Sam Hunt
Sam Hunt | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Sam Lowry Hunt[1] |
Born | [2] Cedartown, Georgia, U.S. | December 8, 1984
Origin | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Instrument(s) |
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Years active | 2008–present |
Labels | MCA Nashville |
Website | samhunt |
Sam Lowry Hunt (born December 8, 1984) is an American singer and songwriter. Born in Cedartown, Georgia, Hunt played football in his high school and college years and once attempted to pursue a professional sports career before signing with MCA Nashville in 2014.
Prior to his successful solo career, Hunt was credited for writing singles for
Since the launch of his career, Hunt has quickly received recognition from both inside and outside the country music community for his blending of genres, incorporating use of
Life and career
Early life and football career
Personal information | |
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Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
Weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
Career history | |
College |
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High school | Cedartown (GA) |
Hunt was born on December 8, 1984, in
He was a
After graduating from UAB in 2007, he had a tryout with the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League in 2008.[16][17][18] "I knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I needed to find out if I could take it all the way," Hunt said. In 2008, two months after the unsuccessful attempt to impress the football team, to the surprise of his family and friends, he left to pursue a music career, and moved to Nashville along with a friend with only "some food and two mattresses and his mom's minivan".[19][20]
Hunt co-wrote Kenny Chesney's 2012 hit "Come Over", for which he received an ASCAP award.[21] He also co-wrote two singles released in 2014: Keith Urban's "Cop Car", and Billy Currington's "We Are Tonight". Hunt independently released the single "Raised on It" in September 2013 and in October 2013, he released via his website a free 15-song mixtape titled Between the Pines.[22] Hunt also co-wrote "Love Somebody", the title track from Reba McEntire's 27th studio album Love Somebody.[23]
2014–2016: X2C and Montevallo
In January 2014, it was confirmed that he had signed a recording contract with MCA Nashville. On August 12, 2014, he released X2C, a four-song EP, intended as a preview of his debut studio album.[24] The EP debuted at number 36 on the US Billboard 200 and number five on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, selling 8,000 copies in its first week.[25]
Hunt's first single for
Hunt was featured on
For the week of September 10, 2016, Hunt's fifth single "Make You Miss Me" from Montevallo, hit number one on the Country Airplay chart, thus making him the first solo male artist to land four number ones on the Country Airplay chart from a debut studio album.[8]
2017–present: Southside
On February 1, 2017, Hunt released "Body Like a Back Road", which went on to become his biggest hit.[36][37] In March 2017, while playing a string of live shows with Tucker Beathard, Hunt debuted another song titled "Drinkin' Too Much", a song he wrote and recorded about his on-and-off relationship with his then girlfriend, Hannah Lee Fowler.[38][39]
In May 2018, Hunt released the single "
Hunt took a prolonged hiatus from social media and releasing music after the end of the What Makes You Country Tour with Luke Bryan.[41] While performing at the Bud Light House Party event in Calgary, Hunt performed "Sinning with You" for the first time which he announced would be on his upcoming album.[42] Hunt also announced that another single from the new album would be out shortly and the entire album would be released in early 2020.[43] In October 2019, Hunt released "Kinfolks", his first radio single in over a year.[44] "Sinning with You" was released in January 2020.[45]
In February 2020, Hunt announced the title of his second album would be
In October 2020, Hunt released "
Artistry
Vocals
Writing for Billboard, Elias Leight observed on Hunt's vocal performance, describing his vocal performance in studio sessions as a "rough, heartthrob voice that shines clearly," but noted that his live vocals "weren't always easy to hear." Leight further praised Hunt's delivery to be "a mix of speaking and rapid-fire singing that sets him apart from other country singers," but commented its impact was "diminished because of his live singing." Finally, Hunt's live performance of "Make You Miss Me" rendered the music writer "the clearest glimpse of his husky mid-range, smooth but rugged voice in a setting where there were no beats crowding him or guitars to compete with."[62]
Influences
Hunt's music contains elements of
as musical influences.Lyrical and musical style
Hunt told
