Cledus T. Judd
Encyclopedia
Barry Poole is an American country music
artist who records under the name Cledus T. Judd. Known primarily for his parodies of popular country music songs, he has been called the "Weird Al" Yankovic
of country music, and his albums are usually an equal mix of original comedy songs and parodies. Judd has released nine studio albums and two EPs, and several of their singles have entered the Billboard
Hot Country Songs
charts. His highest chart peak is the #48 "I Love NASCAR", a parody of Toby Keith
's 2003 single "I Love This Bar
”. Poole graduated from Cass High School
in Cartersville, Georgia in 1982.
, on Razor & Tie Records in 1995, the "(No Relation)" part of the title being a reference to Wynonna and Naomi Judd
. Two non-country parodies were also included on this album: one of the Eagles' "Hotel California
", and one of "We Are the World
", a 1980s charity single credited to USA for Africa
. Judd's parody, entitled "We Own the World", satirized the marriage of Lisa Marie Presley
and Michael Jackson
.
I Stoled This Record
followed in 1996. This album, despite not producing a chart single, earned RIAA gold certification for shipping 500,000 copies. This album included parodies of two Shania Twain
songs: "(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!
" became "(I'm Not in It for Love) Just Yer Beer" and "Any Man of Mine
" became "If Shania Was Mine." John Michael Montgomery
's "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)
" was parodied twice on this album.
His third album, Did I Shave My Back for This?
(a take-off on Deana Carter
's Did I Shave My Legs for This?
) included his first duet, with Buck Owens
on the original track "First Redneck on the Internet." The album also parodied Alan Jackson
, Brooks & Dunn
, and Mindy McCready
.
1998's Juddmental
was his final album for Razor & Tie. It included a duet, this time with Daryle Singletary
on "Ricky Tidwell's Momma's Gonna Play Football", a non-parody song previously recorded by Tim Wilson. This album once again parodied a Twain song, with her "Honey, I'm Home
" becoming "Shania, I'm Broke." The Garth Brooks
/Trisha Yearwood
duet "In Another's Eyes" was also parodied on this compilation.
Nashville in 2000 to release his fifth album, Just Another Day in Parodies
. This album produced his first chart single in "My Cellmate Thinks I'm Sexy", a parody of Kenny Chesney
's 1999 single "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy
" which referenced Chesney's and McGraw's 2000 arrest for stealing a Mounted Reserve officer's horse. The parody charted at #61 on Billboard
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
). Following this song was another chart single, "How Do You Milk a Cow" (based on Toby Keith
's "How Do You Like Me Now?!
"), which peaked at #67. In 2002, he released Cledus Envy
, followed later that year by a Christmas album entitled Cledus Navidad
. At the end of the year, Judd also made an appearance in the music video
for Keith's "Who's Your Daddy?
".
His last release for Monument was a six-song EP
called A Six Pack of Judd
, released in 2003. After Monument closed its Nashville division, he signed to Koch Records
Nashville to release a second EP, the four-song The Original Dixie Hick
, later in 2003. This release, which contained parodies pertaining to the Dixie Chicks
, also produced his third chart single in "Martie, Natalie and Emily (The Continuing Saga Of)", a parody of Brad Paisley
's "Celebrity
".
Judd's final release for Koch was 2004's Bipolar and Proud
. This album produced two more chart singles for him, including his highest-peaking, the #48 "I Love NASCAR", which parodied Keith's "I Love This Bar
" and included guest vocals from Keith himself. Following this song was the #58 "Bake Me A Country Ham", based on Tracy Lawrence
's "Paint Me a Birmingham
".
entitled Boogity, Boogity - A Tribute to the Comedic Genius of Ray Stevens
, containing covers of Stevens's material with several guest vocalists. Due to the closure of Koch's Nashville division, however, this album was delayed until 2007, when Judd signed to Asylum-Curb Records and released it in August. Shortly before its release, he made his sixth chart appearance with the non-album song "Illegals".
Judd re-signed to Koch in 2009, after the label was renamed E1 Music. In January of that year, he released the single "Waitin' on Obama" (a parody of Brad Paisley's "Waitin' on a Woman
") referencing Barack Obama
's election as President of the United States
. This is the first single from Judd's latest album, Polyrically Uncorrect
, released on June 30. Its second single is "Garth Must Be Busy", a parody of Brooks & Dunn
's "God Must Be Busy
" which features Brooks & Dunn as guest vocalists. Its third single is "(If I Had) Kellie Pickler's Boobs".
