Sunny Michaela Sweeney
(born in Longview, Texas) is an American country music artist. She is signed to the independent Big Machine Records label. Her debut album, Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame
, was issued in 2007. Although it produced three singles in "If I Could", "Ten Years Pass" and "East Texas Pines", none of these singles have charted.
|
SUNNY SWEENEY TICKETS
| EVENT | DATE | AVAILABILITY |
|---|
| Sunny Sweeney Tickets 12/14 | Dec 14, 2024
Sat, 8:00 PM |  | | Sunny Sweeney Tickets 1/10 | Jan 10, 2025
Fri, 9:30 PM | | | Sunny Sweeney Tickets 1/11 | Jan 11, 2025
Sat, 7:00 PM | | | Sunny Sweeney Tickets 3/6 | Mar 06, 2025
Thu, 7:00 PM | | | Sunny Sweeney Tickets 3/7 | Mar 07, 2025
Fri, 8:00 PM | |
|
Biography
Sunny Sweeney was born in
Longview, Texas. Initially, Sweeney decided that she wanted to be an
improv comedian. She moved to
New York City to join a comedy troupe; however, the troupe's other members persuaded her to choose a career in singing instead, and she moved back to her native Texas.
[1] [2] After gaining a following on the club circuit in her native Texas, Sweeney signed to the independent
Big Machine Records label.
[3] She also toured throughout
Europe in 2007.
Her debut album,
Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame
, was initially self-released, and was reissued in 2007 on Big Machine.
[4] The album produced three singles in "If I Could", "Ten Years Pass" and "East Texas Pines", although none of these songs charted.
In 2009, Sweeney was signed as the first artist to
Republic Records Nashville, a newly-founded joint venture between Big Machine and
Universal Republic.
[5]
Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame
Content
"Please Be San Antone" was co-written by Emily Irwin (now known as
Emily Robison) of the
Dixie Chicks, and was previously recorded by
Jim Lauderdale on his 1999 album
Onward Through It All
. "16th Avenue" was previously a Top Ten single for
Lacy J. Dalton from her 1982 album of the same name, and "Mama's Opry" by
Iris DeMent on her 1992 album
Infamous Angel
.
Reception
The album has received favorable reviews from music critics. Michael Berick, who reviewed the album for
Allmusic, gave it four stars out of five, calling it a "a refreshing slice of traditional honky tonk enlivened with a dollop of rock & roll energy[…]She has a strong idea of who she is as a singer and performer, and her instincts are proven correct on this impressive effort."
[6] Chris Willman of
Entertainment Weekly
gave it a B+ rating, calling it "the kind of roadhouse fare typically tagged 'too country for country'."
[7] Country Standard Time
critic Stuart Munro gave a favorable review as well, noting the mix of material on the album, and describing Sweeney's voice as being "full of sass and syrupy twang."
[8]
Track listing
#"Refresh My Memory" (
Jim Lauderdale,
John Scott Sherrill) – 3:23
#"East Texas Pines" (Libbi Bosworth, Gary Griffin) – 3:20
#"Next Big Nothing" (Audrey Auld) –3:14
#"Lavender Blue" (Keith Sykes) – 3:18
#"Ten Years Pass" (Sunny Sweeney, Elizabeth Mason) – 3:24
#"Here Lately" (Deron Harris) – 2:50
#"Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame" (Sweeney) – 2:34
#"Slow Swinging Western Tunes" (Sweeney) – 4:35
#"Please Be San Antone" (Lauderdale,
Emily Erwin) – 2:20
#"Mama's Opry" (
Iris DeMent) – 4:07
#"If I Could" (Tim Carroll) – 2:19
#"16th Avenue" (
Thom Schuyler) – 3:58
Singles
| Year
| Single
|
| 2007
| "If I Could"
|
| 2008
| "Ten Years Pass"
|
| "East Texas Pines"
|
References
- Sunny Sweeney biography
- New Artist Spotlight: Sunny Sweeney
- Sunny Sweeney biography
- Sunny Sweeney signs with Big Machine
- New Nashville label starts with Sunny Sweeney aboard
- ''Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame'' review
- ''Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame'' review
- ''Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame'' review