Andy Griggs
Encyclopedia
Andrew Tyler "Andy" Griggs (born August 13, 1973, in West Monroe, Louisiana
) is an American country music
artist. He has released three albums for RCA Records
Nashville (You Won't Ever Be Lonely
, Freedom
, and This I Gotta See
) and a fourth (The Good Life
) for Montage Music Group
. These four albums have accounted for 13 singles on the Billboard
country charts, of which the highest are "You Won't Ever Be Lonely
" and "She's More
", both which peaked at number 2. He also charted "Grow Young With You," a cut from the soundtrack to the film Where the Heart Is
.
. His father, Darrell, died when Griggs was 10, and brother Mason served as the family's father figure until he died of a heart attack
at age 22.
Andy Griggs attended River Oaks High School. He briefly attended Northeast Louisiana University before returning to his hometown in the early 1990s, where he found work as a minister and began a family with his wife. He continued to work on his musical skills, however, and by 1999, he signed to a contract with RCA Records
Nashville.
Griggs has been married twice, first to Stephanie Sullivan in February in 1995, but they were eventually separated. In 2005 Griggs married his current wife, Renee.
, was issued in 1999 via RCA Records Nashville. Certified gold by the RIAA, the album accounted for five singles on the Billboard
country singles charts. The first three singles — the title track, "I'll Go Crazy" and "She's More" — were all Top Ten hits, peaking at number 2, number 10 and number 2 respectively. "You Won't Ever Be Lonely" also had the sixth-longest chart run on the country charts in the 1990s decade, spending thirty-six weeks on the charts. Following "She's More" was a non-album song, "Grow Young With Me", recorded as a duet with Coley McCabe
, and after that, "Waitin' on Sundown" at number 50 and "You Made Me That Way" at number 19. Also included on the album was a duet with Griggs' idol Waylon Jennings
in the track "Shine On Me", as well as a cover of Jennings' "Ain't Livin' Long Like This".
He released his second album, Freedom
, in 2002. Although its lead-off single "How Cool Is That" peaked at number 22, the second single, "Tonight I Wanna Be Your Man", became his fourth Top Ten hit at number 7. Closing out this album was "Practice Life", a number 33 duet with Martina McBride
.
For 2003 and half of 2004, Griggs was absent from the country charts, although he, Montgomery Gentry
, and Blake Shelton
performed uncredited guest vocals on Tracy Byrd's 2003 single "The Truth About Men
". Mid-2004 saw the release of "She Thinks She Needs Me
". Co-written by Shane Minor
, this song was the first single release from Griggs' third album, This I Gotta See
, also released in 2004. Although this song and follow-up "If Heaven
" were both number 5 hits on the country charts, the album's third single, "This I Gotta See", stopped at number 58, and the fourth single ("I Never Had a Chance") failed to chart at all. By 2005, he had left RCA's roster.
In 2007, Griggs signed to his second recording contract, this time with Montage Music Group
. His first album for the label, The Good Life
, produced two low-charting singles in "Tattoo Rose" (co-written by Cole Deggs, lead singer of Cole Deggs & the Lonesome
) and "What If It's Me". Three years later, he issued "Can I Get an Amen".
^ You Won't Ever Be Lonely also peaked at number 5 on the Billboard
Top Heatseekers
chart and number 11 on the RPM
Country Albums chart in Canada.
West Monroe, Louisiana
West Monroe is a city in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 13,250 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Monroe Metropolitan Statistical Area....
) is an American country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist. He has released three albums for RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
Nashville (You Won't Ever Be Lonely
You Won't Ever Be Lonely
-Personnel:As listed in liner notes.*Richard "Spady" Brannan – bass guitar*Jessi Colter – background vocals*Charles Cushman – 5-string banjo*Stuart Duncan – fiddle*Larry Franklin - fiddle, mandolin*Paul Franklin – pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar...
, Freedom
Freedom (Andy Griggs album)
Freedom is the second album by country music singer Andy Griggs. Released in 2002 on RCA Records Nashville, it features the singles "How Cool Is That", "Tonight I Wanna Be Your Man", and "Practice Life", a duet with Martina McBride; respectively, these reached No. 22, No. 7, and No...
, and This I Gotta See
This I Gotta See
This I Gotta See is the third album by country music singer Andy Griggs. Released in 2004 as his final album for RCA Records, the album produced three singles: "She Things She Needs Me", "If Heaven" and the title track. These first two singles each reached No. 5 on the Hot Country Songs charts,...
) and a fourth (The Good Life
The Good Life (Andy Griggs album)
-Singles:...
) for Montage Music Group
Montage Music Group
Montage Music Group was an American independent record label based in Nashville, Tennessee, specializing in country music. Acts signed to the label include Andy Griggs, Matt King, Ryan Shupe & the RubberBand, Little Texas, Minnie Murphy, and The Road Hammers...
