Trey Bruce
Encyclopedia
Trey Bruce is an American country music
songwriter. Bruce has co-written three songs that became Number One singles on the Billboard
country charts: "Look Heart, No Hands", "Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man" and "Whisper My Name" by Randy Travis
, and "How Your Love Makes Me Feel
" by Diamond Rio
. He has also co-written several Top 5 country singles for other artists, including Faith Hill
, Doug Stone, Trisha Yearwood
and Trace Adkins
. Bruce received a Daytime Emmy Award
for Best Original Song in 2001 along with co-writers John Bettis
and Brian D. Siewart.
He is the son of singer Ed Bruce
. In 1989, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee
and signed with MCA Music Publishing
as a songwriter. His first hit as a songwriter came in 1990, when Shelby Lynne
reached the U.S. Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts with "Things Are Tough All Over"; in 1993, Randy Travis
reached Number One on the same chart with Bruce's "Look Heart, No Hands
". (Travis also recorded two more songs written by Bruce: 1994's "Whisper My Name
" and 1998's "Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man
".)
In 1994, the publishing company Big Tractor Music was formed, with Bruce being signed as one of the company's first songwriters. Since then, he has written songs for several country music artists, including Doug Stone, Lee Roy Parnell
, Faith Hill
, LeAnn Rimes
, Mindy McCready
, Diamond Rio
, and SHeDAISY
. Bruce has also co-produced albums for Trace Adkins
, Rebecca Lynn Howard
, Chelsea Field (musician), and Chris LeDoux
. Bruce also produced three of Adkins's albums: 1999's More
, 2001's Chrome
and 2003's Comin' On Strong
.
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...
songwriter. Bruce has co-written three songs that became Number One 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 charts: "Look Heart, No Hands", "Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man" and "Whisper My Name" by 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...
, and "How Your Love Makes Me Feel
How Your Love Makes Me Feel
"How Your Love Makes Me Feel" is a song written by Trey Bruce and Max T. Barnes, and recorded by American country music group Diamond Rio that reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It was released in May 1997 as the first single from their Greatest Hits album...
" by Diamond Rio
Diamond Rio
Diamond Rio is an American Country music/Christian music band formed in 1984 in Nashville, Tennessee. Since its foundation, the group has comprised the same six members: Gene Johnson , Jimmy Olander , Brian Prout , Marty Roe , Dan Truman , and Dana Williams...
. He has also co-written several Top 5 country singles for other artists, including Faith Hill
Faith Hill
Faith Hill is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S...
, Doug Stone, 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...
and Trace Adkins
Trace Adkins
Tracy Darrell "Trace" Adkins is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1996 with the album Dreamin' Out Loud, released on Capitol Records Nashville. Since then, Adkins has released seven more studio albums and two Greatest Hits compilations...
. Bruce received a Daytime Emmy Award
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming...
for Best Original Song in 2001 along with co-writers John Bettis
John Bettis
John Bettis is an American lyricist who has co-written many famous popular songs over the years. In 2011, John was inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame as well as the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame....
and Brian D. Siewart.
He is the son of singer Ed Bruce
Ed Bruce
William Edwin "Ed" Bruce, Jr. is an American country music songwriter and singer. He is known for penning the 1975 song "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" .-Early life & songwriting career:...
Biography
Bruce's musical career began at an early age, when he played drums at various clubs around Memphis, TennesseeMemphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. In 1989, he 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...
and signed with MCA Music Publishing
Music Corporation of America
MCA, Inc. was an American talent agency. Initially starting in the music business, they would next become a dominant force in the film business, and later expanded into the television business...
as a songwriter. His first hit as a songwriter came in 1990, when Shelby Lynne
Shelby Lynne
Shelby Lynne is an American singer, songwriter and actress. The success of the 1999 album I Am Shelby Lynne led to her winning the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, even though she had been active in the music industry for some time...
reached the U.S. Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts with "Things Are Tough All Over"; in 1993, 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...
reached Number One on the same chart with Bruce's "Look Heart, No Hands
Look Heart, No Hands
"Look Heart, No Hands" is the title of a country music song written by Trey Bruce and former Amazing Rhythm Aces member Russell Smith. It was recorded by Randy Travis as a new single for his 1992 album Greatest Hits, Volume 2, from which it was released as a single in November 1992...