, Trace Adkins
, Toby Keith
, the Dixie Chicks
, Shania Twain
, and Montgomery Gentry
. Judd's television work includes a stint as the co-host of CMT Most Wanted Live
from 2002 to 2004 and as a "special correspondent" on the 2005 season of Nashville Star
. Additionally, he was one of the featured contestants on Season Five of VH1
's reality show Celebrity Fit Club.
He also hosted the Cledus T. Party Morning Show for WQYK
in Tampa, Florida
. In January 2008, he returned to Atlanta as the morning host at 94.9/The Bull, WUBL.
's "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy
" which addressed Chesney's and Tim McGraw
's 2000 arrest after stealing a Mounted Reserve deputy's horse, or "Waitin' on Obama", which he released shortly before U.S. president Barack Obama
took office.
Initially, Judd sang in an intentionally off-key, nasal voice with an affected Southern accent
, described by Country Standard Time
critic Ken Burke as "Junior Samples
on helium
." Judd stopped affecting his voice on A Six Pack of Judd and all subsequent albums.
. They have a daughter, Caitlyn Rose, born September 11, 2004, after the couple divorced. He is currently married to massage therapist Amy Cameron, and has a son named C.J.
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 who records under the name Cledus T. Judd. Known primarily for his parodies of popular country music songs, he has been called the "Weird Al" Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
of country music, and his albums are usually an equal mix of original comedy songs and parodies. Judd has released nine studio albums and two EPs, and several of their singles have entered 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...
Hot Country Songs
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...
charts. His highest chart peak is the #48 "I Love NASCAR", a parody of Toby Keith
Toby Keith
Toby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...
's 2003 single "I Love This Bar
I Love This Bar
"I Love This Bar" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Toby Keith. It was released in August 2003 as the lead off single from his 2003 album, Shock'n Y'all. It became a Number One hit on the Billboard U.S. Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, keeping the...
”. Poole graduated from Cass High School
Cass High School
Cass High School is a four-year public high school located in Cartersville, Georgia, United States. They educate students grades 9-12. The current principal is Michael Nelson, a Cass High School graduate...
in Cartersville, Georgia in 1982.
1995-1999
Cledus T. Judd released his debut album, Cledus T. Judd (No Relation)Cledus T. Judd (No Relation)
Cledus T. Judd is the self-titled debut album of country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. The album's title is a reference the popularity of country duo The Judds...
, on Razor & Tie Records in 1995, the "(No Relation)" part of the title being a reference to Wynonna and Naomi Judd
Naomi Judd
Naomi Judd is an American country music singer, songwriter, and activist.-Personal life:She was born Diana Ellen Judd to Charles Glen Judd and his wife Pauline Judd on January 11, 1946, in Ashland, Kentucky. Her father owned a gas station; her mother started out as a homemaker but later became a...
. Two non-country parodies were also included on this album: one of the Eagles' "Hotel California
Hotel California (song)
"Hotel California" is the title song from the Eagles' album of the same name and was released as a single in February 1977. It is one of the best-known songs of the album-oriented rock era. Writing credits for the song are shared by Don Felder, Don Henley and Glenn Frey...
", and one of "We Are the World
We Are the World
"We Are the World" is a song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World...
", a 1980s charity single credited to USA for Africa
USA for Africa
USA for Africa was the name under which forty-seven predominantly U.S. artists, led by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, recorded the hit single "We Are the World" in 1985. The song was a US and UK Number One for the collective in April of that year...
. Judd's parody, entitled "We Own the World", satirized the marriage of Lisa Marie Presley
Lisa Marie Presley
Lisa Marie Presley is an American singer and songwriter, also known as the "Princess of Rock and Roll". She is the only child of Elvis Presley, and daughter of Priscilla Presley.-Early life:...
and Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
.
I Stoled This Record
I Stoled This Record
I Stoled This Record is the second album from country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. His highest-selling album to date, it has been certified gold in the United States, although none of its singles charted...
followed in 1996. This album, despite not producing a chart single, earned RIAA gold certification for shipping 500,000 copies. This album included parodies of two Shania Twain
Shania Twain
Shania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million...
songs: "(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!