. These four albums have accounted for 13 singles on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
country charts, of which the highest are "You Won't Ever Be Lonely
You Won't Ever Be Lonely (song)
"You Won't Ever Be Lonely" is the debut single of American country music singer Andy Griggs. Released in November 1998 as the lead-off single from his debut album, You Won't Ever Be Lonely, it peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts.-Chart performance:The song...
" and "She's More
She's More
"She's More" is the title of a song written by Liz Hengber and Rob Crosby, and recorded by American country music singer Andy Griggs. It was released in January 2000 as the third single from his debut album, You Won't Ever Be Lonely...
", both which peaked at number 2. He also charted "Grow Young With You," a cut from the soundtrack to the film Where the Heart Is
Where the Heart Is (2000 film)
Where the Heart Is is a 2000 drama/romance film directed by Matt Williams and produced by Susan Cartsonis, David McFadzean, Patricia Whitcher and Matt Williams. Filmed in Austin, Texas, and Waco, Texas at Baylor University. The movie stars Natalie Portman and Ashley Judd...
.
Biography
Andrew Tyler Griggs was born August 13, 1973, in West Monroe, LouisianaWest Monroe, Louisiana
West Monroe is a city in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 13,250 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Monroe Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. His father, Darrell, died when Griggs was 10, and brother Mason served as the family's father figure until he died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
at age 22.
Andy Griggs attended River Oaks High School. He briefly attended Northeast Louisiana University before returning to his hometown in the early 1990s, where he found work as a minister and began a family with his wife. He continued to work on his musical skills, however, and by 1999, he signed to a contract with RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
Nashville.
Griggs has been married twice, first to Stephanie Sullivan in February in 1995, but they were eventually separated. In 2005 Griggs married his current wife, Renee.
Musical career
Griggs' debut album, You Won't Ever Be LonelyYou Won't Ever Be Lonely
-Personnel:As listed in liner notes.*Richard "Spady" Brannan – bass guitar*Jessi Colter – background vocals*Charles Cushman – 5-string banjo*Stuart Duncan – fiddle*Larry Franklin - fiddle, mandolin*Paul Franklin – pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar...
, was issued in 1999 via RCA Records Nashville. Certified gold by the RIAA, the album accounted for five singles on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
country singles charts. The first three singles — the title track, "I'll Go Crazy" and "She's More" — were all Top Ten hits, peaking at number 2, number 10 and number 2 respectively. "You Won't Ever Be Lonely" also had the sixth-longest chart run on the country charts in the 1990s decade, spending thirty-six weeks on the charts. Following "She's More" was a non-album song, "Grow Young With Me", recorded as a duet with Coley McCabe
Coley McCabe
Coley McCabe is an American country music singer. In 2000, she signed to RCA Records Nashville and released two singles. The first of these, "Grow Young with You" , was also included in the soundtrack to the 2000 film Where the Heart Is. A second single entitled "Who I Am to You" followed, but...
, and after that, "Waitin' on Sundown" at number 50 and "You Made Me That Way" at number 19. Also included on the album was a duet with Griggs' idol Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
in the track "Shine On Me", as well as a cover of Jennings' "Ain't Livin' Long Like This".
He released his second album, Freedom
Freedom (Andy Griggs album)
Freedom is the second album by country music singer Andy Griggs. Released in 2002 on RCA Records Nashville, it features the singles "How Cool Is That", "Tonight I Wanna Be Your Man", and "Practice Life", a duet with Martina McBride; respectively, these reached No. 22, No. 7, and No...
, in 2002. Although its lead-off single "How Cool Is That" peaked at number 22, the second single, "Tonight I Wanna Be Your Man", became his fourth Top Ten hit at number 7. Closing out this album was "Practice Life", a number 33 duet with Martina McBride
Martina McBride
Martina McBride is an American country music singer and songwriter. McBride has been called the "Céline Dion of Country Music" for her big-voiced ballads and soprano range....
.
For 2003 and half of 2004, Griggs was absent from the country charts, although he, Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo composed of vocalists Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. The two began performing in the 1990s as part of a band which also included Eddie Montgomery's brother John Michael Montgomery, and founded the existing duo in 1999.Signed to Columbia Records,...
, and Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton
Blake Tollison Shelton is an American country music artist. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". Released as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
performed uncredited guest vocals on Tracy Byrd's 2003 single "The Truth About Men
The Truth About Men (song)
"The Truth About Men" is the title of a song written by Paul Overstreet, Rory Lee Feek and Tim Johnson, and recorded by American country music singer Tracy Byrd. It is the title track to, and first single from, his 2003 album The Truth About Men. The song peaked at number thirteen on the Hot...
". Mid-2004 saw the release of "She Thinks She Needs Me
She Thinks She Needs Me
"She Thinks She Needs Me" is a song written by Shane Minor, Sonny LeMaire and Clay Mills, and recorded by American country music artist Andy Griggs...
