Josh Turner
Encyclopedia
Joshua Otis "Josh" Turner (born November 20, 1977) is a country music
singer and actor signed to MCA Nashville Records in 2003, Turner has released four studio album
s for the label. The first of these was 2003's Long Black Train
, whose title track
was his breakthrough single release. 2005's Your Man
accounted for his first two Number One hits: "Your Man
" and "Would You Go with Me
," while 2007's Everything Is Fine
included a #2 in "Firecracker
." Haywire
, released in 2010, produced his biggest hit, the #1 "Why Don't We Just Dance
." Overall, Turner has charted ten times on the Billboard country singles charts, with all but one of his singles reaching Top 40 or higher.
In 1999, Turner developed a lesion on his right vocal cord. Surgery was not needed, but he did have to rest his voice for a year. Turner states that he "learned how to whistle really well during that year." Turner was examined by the Vanderbilt
voice clinic, where doctors advised him to let it heal on its own. While Turner rested his voice back at home, he learned classical vocal techniques and how to take care of his voice and avoid developing further problems.
Josh Turner met his wife Jennifer in 2003 at a classical training vocal program. His wife travels with Josh when he's on tour, playing keyboards and singing background vocals.
They have three children: Hampton Otis Turner, born October 6, 2006, and Colby Lynch Turner, born June 26, 2009. On August 27, 2010 the couple announced on NBC's Today Show that they were expecting their third son. On December 13, 2010, son Crawford Marion Turner arrived.
with the song "Long Black Train
".
In 2003, Turner released his debut album, also entitled Long Black Train
. Prior to its release, Turner had released 7" vinyl singles of "She'll Go on You" and "Long Black Train." Both singles featured Long Black Train album track "Backwoods Boy" as a B-side. While neither "Backwoods Boy" nor "She'll Go on You" were successful (the latter peaking at #46 on the country charts), "Long Black Train" spent more than forty weeks on the Billboard country charts, reaching a peak of #13 and receiving a gold certification. The third single, "What It Ain't", was less successful, reaching #31.
. The album's first single and title track, "Your Man", was co-written by Jace Everett
and released in late 2005. "Your Man" also climbed the charts slowly, eventually reaching #1 in early 2006. Your Man was certified Gold
by the RIAA four weeks after its release, and went Platinum
six months later.
"Would You Go with Me
" was the second single released from Your Man. Like the album's title track, "Would You Go with Me" also reached the top of the country singles charts, holding that position for two weeks; it also reached #48 on the Billboard Hot 100
. Turner also performed it on the CMA Awards in November 2006.
Shortly after the album's release, a song called "Me and God" was released as a single to Christian radio
. A duet with bluegrass musician Ralph Stanley
, the song also featured members of the band Diamond Rio
on background vocals. "Me and God" reached a peak of #16 on the country charts.
In December 2006, the 49th Annual Grammy Award
nominations were announced. Turner received nods for Best Male Country Vocal Performance and for Best Country Album. That same month, featurette on CMT Insider
showed Turner in the studio working on the album. He mentioned that he wanted it to sound like music in the 18th and 19th centuries. Turner performed at the Ryman Auditorium where a live album was recorded, singing a song called, "Church in the Holler." Turner's album Josh Turner: Live At The Ryman was recorded in April and is available exclusively through Cracker Barrel
restaurants.
Turner, along with veteran songwriters Brett James
and Don Schlitz
, wrote a song entitled "Say Yes"; recorded and released by singer Dusty Drake
in 2007, the song was a minor Top 40 country hit for Drake, peaking at #36.
, was released on October 30, 2007. Its lead-off single, "Firecracker
", became Turner's third Top Ten hit on the country music charts, peaking at #2. The second single from Everything Is Fine, a duet with Trisha Yearwood
entitled "Another Try
", was released in late January 2008, peaking at #15. The title track has since been released as the third single and peaked at #20. Everything Is Fine has been certified gold.
. The lead-off single, "Why Don't We Just Dance", which was released on August 12, 2009, debuted at #57 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs
chart for the week of September 5, 2009. The song went on to become Turner's third Number One hit, spending four consecutive weeks at the top in February 2010. The album was released on February 9, 2010, along with a deluxe version. "All Over Me
" was released in April 2010 as the album's second single; it became Turner's fourth Number One. On September 27, 2010, Turner shot the video for "I Wouldn't Be a Man
" in Nashville, which will be the third single from Haywire. Josh's fifth studio album is expected for release in 2012
on Clark's 20th anniversary on the Grand Ole Opry, Josh was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He was inducted by Vince Gill
on October 27, 2007. He is the second youngest member, after Carrie Underwood
.
in the film titled Billy: The Early Years
, about the evangelist Billy Graham
. George Beverly Shea was a featured soloist with Graham's crusades.
