Chris Knight (musician)
| Chris Knight | |
|---|---|
 Chris Knight at WVHEDW Soccer Club in Amsterdam (2 February 2007) |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Chris Knight |
| Born | June 24, 1960 |
| Origin | Slaughters, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupations | singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1998 – present |
| Labels | Decca Dualtone Drifter’s Church Productions |
| Website | http://www.chrisknight.net/ |
Chris Knight (born June 24, 1960) is a singer and songwriter from Kentucky. He only recently came to national attention, but has written songs for Confederate Railroad, John Anderson, and Randy Travis among others. He is best known for writing the hit Montgomery Gentry song "She Couldn't Change Me" and because of his particular fame in Texas, was named an "Honorary Texan" by Texas Governor Rick Perry.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Knight grew up in the mining town of Slaughters, Kentucky.[2] When he was three years old, he asked for a plastic guitar for Christmas. At 15, however, he became serious and began teaching himself John Prine songs on his older brother's guitar.[3]
Knight earned a degree in agriculture from Western Kentucky University. He worked for ten years as a mine reclamation inspector and as a miner's consultant.[4] In 1986, he heard Steve Earle on the radio and decided to start writing songs. After six years he came to Nashville and won a spot on a songwriters' night at the Bluebird Cafe. He attracted the interest of Frank Liddell, who signed him to a contract with Bluewater Music. When Decca Records hired Liddell for an A&R position, Knight received a contract and in 1998 Decca released his self-titled debut. Knight lived in a house trailer on 90 acres (360,000 m2) in Slaughters when the album was released.[3] He has since become a major name in the alternative country music genre. He is often considered one of the best singer-songwriters.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Heat |
US Indie |
||
| Chris Knight |
|
— | — | — |
| A Pretty Good Guy |
|
— | — | — |
| The Jealous Kind |
|
67 | — | — |
| Enough Rope |
|
— | — | — |
| The Trailer Tapes |
|
68 | 40 | — |
| Heart of Stone |
|
37 | 7 | 31 |
| Trailer II |
|
64 | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
[edit] Singles
| Year | Song | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | "Framed" | Chris Knight |
| "It Ain't Easy Being Me" | ||
| 2001 | "Becky's Bible" | A Pretty Good Guy |
| 2002 | "Oil Patch Town" | |
| 2003 | "The Jealous Kind" | The Jealous Kind |
| 2006 | "Cry Lonely" | Enough Rope |
[edit] Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | "Framed" | Roger Pistole |
| "It Ain't Easy Being Me" | ||
| 2002 | "Oil Patch Town" | |
| 2006 | "Cry Lonely" | Milton Sneed |
[edit] Songs written or co-written by Knight
- "A Pretty Good Guy" - Fred Eaglesmith
- "A Train Not Running" - Stacy Dean Campbell
- "Becky's Bible" - Jason Savory
- "Highway Junkie" - Randy Travis, Gary Allan, The Yayhoos, The Von Ehrics
- "I Don't Want to Hang Out With Me" - Confederate Railroad
- "It Ain't Easy Being Me" - John Anderson, Jason McCoy, and Blake Shelton
- "Love and Gasoline" and "She's Leaving This Town" - The Great Divide
- "Love at 90 Miles an Hour" - Ty Herndon
- "She Couldn't Change Me" - Montgomery Gentry
- "The Hammer Goin Down" - The Road Hammers