". (Travis also recorded two more songs written by Bruce: 1994's "Whisper My Name
Whisper My Name
"Whisper My Name" is the title of a country music song written by Trey Bruce. It was recorded by Randy Travis on his 1994 album This Is Me. It was released in June 1994 as the album's second single, it became a Number One country hit for him in both the United States and Canada.-Content:"Whisper My...
" and 1998's "Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man
Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man
"Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man" is the title of a song written by Trey Bruce and Glen Burtnik. First recorded by Mark Collie on his 1995 album Tennessee Plates, it was later recorded by Randy Travis...
".)
In 1994, the publishing company Big Tractor Music was formed, with Bruce being signed as one of the company's first songwriters. Since then, he has written songs for several country music artists, including Doug Stone, Lee Roy Parnell
Lee Roy Parnell
Lee Roy Parnell is an American country music artist. Active since 1990, he has recorded eight studio albums, and has charted more than twenty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts...
, Faith Hill
Faith Hill
Faith Hill is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S...
, LeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes is an American country/pop singer. She is known for her rich vocals and her rise to fame as an eight-year-old champion on the original Ed McMahon version of Star Search, followed by the release of the Patsy Cline-intended single "Blue" when Rimes was only age 13, resulting in her...
, Mindy McCready
Mindy McCready
Melinda Gayle "Mindy" McCready is an American country music singer. Active since 1996, she has recorded a total of five studio albums. Her debut album, 1996's Ten Thousand Angels, was released on BNA Records and was certified 2× Multi-Platinum by the RIAA, while 1997's If I Don't Stay the...
, Diamond Rio
Diamond Rio
Diamond Rio is an American Country music/Christian music band formed in 1984 in Nashville, Tennessee. Since its foundation, the group has comprised the same six members: Gene Johnson , Jimmy Olander , Brian Prout , Marty Roe , Dan Truman , and Dana Williams...
, and SHeDAISY
SHeDAISY
SHeDAISY is an American country music group founded in the late 1980s by sisters Kristyn Robyn Osborn , Kelsi Marie Osborn , and Kassidy Lorraine Osborn from Magna, Utah...
. Bruce has also co-produced albums for Trace Adkins
Trace Adkins
Tracy Darrell "Trace" Adkins is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1996 with the album Dreamin' Out Loud, released on Capitol Records Nashville. Since then, Adkins has released seven more studio albums and two Greatest Hits compilations...
, Rebecca Lynn Howard
Rebecca Lynn Howard
Rebecca Lynn Howard is an American country music artist. She has charted seven singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, and has released three studio albums...
, Chelsea Field (musician), and Chris LeDoux
Chris LeDoux
Chris Ledoux was an American country music singer-songwriter, bronze sculptor and rodeo champion.During his career LeDoux recorded 36 albums which have sold more than six million units in the United States as of January 2007...
. Bruce also produced three of Adkins's albums: 1999's More
More… (Trace Adkins album)
-Album:-Singles:...
, 2001's Chrome
Chrome (Trace Adkins album)
-Production:*Tracks 3, 5-8, 10 and 11 produced by Trey Bruce; recorded at The Sound Kitchen and Emerald Studios, The Tracking Room .**"Give Me You" and "Thankful Man" recorded at Omni Recording ....
and 2003's Comin' On Strong
Comin' on Strong
-Personnel:As listed in liner notes.*Mike Brignardello – bass guitar*Trey Bruce – percussion, programming*Pat Buchanan – electric guitar, harmonica*Lisa Cochran – background vocals*J.T...
.