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...
singer and actor signed to MCA Nashville Records in 2003, Turner has released four studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
s for the label. The first of these was 2003's Long Black Train
Long Black Train
Long Black Train is the debut album from American country music artist Josh Turner, released on October 14, 2003. It peaked at No. 29 on the U.S. Billboard 200, and peaked at No. 4 on the Top Country Albums. Overall, the album produced three chart singles for Turner on the Hot Country Songs charts:...
, whose title track
Long Black Train (song)
"Long Black Train" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music singer Josh Turner. It was released in May 2003 as the second single from his debut album of the same name...
was his breakthrough single release. 2005's Your Man
Your Man
Your Man is the second studio album by British country music artist Josh Turner. It released on January 24, 2006 and debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, and debuted at No...
accounted for his first two Number One hits: "Your Man
Your Man (song)
"Your Man" is the title of a song recorded by American country music artist Josh Turner. The fourth chart single of his career, it peaked at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts in early 2006, becoming the first Number One hit of his career...
" and "Would You Go with Me
Would You Go with Me
"Would You Go with Me" is the title of a song written by Shawn Camp and John Scott Sherrill, and recorded by American country artist Josh Turner. It was released in April 2006 as the second single from his album, Your Man. It is the first track on Your Man.-Reception:The song went on to become...
," while 2007's Everything Is Fine
Everything Is Fine
Everything Is Fine is the third album from Josh Turner, released on October 30, 2007. "Firecracker" was the first single released, reaching No. 2 on the Hot Country Songs charts, and was followed by "Another Try", which peaked at No. 15 on the same chart. The title track was released as the album's...
included a #2 in "Firecracker
Firecracker (song)
"Firecracker" is a single by American country music artist Josh Turner. Released in June 2007, "Firecracker" is the lead-off single to Turner's third studio album, Everything Is Fine, which was released on MCA Nashville Records on October 30, 2007...
." Haywire
Haywire (Josh Turner album)
Upon its release, Haywire received generally positive reviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 63, based on 5 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".Thom...
, released in 2010, produced his biggest hit, the #1 "Why Don't We Just Dance
Why Don't We Just Dance
"Why Don't We Just Dance" is the title of a song written by Jim Beavers, Jonathan Singleton, and Darrell Brown, and recorded by American country artist Josh Turner. It was released in August 2009 as the lead-off single to his fourth studio album, Haywire, which was released on February 9, 2010...
." Overall, Turner has charted ten times on the Billboard country singles charts, with all but one of his singles reaching Top 40 or higher.
Biography
Josh Turner was raised in Hannah, S.C. Growing up in the church, he found himself singing the bass and baritone parts in numerous choirs. After high school, he moved to Nashville to pursue a career in music and enrolled in Belmont University. After college, his fledgling career got a boost on Dec. 21, 2001, during his debut on the Grand Ole Opry, when he debuted a song he wrote titled "Long Black Train." He received a standing ovation in the middle of the song, then sang it again for an encore.In 1999, Turner developed a lesion on his right vocal cord. Surgery was not needed, but he did have to rest his voice for a year. Turner states that he "learned how to whistle really well during that year." Turner was examined by the Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
voice clinic, where doctors advised him to let it heal on its own. While Turner rested his voice back at home, he learned classical vocal techniques and how to take care of his voice and avoid developing further problems.
Personal life
Josh has one brother, Matt, and one sister, Carrie.Josh Turner met his wife Jennifer in 2003 at a classical training vocal program. His wife travels with Josh when he's on tour, playing keyboards and singing background vocals.
They have three children: Hampton Otis Turner, born October 6, 2006, and Colby Lynch Turner, born June 26, 2009. On August 27, 2010 the couple announced on NBC's Today Show that they were expecting their third son. On December 13, 2010, son Crawford Marion Turner arrived.
2001–2004: Long Black Train
On December 21, 2001, Turner debuted on the Grand Ole OpryGrand 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...
with the song "Long Black Train
Long Black Train (song)
"Long Black Train" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music singer Josh Turner. It was released in May 2003 as the second single from his debut album of the same name...
".
In 2003, Turner released his debut album, also entitled Long Black Train
Long Black Train
Long Black Train is the debut album from American country music artist Josh Turner, released on October 14, 2003. It peaked at No. 29 on the U.S. Billboard 200, and peaked at No. 4 on the Top Country Albums. Overall, the album produced three chart singles for Turner on the Hot Country Songs charts:...
