Brad Paisley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brad Paisley
Paisley performing at the White House in 2009
Born	Brad Douglas Paisley (1972-10-28) October 28, 1972 (age 52) Glen Dale, West Virginia, U.S.
Occupation	Singer songwriter guitarist
Spouse(s)	Kimberly Williams ​ (m. 2003)​
Children	2
Musical career
Genres	Country
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Arista Nashville EMI Nashville

Brad Douglas Paisley (born October 28, 1972) is a famous American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He first became known in 1997 for writing the song "Another You." After that, he signed with Arista Nashville in 1998. He released his first album, Who Needs Pictures, in 1999.

Brad Paisley has released many successful albums. Some of his most popular ones are Mud on the Tires (2003) and Time Well Wasted (2005). These albums sold millions of copies. He has had more than 50 songs on the Billboard country charts. Nineteen of these songs reached number one, including "He Didn't Have to Be" and "Perfect Storm". He even had ten number-one songs in a row! Brad Paisley has also sung with other big stars like Alison Krauss, Keith Urban, Dolly Parton, and Carrie Underwood. Since 2003, he has been married to actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley.

Early Life and First Steps in Music

Brad Paisley was born and grew up in Glen Dale, West Virginia. He is the only child of Douglas and Sandra Paisley. Brad says his love for country music came from his grandfather, Warren Jarvis. His grandfather gave him his first guitar when he was eight years old. He also taught Brad how to play it.

When Brad was in third grade, he sang in his church for the first time. The adults were so impressed that they asked him to sing the whole song by himself! Brad later said that in his small town, everyone supported his dream of becoming an artist. When he was 13, he wrote his first song, "Born on Christmas Day." This song later appeared on his album Brad Paisley Christmas. Around this time, he also formed a band called "Brad Paisley and the C-Notes."

While in junior high, Brad's principal heard him perform. He invited Brad to play at a local club meeting. There, a radio program director named Tom Miller heard him. Miller asked Brad to be a guest on a show called Jamboree USA. After his first performance, Brad became a regular on the show. For the next eight years, he opened for famous country singers like The Judds and George Jones. He became the youngest person ever to join the Jamboree USA Hall of Fame.

Brad graduated from John Marshall High School in 1991. He then studied at West Liberty State College for two years. He later received a special scholarship to Belmont University in Nashville. There, he studied music business. While in college, he met Frank Rogers, who would become his producer. He also met Kelley Lovelace and Chris DuBois, who became his songwriting partners.

Just a week after graduating from college, Brad signed a songwriting contract. He wrote a Top 5 hit song called "Another You" for David Kersh.

Brad Paisley's Music Career

First Albums and Big Hits (1999–2003)

Brad Paisley's first song as a singer was "Who Needs Pictures" in 1999. In May of that year, he performed for the first time at the famous Grand Ole Opry. Seven months later, he had his first number one hit with "He Didn't Have to Be". This song tells the story of his co-writer Kelley Lovelace and his stepson. His first album, Who Needs Pictures, also had other hits like "Me Neither" and "We Danced". By 2001, the album had sold over a million copies.

In 2000, Brad won the CMA Horizon Award for new artists. He also won the Academy of Country Music's best new male vocalist award. In 2001, he was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry at just 28 years old.

In 2002, Brad won an award for his music video "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)". Many famous people appeared in the video, including his future wife, Kimberly Williams. His second album, Part II, had three songs that reached the top 10: "I Wish You'd Stay", "Wrapped Around", and "Two People Fell in Love". This album also sold over a million copies.

More Success and Awards (2003–2007)

Paisley performing live in 2007

Brad released his third album, Mud on the Tires, in 2003. It included the popular song "Celebrity". The music video for "Celebrity" made fun of TV shows and featured stars like Jason Alexander and William Shatner. The album's title song, "Mud on the Tires", became a number one hit in 2004.

Another important song from this album was "Whiskey Lullaby", a duet with Alison Krauss. This song was very successful and its music video won several awards. The Mud on the Tires album sold over two million copies.

In 2005, Brad released Time Well Wasted. This album had several number one hits, including "When I Get Where I'm Going" (a duet with Dolly Parton), "The World", and "She's Everything". In 2006, Time Well Wasted won the CMA Award for Best Album. Brad also wrote two songs for the Disney Pixar movie Cars.