In a 2015 interview with Billboard, Hunt remarked on the position of women in his music, "Respect for women was a very important part of my upbringing," and added, "The women in my life demanded that from me." Hunt even named his album Montevallo, after the hometown of his wife, Hannah Lee Fowler, and consulted her in the lyrical production: "I spent a lot of time talking to her about the songs and asking, 'What do you think about this?' Her perspective was a powerful part of me being able to connect with a female audience, not just a male audience."[20]
In a June 2018 interview with Taste of Country, Hunt said that his upcoming second album will be much like Montevallo, but after the release of the second album he plans to "get back to the foundation of the musical genre that he identifies with".[68] In the same interview, he said "At some point his music will sound more like traditional country musician Tyler Childers."[69]
Personal life
In January 2017, it was announced that Hunt became engaged to Hannah Lee Fowler.[70] Fowler, whom Hunt had been dating on-and-off since 2008, was the main inspiration behind his album Montevallo.[71] Her name and their story are also referenced in his song "Drinkin' Too Much".[72] They were married on April 15, 2017, in Hunt's hometown of Cedartown, Georgia.[73] Fowler filed for divorce in February 2022,[74] but later retracted her petition in May of the same year.[75] In June 2022, Hunt announced the birth of their daughter.[76] In April 2023, Hunt announced that they were expecting their second child.[77]
Legal issues
On November 21, 2019, Hunt was arrested in Nashville, Tennessee after allegedly driving under the influence.[78] On August 19, 2021, Hunt was found guilty of his DUI charge that occurred nearly two years before. As a result of the conviction, his drivers license was suspended for one year; and he was sentenced to jail for a period of 11 months and 29 days, which was suspended except for 48 hours.[79]
Discography
- Montevallo (2014)
- Southside (2020)
Awards and nominations
References
- ^ "Sam Hunt on Twitter: "My middle name is Lowry"". Twitter.com. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Sam Hunt". UAB Sports.com. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
- ^ a b "Sam Hunt". AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
- ^ Popmatters. Retrieved December 31, 2014.
- ^ Wade Jessen (November 7, 2014). "Sam Hunt Scores Country Charts Feat Last Achieved 22 Years Ago". Billboard.
- ProQuest 1648505508.
- ^ a b "Year End Charts - Year-end Singles - Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
- ^ a b c d "Year End Charts - Year-end Albums - Top Country Albums". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
- ^ Keith Caulfield (August 26, 2016). "200 Chart Moves: 'Stranger Things' Soundtrack Makes Strong Debut". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
- ^ Marissa R Moss (October 28, 2014). "Sam Hunt Defends His Country Cred on New Album 'Montevallo'". Rolling Stone.
- ^ "Sam Hunt: Debut Spotlight". CMA Close Up Magazine. October 28, 2014. Archived from the original on January 18, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Sam Hunt". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
- ^ Scott T. Sterling (November 14, 2014). "Musicians + Sports: Sam Hunt On His College Quarterback Years". CBS New York.
- ^ Wendy Geller (August 13, 2014). "Sam Hunt Scores a Touchdown as Nashville's Newest Hot Singer-Songwriter". Rolling Stone.
- ^ Murray, Nick (February 26, 2015). "Sam Hunt: How a Former College Football Star Is Making Over Country Music". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
- ^ "Bio: Sam Hunt". Archived from the original on February 9, 2015. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
- ^ Irvine, Steve (June 23, 2012). "Former UAB quarterback Sam Hunt finding success in country music". Al.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Tannenbaum, Rob (August 20, 2015). "Billboard Cover: Sam Hunt on Breaking Down Stereotypes, Teaming With Taylor Swift and Recruiting a 'Team of Misfits' on His Rise to Country Fame". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
{{cite magazine}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Naomi Zeichner (September 9, 2014). "Sam Hunt Is A Country Star for the Instagram Age". BuzzFeed.
- ^ a b c Payne, Chris. "Billboard Cover Sneak Peek: 5 Ways Sam Hunt Is Breaking Down Country Stereotypes". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
- Country Music Television. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
- ^ Chris Richards (November 4, 2014). "Another country: Sam Hunt maps out Nashville's bold new future". Washington Post.
- ^ Love Somebody (CD booklet and backing card). Reba McEntire. Nash Icon. 2015. NICR0300A.
- ^ Sarah Wyland (August 17, 2014). "Sam Hunt Releases X2C Album Preview". Great American Country.
