Lonestar
Lonestar | |
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Background information | |
Also known as | Texassee |
Origin | Texas, U.S. |
Genres | |
Years active | 1992–present |
Labels | |
Spinoffs | |
Spinoff of | Canyon |
Members |
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Past members |
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Website | lonestarnow |
Lonestar (formerly known as Texassee) is an American country music group from Texas. The group consists of Drew Womack (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Michael Britt (lead guitar, background vocals), Dean Sams (keyboards, acoustic guitar, background vocals), and Keech Rainwater (drums). Britt, Sams, and Rainwater co-founded the band in 1992 with original lead vocalist Richie McDonald and bass guitarist/vocalist John Rich. Rich exited the band in 1998 and went on to join Big Kenny as one-half of the duo Big & Rich. Since his departure, Lonestar has relied alternatingly on session and touring musicians for bass guitar accompaniment. McDonald exited the band in 2007 to record as a solo artist, and was replaced by former McAlyster vocalist Cody Collins before returning in 2011. McDonald left a second time in 2021 to join The Frontmen, with former Sons of the Desert lead vocalist Drew Womack replacing him.
Lonestar has charted more than 20 singles on the
Foundation
Lonestar began in 1992 as a band named Texassee. This
Musical career
1995–96: Lonestar Live and Lonestar
Lonestar's first release for BNA was an
Lonestar was met with generally favorable reviews.
1997–98: Crazy Nights and departure of John Rich
Lonestar's sixth chart single was "Come Cryin' to Me", which Rich and Wilson co-wrote with "No News" co-writer Mark D. Sanders. The song became the band's second No. 1 single in August 1997,[8] two months after the release of its corresponding album, Crazy Nights. As with Lonestar, it was produced by Wilson and Cook. The next single, "You Walked In", was co-written by rock producer and songwriter Robert John "Mutt" Lange. It peaked at number 12 on the country charts and became the band's first entry on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 93.[8] "Say When" and "Everything's Changed" followed it, with respective peaks at thirteen and two on the country music charts in 1998.[8] The latter also went to number 95 on the Hot 100.[8] Boone and Paul Nelson co-wrote both of these songs, collaborating with Rich on the former and McDonald on the latter. Also included on the album was a cover of Pure Prairie League's "Amie".[15] Thom Owens gave the album a mixed review, saying that "Come Cryin' to Me" and the "Amie" cover were "solid", but criticizing the rest as "slick and bland".[15]
Shortly after the release of "Everything's Changed", Rich left the band, as they and their advisors felt that having two lead singers would be confusing to fans.[16] Late in 1998, Keith Harling charted with "Coming Back for You", a song which Rich co-wrote with Wilson.[17] Rich later charted two solo singles for BNA between 2000 and 2001, and recorded an album for the label titled Underneath the Same Moon, although it was not released at the time. In 2003, Rich began recording with Big Kenny as the duo Big & Rich, in addition to serving as a songwriter and producer for other country artists.[18]
1999–2002: Lonely Grill, This Christmas Time, and I'm Already There
After Rich departed from the band, the other four members began performing "unplugged" shows which included acoustic renditions of their songs. The band members also expressed a desire to "reinvent" their sound. They chose Dann Huff as their new producer, and added three members to their touring band: Robbie Cheuvront (bass guitar), Kurt Baumer (fiddle), and Jeremy Moyers (steel guitar).[19]
All of the other singles from Lonely Grill ("Smile", "What About Now", and "Tell Her") reached the top of the country charts as well,[8] and the album was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Erlewine found the album an improvement over Crazy Nights due to its combination of pop and country influences.[24] "Smile" also achieved its number 1 peak on Hot Country Songs the same week that "Amazed" topped the Hot 100, making for the first time in Billboard chart history that an act had held the number one position on two different charts with two different songs. "Amazed" was also released as a single in England following its success in the States.[25] Also in this album's timespan, McDonald co-wrote Clay Walker's "She's Always Right" and The Wilkinsons' "Jimmy's Got a Girlfriend",[26] which were respectively released in 1999 and 2000. He worked with "No News" co-writer Phil Barnhart and Ed Hill on the former, and "What About Now" co-writers Ron Harbin and Anthony L. Smith on the latter.[20] "Amazed" also gave the band its first Country Music Association nominations, for Single of the Year and Group of the Year.[16]
Lonestar's first Christmas album,
