Aaron Lewis | |
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Background information | |
Born | Rutland, Vermont, U.S. | April 13, 1972
Origin | Massachusetts, U.S. |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 1990–present |
Labels | |
Member of | Staind |
Aaron Lewis (born April 13, 1972) is an American musician who is best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and founding member of the alternative metal band Staind, with whom he released seven studio albums. Since 2010, he has pursued a solo career in country music with his debut EP, Town Line , which was released in 2011. Lewis' first full-length solo release, The Road , was released by Blaster Records in 2012. [1]
In 2006, Lewis was ranked at number 49 in the "Top 100 Heavy Metal Vocalists" by Hit Parader . [2]
Lewis was born in Rutland, Vermont, to a Jewish mother and a Catholic father of Italian, English and Welsh descent. At the time of his birth, his parents were living in a log cabin. Lewis moved to New Hampshire when he was 8, and lived there until he was 12. When his parents split up, he moved with his father to Longmeadow, Massachusetts, where he attended Longmeadow High School. He also lived in Forest Park, Springfield, Massachusetts. [3] [4] [5]
This section is missing information about his work with Staind.(August 2023) |
In July 2010, Lewis finished recording a country music EP entitled Town Line that was released on March 1, 2011, via Stroudavarious Records. It features seven tracks including three versions of the first single "Country Boy" featuring George Jones, Charlie Daniels, and Chris Young, as well as the songs "Massachusetts", "Vicious Circles", "The Story Never Ends", and a re-recording of "Tangled Up in You" originally from The Illusion of Progress . [6] Lewis said in a July 2011 interview that he was introduced to country music as a child by his grandfather, but his interest was recently rekindled when he toured with fellow rock turned occasional country singer Kid Rock. [7]
Lewis released his first full solo album, The Road , in November 2012. Its debut single, "Endless Summer", has also made the country charts. Lewis wrote every song on the ten track collection, except for "Granddaddy's Gun" which was penned by Dallas Davidson, Rhett Akins and Bobby Pinson, marking the first time Lewis has recorded outside material for an album. [8] In an interview with Broadway's Electric Barnyard, Lewis said he recorded "Granddaddy's Gun" as both a compliment to a friend, and because he was pressed for time. [9]
Lewis wrote songs for his second solo album whilst touring in support of The Road, often performing with Katz Von Brunenburg in his live sets. [10] [11] The album, dubbed Sinner, was mostly recorded in a single 18 hour session, with many tracks done in one take. Aaron's daughter Zoe also provides guest vocals on one song. [12]
On April 12, 2019, Lewis released his third solo album, State I'm In . [13]
On July 4, 2021, he released "Am I the Only One", a song protesting America's leadership and left-wing activists. [14]
On October 21, 2021, Lewis released "Goodbye Town" and also announced that he would release his fourth solo album Frayed at Both Ends on January 28, 2022. [15]
On March 29, 2024 Lewis released his country album, The Hill. [16]
Lewis was featured on the song "No Sex" by Limp Bizkit on their album Significant Other . He was also featured on a remix of the song "Crawling" on Linkin Park's first remix album Reanimation (titled as "Krwlng" on the remix album). He contributed vocals to the song "Follow" by Sevendust from Animosity , and to the songs "Bleed" and "Send in the Clowns" by the band Cold from 13 Ways to Bleed on Stage . He's also featured on Jimmie's Chicken Shack's song "Falling Out", the only single off their 2004 album re.present . In December 2010, while promoting his Town Line album, Lewis collaborated with Corey Taylor for a one-night-only acoustic duet show covering songs such as Pearl Jam's "Black", Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb", and Alice in Chains' "Down in a Hole". [9]
Lewis resides in Worthington, Massachusetts with his wife Vanessa; the two married in 2002, they have three daughters. [17] [18] Regarding the commercial success of Staind's albums in the early 2000s, Lewis reflected, "A lot of other people made a shit load of money but we're the same as any of you. I have to work to pay my bills." [19]
In a five-minute interview with Outdoor Life magazine, Lewis said that he has been hunting whitetail deer since he was old enough to keep up in the "good old woods", around age four or five. He prefers to hunt deer with a compound or recurve bow, and he occasionally utilizes a muzzleloader. [20]
Lewis has been open about his struggles with substance abuse and mental health issues, writing about his problems in Staind songs and his country music. [21] [22]
Lewis is a fan of the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots. [23] [24] Lewis is an avid baseball fan; he famously sang the national anthem prior to game 1 of the 2014 World Series, though received backlash due to him forgetting the words. He had previously criticized pop singer Christina Aguilera for the same offense. [25]