(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!
" I'm Outta Here!" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by Canadian country music singer Shania Twain. It was released in November 1995 as the fourth single from her 1995 album The Woman in Me. The song was written by Mutt Lange and Twain. The song became Twain's second number-one hit at...
" became "(I'm Not in It for Love) Just Yer Beer" and "Any Man of Mine
Any Man of Mine
"Any Man of Mine" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by Canadian country music artist Shania Twain. It was released in April 1995 as the second single from her 1995 album The Woman in Me. The song was written by Robert John "Mutt" Lange and Twain...
" became "If Shania Was Mine." John Michael Montgomery
John Michael Montgomery
John Michael Montgomery is an American country music artist. He has produced more than thirty singles on the Billboard country charts, including two of Billboard’s Number One country singles of the year: "I Swear" and "Sold "...
's "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)
Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)
"Sold " is a the title of a song written by Richard Fagan and Robb Royer and recorded by American country music artist John Michael Montgomery. It was released in May 1995 as the second single from his 1995 self-titled album. It hit number-one on the country charts in the United States and Canada...
" was parodied twice on this album.
His third album, Did I Shave My Back for This?
Did I Shave My Back for This?
Did I Shave My Back for This? is the third album from country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. The title of the album itself is a take-off on Deana Carter's 1996 debut album Did I Shave My Legs for This?, whose title track is parodied here...
(a take-off on Deana Carter
Deana Carter
Deana Carter is a country music artist who broke through in 1996 with the release of debut album Did I Shave My Legs for This?, which was certified 5× Multi-Platinum in the United States for sales of over five million...
's Did I Shave My Legs for This?
Did I Shave My Legs for This?
Did I Shave My Legs for This? is the debut album of American country artist Deana Carter, released in 1996. It features her breakthrough debut single "Strawberry Wine", a Number One hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts at the end of that year...
) included his first duet, with Buck Owens
Buck Owens
Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos...
on the original track "First Redneck on the Internet." The album also parodied Alan Jackson
Alan Jackson
Alan Eugene Jackson is an American country music singer, known for blending traditional honky tonk and mainstream country sounds and penning many of his own hits. He has recorded 13 studio albums, 3 Greatest Hits albums, 2 Holiday albums, 1 Gospel album and several compilations, all on the Arista...
, Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn was an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, who were both vocalists and songwriters. They were paired by record producer Tim DuBois in 1990. Before the duo's foundation, both members of the duo were solo recording artists...
, and 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...
.
1998's Juddmental
Juddmental
Juddmental is the fourth album from country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. It was his final album for Razor & Tie Records before he left for Monument Records in 2000....
was his final album for Razor & Tie. It included a duet, this time with Daryle Singletary
Daryle Singletary
Daryle Bruce Singletary is an American country music singer. Between 1995 and 1998, he recorded for Giant Records, for which he released three studio albums: Daryle Singletary in 1995, All Because of You in 1996 and Ain't It the Truth in 1998...
on "Ricky Tidwell's Momma's Gonna Play Football", a non-parody song previously recorded by Tim Wilson. This album once again parodied a Twain song, with her "Honey, I'm Home
Honey, I'm Home
"Honey, I'm Home" is a song by Shania Twain, from her album Come On Over, released as the sixth overall single, being the fifth to country radio. The song was written by Mutt Lange and Shania Twain. The song was originally released in the summer of 1998 following the mass success of "You're Still...
" becoming "Shania, I'm Broke." The Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks
Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
/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...
duet "In Another's Eyes" was also parodied on this compilation.
2000-2005
After leaving Razor & Tie Records, Judd signed to Monument RecordsMonument Records
Monument Records was an American record label, Washington, D.C. named for the Washington Monument, founded in 1958, by Fred Foster and Buddy Deane . Buddy Deane soon left the company, and in the early 60's bought KOTN in Pine Bluff, Arkansas where he retired to until his death...
Nashville in 2000 to release his fifth album, Just Another Day in Parodies
Just Another Day in Parodies
Just Another Day in Parodies is an album, released in 2000, from country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. It was his first album for Monument Records after parting ways with Razor & Tie...