- ^ Wade Jessen (August 21, 2014). "Sam Hunt Scores Highest Debut on Top Country Albums With 'X2C'". Billboard.
- ^ "Sam Hunt is No. 1 With 'Leave The Night On'". AllAccess.com. November 3, 2014. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
- ^ "Industry Ink: Sam Hunt Goes Gold, Jason Isbell, SAE Nashville, Taryn Pray". Music Row. September 18, 2014. Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
- ^ "Sam Hunt Reveals 'Montevallo' Album Details". Taste of Country. September 16, 2014. Archived from the original on October 5, 2014. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
- ProQuest 1760206906.
- ^ "MONTEVALLO is Country Music's Best-Selling Debut Album Since 2011". Archived from the original on December 14, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
- ^ Hodak, Brittany. "How Sam Hunt Won Country Music In 2015". Forbes. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
- ^ "LIPSTICK GRAFFITI Tour Sells Out 15 Shows Within Minutes of Going On Sale". Archived from the original on November 23, 2014. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
- ^ Tannanbaum, Rob. "Billboard Cover: Sam Hunt on Breaking Down Stereotypes, Teaming With Taylor Swift and Recruiting a 'Team of Misfits' on His Rise to Country Fame". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
- ^ "Sam Hunt confirmed as background vocalist on Carrie Underwood's 'Heartbeat'". Therowdy.com. October 13, 2015. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
- ^ Laura McClellan (October 28, 2015). "Sam Hunt Reissues Acoustic Record Montevallo's Birthday". Taste of Country.
- ^ References confirming release of "Body Like a Back Road":
- Dukes, Billy (January 25, 2017). "Sam Hunt's New Song 'Body Like a Back Road' Written After Engagement [Listen]". Taste of Country. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
- Casey, Jim (January 25, 2017). "Sam Hunt Announces New "Body Like a Back Road" Single [Listen], New "15 in a 30 Tour" & Talks "Spiritual" Engagement Details". Nash Country Weekly. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
- Dukes, Billy (January 25, 2017). "Sam Hunt's New Song 'Body Like a Back Road' Written After Engagement [Listen]".
- ^ Asker, Jim (April 3, 2018). "Florida Georgia Line Now Has 3 of the 5 Longest-Leading Hot Country Songs No. 1s, Thanks to 'Meant to Be'". Billboard. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
- ^ "Locash Sam Hunt Scotty Mccreery Blake Shelton Tucker Beathard DJ Cutt Mix by DJCutt". Mixcloud.com. March 20, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
- ^ "Inside Sam Hunt's Apologetic 'Drinkin' Too Much': Ram Report". Rolling Stone. January 5, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
- ^ Dukes, Billy (May 18, 2018). "Next New Sam Hunt Song Better Shows His Musical Direction". Taste of Country. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
- ^ Volmers, Eric (September 20, 2019). "Country star Sam Hunt debuts new song in Calgary". Toronto Sun. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
- ^ Reuter, Annie (September 20, 2019). "Sam Hunt Plays New Song 'Sinning With You' at Canadian Club Show: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
- ^ Colley, Katie (September 20, 2019). "Sam Hunt Premieres New Song 'Sinning With You', Reveals Details On Next Album After His 'Reboot'". ET Canada. Corus Entertainment. Archived from the original on September 20, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
- ^ Freeman, Jon (October 10, 2019). "Hear Sam Hunt's New Song 'Kinfolks'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
- ^ "Sinning With You – Single by Sam Hunt on Spotify". Spotify. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
- ^ "Sam Hunt Announces Long-Awaited Sophomore Album, 'Southside'". Taste of Country. February 5, 2020.
- ^ "Everything We Know About Sam Hunt's Sophomore Album 'Southside'". The Boot. Townsquare Media, Inc. February 5, 2020.
- ^ "Country Hitmaker Sam Hunt Schedules First Album Since 2014 Debut". Variety. February 5, 2020.
- ^ "Sam Hunt Announces 'Southside' Summer 2020 Tour With Kip Moore". Taste of Country. February 5, 2020.
- ^ "Sam Hunt Announces 'Southside' Album and Summer Headline Tour". Sounds Like Nashville. February 5, 2020.
