John Marty Stuart (born September 30, 1958) is an American country and
bluegrass music singer, songwriter, and musician. Active since 1968,
Stuart initially toured with Lester Flatt, and then in Johnny Cash's
road band before beginning work as a solo artist in the early 1980s.
His greatest commercial success came in the first half of the 1990s on
MCA Records Nashville. Stuart has recorded over twenty studio albums,
and has charted over thirty times on the Billboard Hot Country Songs
charts. His highest chart entry is "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'", a duet
with Travis Tritt. Stuart has also won five Grammy Awards out of
sixteen nominations. He is known for his combination of rockabilly,
country rock, and bluegrass music influences, his frequent
collaborations and cover songs, and his distinctive stage dress.
Stuart is also a member of the Grand Ole Opry and Country Music Hall
of Fame.John Marty Stuart was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, on
September 30, 1958. Stuart learned to play guitar and mandolin as a
child and, by age 12, he had joined a bluegrass band called The
Sullivans. While a member of this band, Stuart met mandolinist Roland
White, a member of Lester Flatt's backing band; White invited Stuart
to perform with Flatt at a concert in Delaware in 1972, which led to
him becoming a regular member of that band. He continued to tour in
this capacity until Flatt retired in 1978, and recorded an independent
album called With a Little Help from My Friends that same year. After
this, Stuart performed with Vassar Clements and Doc Watson before
joining Johnny Cash's band in 1980. In 1982, he released a second
album called Busy Bee Cafe on Sugar Hill Records. The album was
composed of a jam session that included a number of country and
bluegrass performers such as Cash, Watson, and Earl Scruggs. In 1985,
Stuart accompanied Johnny Cash to Memphis and played on the Class of
'55 album that also featured Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Jerry Lee
Lewis. At the end of the session, Perkins presented him with his
guitar. Later that year, Stuart left Cash's band and landed a
recording contract with Columbia Records.Stuart released his
self-titled debut album on Columbia in 1985. The album accounted for
Stuart's first chart entry on Billboard Hot Country Songs charts with
his first single release, "Arlene". Three other singles charted from
the album in 1986: "Honky Tonker" and "All Because of You", both
written by Steve Forbert, and Stuart's own "Do You Really Want My
Lovin'". However, these songs were less successful on the charts.
AllMusic writer Jim Worbois gave the album a mixed review, stating
that it was "Not a great album, but made somewhat more interesting by
some of the people appearing on the record and the inclusion of two
Steve Forbert songs." He recorded a second album for Columbia titled
Let There Be Country, which charted two singles in 1988: the Merle
Haggard composition "Mirrors Don't Lie" and "Matches". Due to the
underperformance of the singles, Columbia chose not to release the
album, and Stuart exited the label to return to Mississippi.After
briefly rejoining the Sullivans, he returned to Nashville and signed
with MCA Records in 1989. That label issued the album Hillbilly Rock
that year. Co-produced by Tony Brown and session guitarist Richard
Bennett, the album charted four singles on Hot Country Songs. First
was a cover of Cash's "Cry! Cry! Cry!", followed by "Don't Leave Her
Lonely Too Long", which Stuart wrote with Kostas. While these were
unsuccessful on the charts, the album's title track (written by Paul
Kennerley) became Stuart's first top-ten country hit in 1990. The
album's final release was "Western Girls", which Stuart also co-wrote.
Hillbilly Rock was certified gold by the Recording Industry
Association of America (RIAA) in 1997 for shipments of 500,000 copies.
bluegrass music singer, songwriter, and musician. Active since 1968,
Stuart initially toured with Lester Flatt, and then in Johnny Cash's
road band before beginning work as a solo artist in the early 1980s.
His greatest commercial success came in the first half of the 1990s on
MCA Records Nashville. Stuart has recorded over twenty studio albums,
and has charted over thirty times on the Billboard Hot Country Songs
charts. His highest chart entry is "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'", a duet
with Travis Tritt. Stuart has also won five Grammy Awards out of
sixteen nominations. He is known for his combination of rockabilly,
country rock, and bluegrass music influences, his frequent
collaborations and cover songs, and his distinctive stage dress.
Stuart is also a member of the Grand Ole Opry and Country Music Hall
of Fame.John Marty Stuart was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, on
September 30, 1958. Stuart learned to play guitar and mandolin as a
child and, by age 12, he had joined a bluegrass band called The
Sullivans. While a member of this band, Stuart met mandolinist Roland
White, a member of Lester Flatt's backing band; White invited Stuart
to perform with Flatt at a concert in Delaware in 1972, which led to
him becoming a regular member of that band. He continued to tour in
this capacity until Flatt retired in 1978, and recorded an independent
album called With a Little Help from My Friends that same year. After
this, Stuart performed with Vassar Clements and Doc Watson before
joining Johnny Cash's band in 1980. In 1982, he released a second
album called Busy Bee Cafe on Sugar Hill Records. The album was
composed of a jam session that included a number of country and
bluegrass performers such as Cash, Watson, and Earl Scruggs. In 1985,
Stuart accompanied Johnny Cash to Memphis and played on the Class of
'55 album that also featured Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Jerry Lee
Lewis. At the end of the session, Perkins presented him with his
guitar. Later that year, Stuart left Cash's band and landed a
recording contract with Columbia Records.Stuart released his
self-titled debut album on Columbia in 1985. The album accounted for
Stuart's first chart entry on Billboard Hot Country Songs charts with
his first single release, "Arlene". Three other singles charted from
the album in 1986: "Honky Tonker" and "All Because of You", both
written by Steve Forbert, and Stuart's own "Do You Really Want My
Lovin'". However, these songs were less successful on the charts.
AllMusic writer Jim Worbois gave the album a mixed review, stating
that it was "Not a great album, but made somewhat more interesting by
some of the people appearing on the record and the inclusion of two
Steve Forbert songs." He recorded a second album for Columbia titled
Let There Be Country, which charted two singles in 1988: the Merle
Haggard composition "Mirrors Don't Lie" and "Matches". Due to the
underperformance of the singles, Columbia chose not to release the
album, and Stuart exited the label to return to Mississippi.After
briefly rejoining the Sullivans, he returned to Nashville and signed
with MCA Records in 1989. That label issued the album Hillbilly Rock
that year. Co-produced by Tony Brown and session guitarist Richard
Bennett, the album charted four singles on Hot Country Songs. First
was a cover of Cash's "Cry! Cry! Cry!", followed by "Don't Leave Her
Lonely Too Long", which Stuart wrote with Kostas. While these were
unsuccessful on the charts, the album's title track (written by Paul
Kennerley) became Stuart's first top-ten country hit in 1990. The
album's final release was "Western Girls", which Stuart also co-wrote.
Hillbilly Rock was certified gold by the Recording Industry
Association of America (RIAA) in 1997 for shipments of 500,000 copies.
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