. This album produced his first chart single in "My Cellmate Thinks I'm Sexy", a parody of Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney
Kenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
's 1999 single "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy
She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy
"She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy" is the title of a country music song written by Jim Collins and Paul Overstreet. It was recorded by Kenny Chesney for his 1999 album Everywhere We Go, from which it was released as the album's third single...
" which referenced Chesney's and McGraw's 2000 arrest for stealing a Mounted Reserve officer's horse. The parody charted at #61 on 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...
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
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...
). Following this song was another chart single, "How Do You Milk a Cow" (based on Toby Keith
Toby Keith
Toby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...
's "How Do You Like Me Now?!
How Do You Like Me Now?! (song)
"How Do You Like Me Now?!" is the title of a song, released in November 1999, by American country music artist Toby Keith. It was the second single released from the album How Do You Like Me Now?!. Keith wrote it with Chuck Cannon....
"), which peaked at #67. In 2002, he released Cledus Envy
Cledus Envy
Cledus Envy is a 2002 album released by country music parodist Cledus T. Judd, released on Monument Records. It features "Leave You Laughin'", Judd's first serious song...
, followed later that year by a Christmas album entitled Cledus Navidad
Cledus Navidad
Cledus Navidad is a Christmas album released by country music artist Cledus T. Judd. The track "Merry Christmas from the Whole Fam Damily", included here, was previously on his 2000 album Just Another Day in Parodies...
. At the end of the year, Judd also made an appearance in the music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for Keith's "Who's Your Daddy?
Who's Your Daddy? (Toby Keith song)
"Who's Your Daddy?" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music artist Toby Keith. It was released in August 2002 as the second single from Keith's Unleashed album. The song reached number-one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and peaked at number 22 on...
".
His last release for Monument was a six-song EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
called A Six Pack of Judd
A Six Pack of Judd
A Six Pack of Judd is a six-song EP compact disc recorded by country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. It was released in 2003 on Monument Records Nashville....
, released in 2003. After Monument closed its Nashville division, he signed to Koch Records
Koch Records
E1 Music , the primary subsidiary of E1 Entertainment LP, is the largest independent record label in the United States. It is also distributed by the Universal Music Group in Europe under the name E1 Universal...
Nashville to release a second EP, the four-song The Original Dixie Hick
The Original Dixie Hick
The Original Dixie Hick is an EP released by country music parodist Cledus T. Judd in late 2003. Tracks 1, 3, and 4 are all parodies of "Celebrity" by Brad Paisley, while track 2 is a parody of Chris Cagle's "Chicks Dig It". All four parodies were inspired by the various Dixie Chicks controversies...
, later in 2003. This release, which contained parodies pertaining to the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
, also produced his third chart single in "Martie, Natalie and Emily (The Continuing Saga Of)", a parody of Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley
Brad Douglas Paisley is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His style crosses between traditional country music and Southern rock, and his songs are frequently laced with humor and pop culture references....
's "Celebrity
Celebrity (Brad Paisley song)
"Celebrity" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Brad Paisley. It was released in March 2003 as the lead single from his album, Mud on the Tires. The song reached the top five of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, peaking at number three. It also peaked at number 31...
".
Judd's final release for Koch was 2004's Bipolar and Proud
Bipolar and Proud
Bipolar and Proud is a 2004 album released by country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. The album was originally slated to be named "Cledus Gone Wild", but was changed at the last minute...
. This album produced two more chart singles for him, including his highest-peaking, the #48 "I Love NASCAR", which parodied Keith's "I Love This Bar
I Love This Bar
"I Love This Bar" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Toby Keith. It was released in August 2003 as the lead off single from his 2003 album, Shock'n Y'all. It became a Number One hit on the Billboard U.S. Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, keeping the...
" and included guest vocals from Keith himself. Following this song was the #58 "Bake Me A Country Ham", based on Tracy Lawrence
Tracy Lawrence
Tracy Lawrence is an American country music artist. He started at a country music restaurant called "Live At Libby's" where owner Libby Knight would help local talent find their way into country music...
's "Paint Me a Birmingham
Paint Me a Birmingham
"Paint Me a Birmingham" is a song written by Buck Moore and Gary Duffy. It was concurrently released by American country music artists Ken Mellons and Tracy Lawrence, whose versions entered the country charts within one week of each other...