His fifth album, 5th Gear, came out in 2007. The first four songs from this album all reached number one on the country charts. This gave Brad seven number one hits in a row! The song "Online" featured the Brentwood High School marching band and cameos from Jason Alexander and William Shatner. The song "Waitin' on a Woman" also became a number one hit, making it eight number one hits in a row for Brad. This made him the artist with the most consecutive number one country hits since 1990.

In 2008, Brad won his first Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental for his song "Throttleneck."

New Albums and White House Performance (2008–2010)

Paisley performing in 2008

Brad released an instrumental album called Play in 2008. He also released his first duet with Keith Urban, "Start a Band", which became his ninth number one hit in a row. In November 2008, Brad won Male Vocalist of the Year and Music Video of the Year at the CMAs.

His seventh album, American Saturday Night, was released in 2009. The first song from the album, "Then", became his tenth number one hit in a row. In July 2009, Brad performed at the White House for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. This special concert celebrated country music. In November 2009, Brad co-hosted the CMA Awards for the second time. He also won Male Vocalist of the Year and Musical Event of the Year for "Start a Band" with Keith Urban.

Paisley at the National Memorial Day Concert in Washington, DC, May 30, 2010

In 2010, Brad released his first official collection of greatest hits, called Hits Alive. This album included both studio versions and live versions of his songs. On November 10, 2010, Brad co-hosted the CMA Awards again. He also won the CMA's top award, Entertainer of the Year. In his speech, he thanked his grandfather, who inspired him to play guitar.

Collaborations and New Music (2011–2014)

In 2011, Brad released "This Is Country Music" as the title track for his eighth album. The album's second song, "Old Alabama" (with the band Alabama), became Brad's nineteenth number one hit. He also released "Remind Me" with Carrie Underwood.

Paisley performing live in 2011

Brad also contributed two songs to the soundtrack for the movie Cars 2. One of these was a collaboration with British pop singer Robbie Williams. In 2011, Brad also made a voice cameo in the South Park episode "Bass to Mouth". He later voiced himself in another South Park episode, "Cartman Finds Love", in 2012.

In 2012, Brad released a new song called "Southern Comfort Zone". This song was the first from his ninth album, Wheelhouse, released in 2013. The album's second song, "Beat This Summer", also did very well.

One song from Wheelhouse, "Accidental Racist", was a duet with rapper LL Cool J. Brad explained that the song was about being proud of where he came from, but also feeling sad about the history of slavery and racism in the South. The song sparked many discussions because of its topic.

Recent Albums and Charity Work (2014–Present)

Paisley at the Country 2 Country Festival, Dublin, Ireland, March 15, 2014

In 2014, Brad released "River Bank", the first song from his tenth album, Moonshine in the Trunk. This album became Brad's eighth number one album on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The song "Perfect Storm" from this album also reached number one. In May 2014, Brad traveled with President Barack Obama to visit US troops in Afghanistan and played a concert for them.

In 2016, Brad released "Today", which became his 24th number one song. In 2017, he released his eleventh album, Love and War. This album featured collaborations with famous artists like Timbaland, John Fogerty, and even Mick Jagger.

Paisley performing in Windsor, Ontario, May 29, 2022

In 2018, Brad and his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, opened a free grocery store in Nashville called "The Store." This store helps people in need get food. In 2019, Brad was a guest judge on America's Got Talent.

In 2021, Brad was featured on Jimmie Allen's song "Freedom Was a Highway". This song reached number one in 2022, becoming Brad's twentieth number one single. In 2023, Brad signed a new record deal with EMI Nashville. He released a song called "Same Here" which features Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Brad plans to release his thirteenth album, Son of the Mountains, soon.

Books by Brad Paisley

Jug Fishing for Greazy and Other Brad Paisley Fishing Stories

Brad Paisley released his first book in 2003. It's called Jug Fishing for Greazy and Other Brad Paisley Fishing Stories. He wrote it with author M. B. Roberts.