Lewis is a vocal supporter of the Republican Party, [26] known for expressing his conservative views often; Lewis supported Donald Trump before the 2016 election, although he said he was disappointed with his "bickering and name-calling". [27] His last tours, from 2019 and 2020, featured him wearing a Make America Great Again cap. [28] [29]
Lewis has been outspoken in his opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates. [30]
On November 4, 2006, Lewis performed at his old high school in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, and gave all the proceeds to the music department to fund the department's expenses to buy new equipment and supplies. [31] Lewis's main focus, however, is the non-profit organization It Takes a Community, where he and his wife have started to reopen their daughters' elementary school in Worthington, Massachusetts. [32]
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [33] | US Country [34] | ||||||||||||
The Road |
| 30 | 7 |
| |||||||||
Sinner |
| 4 | 1 |
| |||||||||
State I'm In |
| 18 | 2 |
| |||||||||
Frayed at Both Ends |
| 39 | 5 | ||||||||||
The Hill [38] |
| 175 | 33 | ||||||||||
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Title | Extended play details | Peak chart positions | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
US [33] | US Country [34] | US Rock [39] | ||
Town Line |
| 7 | 1 | 3 |
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [40] | US Adult [41] | US Alt. [42] | US Country [43] | US Country Airplay [44] | US Heri. Rock [45] | US Main. Rock [46] | US Rock [47] | ||||
"Outside" (with Fred Durst) | 2000 | 56 | 31 | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | — | The Family Values Tour 1999 | |
"Country Boy" (featuring George Jones and Charlie Daniels) | 2011 | 87 | — | — | 50 | — | 20 | 23 | 39 | Town Line | |
"Endless Summer" | 2012 | — | — | — | 39 | — | — | — | — | The Road | |
"Forever" | — | — | — | 50 | 38 | — | — | — | |||
"Granddaddy's Gun" [49] | 2013 | — | — | — | — | 46 | — | — | — | ||
"That Ain't Country" [50] | 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sinner | |
"Am I the Only One" | 2021 | 14 | — | — | 1 | 52 | — | — | — |
| Frayed at Both Ends [51] |
"Let's Go Fishing" | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Hill | |
"Made In China" [52] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
"Over the Hill" [53] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Title | Year | Director(s) |
---|---|---|
"Country Boy" (version 1) [54] (featuring George Jones and Charlie Daniels) | 2010 | Alex Castino |
"Country Boy" (version 2) [55] (featuring George Jones and Charlie Daniels) | 2011 | — |
"Endless Summer" (live) [56] | 2012 | Jim Wright |
"Endless Summer" [57] | ||
"Forever" (live) [58] | Fran Strine | |
"Forever" [59] | Jim Wright | |
"Granddaddy's Gun" [60] | 2013 | |
"That Ain't Country" [61] | 2016 |
Year | Association | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | CMT Music Awards | USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year – "Country Boy" [62] | Nominated |
Collaborative Video of the Year – "Country Boy" (with George Jones and Charlie Daniels) [62] | Nominated |
Staind is an American rock band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist and backing vocalist Johnny April, and drummer Jon Wysocki. The lineup has been stable outside of the 2011 departure of Wysocki, who was replaced by Sal Giancarelli. Staind has recorded and released eight studio albums: Tormented (1996), Dysfunction (1999), Break the Cycle (2001), 14 Shades of Grey (2003), Chapter V (2005), The Illusion of Progress (2008), Staind (2011), and Confessions of the Fallen (2023).
Dysfunction is the second studio album by American rock band Staind, released on April 13, 1999, by Flip Records and Elektra Records. It is the band's first studio album released on a record label.
14 Shades of Grey is the fourth studio album by American rock band Staind, released on May 20, 2003. The album continues to develop a post-grunge sound as seen on the band's previous album Break the Cycle, but the songs on 14 Shades of Grey have fewer pop hooks, focusing more on frontman Aaron Lewis's emotions. It is the band's last album to be released from Elektra Records.
Ronald Gene Dunn is an American country music singer-songwriter and record executive. Starting in 2011, Dunn has worked as a solo artist following the temporary dissolution of Brooks & Dunn. He released his self-titled debut album for Arista Nashville on June 7, 2011, reaching the Top 10 with its lead-off single, "Bleed Red". After leaving Arista Nashville in 2012, Dunn founded Little Will-E Records. On April 8, 2014, Ronnie Dunn released his second solo album, Peace, Love, and Country Music through Little Will-E Records. On November 11, 2016, he released his third album Tattooed Heart on NASH Icon label. His fourth album Re-Dunn was released on January 10, 2020.