".
2006-present
By mid-2005, Judd had announced plans to release a tribute album to Ray StevensRay Stevens
Ray Stevens is an American country music, pop singer-songwriter who has become known for his novelty songs.-Early career:...
entitled Boogity, Boogity - A Tribute to the Comedic Genius of Ray Stevens
Boogity, Boogity - A Tribute to the Comedic Genius of Ray Stevens
Boogity, Boogity – A Tribute to the Comic Genius of Ray Stevens is a tribute album recorded by country music singer/parodist Cledus T. Judd. It contains Judd's renditions of twelve songs previously recorded by country music artist Ray Stevens, largely with duet partners. Stevens himself is featured...
, containing covers of Stevens's material with several guest vocalists. Due to the closure of Koch's Nashville division, however, this album was delayed until 2007, when Judd signed to Asylum-Curb Records and released it in August. Shortly before its release, he made his sixth chart appearance with the non-album song "Illegals".
Judd re-signed to Koch in 2009, after the label was renamed E1 Music. In January of that year, he released the single "Waitin' on Obama" (a parody of Brad Paisley's "Waitin' on a Woman
Waitin' on a Woman
"Waitin' on a Woman" is the title of a song written by Don Sampson and Wynn Varble, and recorded three times by American country music artist Brad Paisley. His first recording of the song was included on his 2005 album Time Well Wasted. Three years later, Paisley re-recorded the song for inclusion...
") referencing Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's election as President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. This is the first single from Judd's latest album, Polyrically Uncorrect
Polyrically Uncorrect
Polyrically Uncorrect is the tenth studio album, and fourteenth album release overall, by American country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. It was released on June 30, 2009 via E1 Music. It includes the singles "Waitin' on Obama", "Garth Must Be Busy" and " Kellie Pickler's Boobs"...
, released on June 30. Its second single is "Garth Must Be Busy", a parody of Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn
Brooks & Dunn was an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, who were both vocalists and songwriters. They were paired by record producer Tim DuBois in 1990. Before the duo's foundation, both members of the duo were solo recording artists...
's "God Must Be Busy
God Must Be Busy
"God Must Be Busy" is the title of a song written by Clint Daniels and Michael P. Heeney. It was recorded by country music duo Brooks & Dunn on their 2007 album Cowboy Town...
" which features Brooks & Dunn as guest vocalists. Its third single is "(If I Had) Kellie Pickler's Boobs".
Radio and television work
Judd has toured as an emcee with such acts as Brooks and Dunn, Brad PaisleyBrad Paisley
Brad Douglas Paisley is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His style crosses between traditional country music and Southern rock, and his songs are frequently laced with humor and pop culture references....
, 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...
, Toby Keith
Toby Keith
Toby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...
, the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
, Shania Twain
Shania Twain
Shania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million...
, and Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo composed of vocalists Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. The two began performing in the 1990s as part of a band which also included Eddie Montgomery's brother John Michael Montgomery, and founded the existing duo in 1999.Signed to Columbia Records,...
. Judd's television work includes a stint as the co-host of CMT Most Wanted Live
CMT Most Wanted Live
CMT Most Wanted Live, or MWL, is a country music video countdown show which aired on CMT from 2001 to 2004.-History:Most Wanted Live was a country music spin-off of sister network MTV's Total Request Live, which features mostly pop, rap, and R&B videos...
from 2002 to 2004 and as a "special correspondent" on the 2005 season of Nashville Star
Nashville Star
Nashville Star is an American reality television program. It was transmitted during mid-2008 on NBC, following five seasons on USA Network. It premiered on March 8, 2003, and its five seasons on USA made it the longest-running competition series on cable television. In Canada, the show aired on CMT...
. Additionally, he was one of the featured contestants on Season Five of VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's reality show Celebrity Fit Club.
He also hosted the Cledus T. Party Morning Show for WQYK
WQYK-FM
WQYK-FM is a commercial country music radio station in Tampa, Florida. It is currently under ownership of CBS Radio.-External links:*...
in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. In January 2008, he returned to Atlanta as the morning host at 94.9/The Bull, WUBL.