I'm Already There, Lonestar's fourth album, was released in 2001. The same year, the band won the Country Music Association's award for Vocal Group of the Year.[8] Serving as the lead single was the album's title track, which McDonald wrote with Gary Baker and Frank J. Myers.[28] The song was inspired by McDonald's son, Rhett.[29] It spent six weeks at number 1 on the country charts between June and July 2001, in addition to reaching number 24 on the Hot 100[8] and number 2 on the Adult Contemporary charts.[22] After it, "With Me" peaked at number 10, "Not a Day Goes By" reached number 3, and the Mark McGuinn-penned "Unusually Unusual" went to number 12.[8] The album received a platinum certification. Maria Konicki Dinoia of Allmusic compared the album favorably to the ballads on Lonely Grill, also praising McDonald's "vocal prowess."[28] Alanna Nash of Entertainment Weekly was less favorable, saying that Huff's production was "generic".[30] Also in 2001, the band announced a 30-date international tour with Jamie O'Neal and Blake Shelton.[31]
2003–05: From There To Here: Greatest Hits and Let's Be Us Again
BNA released Lonestar's first
2005–06: Coming Home
Coming Home followed in 2005. For this album, McDonald noted that Huff had told the band that he "didn't want to produce us anymore", so McDonald began searching for a new producer.[36] In doing so, he purchased fifteen different albums at a Walmart to help in seeking a new producer, and chose Justin Niebank after hearing a demo that he produced for another group called BrittonJack.[36][37] On July 19, 2005, Lonestar previewed the album at Sony Music Nashville's offices, accompanied by Moyers, Cheuvront, fiddler Rob Tyler, and BrittonJack member Jack Sizemore,[37] who also co-wrote the track "Doghouse" on it.[38] Only two singles were released from this album: "You're Like Comin' Home", which reached number 8, and "I'll Die Tryin'", which became their first single since "Saturday Night" to peak outside the top 40.[8] Both of these songs were co-written by songwriter and producer Jeremy Stover, and both were previously recorded by Canadian country band Emerson Drive on their 2004 album What If?[38][39] Erlewine wrote in Allmusic that Coming Home was a "perfectly dull set of songs of happy homes."[38] Michael Sudhalter of Country Standard Time noted the presence of ballads comparable to the preceding albums, but also felt that most of the other content was comparable to the band's debut album.[40]
In early 2006, Sara Evans released the single "Coalmine" from her album Real Fine Place, which McDonald co-wrote with Roxie Dean and Ron Harbin. At a December 2006 concert in Corpus Christi, Texas, McDonald was unavailable while recovering from back surgery, so Josh Gracin sang lead vocals in his absence.[41]
2006–11: Mountains, Party Heard Around the World, and departure of Richie McDonald
Mountains was the band's final album for BNA. Released in late 2006, it was produced by Mark Bright, whose other production credits include Blackhawk, Rascal Flatts, and Carrie Underwood. Its title track, co-written by Larry Boone, went to number 10 on the country charts, while followup "Nothing to Prove" peaked at 51.[42] Erlewine criticized the band for taking "fewer risks than ever" on the album.[43] Billboard writer Ken Tucker praised the album for containing positive messages in the singles, while also noting the use of vocal harmony and country-rock instrumentation.[44] Jeff Lincoln of Country Standard Time criticized some of the songs for overly "sensitive" lyrics, but felt that "Always in the Band", a song about a singer attempting to balance his career and family life, was "personal".[45]
In March 2007, Lonestar was dropped from BNA's roster due to declining sales. Guitarist Michael Britt attributes the group's commercial downfall in the mid-2000s to the label's choices in singles, saying in an interview with
McDonald also released a Christmas album in late 2007, titled If Every Day Could Be Christmas. It was followed a year later by
The group's first single to feature Collins on lead vocals was "Let Me Love You",[8] which was released in early 2008 on Saguaro Road Records. It is the first single from the album Party Heard Around the World, released on April 27, 2010, and produced by the band itself. A review in Country Standard Time criticized Collins' vocals as being too similar to those of Keith Urban, while also saying that it had "[a] lot of songs about love, life and relationships. The usual clichés you find in today's pop-country."[49] Erlewine found little difference in the band's sound following the change to Collins, saying that "they're still gunning for a wide audience because commercialism simply is in their bones. The Lonestar name means nothing if the band isn't big, slick, and crowd-pleasing."[50]
2011–2021: Life As We Know It and Never Enders
