Benjamin Isaac Hoffman (born December 13, 1974) is an American comedian, actor, writer, and musician.[3] Hoffman is well known by his country musicianalter egoWheeler Walker Jr., as whom he has released five studio albums.
His first album as Wheeler Walker Jr., Redneck Shit, debuted in 2016 at number nine on the Billboard Hot Country Albums chart and number one on the Billboard Top Comedy Albums chart, making it the first album in over a decade to debut in the top ten on both those charts simultaneously.[4] Despite no FMradio play, Hoffman found success with streaming and social media.
Reception to Hoffman's music has been mixed, largely due to the raunchiness of his lyrics and themes.[5] Some have called the Wheeler Walker Jr. character an "experiment in free speech" and "a platform to speak out against censorship and bias in the music industry".[6] Hoffman has been vocal about his use of the character as a means to express his displeasure with the modern state of the country music industry, particularly the rise of the bro-country subgenre.[7]
Hoffman debuted an early version of the satirical country music artist Wheeler Walker Jr. character on a skit for The Ben Show in 2013 where he performed his song "Eatin' Pussy, Kickin' Ass".
He recorded and released his first album, Redneck Shit, on February 12, 2016, via Thirty Tigers and Pepper Hill Records. The album was produced by Dave Cobb out of Nashville and originally premiered via stream on the pornographic website PornHub.[14] It debuted at number nine on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, number one on the Billboard Top Comedy Albums chart, and number 127 on the US Billboard 200.[15] It was the first album to debut in both the top ten of the comedy and country charts. It sold 5,900 copies in its first week.[16][17]
Rolling Stone called it "Unfathomably obscene and undeniably offensive, the debut album from Nashville never-was Wheeler Walker Jr. is also goddamn funny. But Redneck Shit is far from just an X-rated novelty record."[18]
I took my fucking life savings, which I don't want to mention here, 'cause it ain't much to brag about, and I gave it all to Dave and said, let's make the album without any fucking record company telling me what to do".
The Wheeler Walker Jr. persona has been compared to other artists such as Chinga Chavin, Andy Kaufman, and David Allan Coe.[20][21] The character's fictional biography outlines his history as an unsigned Nashville talent too crude for mainstream radio due to his desire to revamp the classic outlaw country style by playing songs that would have "gotten him yanked off the Grand Ol' Opry broadcast in a matter of seconds", although he finally found success with the rise of uncensored satellite radio and the internet.[22]
His second album, Ol' Wheeler, was released on June 2, 2017, and debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, with 7,800 copies sold in its first week.[28] It also debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Comedy Albums chart where it remained for three consecutive weeks, and peaked at number five on the Billboard Country chart. Prior to the album's release, crowd funding music site PledgeMusic removed the album's pre-sales and refunded fans due to obscenity complaints. Upset, Hoffman claimed censorship and angry fans responded by trolling a page promoting the band 311.[29] The album was originally going to include a duet with Grammy Award-winning artist Maren Morris on the song "Fuckin' Around", but it was pulled by Sony Music Nashville.[30] Hoffman had previously performed alongside Morris and Jake Owen at a party following the 50th Annual Country Music Association Awards in 2016.[31] The duet was instead recorded with Nikki Lane, credited as "Kacey Walker".[32]
His third album, WW III, was released on November 30, 2018.[38] The album topped the Comedy chart and also sat at number one on the iTunes Country chart. He released first greatest hits compilation entitled Fuck You Bitch: All Time Greatest Hits on May 1, 2020. It features material from his three studio albums along with two new tracks, "Drunk as Fuck" and "Go Big or Go Home".
Worldwide, Hoffman was the third most streamed country artist in 2021.[39] On March 8, 2022, Hoffman, outfitted in the Wheeler Walker Jr. persona, was removed by security from the Country Music Hall of Fame property in Nashville after protesting the Florida Georgia Line exhibit. He held a picket sign reading "FGL does not belong here", citing a belief that the duo's music is pop and not country.[40]
On April 14, 2022, Hoffman commenced his "2022 Comeback Tour" when he headlined the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, his first live performance since 2018.[41][42] He promoted the concert by joking about his desire to get "cancelled".[43] The concert sold out, and broke records for alcohol and merchandise sales at the venue.[44]
On April 15, 2022, he released his fourth album, Sex, Drugs & Country Music.[45] It debuted at number one on the iTunes chart and number two on the Comedy albums chart.[46] On May 1, 2023, Hoffman announced the "Spread Eagle Tour", with thirty-three concerts across the United States.[47]
On July 19, 2023, Hoffman released the single "Money 'N' Bitches". That same day, he also announced his fifth studio album Ram, which was released on September 15, 2023. The album features a more rock-oriented sound than his previous albums.[48]
Jimmy Fortune is an American country music singer from Nelson County, Virginia. Fortune sang tenor for The Statler Brothers for 21 years, and wrote the song "Elizabeth" for the group. Shortly after the Statler Brothers disbanded, he began to perform as a solo artist.
American country music band The Mavericks have released 12 studio albums, six compilation albums, three live albums and one EP album. The band's highest-certified album is 1994's What a Crying Shame, certified platinum by the RIAA and double platinum by the CRIA. 1995's Music for All Occasions was certified gold in the US and platinum in Canada, while Trampoline and It's Now! It's Live!, both from 1998, earned gold certification in Canada.