Break the Cycle is the third studio album by American rock band Staind, released through Elektra Entertainment and Flip Records in 2001. It is Staind's most successful album to date and was the album that broke them into the mainstream. It was a huge international success for the band, as it spent three weeks at number-one position in the U.S. album charts and many weeks in the top-10 album charts of the Billboard 200, the UK and New Zealand. It sold at least 4 million copies in 2001. The album was certified 5× platinum by the RIAA for sales of over five million units in the US.
Michael Mushok is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist for the nu metal band Staind. He is a member of supergroup Saint Asonia and played in the band Newsted.
Chapter V is the fifth studio album by American rock band Staind. It was released on August 9, 2005, and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with first week sales of 185,000 copies, and spawned a hit single along with three moderately successful singles on rock radio. Its first single "Right Here" was the most successful at both rock and pop stations and it was used in a video package by World Wrestling Entertainment commemorating the professional wrestler known as Edge after he won his first WWE Championship. "Falling" and "Everything Changes" have also been released with accompanying videos.
Tormented is the debut studio album by the American rock band Staind, self-released in 1996. In 1993, Staind vocalist Aaron Lewis and Staind guitarist Mike Mushok met each other at a Christmas party in the New England area. Mushok brought drummer Jon Wysocki into the fold and Lewis had a connection with a bass guitarist who later left, starting the early lineup. Shortly after bassist Johnny April joined, Staind officially formed in Springfield, Massachusetts on November 24, 1995. Touring in the Northeast United States helped Staind achieve a cult following.
"Outside" is a song by the American rock band Staind. It was released in May 2001 as the second single from their second album Break the Cycle.
"It's Been Awhile" is a song by American rock band Staind, released on March 27, 2001, as the lead single from their third studio album, Break the Cycle (2001).
James Andrew House is an American country music artist. Originally a member of a group called the House Band, he recorded a solo rock album in 1983 on Atlantic Records before he began his country music career in 1989 on MCA Records, recording two albums for that label. He later penned singles for Diamond Rio and Dwight Yoakam, before finding another record deal on Epic Records in 1994. That year, he charted two Top 40 singles on the Billboard country chart, including the Top 10 hit "This Is Me Missing You".
The Illusion of Progress is the sixth studio album by American rock band Staind. It was released on August 19, 2008. The Illusion of Progress was produced by Johnny K and recorded in lead singer Aaron Lewis's home studio. It debuted at No. 3 in the Billboard 200 with 91,800 units sold.
Joey + Rory was an American country and bluegrass duo composed of singer-songwriters Rory Feek and Joey Feek, who were husband and wife. Both members of the duo were vocalists and songwriters, with Rory also playing acoustic guitar. Rory Lee Feek had written singles for other artists prior to the duo's foundation. The duo was the third-place finalist on CMT's competition Can You Duet in 2008. The duo recorded eight studio albums for Vanguard Records and Gaither Music Group and charted three singles on Hot Country Songs.
American country music singer Jason Aldean has released eleven studio albums, one extended play, and forty solo singles. All of his music has been released through BBR Music Group, with Michael Knox as his sole record producer.
The Band Perry were an American band composed of siblings Kimberly Perry, Reid Perry, and Neil Perry.
Town Line is the first EP by American rock musician Aaron Lewis, and is his first solo release. An extended play consisting of country songs, it was released on March 1, 2011, on Stroudavarious Records. As of the chart dated September 3, 2011, the album has sold 200,208 copies in the US.
Staind is the seventh studio album by American rock band Staind, released on September 13, 2011. It was released as a download, a standard CD and a limited deluxe digipak edition, which contains a DVD documenting the recording process of the album, plus two live bonus tracks for the European digipak release. It is the band's last album to be released from Atlantic Records.
The Road, is the debut, full-length studio album by American Staind frontman Aaron Lewis. His second country music effort, it was released by Blaster Records on November 13, 2012.
"Country Boy" is a song by American rock musician Aaron Lewis, and is his first foray into country music. Released on December 7, 2010 through Stroudavarious Records, three versions of the song are featured on Town Line, Lewis' debut EP with a live acoustic version of the song on the iTunes Store deluxe edition of The Road, his debut studio album.
Sinner is the second solo studio album by an American rock musician Aaron Lewis of the nu metal band Staind. It was released on September 16, 2016, through Dot Records, and produced by Buddy Cannon. The first single, "That Ain't Country", was released on June 17, 2016, which coincided with the album announcement. To support the album, Lewis conducted a series of concerts titled "The Sinner Tour".