Brad Paisley photo by David McClister, courtesy of Arista Nashville.

After two years at West Virginia’s West Liberty State College, he transferred to Nashville’s Belmont University, meeting many of those who would go on to work with him both on the stage and behind the scenes. Hard work and a growing circle of contacts led ultimately to a publishing deal and then a recording contract with Arista Nashville, whose artist roster, which includes Alan Jackson and Brooks & Dunn, he had always admired.

Brad was quickly acknowledged as one of country music’s most original and multi-talented artists, and his work has attracted collaborators both on record (Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton, George Jones, Bill Anderson) and in his videos, many graced by an extraordinary cast of characters, including Little Jimmy Dickens, Jason Alexander, William Shatner, Jerry Springer, Kellie Pickler, Taylor Swift, Jim Belushi, and Andy Griffith, as well as Brad’s wife, Kim.

The awards and accolades naturally followed. Brad has won three GRAMMYs and been named best Male Vocalist for the last two years by the Country Music Association and the last three by the Academy of Country Music. At the 2009 ACM Awards, he also took home Video of the Year for "Waitin’ on a Woman," which featured special guest Andy Griffith, and Vocal Event of the Year for his duet with Keith Urban on "Start a Band." Among his many other awards, he has also received Album of the Year honors from both the CMA and the ACM.

His singles have provided a soundtrack to many of life’s big and small, profound and less-than-profound moments. He has made us cry, think, and, perhaps most importantly in a world in dire need of perspective and humor, laugh. He has been topical with songs like "Online" and "Celebrity," and poignant with "Letter to Me" and "When I Get Where I’m Going." He has been rowdy with "Mud on the Tires" and "Alcohol," and tender with "Little Moments" and "We Danced." He has brought us a host of such songs and moments, resulting in 23 Top 40 records and 14 that have hit the No. 1 spot, in turn leading to sales of more than 10 million albums and year after year of sold-out arena shows.

As much as Brad is the guy next door, a funny, fishing, easygoing sort, his prodigious talent, likeable personality, and strong work ethic have conspired to make him one of the genre’s brightest lights. He is known for bridging the gap between young audiences and country’s roots, uniting generations with the sheer joyful exuberance of his music, stage presence, and videos. With the release of American Saturday Night, he offers what he says is "a record about our times. This is a record about my life and the times I’m living in and the times that my children are living in, and the love and loss and heartbreak and triumphs and everything in between."