Musical style
Judd has been called the "Weird" Al Yankovic of country music. Judd's albums typically contain a mix of parody songs and original songs. His parodies are often topical in nature, such as "My Cellmate Thinks I'm Sexy", a parody of Kenny ChesneyKenny Chesney
Kenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
's "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy
She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy
"She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy" is the title of a country music song written by Jim Collins and Paul Overstreet. It was recorded by Kenny Chesney for his 1999 album Everywhere We Go, from which it was released as the album's third single...
" which addressed Chesney's and Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw
Samuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw is an American country singer and actor. Many of McGraw's albums and singles have topped the country music charts with total album sales in excess of 40 million units in the US, making him the eighth best-selling artist, and the third best-selling country singer, in the...
's 2000 arrest after stealing a Mounted Reserve deputy's horse, or "Waitin' on Obama", which he released shortly before U.S. president Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
took office.
Initially, Judd sang in an intentionally off-key, nasal voice with an affected Southern accent
Southern American English
Southern American English is a group of dialects of the English language spoken throughout the Southern region of the United States, from Southern and Eastern Maryland, West Virginia and Kentucky to the Gulf Coast, and from the Atlantic coast to most of Texas and Oklahoma.The Southern dialects make...
, described by Country Standard Time
Country Standard Time
Country Standard Time is a website dedicated to country music and related genres such as Bluegrass and Rockabilly. It provides news and musical reviews pertaining to the genre. It was established in 1992 by Jeffrey B. Remz as a print magazine, which was first published only in New England but went...
critic Ken Burke as "Junior Samples
Junior Samples
Junior Samples, born Alvin Samples Jr. in Cumming, Georgia was an American comedian best known for his 14-year run as a cast member of the TV show Hee Haw.-Early Years:...
on helium
Helium
Helium is the chemical element with atomic number 2 and an atomic weight of 4.002602, which is represented by the symbol He. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas that heads the noble gas group in the periodic table...
." Judd stopped affecting his voice on A Six Pack of Judd and all subsequent albums.
Marriages and Family
Judd was formerly married to country music singer Julie ReevesJulie Reeves
Julie Reeves is an American country music artist. She released one studio album for Virgin Records in 1999, and charted three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including two minor Top 40 hits. Reeves was once married to country music parodist Cledus T...
. They have a daughter, Caitlyn Rose, born September 11, 2004, after the couple divorced. He is currently married to massage therapist Amy Cameron, and has a son named C.J.
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications 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,... (sales threshold) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country |
US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Heat Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
US Indie Independent Albums The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels... |
US Comedy |
|||
| Cledus T. Judd (No Relation) Cledus T. Judd (No Relation) Cledus T. Judd is the self-titled debut album of country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. The album's title is a reference the popularity of country duo The Judds... |
|
— | — | — | — | — | |
| I Stoled This Record I Stoled This Record I Stoled This Record is the second album from country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. His highest-selling album to date, it has been certified gold in the United States, although none of its singles charted... |
|
23 | 173 | 8 | — | — |
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... : Gold |
| Did I Shave My Back for This? Did I Shave My Back for This? Did I Shave My Back for This? is the third album from country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. The title of the album itself is a take-off on Deana Carter's 1996 debut album Did I Shave My Legs for This?, whose title track is parodied here... |