Collins left in 2011 and McDonald returned to the group. To honor both his rejoining and the band's 20th anniversary, they began an international tour in 2012.[51] Their first single after his rejoining was "The Countdown", released via 4 Star Records. It peaked at number 52 on the country charts in late 2012.[8] The song is included on an album titled Life as We Know It, released on June 4, 2013. Erlewine was mixed toward the album's content, writing in Allmusic that it was "filled with bright, shiny songs about romance...infused with a genial fondness for everything that comes their way...All this sounds sweet enough in theory, but in execution, the calculation is a bit too apparent."[52] Henry L. Carrigan Jr. of Country Standard Time wrote that it "is all about singing it loud, with one song barely distinguishable from another musically or thematically".[53]
In 2014, duo Haley & Michaels released "Just Another Love Song", which they wrote with McDonald. The song contains lyrical references to "Amazed", and features McDonald singing its chorus.[54] Never Enders, Lonestar's tenth album, came out in 2016. The album's lead single and title track was delivered to country radio on March 17. Never Enders was released and distributed through Shanachie Entertainment on April 29.[55] Erlewine was more positive toward this album than its predecessors, noting that "The songs may not be grabbers, but they're sturdy, melodic constructions given a lift by an enveloping, polished production that effectively softens the rougher edges of McDonald's voice; he's hardly gravelly, but he is nicely weathered."[56] The album received a mixed review from Lincoln, who found some of the songwriting formulaic but also praised the melody of the title track and McDonald's singing voice.[57]
2021–present: Richie McDonald's second departure
On March 5, 2021, McDonald announced that he would again be departing Lonestar to pursue a career as a member of The Frontmen, which also consists of former Little Texas lead singer Tim Rushlow and Restless Heart lead singer Larry Stewart. McDonald was succeeded by Drew Womack, the former lead singer of Sons of the Desert, as Lonestar's new lead vocalist.[58][59] In 2023, the band announced they would begin a new tour with Womack and would also release a new album titled Ten to 1. This album will feature all of the band's greatest hits re-recorded with Womack's vocals. The first such re-recording, of "Amazed", was issued in March 2023.[60]
Musical style
Early on, the band's sound drew from
Dinoia noted that I'm Already There continued to emphasize the band's focus on "passionate ballads" as exemplified by "Amazed",[28] while Jeffrey B. Remz of Country Standard Time described the same album's sound as "satisfactory music that is squarely in the country light category, but never really goes beyond that."[61] He also noted in a review of Let's Be Us Again that the "big sound" achieved on that album and the ones immediately before it was the result of Huff's production style.[35] For the Coming Home album, the band members said that they wanted to achieve a sound with more "edge" and less influenced by such ballads.[36][37] As is typical of country music bands, most of their albums featured session musicians instead of having the individual members play most of the instruments themselves. New Country magazine's review of their debut album criticized the band's sound for this reason,[14] while Andrew W. Griffin of Country Standard Time also noted the effect on the band's overall sound: "McDonald's voice made Lonestar. It's a good voice. Full of passion and country-embracing enthusiasm. As for his band mates, Lonestar relied way too much on sidemen to have developed a discernible sound of their own."[49]
Television appearances
McDonald competed on one episode of the television game show
Personnel
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Discography
Albums
- Lonestar (1995)
- Crazy Nights (1997)
- Lonely Grill (1999)
- I'm Already There (2001)
- Let's Be Us Again (2004)
- Coming Home (2005)
- Mountains (2006)
- Party Heard Around the World (2010)
- Life as We Know It (2013)
- Never Enders (2016)
- Number-one singles (Billboard Hot Country Songs)
- "No News" (1996)
- "Come Cryin' to Me" (1997)
- "Amazed" (1999)
- "Smile" (1999)
- "What About Now" (2000)
- "Tell Her" (2000-2001)
- "I'm Already There" (2001)
- "My Front Porch Looking In" (2003)
- "Mr. Mom" (2004)
References
- ^ Allmusic. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
- ^ a b "Lonestar: Biography". CMT.com. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
- ^ a b "Lonestar biography". Oldies.com. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
- ^ ISBN 9780312264871.
- ^ Whitburn 2012, p. 63.
- ^ Borzillo, Carrie (April 27, 1996). "Lonestar Enjoying Grassroots Success". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 17. pp. 11, 92.
- ^ Lonestar (CD liner notes). Lonestar. BNA Records. 1995. 66642.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Whitburn 2012, p. 197-198.
- ^ Shuda, Dayne (May 15, 2012). "The Pre-Big & Rich John Rich". Country Music Life. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
- ^ "Lonestar Live". Discogs. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
- ^ Whitburn 2012, p. 215-216.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Lonestar review". Allmusic. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
- ^ a b Wahlert, Brian. "Lonestar review". Country Standard Time. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
- ^ ISSN 1074-536X.
