Chris Janson
| Chris Janson | |
|---|---|
| Born |
ca. 1986 Perryville, Missouri, U.S. |
| Origin | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, harmonica |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Labels | BNA, Bigger Picture Music Group |
| Associated acts | Tim McGraw, Lee Brice, Justin Moore |
Chris Janson (born ca. 1986 in Perryville, Missouri) is an American country music singer. He has charted two singles on the Hot Country Songs charts, and has written songs for Tim McGraw and Justin Moore.
Biography
Chris Janson began collaborating as a songwriter at 18 years of age with Guns N' Roses to Bill Anderson. In 2009, Janson recorded two duets with Holly Williams, granddaughter of Hank Williams, Sr., on her album Here with Me. Instead of heading to veterinary school, his original plan, Janson moved to Nashville, Tennessee. On his first day in town, he secured a year long, four-show-a-day gig at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge on Nashville's Lower Broadway. One night, Neil Young was in the bar and was so impressed by Janson's take on the Young classic "Cortez the Killer" that he offered Janson a part in the Neil Young biopic "Heart of Gold".
He signed to BNA Records in October 2009[1] and released his debut single, "'Til a Woman Comes Along," in April 2010. Matt Bjorke of Roughstock gave the single a five-star rating, with his review praising Janson's vocals as well as the arrangement.[2] Jim Malec of The 9513 gave the single a thumbs-down, saying that the song "from top to bottom, abides by formula."[3] The song debuted at No. 56 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts dated for the week ending May 1, 2010.[4]
After BNA was re-structured, Janson left the label. He co-wrote Tim McGraw's 2012 single "Truck Yeah",[5] played harmonica on Lee Brice's album Hard 2 Love,[6] and wrote the title track to Justin Moore's 2013 album Off the Beaten Path.
He signed with Bigger Picture Music Group and began working with producer Keith Stegall, who is best known for his work with Alan Jackson and the Zac Brown Band. Janson's upcoming album will feature songs entirely co-written by him. His first release for Bigger Picture, "Better I Don't", entered the charts in February 2013. Alanna Conaway of American Songwriter said that the song "is a well-written, clever ditty that could have you singing along well before the chorus rolls around. The lyrics detail a handful of real-life experiences where he felt being truthful about the situation was probably not a good idea."[7] Janson wrote the song with his wife, Kelly, and Pat Bunch.[8] "Better I Don't" peaked at number 40 on Country Airplay in mid 2013.
Personal life
"Holding Her", a live show favorite and co-write with James Otto, tells the personal story of how Janson met his wife and the birth of their daughter Georgia.
Chris is an avid bow hunter and outdoorsman.
Musical stylings
Nashville Gab wrote that "He is explosive on stage and completely unpredictable. I compare his live set to a wild horse, it's not meant to be tamed. He brings a blue-collar, redneck edge to every show that seems to be lacking in country music these days. Chris Janson is the future of country music..."[9]
Discography
Extended plays
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Heat | ||
| Chris Janson |
|
47 | 27 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Country Airplay | |||
| 2010 | "'Til a Woman Comes Along" | 52 | — | Non-album song |
| 2013 | "Better I Don't" | — | 40 | Chris Janson |
| "Cut Me Some Slack" | — | 60 | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "'Til a Woman Comes Along" | Chris Hicky |
| 2013 | "Better I Don't"[10] | Wes Edwards |
References
- ↑ Skates, Sarah (22 October 2009). "BNA signs Chris Janson". Music Row. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ↑ Bjorke, Matt (1 April 2010). "Chris Janson — "'Til a Woman Comes Along"". Roughstock. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ↑ Malec, Jim (9 March 2010). "Chris Janson — "'Til a Woman Comes Along"". The 9513. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ↑ "Chart Highlights". Billboard. 19 April 2010. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
- ↑ http://tasteofcountry.com/tim-mcgraw-truck-yeah-lyrics/
- ↑ http://biggerpicturegroup.com/updates/news/chris-janson-teams-keith-stegall-album-bigger-picture-group-152
- ↑ http://www.americansongwriter.com/2013/01/track-review-chris-janson-better-i-dont/
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-615/1558429/615-spotlight-chris-jansons-better-i-dont-follows-tim-mcgraw
- ↑ http://www.nashvillegab.com/2013/08/chris-janson-says-cut-me-some-slack.html
- ↑ "CMT : Videos : Chris Janson : Better I Don't". Country Music Television. Retrieved March 28, 2013.