|
16 | 181 | 11 | — | — | |
| Juddmental Juddmental Juddmental is the fourth album from country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. It was his final album for Razor & Tie Records before he left for Monument Records in 2000.... |
|
48 | — | 33 | — | — | |
| Just Another Day in Parodies Just Another Day in Parodies Just Another Day in Parodies is an album, released in 2000, from country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. It was his first album for Monument Records after parting ways with Razor & Tie... |
Monument Records Monument Records was an American record label, Washington, D.C. named for the Washington Monument, founded in 1958, by Fred Foster and Buddy Deane . Buddy Deane soon left the company, and in the early 60's bought KOTN in Pine Bluff, Arkansas where he retired to until his death... |
25 | 198 | 7 | — | — | |
| Cledus Envy Cledus Envy Cledus Envy is a 2002 album released by country music parodist Cledus T. Judd, released on Monument Records. It features "Leave You Laughin'", Judd's first serious song... |
|
19 | 136 | 3 | — | — | |
| Cledus Navidad Cledus Navidad Cledus Navidad is a Christmas album released by country music artist Cledus T. Judd. The track "Merry Christmas from the Whole Fam Damily", included here, was previously on his 2000 album Just Another Day in Parodies... |
|
39 | — | 24 | — | — | |
| Bipolar and Proud Bipolar and Proud Bipolar and Proud is a 2004 album released by country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. The album was originally slated to be named "Cledus Gone Wild", but was changed at the last minute... |
|
15 | 98 | — | 8 | 2 | |
| Boogity, Boogity Boogity, Boogity - A Tribute to the Comedic Genius of Ray Stevens Boogity, Boogity – A Tribute to the Comic Genius of Ray Stevens is a tribute album recorded by country music singer/parodist Cledus T. Judd. It contains Judd's renditions of twelve songs previously recorded by country music artist Ray Stevens, largely with duet partners. Stevens himself is featured... |
|
47 | — | — | — | 3 | |
| Polyrically Uncorrect Polyrically Uncorrect Polyrically Uncorrect is the tenth studio album, and fourteenth album release overall, by American country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. It was released on June 30, 2009 via E1 Music. It includes the singles "Waitin' on Obama", "Garth Must Be Busy" and " Kellie Pickler's Boobs"... |
|
56 | — | — | — | 7 | |
| Hard Working Common Man |
|
To be released | |||||
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart | |||||||
Compilation albums
| Title | Album details | Peak positions |
|---|---|---|
| US Country |
||
| Cledus Country |
|
— |
| The Essenshul Cledus T. Judd |
|
61 |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||
Extended plays
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country |
US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Heat Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
US Indie Independent Albums The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels... |
||
| A Six Pack of Judd A Six Pack of Judd A Six Pack of Judd is a six-song EP compact disc recorded by country music parodist Cledus T. Judd. It was released in 2003 on Monument Records Nashville.... |
|
19 | 130 | — | — |
| The Original Dixie Hick The Original Dixie Hick The Original Dixie Hick is an EP released by country music parodist Cledus T. Judd in late 2003. Tracks 1, 3, and 4 are all parodies of "Celebrity" by Brad Paisley, while track 2 is a parody of Chris Cagle's "Chicks Dig It". All four parodies were inspired by the various Dixie Chicks controversies... |
|
62 | — | 39 | 28 |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
|||
| 1995 | "Indian In-Laws" | — | Cledus T. Judd (No Relation) |
| "Please Take the Girl" | — | ||
| "Stinkin' Problem" | — | ||
| "Gone Funky" | — | ||
| 1996 | "If Shania Was Mine" | — | I Stoled This Record |
| "(She's Got a Butt) Bigger Than the Beatles" | — | ||
| "Cledus Went Down to Florida" | — | ||
| "Skoal: The Grundy County Spitting Incident" | — | ||
| 1997 | "Everybody's Free (To Get Sunburned)" | — | single only |
| 1998 | "Wives Do It All the Time" | — | Did I Shave My Back for This? |
| "Every Light in the House Is Blown" | — | ||
| "First Redneck on the Internet" (with Buck Owens Buck Owens Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos... ) |
— | ||
| "Did I Shave My Back for This?" | — | ||
| 1999 | "Coronary Life" | — | Juddmental |
| "Christ-mas" | — | ||
| "Shania, I'm Broke" | — | ||
| 2000 | "My Cellmate Thinks I'm Sexy" | 61 | Just Another Day in Parodies |