. Prior to its release, Turner had released 7" vinyl singles of "She'll Go on You" and "Long Black Train." Both singles featured Long Black Train album track "Backwoods Boy" as a B-side. While neither "Backwoods Boy" nor "She'll Go on You" were successful (the latter peaking at #46 on the country charts), "Long Black Train" spent more than forty weeks on the Billboard country charts, reaching a peak of #13 and receiving a gold certification. The third single, "What It Ain't", was less successful, reaching #31.
2005–2006: Your Man
In early 2006, Turner released his second album, Your ManYour Man
Your Man is the second studio album by British country music artist Josh Turner. It released on January 24, 2006 and debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, and debuted at No...
. The album's first single and title track, "Your Man", was co-written by Jace Everett
Jace Everett
Jace Everett is an American recording artist. Signed to Epic Records in 2005, he released his debut single "That's the Kind of Love I'm In" in 2005, which peaked at No. 51 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, and was the first single from his self-titled debut album. He also co-wrote Josh...
and released in late 2005. "Your Man" also climbed the charts slowly, eventually reaching #1 in early 2006. Your Man was certified Gold
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,...
by the RIAA four weeks after its release, and went 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,...
six months later.
"Would You Go with Me
Would You Go with Me
"Would You Go with Me" is the title of a song written by Shawn Camp and John Scott Sherrill, and recorded by American country artist Josh Turner. It was released in April 2006 as the second single from his album, Your Man. It is the first track on Your Man.-Reception:The song went on to become...
" was the second single released from Your Man. Like the album's title track, "Would You Go with Me" also reached the top of the country singles charts, holding that position for two weeks; it also reached #48 on the Billboard 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...
. Turner also performed it on the CMA Awards in November 2006.
Shortly after the album's release, a song called "Me and God" was released as a single to Christian radio
Christian radio
Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...
. A duet with bluegrass musician Ralph Stanley
Ralph Stanley
Ralph Stanley , also known as Dr. Ralph Stanley, is an American bluegrass artist, known for his distinctive singing and banjo playing.-Biography:...
, the song also featured members of the band 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...
on background vocals. "Me and God" reached a peak of #16 on the country charts.
In December 2006, the 49th Annual 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...
nominations were announced. Turner received nods for Best Male Country Vocal Performance and for Best Country Album. That same month, featurette on CMT Insider
Country Music Television
Country Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs...
showed Turner in the studio working on the album. He mentioned that he wanted it to sound like music in the 18th and 19th centuries. Turner performed at the Ryman Auditorium where a live album was recorded, singing a song called, "Church in the Holler." Turner's album Josh Turner: Live At The Ryman was recorded in April and is available exclusively through Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. is an American chain of combined restaurant and gift stores with a Southern country theme. The company was founded by Dan Evins in 1969 and its first store was located in Lebanon, Tennessee, where the company is now headquartered...
restaurants.
Turner, along with veteran songwriters Brett James
Brett James
Brett James Cornelius is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. Signed to Career Records as a solo artist in 1995, James charted three singles and released a self-titled debut album that year...
and Don Schlitz
Don Schlitz
Donald Alan "Don" Schlitz, Jr. is a country music songwriter. For his songwriting efforts, Schlitz has earned two Grammys, as well as four ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year awards...
, wrote a song entitled "Say Yes"; recorded and released by singer Dusty Drake
Dusty Drake
Dean Buffalini is an American country music artist, known professionally as Dusty Drake. Drake played various venues in his native Pennsylvania for several years before moving to Nashville, Tennessee, co-writing a 1996 single for Joe Diffie. By 2003, Drake was signed to Warner Bros. Records as a...
in 2007, the song was a minor Top 40 country hit for Drake, peaking at #36.
2007–2008: Everything Is Fine
Turner's third studio album for MCA Nashville, titled Everything Is FineEverything Is Fine
Everything Is Fine is the third album from Josh Turner, released on October 30, 2007. "Firecracker" was the first single released, reaching No. 2 on the Hot Country Songs charts, and was followed by "Another Try", which peaked at No. 15 on the same chart. The title track was released as the album's...
, was released on October 30, 2007. Its lead-off single, "Firecracker
Firecracker (song)
"Firecracker" is a single by American country music artist Josh Turner. Released in June 2007, "Firecracker" is the lead-off single to Turner's third studio album, Everything Is Fine, which was released on MCA Nashville Records on October 30, 2007...
", became Turner's third Top Ten hit on the country music charts, peaking at #2. The second single from Everything Is Fine, a duet 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...
entitled "Another Try
Another Try
"Another Try" is a single by American country music artist Josh Turner that also features harmony vocals from Trisha Yearwood. It is the second single released from Turner's 2007 album Everything Is Fine, and his eighth chart single overall...
", was released in late January 2008, peaking at #15. The title track has since been released as the third single and peaked at #20. Everything Is Fine has been certified gold.