Frank Robert Ballard IV is an American country music singer-songwriter and guitarist. He has released two albums each for Reprise Records and Warner Bros. Records, and has charted eight singles on the Hot Country Songs charts.
American singer Darius Rucker gained fame as the lead singer of the American roots rock band Hootie & the Blowfish before emerging as a major country music singer in 2008. As a solo artist, his discography comprises seven studio albums, including five for Capitol Nashville. His singles since 2008 have all been released to the country music format, where he has had nine number-one singles on the Country Airplay chart: "Don't Think I Don't Think About It", "It Won't Be Like This for Long", "Alright", "Come Back Song", "This", "Wagon Wheel", "If I Told You", "For the First Time", and "Beers and Sunshine". He also appeared on the number one single "Forever Country".
Lucas Jerrod Hoge is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is also the host of "Hoge Wild" on Sportsman Channel.
Tyler Lynn Farr is an American country music singer and songwriter. Originally signed to BNA Records Farr released two singles for the label before it closed. He transferred to Columbia Records Nashville, releasing two albums: Redneck Crazy in 2013 and Suffer in Peace in 2015. Overall he has charted eight singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts. His highest ranking on the latter chart is "A Guy Walks Into a Bar" which placed at No. 1 in 2015.
The Lacs is an American country rap duo that consists of Robert Clayton (Clay) "Uncle Snap" Sharpe and Brian Andrew "Rooster" King. At first, the group also featured Brandon Herndon on the three self-released albums on Side Ya Mouth Records.
"Boys 'Round Here" is a song written by Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson, and Craig Wiseman and recorded by American country music artist Blake Shelton. The song is credited to "Blake Shelton with Pistol Annies and Friends", as it features myriad vocal collaborators including the Pistol Annies, along with country singer RaeLynn, all three co-writers, and Scott Hendricks, who also produced the track.
Danielle Simone Bradbery is an American country pop singer. She won season 4 of NBC's The Voice in 2013, becoming the youngest artist to win the competition at age 16. Since then, she has released three albums and multiple singles.
Nikki Lane is an American country music singer-songwriter and artist. She has released four albums: Walk of Shame, All or Nothin', Highway Queen, and Denim & Diamonds.
Meredith Cody Jinks is an American outlaw country music singer and songwriter. His breakout 2016 album, I'm Not the Devil, reached No. 4 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, while a number of other albums such as Lifers, After the Fire, and The Wanting reached No. 2 on the same chart.
Still the King: Celebrating the Music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys is a tribute album by American country group Asleep at the Wheel in memory of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. It was released in March 2015 under Proper Records.
Redneck Shit is the debut album by American country music artist Wheeler Walker, Jr., released in 2016. The satirical comedy album debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard Top Country albums chart and No. 1 on the Comedy Albums chart. Originally, the single 'Drop 'em Out' debuted on PornHub.
Russell Edward Dickerson is an American country pop singer-songwriter from Union City, Tennessee. Dickerson has released two albums through Triple Tigers. Both have accounted for four singles charting on Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay: "Yours", "Blue Tacoma", "Every Little Thing", and "Love You Like I Used To".
The Breaker is the eighth studio album by American country music group Little Big Town. It was released on February 24, 2017, through Capitol Nashville. Reviews for the album were positive. The Breaker debuted atop the Top Country Albums chart and number four on the Billboard 200. The album also charted in countries like New Zealand, Canada and Australia. It spawned three singles: "Better Man", "Happy People" and "When Someone Stops Loving You". After giving several performances in Nashville's Ryman Auditorium that started on the album's release date, the group embarked on a worldwide tour to promote the record.
Midland is an American country music group formed in 2014 in Dripping Springs, Texas. The band members are Mark Wystrach, Jess Carson, and Cameron Duddy. Through Big Machine Records, the band has released two EPs, their self-titled EP and The Last Resort. They have released three studio albums, On the Rocks, Let It Roll and The Last Resort: Greetings From, which have accounted for seven charted singles on the Billboard country chart: "Drinkin' Problem", Burn Out", "Make a Little", "Mr. Lonely", "Cheatin' Songs", "Sunrise Tells the Story" and "Longneck Way to Go". Midland's musical style is known as neotraditional country and country rock.
Ol' Wheeler is the second album by American country artist Wheeler Walker, Jr. Released on June 2, 2017, the album debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, with 7,800 copies sold in its first week. Prior to the album's release, crowd funding music site PledgeMusic removed the album's pre-sales and refunded fans due to obscenity complaints. Upset, Wheeler Walker, Jr. claimed censorship and angry fans responded by trolling a page promoting the band 311.
Mitchell Tenpenny is an American country pop singer and songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. He has released three studio albums and five extended plays through Riser House Records, with the first being Telling All My Secrets released in December 2018. He charted in 2018 with the single "Drunk Me", released on Columbia Records Nashville. He also co wrote "If the Boot Fits" with Granger Smith and the song made it to the top 10 on country airplay.
American country pop duo Dan + Shay have released five studio albums and 16 singles. They have achieved nine top ten hits on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, including eight number one songs. Since the release of "Tequila" in 2018, they have experienced crossover success, placing three singles, including "Tequila", in the top ten of the Adult Pop Songs chart in addition to their success in the country genre.
American country music duo Brothers Osborne have released four studio albums, one live album, one extended play, 12 singles, three promotional singles, 11 music videos and appeared on four albums.
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