Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He is considered one of pioneers of the outlaw movement in country music.
Clint Patrick Black is an American country music singer, songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. Signed to RCA Nashville in 1989, Black's debut album Killin' Time produced four straight number one singles on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. Although his momentum gradually slowed throughout the 1990s, Black consistently charted hit songs into the 2000s. He has had more than 30 singles on the US Billboard country charts, twenty-two of which have reached number one, in addition to having released twelve studio albums and several compilation albums. In 2003, Black founded his own record label, Equity Music Group. Black has also ventured into acting, having made appearances in a 1993 episode of the TV series Wings and in the 1994 film Maverick, as well as a starring role in 1998's Still Holding On: The Legend of Cadillac Jack.
Sara Lynn Evans is an American country music singer and songwriter. She is also credited as a record producer, actress, and author. She had five songs reach the number one spot on the Billboard country songs chart and has sold over six million albums. Nine additional singles have reached the top ten of the Billboard country chart, including "I Could Not Ask for More", "I Keep Looking", and "Cheatin'". Among her top 20 charting singles are "Saints & Angels", "Backseat of a Greyhound Bus", and "As If". She has won accolades from the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. She has also been nominated for several more accolades from both associations, including Female Vocalist of the Year and Single of the Year.
Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid is an American record executive, A&R representative, and record producer. He is the founder and served as co-chairman of Hitco Entertainment. He also previously served as the chairman and CEO of Epic Records and The Island Def Jam Music Group, as well as the president and CEO of Arista Records.
Shotgun Willie is the 16th studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson, released on June 11, 1973. The recording marks a change of style for Nelson, who later stated that the album "cleared his throat". When Nelson refused to sign an early extension of his contract with RCA Records in 1972, the label decided not to release any further recordings. Nelson hired Neil Reshen as his manager, and while Reshen negotiated with RCA, Nelson moved to Austin, Texas, where the ongoing hippie music scene at the Armadillo World Headquarters renewed his musical style. In Nashville, Nelson met producer Jerry Wexler, vice president of Atlantic Records, who was interested in his music. Reshen solved the problems with RCA and signed Nelson with Atlantic as their first country music artist.
Gary Tyrone England is an American country music singer and guitarist. Initially a member of Garth Brooks' band, England began his solo career in 1995, recording a self-titled debut album on RCA Nashville. A second album, Two Ways to Fall, followed in 1996. Three years later, he recorded Highways & Dance Halls under the name Tyler England on Capitol Nashville, and Alive and Well and Livin' the Dream came in 2007 on the independent Triple T label. England has charted six singles on the country chart. His highest-charting single was his debut, "Should've Asked Her Faster", a No. 3 hit in late 1995.
Jaydee Bixby is a Canadian country musician who was the runner-up on the fifth season of Canadian Idol. In 2008 he signed with Her Royal Majesty's Records and went on to release his debut album Cowboys and Cadillacs. Moving on to On Ramp Records in 2010, he released his second album Easy to Love.
Paul Worley is an American record producer and session guitarist, known primarily for his work in country music. Formerly a vice president at Sony BMG, he later joined the staff of Warner Bros. Records' Nashville division as chief creative officer. Since leaving Warner in the early 2000s, Worley has worked mainly as a record producer for other acts, such as Big & Rich, as well as an occasional session guitarist. He is most widely known as the co- producer of the self-titled debut album of Lady Antebellum (2008) and as one of the producers of their second album, Need You Now (2010). He also discovered the Dixie Chicks and, with Blake Chancey, co-produced their first two albums.
Eli Young Band is an American country music band composed of members who met while students at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas: Mike Eli, James Young (guitar), Jon Jones, and Chris Thompson (drums). They released their self-titled debut album in 2002, followed by the Carnival records release Level in 2005. Their third album, Jet Black & Jealous, was released in 2008 by Universal South Records. A second major-label album, Life at Best, was released in 2011 by Republic Nashville, with 10,000 Towns following in early 2014. The band has charted eight times on the Billboard country charts, with four of their singles having reached No. 1: "Crazy Girl", which was the top country song of 2011 according to Billboard Year-End, along with "Even If It Breaks Your Heart", "Drunk Last Night", and "Love Ain't".