- ^ a b c Owens, Thom. "Crazy Nights review". Allmusic. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
- ^ a b c Tom Roland (September 19, 1999). "Lonestar state: 'Amazed'". The Tennessean. pp. 1K, 4K. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ Write It in Stone (CD booklet). Keith Harling. MCA Nashville. 1998. 70024.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Big & Rich biography". Allmusic. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
- ^ "Lonestar". Net Music Countdown. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ a b Lonely Grill (CD). Lonestar. BNA Records. 1999. 67762-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits
- ^ a b "Lonestar Album & Song chart history". Billboard. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
- ^ "Year End Charts – Year-end Singles – Hot Country Songs". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on December 11, 2007. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
- ^ Allmusic. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
- ^ "Lonestar Celebrates No. 1 Streak". CMT. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ a b Leggett, Steve. "Richie McDonald biography". Allmusic. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
- ^ a b Johnson, Zac. "This Christmas Time". Allmusic. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
- ^ a b c Dinoia, Maria Konicki. "I'm Already There review". Allmusic. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
- ^ "Lonestar's "I'm Already There" Was Inspired By Richie McDonald's Son". One Country. November 11, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
- ^ Nash, Alanna (July 13, 2001). "I'm Already There review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ "Lonestar Plans National Circuit". CMT. August 14, 2001. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ Let's Be Us Again (CD booklet). Lonestar. BNA Records. 2004. 59751.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Whitburn 2012, p. 97.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Let's Be Us Again review". Allmusic. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ a b Jeffrey B. Remz. "Let's Be Us Again". Country Standard Time. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ a b c Calvin Gilbert (October 12, 2005). "Lonestar's Coming Home Emphasizes Band's Live Sound". CMT. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ a b c Edward Morris (July 19, 2005). "News : Lonestar's Live Preview of Coming Home". CMT. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Coming Home review". Allmusic. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "What If? review". Allmusic. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
- ^ Michael Sudhalter. "Coming Home". Country Standard Time. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ "For Lonestar, the show must go on - with Gracin". Country Standard Time. December 7, 2006. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
- ^ a b Song Selection Derailed Lonestar's Success, Guitarist Says
- Allmusic. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
- ^ Ken Tucker (October 21, 2006). "Reviews: Country". Billboard. p. 91.
- ^ Jeff Lincoln. "Mountains". Country Standard Time. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ "Cody Collins Named Lonestar's Lead Singer". CMT.com. September 12, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2007.
- ^ Dan MacIntosh. "My Christmas List". Country Standard Time. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ "Richie McDonald chart history". Billboard. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- ^ a b Andrew W. Griffin. "Party Heard Around the World". Country Standard Time. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Party Heard Around the World". Allmusic. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ "Richie McDonald Reuniting With Lonestar for New Album, Tour". CMT. October 26, 2011. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Life as We Know It". Allmusic. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ Henry L. Carrigan Jr. "Life as We Know It". Country Standard Time. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- Taste of Country. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Lonestar to Release 'Never Enders' in April, Share Title Track". The Boot. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
- ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Never Enders". Allmusic. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ Jeff Lincoln. "Never Enders". Country Standard Time. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ Parton, Chris (March 5, 2021). "Richie McDonald Departs Lonestar for Second Time". Sounds Like Nashville. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
- ^ Skates, Sarah (March 5, 2021). "Lonestar Welcomes Drew Womack As Lead Singer". MusicRow.com. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
- ^ "Lonestar Celebrates Iconic Hit Songs With New Album & Headline Tour". Forbes. March 28, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
- ^ Jeffrey B. Remz. "I'm Already There". Country Standard Time. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ "For three weeks, Nashville becomes Spin City". The Tennessean. February 2, 2003. p. 6. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
- ^ "News : Headlines : Wheel of Fortune Celebrates Country Music : Great American Country". Gactv.com. February 9, 2007. Archived from the original on February 17, 2007. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ "News : Headlines : Lonestar Wins Big at Wheel of Fortune : Great American Country". Gactv.com. February 23, 2007. Archived from the original on February 27, 2007. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
- ^ "Lonestar Visits The Price Is Right". Texas Music Journal. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ^ "Reunited Lonestar hits Huntsville for American Freedom Festival on Saturday". al.com. May 3, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
Works cited
- Whitburn, Joel (2012). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2012. Record Research, Inc. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
External links