- ^ "Sam Hunt Announces Sophomore Album 'Southside' After Six-Year Wait, Preps 2020 Tour". Billboard. February 5, 2020.
- ^ "Check Out Sam Hunt's Next Single, "Hard To Forget" [LISTEN]". Country 106.5 WYRK. Townsquare Media, Inc. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
- ^ Dukes, Billy (May 19, 2020). "Sam Hunt Cancels 2020 Southside Tour". Taste of Country.
- ^ "My Truck (feat. Sam Hunt) [Remix] - Single by BRELAND on Apple Music". April 25, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020 – via Apple Music.
- ^ Bonaguro, Alison (October 6, 2020). "Sam Hunt Seems to Think Breaking Up Was Easier in the 90's". CMT News. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
- ^ Chua, Jeremy (April 23, 2021). "Sam Hunt, Sasha Sloan Team Up For Haunting Breakup Song, 'when was it over?'". Sounds Like Nashville. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
- ^ Freeman, Joe (August 2, 2021). "Ingrid Andress Teams With Sam Hunt for New Song 'Wishful Drinking'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
- ^ "Sam Hunt Releases New Song "23" Today". Universal Music Group Nashville. September 9, 2021. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
- ^ "Sam Hunt Enjoys Simple Pleasures in 'Water Under the Bridge' Video [Watch]". Taste of Country. July 19, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ Chua, Jeremy (November 23, 2022). "Sam Hunt Gets Back to His Roots on Reflective New Track, 'Start Nowhere' [Listen]". Taste of Country. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- ^ Jon Freeman (March 6, 2023). "Sam Hunt Announces Summer on the Outskirts Tour". Rolling Stone.
- ^ Leight, Elias. "Sam Hunt Erases Boundaries Between Country & Other Genres at NYC Show". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
- ^ Schillaci, Sophie (May 13, 2015). "Dwight Yoakam Compares Sam Hunt to Ray Charles: He's Bringing 'A Brand New Audience' to Country". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Sam Hunt Opens Up About His Unlikely Classic Country Influences". Nash FM 101.1. October 28, 2014. Archived from the original on February 10, 2015.
- ^ a b Billy Dukes (August 14, 2014). "Sam Hunt Interview: 'Leave the Night On' Singer Shares His R&B Influences". Taste of Country.
- ^ Moss, Marissa R. (August 19, 2015). "Watch Sam Hunt Throw a 'House Party' on 'Fallon'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
- ^ Dukes, Billy (September 22, 2015). "Sam Hunt, 'Break Up in a Small Town' [Listen]". Retrieved September 23, 2015.
- ^ "Sam Hunt, Country Traditionalist? It's Burning Within Him". Tasteofcountry.com. June 14, 2018.
- ^ "Sam Hunt is Reaching Back to His Country Roots for New Music". Theboot.com. June 15, 2018.
- ^ Chiu, Melody. "Sam Hunt Is Engaged to Hannah Lee Fowler". People. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
- ^ Caldwell, Lindsey (October 27, 2014). "Meet Sam Hunt—Country Music's Hottest New Star Dishes on Montevallo". E! Online. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
- ^ Hudak, Joseph (January 2017). "Hear Sam Hunt's Repentant New Song 'Drinkin' Too Much'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
- ^ Mizoguchi, Karen. "Sam Hunt Marries Hannah Lee Fowler in Intimate Georgia Wedding". People. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
- ^ Rachel DeSantis (February 21, 2022). "Sam Hunt's Pregnant Wife Hannah Lee Fowler Files for Divorce, Alleges He Cheated on Her". People. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
- ^ "Country Star Sam Hunt and Wife Hannah Lee Fowler Call Off Divorce". E! Online. May 9, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
- ^ Cardoza, Riley Sam Hunt's Wife Hannah Lee Fowler Gives Birth, Welcomes 1st Baby After Reconciliation, Us Magazine June 8, 2022
- ^ Rice, Nicholas Sam Hunt Expecting Second Baby with Wife Hannah Lee Fowler, People April 23, 2022
- ^ "Country singer Sam Hunt arrested on DUI charges in Nashville". Globalnews.ca. November 21, 2019. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ "Sam Hunt found guilty of DUI". NBC New York. August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.