Melanie Ann Amaro is an American singer who won the first season of The X Factor USA in 2011, securing a $5 million recording contract with Syco Music and Epic Records. Amaro was also the youngest contestant to win the competition during the show's run (2011-2013).
Marcus Collins is an English singer who was a finalist on the eighth series of The X Factor in 2011. He was mentored by Take That frontman Gary Barlow, who continued to work with him on his debut album.
"Two Black Cadillacs" is a song by American recording artist Carrie Underwood, taken from her fourth studio album, Blown Away. The song served as the album's third single on November 18, 2012, through Arista Nashville. Written by Underwood, Hillary Lindsey, and Josh Kear, "Two Black Cadillacs" is a country pop song with lyrics addressing the story of two women who, when they realize they are both involved with the same man, decide to kill him. It was produced by Mark Bright, and the instrumentation was compared to songs by Dixie Chicks and Miranda Lambert.
Vladislav Kurasov is a singer, songwriter, the finalist of the Ukrainian version of the television show The X-Factor, the winner of the television show Star Ring, The People's Voice Winner at the 2013 International Songwriting Competition, winner of the 2014 Unsigned Only Music Competition Fandemonium. He became a semifinalist in the Ukrainian National Selection for Eurovision Song Contest 2016, with "I'm Insane"
Tate Stevens is the eponymous major-label debut studio album by American country singer Tate Stevens. It was released on April 23, 2013 via RCA Nashville and Syco Music, and is his first album after winning the second season of The X Factor. "Power of a Love Song" was released as the album's lead single on March 12, 2013. Another track, "Holler If You're with Me," was given a music video and used to promote Pepsi.
"Bloody Mary Morning" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Willie Nelson. Nelson wrote the song inspired by his struggles to become a "better parent". It was originally released in the 1970 RCA Records release Both Sides Now with the title "Bloody Merry Morning".
The Cadillac Three, originally known as The Cadillac Black, is an American rock band consisting of Jaren Johnston, Kelby Ray, and Neil Mason. All three members were originally in the band American Bang. The group has released three albums through Big Machine Records, and has charted three singles on the Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts. In addition to their own work, Johnston has written singles for Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Steven Tyler, Dallas Smith, and Jake Owen.
"Second Hand Heart" is a song by English singer Ben Haenow, from his self-titled debut studio album, Ben Haenow (2015). Featuring American singer Kelly Clarkson, it is an upbeat pop song produced by Afterhrs, Jason Halbert, and Pete Hammerton, written by Artist vs. Poet members Joe Kirkland and Jason Dean with Afterhrs members Ian Franzino and Andrew Haas, with additional writing by Neil Ormandy. "Second Hand Heart" was issued as the album's lead and only single on 16 October 2015, by Syco Music and RCA Records.
Kane Allen Brown is an American singer. Brown came to the attention of the public through social media. He released his first EP, titled Closer, in June 2015, and followed it with a new single, "Used to Love You Sober", in October 2015. After Brown signed with RCA Nashville in early 2016, the song was included on his EP Chapter 1, released in March 2016. He released his first full-length album, the self-titled Kane Brown, on December 2, 2016. The single "What Ifs" came from this album, and in October 2017, Brown became the first artist to have simultaneous number ones on all five main Billboard country charts. Brown released his second album, Experiment, in November 2018, which became his first number one album on the Billboard 200.
Patrick "Pat" Jay Buchanan is an American guitarist, known for his work with the band Cameo and as a Nashville-based session musician.
Restless Road is an American country music band based in Nashville, Tennessee. The band is made up of Zach Beeken, Garrett Nichols, and Colton Pack. The group was formed and were the tenth contestant eliminated in the third season of the American singing competition series The X Factor in 2013.
