William Matthew (Billy) Currington (born November 19, 1973) is an American country music artist. Signed to Mercury Nashville Records in 2003, Currington has released three studio albums for the label: 2003's Billy Currington, 2005's Doin' Somethin' Right, and 2008's Little Bit of Everything. These three albums have produced eight singles for Currington on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including the Number One hits "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right", "Good Directions" and "People Are Crazy". He has also charted as a duet partner on Shania Twain's "Party for Two" and the non-album single "Tangled Up" for a total of ten Top 40 country hits.
Early life and career
Billy Currington was born and raised in Rincon, Georgia, and has four sisters (Lexie, Ann, Kim, and Kelly) and two brothers (Charles and Jason). He lives in Nashville, Tennessee. When he was one and a half years old, his mother married Laurie Currington.
When he was a junior in Effingham County High School (Springfield, Georgia), Currington auditioned for a spot at Opryland, the renowned country music theme park located in Nashville, the country music capital. Failing the audition, after high school he moved to Nashville to pursue his career in country music.2 His first stint did not last too long, and he later sang for a bar in Georgia. In Nashville, Currington also worked for a concrete company, and also as a personal trainer. One of the clients he worked with as a personal trainer led Currington to recording demo tapes, as well as writing songs. He eventually had cuts by George Strait, Tracy Byrd, and Marty Raybon.3 After almost being offered to join RCA Records, he signed to Mercury Records Nashville in 2003.
Musical career
Billy Currington
His self-titled debut album was released in 2003. The first single was "Walk a Little Straighter" about his relationship with his alcoholic stepfather, including a chorus that Currington wrote when he was twelve years old.4 "Walk a Little Straighter" went on to peak at #8 that year on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and established Currington as a major Country performer in Nashville. He first hit the Top 5 on the country charts with his second single, "I Got a Feelin'", also from his debut album.
He scored a third consecutive top 10 hit with Shania Twain in late 2004, on the song "Party for Two". The song was from Twain's Greatest Hits album and was released in two formats: a pop version with Mark McGrath as Twain's duet partner, and the country version, which featured Currington.
Doin' Somethin' Right
In 2005, Currington released a second album entitled Doin' Somethin' Right,4 which peaked at #2 on the Top Country Albums chart and #11 on the Billboard 200. Doin' Somethin' Right produced his first Number One in "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right", followed by "Why, Why, Why" at #13 and another Number One in "Good Directions". Co-written by Capitol Records artist Luke Bryan, the latter was the #2 country song of 2007 according to the Billboard Year-End charts. Doin' Somethin' Right is certified platinum by the RIAA. Doin' Somethin' Right also featured "Lucille" which was a song Currington covered from original artist Kenny Rogers.
Little Bit of Everything
On July 19, Currington announced he had canceled the rest of his 2007 tour dates because of laryngitis. His 2007 single, "Tangled Up", peaked at #30 in late 2007, and his third album was delayed. He also had to undergo therapy due to trauma induced by the abuse that he suffered as a child.2
He was absent from the charts for nearly a year before the release of his next single, "Don't", in mid-2008. It was the first single from his third studio album, Little Bit of Everything, which was released on October 14. Currington co-wrote five of the songs on this album.5 "Don't" peaked at #2 on the country charts in early 2009. "People Are Crazy", co-written by Bobby Braddock and Troy Jones, was released as the second single from the album in March 2009 and this became his third Number One hit in July 2009.
On August 1, 2009, Currington suffered a concussion at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alberta after the stage on which he was performing collapsed during a massive wind storm. The collapse also injured Currington's bass guitarist and killed a spectator.6
Awards
| Year |
Association |
Category |
| 2006 |
CMT Music Awards |
Hottest Video of the Year - "Must Be Doin' Something Right" |
Discography
Studio albums
Singles
Guest singles
Music videos
| Year |
Video |
Director |
| 2003 |
"Walk A Little Straighter" |
Margaret Malandruccolo |
| 2004 |
"I Got a Feelin'" |
Philip Andelman |
| "Party for Two" (with Shania Twain) |
Marcus Ruboy |
| 2005 |
"Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right" |
Roger Pistole |
| 2006 |
"Why, Why, Why" |
| 2008 |
"Don't" |
The Brads |
| 2009 |
"People Are Crazy" |
| "That's How Country Boys Roll" |
Potsy Ponciroli |
References
External links
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Billy Currington |
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| Singles |
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