2009–present: Haywire
At the end of June, Josh wrapped up recording his fourth album, HaywireHaywire (Josh Turner album)
Upon its release, Haywire received generally positive reviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 63, based on 5 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".Thom...
. The lead-off single, "Why Don't We Just Dance", which was released on August 12, 2009, debuted at #57 on the U.S. Billboard 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...
chart for the week of September 5, 2009. The song went on to become Turner's third Number One hit, spending four consecutive weeks at the top in February 2010. The album was released on February 9, 2010, along with a deluxe version. "All Over Me
All Over Me (Josh Turner song)
"All Over Me" is the title of a song written by Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson, Ben Hayslip, and recorded by American country artist Josh Turner. It was released in April 2010 as the second single from his fourth studio album, Haywire....
" was released in April 2010 as the album's second single; it became Turner's fourth Number One. On September 27, 2010, Turner shot the video for "I Wouldn't Be a Man
I Wouldn't Be a Man
"I Wouldn't Be a Man" is the title of a song written by Mike Reid and Rory Michael Bourke. Originally recorded by Don Williams, it has also been released as a single by Billy Dean, and covered by Josh Turner...
" in Nashville, which will be the third single from Haywire. Josh's fifth studio album is expected for release in 2012
Grand Ole Opry induction
On September 29, 2007, while giving an award to Roy ClarkRoy Clark
Roy Linwood Clark is an American country music musician and performer. He is best known for hosting Hee Haw, a nationally televised country variety show, from 1969–1992. Clark has been an important and influential figure in country music, both as a performer and helping to popularize the genre...
on Clark's 20th anniversary on the Grand Ole Opry, Josh was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He was inducted by Vince Gill
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant "Vince" Gill is an American neotraditional country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, and as a solo artist beginning in 1983, where his talents as a...
on October 27, 2007. He is the second youngest member, after Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Marie Underwood is an American country singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, in 2005...
.
Billy Graham Biopic
Turner plays George Beverly SheaGeorge Beverly Shea
George Beverly "Bev" Shea is a Grammy Award-winning Canadian-born American gospel singer and hymn composer. Shea has often been described as "America's beloved Gospel singer" and is considered "the first international singing 'star' of the gospel world," as a consequence of his solos at Billy...
in the film titled Billy: The Early Years
Billy: The Early Years
Billy: The Early Years is a 2008 American biographical film, directed by Robby Benson. The film recounts the story of the world renown evangelist, Billy Graham, played by Armie Hammer, creating a portrayal of Billy’s life from the mid 1930s to the late 1940s when Billy Graham finds himself speaking...
, about the evangelist Billy Graham
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
. George Beverly Shea was a featured soloist with Graham's crusades.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Category | Association | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Top New Artist | 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... |
|
| Breakthrough Video of the Year – "Long Black Train" | CMT Music Awards CMT Music Awards The CMT Music Awards is a fan-voted awards show for country music videos and television performances. The awards ceremony is held every year in Nashville, Tennessee, and broadcast live on CMT. Voting takes place on CMT's website, CMT.com.-History:... |
||
| Horizon Award | Country Music Association Awards Country Music Association Awards The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards, or the CMAs, and not to be confused with the ACM Awards, are voted on by business members of the Country Music Association. The first CMA awards were presented at an untelevised ceremony in Nashville's Municipal Auditorium in 1967... |
||
| Song of the Year – "Long Black Train" | |||
| Song of the Year – "Long Black Train" | Inspirational Country Music Awards | ||
| Songwriter of the Year | |||
| Mainstream Country Artist | |||
| 2005 | Best New Artist | Academy of Country Music | |
| 2006 | Song of the Year – "Me and God" | Inspirational Country Music Awards | |
| Songwriter of the Year | |||
| Mainstream Country Artists | |||
| Horizon Award | Country Music Association Awards | ||
| 2007 | Male Vocalist of the Year | ||
| Male Country Vocal Performance – "Would You Go With Me" | Grammy Awards | ||
| Country Album of the Year – Your Man | |||
| Single Record of the Year – "Would You Go with Me" | Country Music Association Awards | ||
| Song of the Year – "Would You Go with Me" | |||
| Vocal Event of the Year – "Me and God" (with Ralph Stanley Ralph Stanley Ralph Stanley , also known as Dr. Ralph Stanley, is an American bluegrass artist, known for his distinctive singing and banjo playing.-Biography:... ) |
|||
External links
- Official website
- Official Josh Turner page at Universal Music Group NashvilleUniversal Music Group NashvilleUniversal Music Group Nashville is Universal Music Group's country music subsidiary. Some of the labels in this group include MCA Nashville Records, Mercury Nashville Records, and Lost Highway Records...
- Josh Turner Interview at CountryMusicPride.com