Joshua Otis "Josh" Turner
(born November 20, 1977) is an American country music artist. Signed to MCA Nashville Records in 2003, Josh released his platinum certified debut album Long Black Train
that year. This album produced a #13 in its title track. In 2005, Turner charted his first two Number One singles on the Billboard
country charts: "Your Man" and "Would You Go With Me", both from his Your Man
album, which has been certified 2× Multi-Platinum in the United States. This album also produced the #16-peaking "Me and God", a duet with bluegrass musician Ralph Stanley. Turner's third studio album, titled Everything Is Fine
, was released in October 2007. It produced the #2 hit "Firecracker", and two further Top 20 hits in "Another Try" (a duet with Trisha Yearwood) and its title track. Overall, Turner's three albums have all been certified gold or higher by the RIAA, and nine of his singles have charted on the Billboard
country charts.
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JOSH TURNER TICKETS
| EVENT | DATE | AVAILABILITY |
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Biography
Early in his life, Josh Turner sang lead and bass parts in his church choir. He also formed a gospel quartet called
Thankful Hearts in which he sang bass and occasionally lead. After attending school at Hannah-Pamplico High School in
Florence County,
South Carolina, Turner attended nearby
Francis Marion University. Josh Turner is also a devout
Christian.
In 1996, Turner developed a
lesion on his right vocal cord. Surgery was not needed, but he did have to rest his voice for a year. Turner states that he "learned how to whistle really well during that year."
[1] Turner was examined by the
Vanderbilt voice clinic who advised him to let it heal on his own. While Turner rested his voice back at home, he learned classical vocal techniques and how to take care of his voice and avoid developing further problems.
Shortly afterwards, Turner moved to
Nashville to pursue a career in music and attend
Belmont University. At Belmont, Turner went through a classical training vocal program. While there, he also met Jennifer, whom he married in 2003, prior to the release of his album.
[2] Jennifer also plays piano and sings background vocals in Turner's road band.
Personal life
Josh Turner met his wife, Jennifer in 2003 at a classical training vocal program. Turner and his wife, Jennifer, have a son, Hampton Otis Turner, born on
October 6,
2006.
[3] They welcomed a second son, Colby Lynch Turner on Friday, June 26, 2009. His wife travels with Josh when he's on tour, playing keyboards and singing background vocals.
Music career
2001-2004: ''Long Black Train
On
December 21,
2001, Turner debuted on the
Grand Ole Opry with the song , "
Long Black Train."
In 2003, Turner released his
debut album, also entitled
Long Black Train
. Prior to its release, Turner had released 7" vinyl singles of "She'll Go on You" and "Long Black Train." Both singles featured
Long Black Train
album track "Backwoods Boy" as a B-side. While neither "Backwoods Boy" nor "She'll Go on You" were successful (the latter peaking at #46 on the country charts), "Long Black Train" spent more than forty weeks on the
Billboard
country charts, reaching a peak of #13 and receiving a gold certification. The third single, "What It Ain't", was less successful, reaching #31.
2005-2006: Your Man
In early 2006, Turner released his second album,
Your Man
. The album's first single and title track, "
Your Man", was co-written by
Jace Everett and released in late 2005. "Your Man" also climbed the charts slowly, eventually reaching #1 in early 2006.
Your Man
was certified
Gold by the
RIAA four weeks after its release, and later went
Platinum six months later.
[4]
"
Would You Go with Me" was the second single released from
Your Man
. Like the album's title track, "Would You Go with Me" also reached the top of the country singles charts, holding that position for two weeks; it also reached #48 on the
Billboard Hot 100. Turner also performed it on the
CMA Awards in November 2006.
Shortly after the album's release, a song called "Me and God" was released as a single to
Christian radio. A duet bluegrass musician
Ralph Stanley, the song also featured members of the band
Diamond Rio on background vocals. "Me and God" reached a peak of #16 on the country charts.
In December 2006, the 49th Annual
Grammy Award nominations were announced. Turner received nods for
Best Male Country Vocal Performance and for
Best Country Album. That same month, featurette on
CMT Insider showed Turner in the studio working on the album. He mentioned that he wanted it to sound like music in the 1700s and 1800s. Turner performed at the Ryman Auditorium where a live album was recorded, singing a song called, "Church in the Holler." Turner's album
Josh Turner: Live At The Ryman
was recorded in April and is available exclusively through
Cracker Barrel restaurants.
Turner, along with veteran songwriters
Brett James and
Don Schlitz, wrote a song entitled "Say Yes"; recorded and released by singer
Dusty Drake in 2007, the song was a minor Top 40 country hit for Drake, peaking at #36.
[5]
2007-2008: Everything Is Fine
Turner's third studio album for MCA Nashville, titled
Everything Is Fine
, was released on October 30, 2007. Its lead-off single, "
Firecracker", became Turner's third Top Ten hit on the country music charts, peaking at #2. The second single from
Everything Is Fine
, a duet with
Trisha Yearwood entitled "
Another Try", was released in late January 2008, peaking at #15. The title track has since been released as the third single and peaked at #20.
Everything Is Fine
has been certified gold. Here is Turner performing live in the summer of 2008: http://app.synclive.com?show/21973.
2009-present: Haywire
At the end of June, Josh wrapped up recording his fourth album,
Haywire
. It is scheduled for release on November 10, 2009. The lead-off single, "Why Don't We Just Dance", which was released on August 12, 2009, debuted at #57 on the U.S.
Billboard
Hot Country Songs chart for the week of September 5, 2009.
Grand Ole Opry induction
On September 29, 2007, while giving an award to
Roy Clark on Clark's 20th anniversary on the Grand Ole Opry, Josh was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He was inducted by
Vince Gill on October 27, 2007.
[6] He is the second youngest member, after
Carrie Underwood.
Billy Graham Biopic
Turner plays
George Beverly Shea in the film titled
Billy: The Early Years
, the film is a biopic of the evangelist
Billy Graham. George Beverly Shea led the music on many of Graham's crusades.
[7]
Discography
Awards and nominations
- Grammy Awards
| Year
| Category
| Outcome
|
| 2007
| Male Country Vocal Performance - "Would You Go With Me"
| Nominated
|
| Country Album of the Year - Your Man
|
- CMA Awards
[8]
| Year
| Category
| Outcome
|
| 2004
| Horizon Award
| Nominated
|
| Song of the Year - "Long Black Train"
|
| 2006
| Horizon Award
|
| 2007
| Male Vocalist of the Year
|
- ACM Awards
| Year
| Category
| Outcome
|
| 2004
| Top New Artist
| Nominated
|
| 2005
|
| 2007
| Single Record of the Year - "Would You Go With Me"
|
| Song of the Year - "Would You Go With Me"
|
Vocal Event of the Year - "Me and God"
(w/ Ralph Stanley)
|
- CMT Music Awards
[9]
| Year
| Category
| Outcome
|
| 2004
| Breakthrough Video of the Year - "Long Black Train"
| Nominated
|