Judson Spence
Encyclopedia
Judson Spence is an American
pop music
singer, songwriter
, multi-instrumentalist
based in Nashville
, Tennessee
. He originally gained fame when he released his eponym
ously titled debut solo
effort on Atlantic Records
in 1988. The album
was produced
by Monroe Jones and David Tickle
, and executive produced by future Interscope founder Jimmy Iovine
.
Although he had a top 40 hit with “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” in 1988 and also had a minor hit with “Drift Away
” from The Wonder Years
soundtrack
, Spence was dropped from Atlantic before completing his second album in 1991.
After several years of struggle, Spence's composition "The Power" was covered by both Amy Grant
and Cher
and was also used for a national Century 21
advertising campaign. Subsequently, he recorded the indie release "painfathjoy" in 1995.
He performed with Trisha Yearwood
on the Oscar nominated song “How Do I Live Without You" in 1997 and sang live with her on the American Music Awards
, The Tonight Show
, The Oscars, and the CMA
Awards.
In 1999, he released his third solo album in Japan entitled I Guess I Love It before his record label
, Pioneer Music Group closed its doors. That album was produced by former Eagle Bernie Leadon
. In 2000, he toured with Trisha Yearwood. The following year, Wynonna Judd
cut Judson’s song, "New Day Dawning" and it became the title track to her album.
In 2003, Spence released two albums: The Velvet Kitten Sessions which was a mainstream collection, and Opus Dei which was a religious themed effort.
In 2007, Spence was to release his latest album on Universal South until the label cut its roster in late January. The current status of this release is unknown.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
based in Nashville
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...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. He originally gained fame when he released his eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
ously titled debut solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
effort on Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
in 1988. The album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
was produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Monroe Jones and David Tickle
David Tickle
David Tickle is a British record producer and engineer. As a producer, he is most noted for his work with Split Enz, and in Canada, for his mid-80s work with Red Rider, Platinum Blonde and Gowan...
, and executive produced by future Interscope founder Jimmy Iovine
Jimmy Iovine
James "Jimmy" Iovine is an American music producer, entrepreneur and chairman of Interscope-Geffen-A&M.-Biography:...
.
Although he had a top 40 hit with “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” in 1988 and also had a minor hit with “Drift Away
Drift Away
"Drift Away" is a song written by Mentor Williams and originally recorded by John Henry Kurtz on his 1972 album Reunion. In 1973 the song became Dobie Gray's biggest hit, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, though it did not enter the charts in the United Kingdom.This song is also a...
” from The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years is an American television comedy-drama created by Carol Black and Neal Marlens. It ran for six seasons on ABC from 1988 through 1993. The pilot aired on January 31, 1988 after ABC's coverage of Super Bowl XXII....
soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
, Spence was dropped from Atlantic before completing his second album in 1991.
After several years of struggle, Spence's composition "The Power" was covered by both Amy Grant
Amy Grant
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...
and Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
and was also used for a national Century 21
Century 21
Century 21 can mean:* AP Films - a British TV production company from the 1960s, headed by Gerry Anderson, which later became known as Century 21 Productions* Century 21 Exposition - the World's Fair held in Seattle, Washington in 1962...
advertising campaign. Subsequently, he recorded the indie release "painfathjoy" in 1995.
He performed with Trisha Yearwood
Trisha Yearwood
Patricia Lynn Yearwood, professionally known as Trisha Yearwood , is an American country music artist. She is best known for her ballads about vulnerable young women from a female perspective that have been described by some music critics as "strong" and "confident."Trisha Yearwood signed with MCA...
on the Oscar nominated song “How Do I Live Without You" in 1997 and sang live with her on the American Music Awards
American Music Awards
-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
, The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
, The Oscars, and the CMA
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.
In 1999, he released his third solo album in Japan entitled I Guess I Love It before his record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, Pioneer Music Group closed its doors. That album was produced by former Eagle Bernie Leadon
Bernie Leadon
Bernard Mathew "Bernie" Leadon, III is an American musician and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the Eagles. Prior to the Eagles, he was a member of two pioneering and highly influential country rock bands, Dillard & Clark and the Flying Burrito Brothers...
. In 2000, he toured with Trisha Yearwood. The following year, Wynonna Judd
Wynonna Judd
Wynonna Ellen Judd is an American country music singer. Her solo albums and singles are all credited to the singular name Wynonna. Wynonna first rose to fame in the 1980s alongside her mother, Naomi, in the country music duo The Judds...
cut Judson’s song, "New Day Dawning" and it became the title track to her album.
In 2003, Spence released two albums: The Velvet Kitten Sessions which was a mainstream collection, and Opus Dei which was a religious themed effort.
In 2007, Spence was to release his latest album on Universal South until the label cut its roster in late January. The current status of this release is unknown.