Diary of a Player

In 2011, Brad released his autobiography, Diary of a Player: How My Musical Heroes Made a Guitar Man Out of Me. He wrote this book with David Wild, an editor for Rolling Stone magazine. The book talks about how Brad got into the music industry. It shares stories about his first guitar, his first band, and how events in his life prepared him for his career.

Discography

Studio albums

• Who Needs Pictures (1999)
• Part II (2001)
• Mud on the Tires (2003)
• Time Well Wasted (2005)
• Brad Paisley Christmas (2006)
• 5th Gear (2007)
• Play: The Guitar Album (2008)
• American Saturday Night (2009)
• This Is Country Music (2011)
• Wheelhouse (2013)
• Moonshine in the Trunk (2014)
• Love and War (2017)
• Son of the Mountains (TBD)

Tours

Paisley performing live in Providence, Rhode Island, September 27, 2008

Headlining Tours

Co-headlining Tours

• Mud and Suds Tour (2005) (with Sara Evans & Andy Griggs)
• Two Hats and a Redhead Tour (2005) (with Reba McEntire and Terri Clark)

Opening Act

• Brooks & Dunn's Neon Circus & Wild West Show (2003)

Brad's Band: The Drama Kings

Brad Paisley records his albums and performs live with his band, The Drama Kings. Their first show together was in May 1999.

Current Members

• Brad Paisley – lead vocals, lead guitar
• Gary Hooker – rhythm guitar
• Randle Currie – steel guitar
• Kendal Marcy – keyboards, banjo, mandolin
• Justin Williamson – fiddle, mandolin
• Kenny Lewis – bass guitar, vocals
• Ben Sesar – drums
• Kevin Freeman - live audio

Former Members

• Jimmy Heffernan – steel guitar
• Ken Lush – keyboards
• Earl Clark – steel guitar
• Mike Johnson – steel guitar
• Jody Harris – guitar, mandolin, banjo

Personal Life

Family

Paisley performing live in Providence, Rhode Island, September 27, 2008

In 2001, Brad started dating Kimberly Williams, an actress he had seen in the movie Father of the Bride years earlier. Brad had even written songs about seeing that movie on his second album. When he needed an actress for his music video "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)", he asked Kimberly. They started dating and got married on March 15, 2003.

Brad and Kimberly live in Franklin, Tennessee. They have two sons. Their first son, William Huckleberry (called "Huck"), was born in 2007. Their second son, Jasper Warren, was born in 2009. Jasper was named after Brad's grandfather, who gave him his first guitar.

Hobbies and Interests

Brad Paisley is a member of Freemasonry, which is a community group. He is also a big fan of the Cleveland Browns football team and the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team. He has even sung the National Anthem at Dodgers games. Brad also loves West Virginia University athletics.

In 2009, Brad worked as an executive producer for a TV show idea called Nashville for The CW network. Even though this show wasn't picked up, his wife, Kimberly, later had a role in a different TV show also called Nashville. Brad also made two guest appearances on that show.

Brad's Guitars and Gear

Paisley with his Crook Custom T-style

Brad's first guitar was a Silvertone Danelectro 1451, given to him by his grandfather. His main guitars are custom-made by Bill Crook. These guitars often have a special paisley pattern.

Like many musicians in Nashville, Brad lost some of his instruments in the 2010 flood. This included a special Gibson Les Paul guitar. However, he was able to buy a rare 1937 Martin D-28 acoustic guitar.

In 2010, Brad worked with Wampler Pedals to create his own signature guitar pedal, called the Brad Paisley signature Paisley Drive. In 2015, Santa Cruz Guitar Company introduced a Brad Paisley Signature Model acoustic guitar. He is often seen playing this guitar. In 2016, Brad also worked with Dr. Z Amplification to create a special amplifier called the DB4.

Paisley at the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, April 18, 2010

Charity Work and Advocacy

In June 2021, Brad Paisley helped promote the COVID vaccine with First Lady Jill Biden. He sang a fun version of the song "Jolene," changing the words to "vaccine, vaccine, vaccine."

Brad has also become a strong supporter of Ukraine after the conflict began in 2022. He joined the United24 project as an ambassador for their "Rebuilding Ukraine" program. In March 2023, Brad announced that he would donate money from his song "Same Here" to help rebuild Ukraine.

Filmography

Television Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Brad Paisley para niños