| "How Do You Milk a Cow" | 67 | ||
| "Plowboy" | — | ||
| 2002 | "Breath" | — | Cledus Envy |
| "It's a Great Day to Be a Guy" | — | ||
| 2003 | "270 Somethin'" | — | A Six Pack of Judd |
| "Where's Your Mommy?" | — | ||
| "Martie, Natalie, and Emily (The Continuing Saga Of)" | 55 | The Original Dixie Hick | |
| "The Chicks Did It" | — | ||
| 2004 | "I Love NASCAR" | 48 | Bipolar and Proud |
| "Bake Me a Country Ham" | 58 | ||
| 2005 | "Paycheck Woman" | — | |
| 2007 | "Illegals" | 58 | single only |
| "Gitarzan Gitarzan "Gitarzan" is a novelty song released by Ray Stevens in 1969, about a character who lives in a jungle and forms a musical band with his female partner, Jane, and their pet monkey. The song features Tarzan Yells, scat singing, and a funky Boogie Woogie, as well as a quote from the song "Swinging on... " (with Heidi Newfield Heidi Newfield Heidi Newfield is an American country music artist. She was lead singer, rhythm guitarist and harmonica player for the group Trick Pony, alongside Keith Burns and Ira Dean from 1996 until 2006, when she left in pursuit of a solo career... ) |
— | Boogity, Boogity | |
| 2009 | "Waitin' On Obama" | — | Polyrically Uncorrect |
| "Garth Must Be Busy" (with Ronnie Dunn Ronnie Dunn Ronnie Gene Dunn is an American country music singer-songwriter, known for being one half of the duo Brooks & Dunn. In 2011, Dunn began working as a solo artist following the breakup of Brooks & Dunn... ) |
— | ||
| "(If I Had) Kellie Pickler's Boobs" | — | ||
| "Christmas in Rehab" | — | ||
| "Tiger by the Tail (The Tale of Tiger Woods)" | — | Hard Working Common Man | |
| 2010 | "Redneck Christmas" (with Deborah Allen Deborah Allen Deborah Allen is an American country music singer. Since 1976, Allen has issued 12 albums and charted 14 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, most notably the 1983 crossover hit "Baby I Lied" which reached #4 on the country charts and #26 on the Billboard Hot 100. Allen has also... ) |
— | single only |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||
Music videos
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Gone Funky" | Brent Carpenter Brent Carpenter Brent Carpenter is an American television cinematographer, director, editor and producer.As an editor he worked on the television series Empty Nest, The Ben Stiller Show, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Fat Actress and working on number of stand-up comedy specials starring Jay Leno, Sam Kinison, Rodney... |
| 1996 | "If Shania Was Mine" | Above & Beyond |
| "(She's Got a Butt) Bigger Than the Beatles" | Scott Fund | |
| "Cledus Went Down to Florida" | John Scarpati | |
| 1997 | "Skoal: The Grundy County Spitting Incident" | |
| 1998 | "Wives Do It All the Time" | John Lloyd Miller |
| "Every Light in the House Is Blown" | ||
| "First Redneck on the Internet" (with Buck Owens) | ||
| 1999 | "Did I Shave My Back for This?" | Steven Goldmann Steven Goldmann Steven Goldmann is a Canadian music video and film director. He has directed over 200 music videos. Goldmann also directed the movies Broken Bridges and Trailer Park of Terror, and has additionally directed several television programs.-1990-1999:... /Cledus T. Judd |
| "Coronary Life" | Lee Abbott/Cledus T. Judd | |
| "Christ-mas" | Steven Goldmann | |
| 2000 | "Shania, I'm Broke" | Lee Abbott |
| "My Cellmate Thinks I'm Sexy" | Lee Abbott/Cledus T. Judd | |
| "How Do You Milk a Cow" | ||
| 2001 | "Plowboy" | Jon Small |
| 2002 | "Breath" | Cledus T. Judd/Peter Zavadil Peter Zavadil Peter Zavadil is a music video director who works primarily in the field of country music. He has directed many music videos since the late 1990s.-Music videos directed:109 music videos are currently listed here.-References:... |
| "It's a Great Day to Be a Guy" | ||
| 2003 | "Where's Your Mommy?" | Michael Salomon Michael Salomon Michael Salomon is a music video/film director, who has directed many music videos, including many of Toby Keith's music videos... |
| 2004 | "I Love NASCAR" (with Toby Keith) | Shaun Silva Shaun Silva Shaun Silva is a music video director who works primarily in the country music field. He has directed a number of music videos for many country music artists, including many of Kenny Chesney's music videos. His other clients include: Jack Ingram, Sugarland, Luke Bryan, Brooks & Dunn, and Rascal... |
| 2005 | "Paycheck Woman" | |
| 2009 | "Waitin' on Obama" | Cledus T. Judd/Glenn Sweitzer |
| "Garth Must Be Busy" | The Brads | |
| "Tiger by the Tail (The Tale of Tiger Woods)" |