I'm Gonna Be A Diamond Someday)" from the 1981 album John Anderson 2
John Anderson 2
John Anderson 2 is the second studio album by country artist John Anderson. It was released in 1981 under Warner Bros. Records. The album includes the singles "I'm Just an Old Chunk of Coal", "I Love You a Thousand Ways", and "Chicken Truck."...
netted Anderson a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nomination for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.
"Swingin'" and mainstream success
The release of Anderson's fourth album, Wild & BlueWild & Blue
Wild & Blue is the fourth studio album by country artist John Anderson. It was released in September 1982 under Warner Bros. Records. It includes the Number One country hits "Swingin" and "Wild and Blue".-Track listing:...
, in 1982 led to his breakthrough to mainstream country when the single "Swingin'" hit the airwaves early the next year. Co-written with long-time writing partner Lionel Delmore, the song broke into the country charts and reached Number One by March, while at the same time crossing over to the Billboard Hot 100, reaching a peak of Number 43. The single became the biggest selling record in the history of Warner Bros. Records. In the wake of "Swingin'", Anderson received five nominations for Country Music Association
Country Music Association
The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
awards for the year. He was the winner of the Horizon Award, and the song was named Single of the Year; he also received nominations for Song of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Album of the Year.
Anderson's success with Wild & Blue carried on through several more albums, but none would match its chart numbers or sales, and only one single, "She Sure Got Away with My Heart," would crack the top 10 on the country charts. In 1986, Anderson and Warner Bros. parted ways.
Seminole Wind and later career
After leaving Warner Bros., Anderson signed with MCA RecordsMCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
and released two albums under that label, followed by one with Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in 1990. Chart success was minimal throughout those years. However, that turned around in 1991 when Anderson joined BNA Records
BNA Records
BNA Records, formerly known as BNA Entertainment, is a label group that shares ties with Arista Nashville and RCA Nashville from parent company Sony Music Nashville, which itself is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, BNA features country music acts on its roster...
and, working with legendary country producer James Stroud
James Stroud
James Stroud is an American musician and record producer who works in pop, rock, and country music. In the 1990s he was the president of Giant Records and held several credits as a session drummer...
, released the album Seminole Wind
Seminole Wind
Seminole Wind is a studio album released in 1992 by American country music artist John Anderson. This is also known as his comeback album. It features the singles "Straight Tequila Night", "Let Go of the Stone", "When It Comes to You", and the title track, all of which reached the country top ten,...
. Powered by the title single, which rose to Number Two, and the Number One single "Straight Tequila Night
Straight Tequila Night
"Straight Tequila Night" is the title of a song written by Debbie Hupp and Kent Robbins, and recorded by American country music singer John Anderson. It was released in December 1991 as the second track to Anderson's album Seminole Wind. It reached number-one on the country charts in the United...
", the album proved a resurgence for Anderson's career. The album has been certified two times platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
, the highest of any of Anderson's albums, and he was nominated for three CMA Awards - Male Vocalist, Song of the Year and Album of the Year.
The success of Seminole Wind brought a fresh life to Anderson's career, and he released a number of albums that charted well, producing several more singles that pushed to the upper levels of the country charts. The 1993 album Solid Ground
Solid Ground (John Anderson album)
Solid Ground is an album by country artist John Anderson. It was released in 1993 under BNA Records. The album includes the singles "Money in the Bank" , I've Got It Made", "I Fell in the Water", and "I Wish I Could Have Been There"...
produced a Number One single, "Money in the Bank
Money in the Bank (John Anderson song)
"Money in the Bank" is a song recorded by country music artist John Anderson. It is the lead-off single to his 1993 album Solid Ground. It peaked at number one on the United States Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, and #2 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart...
", which turned out to be the most recent chart-topper of Anderson's career. He recorded for BNA through 1996 before leaving the label. In 1993, Anderson was awarded the Academy of Country Music
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
Career Achievement award.
Anderson has recorded for several labels since his departure from BNA, with moderate chart success. A new album titled Bigger Hands
Bigger Hands
Bigger Hands is the twentieth studio album of country music artist John Anderson. It was released in 2009 under the Country Crossing label...
, a return to working with Stroud as producer, was released in June 2009.
Over his career, Anderson has collaborated with a number of different artists. He has worked with John Rich
John Rich (musician)
John Rich is an American country music singer-songwriter. From 1992 to 1998, he was a member of the country music band Lonestar, in which he played bass guitar and alternated with Richie McDonald as lead vocalist...
of Big & Rich
Big & Rich
Big & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich. Both members alternate as lead vocalists and play rhythm guitar...
on his 2007 album Easy Money
Easy Money (album)
Easy Money is the nineteenth studio album of country music artist John Anderson. It was released in 2007 under the Warner Bros. Records label...
, and co-wrote Rich's 2009 single "Shuttin' Detroit Down
Shuttin' Detroit Down
"Shuttin' Detroit Down" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer John Rich, one half of the duo Big & Rich. The song addresses the issue of the government bailouts of financial institutions, and has received heavy rotation on Michigan radio stations, as well...
" He has been named an honorary member of the MuzikMafia
MuzikMafia
The MuzikMafia was an informal collection of American country music artists, founded in October 2001 in Nashville, Tennessee by Big Kenny and John Rich , along with Jon Nicholson and Cory Gierman....
, of which Rich is also a member.
Anderson lives in Smithville, Tennessee
Smithville, Tennessee
Smithville is a city in DeKalb County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 3,994 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of De Kalb County.-Geography:...
, his home for more than 30 years.