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Larry Stewart | |
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Stewart performing with Restless Heart at a USO show at Ramstein Air Base, Germany in 2003 | |
Background information | |
Born | March 2, 1959 |
Origin | Paducah, Kentucky, U.S. |
Genres | Country |
Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, keyboards [1] |
Years active | 1984–present |
Labels | RCA, Columbia, Windham Hill |
Member of | The Frontmen |
Formerly of | Restless Heart |
Larry Stewart (born March 2, 1959) is an American country music singer, best known for his role as lead singer of the country pop band Restless Heart. In 1993, Stewart left the band in pursuit of a solo career, recording four solo albums and charting eight singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts before reuniting with Restless Heart in 2002. His highest-charting solo single was "Alright Already", which peaked at No. 5 in 1993.
Stewart moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in the 1980s in pursuit of a career in baseball. Although he had received an athletic scholarship from Belmont University in Nashville, he decided to focus on a career in music instead. [2] After finding work as a demo singer, Larry joined the group Restless Heart in 1984 at the recommendation of the band's keyboardist Dave Innis, with whom Stewart had attended college. [3] Between 1985 and 1993, Restless Heart charted 18 Top 40 singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart (including six Number Ones, as well as one single that was released only to the Adult Contemporary format). [4] Stewart left the group in 1991 in pursuit of a solo career. The band continued for four more years without him, trading off lead vocals among the other members. [3]
Stewart released his solo debut album on the RCA Nashville label in 1993. Titled Down the Road , the album produced a Top 5 country hit in the single "Alright Already," along with a number 34 follow-up, "I'll Cry Tomorrow," and "We Can Love," which peaked at 62. This album also included a cover of Kevin Welch's 1989 single "I Came Straight to You", and the song "When I Close My Eyes", which was later a Top 5 hit in 1996 for Kenny Chesney.
In 1994, the same year that Restless Heart disbanded, Stewart made two contributions to Faith Hill's debut album Take Me as I Am , co-writing the single "But I Will" with Troy Seals and singing duet vocals on "I've Got This Friend". Later that year, he moved to Columbia Records, releasing Heart Like a Hurricane . The album accounted for three more singles – the title track, followed by the Vince Gill co-write "Losing Your Love" and "Rockin' the Rock" — all of which failed to make Top 40 on the US country charts, although "Losing Your Love" reached number 21 on the RPM country singles charts Canada.
Why Can't You , Stewart's third album was released in 1996, also on Columbia. Its title track reached number 46, followed by the number 70 "Always a Woman". After this album, Stewart briefly reunited with all of the members of Restless Heart (save for Innis) to record new tracks for a Greatest Hits album, but disbanded again soon afterward. Stewart released his fourth solo album, Learning to Breathe , in 1999 on independent Windham Hill Records, although this album did not account for any chart singles.
In 2004, Stewart and the other four members of Restless Heart officially reunited to record the album Still Restless on Audium Entertainment, a branch of Koch Records (now E1 Music). [4] On most of the tracks, Stewart again assumed his role as lead singer. Still Restless produced a Top 30 hit in the single "Feel My Way to You", but Koch Records closed the Audium label in early 2005. He has remained with Restless Heart since.
Stewart joined Nashville's Breezewood Productions in 2014 as chief operating officer focusing on promising new talent while continuing to bring music through his association with Restless Heart as well as a modern solo career.
