Brad Douglas Paisley (born October 28, 1972) is a Grammy Award-winning American country music singer-songwriter and guitarist. Starting with the release of his 1999 album Who Needs Pictures, Paisley has recorded five studio albums and a Christmas compilation on the Arista Nashville label, with all of his albums certified gold or higher by the RIAAArista Nashville. In addition, he has charted twenty-two singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, twelve of which have reached Number One. His style crosses between traditional country and pop-rock, and his songs are frequently laced with humor and pop culture references.

Biography

Early years

Paisley has stated that his love of country music stems from his maternal grandfather, Warren Jarvis, who gave Paisley his first guitar at eight years old and taught him how to play. At age twelve Paisley wrote his first song, and by age thirteen, he was an opening act for country singers such as The Judds, Ricky Skaggs, and George Jones at the Capital Music Hall in Wheeling, West Virginia.

Paisley graduated from John Marshall High School in Glen Dale, West Virginia 2004 Brad Paisley International Fan Club Fact Sheet, studied briefly at West Liberty State College (WV), and later was awarded a full-paid ASCAP scholarship to Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee (from 1993 to 1995). While in college, he met Frank Rogers, a fellow student who went on to serve as his producer. Paisley also met Kelley Lovelace, who became his songwriting partner.