Title | Album details | Peak positions |
---|---|---|
US Heat | ||
Down the Road |
| 39 |
Heart Like a Hurricane |
| — |
Why Can't You |
| — |
Learning to Breathe |
| — |
Shifting Gears |
| |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||
Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |
---|---|---|---|---|
US Country | CAN Country | |||
1993 | "Alright Already" | 5 | 4 | Down the Road |
"I'll Cry Tomorrow" | 34 | 28 | ||
"We Can Love" | 62 | 69 | ||
1994 | "Heart Like a Hurricane" | 43 | 61 | Heart Like a Hurricane |
"Losing Your Love" | 46 | 21 | ||
1995 | "Rockin' the Rock" | 56 | 61 | |
1996 | "Why Can't You" | 46 | 71 | Why Can't You |
1997 | "Always a Woman" | 70 | — | |
1999 | "Still in Love" | — | — | Learning to Breathe |
2018 | "What's That Cowgirl See In Me?" | — | — | Shifting Gears |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Year | Video | Director |
---|---|---|
1993 | "Alright Already" | Deaton Flanigen |
"We Can Love" | ||
1994 | "Heart Like a Hurricane" | Jeffrey C. Phillips |
"Losing Your Love" | ||
1996 | "Why Can't You" | |
2018 | "What’s That Cowgirl See In Me" |
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"Alright Already" is a song written by Byron Hill and JB Rudd, and recorded by American country music artist Larry Stewart. It was Stewart's first release as a solo artist, following an eight-year tenure as the lead singer of Restless Heart. It was released in February 1993 as the first single from his solo debut album Down the Road. The song peaked at number 5 on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts and number 4 on the Canadian RPM country music charts. Stewart charted seven other singles afterward, but only one made the U.S. top 40.
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Still Restless is the ninth and final studio album by American country music band Restless Heart. Released in 2004, it was considered the band's reunion album, as it was their first release since 1998's Greatest Hits, as well as the first album since Fast Movin' Train (1990) to feature all five original band members. Their first and only album for Koch Records Nashville, it produced the single "Feel My Way to You", which peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts in late 2004.
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Down the Road is the debut solo studio album by American country music artist Larry Stewart. It was his first solo release, as he had left his role as lead singer of the band Restless Heart a year before. The album was released in 1993 on RCA Records Nashville and it produced three singles for him on the Billboard country charts: "Alright Already" at number five, "I'll Cry Tomorrow" at number 34 and "We Can Love" at number 62. Also included is "When I Close My Eyes", a number two hit in 1997 for Kenny Chesney.
Wheels is the second studio album by the American country music group Restless Heart. It was released by RCA Nashville in October 1986. "That Rock Won't Roll", "I'll Still Be Loving You", "New York ", "Why Does It Have to Be " and the title track were released as singles. The album reached #1 on the Top Country Albums chart and has been certified Gold by the RIAA.
Big Dreams in a Small Town is the third studio album by American country music group Restless Heart. It was released by RCA Nashville in July 1988. The songs:"The Bluest Eyes in Texas," the title track "A Tender Lie," and "Say What's in Your Heart" were all released as singles prior to the album.
Fast Movin' Train is the fourth studio album by American country music group Restless Heart. It was released by RCA Nashville in 1990. The title track, "Dancy's Dream," "When Somebody Loves You" and "Long Lost Friend" were released as singles. The album reached #6 on the Top Country Albums chart and has been certified Gold by the RIAA.
The Best of Restless Heart is the first compilation album by American country music group Restless Heart. It was released by RCA Nashville in 1991. "You Can Depend on Me" and "Familiar Pain" were released as singles. The album reached #25 on the Top Country Albums chart.
Big Iron Horses is the fifth studio album by American country music group Restless Heart. It was released by RCA Nashville in 1992. "When She Cries," "Mending Fences," "We Got the Love" and the title track were released as singles. The album reached #26 on the Top Country Albums chart and has been certified Gold by the RIAA. This is also the band's first album not to feature lead vocalist Larry Stewart, who departed in 1991. Conversely, drummer John Dittrich, keyboardist Dave Innis, and bassist Paul Gregg alternate as lead vocalists on this album.
Greatest Hits is the second compilation album by American country music group Restless Heart. It was released by RCA Nashville in 1998. "No End to This Road" and "For Lack of Better Words", two tracks new to this album, were released as singles, and "Somebody's Gonna Get That Girl" is new to this album as well. The album reached #47 on the Top Country Albums chart. Prior to the release of this album, the band had been disbanded since 1994. This album reunited all of the members save for keyboardist Dave Innis, and after its release, Restless Heart disbanded again until 2004's Still Restless.