". Co-written by Shane Minor
Shane Minor
Shane Allen Minor is an American country music artist. Signed to Mercury Nashville Records in 1999, Minor released his self-titled album that year, and it produced three hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts...
, this song was the first single release from Griggs' third album, This I Gotta See
This I Gotta See
This I Gotta See is the third album by country music singer Andy Griggs. Released in 2004 as his final album for RCA Records, the album produced three singles: "She Things She Needs Me", "If Heaven" and the title track. These first two singles each reached No. 5 on the Hot Country Songs charts,...
, also released in 2004. Although this song and follow-up "If Heaven
If Heaven
"If Heaven" is the title of a song written by Gretchen Peters and recorded by American country music singer Andy Griggs. It was released in October 2004 as the second single from his 2004 album This I Gotta See...
" were both number 5 hits on the country charts, the album's third single, "This I Gotta See", stopped at number 58, and the fourth single ("I Never Had a Chance") failed to chart at all. By 2005, he had left RCA's roster.
In 2007, Griggs signed to his second recording contract, this time with Montage Music Group
Montage Music Group
Montage Music Group was an American independent record label based in Nashville, Tennessee, specializing in country music. Acts signed to the label include Andy Griggs, Matt King, Ryan Shupe & the RubberBand, Little Texas, Minnie Murphy, and The Road Hammers...
. His first album for the label, The Good Life
The Good Life (Andy Griggs album)
-Singles:...
, produced two low-charting singles in "Tattoo Rose" (co-written by Cole Deggs, lead singer of Cole Deggs & the Lonesome
Cole Deggs & the Lonesome
- Track listing :#"Girl Next Door" – 3:38#"I Got More" – 3:29#"Out of Alabama" – 3:03#"Twelve Ounces Deep" – 4:18...
) and "What If It's Me". Three years later, he issued "Can I Get an Amen".
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
|||
| You Won't Ever Be Lonely You Won't Ever Be Lonely -Personnel:As listed in liner notes.*Richard "Spady" Brannan – bass guitar*Jessi Colter – background vocals*Charles Cushman – 5-string banjo*Stuart Duncan – fiddle*Larry Franklin - fiddle, mandolin*Paul Franklin – pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar... [A] |
|
15 | 73 |
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... : Gold |
| Freedom Freedom (Andy Griggs album) Freedom is the second album by country music singer Andy Griggs. Released in 2002 on RCA Records Nashville, it features the singles "How Cool Is That", "Tonight I Wanna Be Your Man", and "Practice Life", a duet with Martina McBride; respectively, these reached No. 22, No. 7, and No... |
|
7 | 77 | |
| This I Gotta See This I Gotta See This I Gotta See is the third album by country music singer Andy Griggs. Released in 2004 as his final album for RCA Records, the album produced three singles: "She Things She Needs Me", "If Heaven" and the title track. These first two singles each reached No. 5 on the Hot Country Songs charts,... |
|
7 | 59 | |
| The Good Life The Good Life (Andy Griggs album) -Singles:... |
Montage Music Group Montage Music Group was an American independent record label based in Nashville, Tennessee, specializing in country music. Acts signed to the label include Andy Griggs, Matt King, Ryan Shupe & the RubberBand, Little Texas, Minnie Murphy, and The Road Hammers... |
— | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
CAN Country RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
|||
| 1998 | "You Won't Ever Be Lonely You Won't Ever Be Lonely (song) "You Won't Ever Be Lonely" is the debut single of American country music singer Andy Griggs. Released in November 1998 as the lead-off single from his debut album, You Won't Ever Be Lonely, it peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts.-Chart performance:The song... " |
2 | 28 | 11 | You Won't Ever Be Lonely |
| 1999 | "I'll Go Crazy I'll Go Crazy (Andy Griggs song) "I'll Go Crazy" is a single by American country music artist Andy Griggs. Released in July 1999, it was the second single from the album You Won't Ever Be Lonely. The song reached #10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.... " |
10 | 65 | 2 | |
| 2000 | "She's More She's More "She's More" is the title of a song written by Liz Hengber and Rob Crosby, and recorded by American country music singer Andy Griggs. It was released in January 2000 as the third single from his debut album, You Won't Ever Be Lonely... " |
2 | 37 | 2 | |
| "Waitin' on Sundown" | 50 | — | 57 | ||
| "You Made Me That Way" | 19 | 116 | * | ||
| 2001 | "How Cool Is That" | 22 | 119 | * | Freedom |
| 2002 | "Tonight I Wanna Be Your Man Tonight I Wanna Be Your Man "Tonight I Wanna Be Your Man" is a song written by Rivers Rutherford and Troy Verges, and recorded by American country music artist Andy Griggs. Released in January 2002, it was the second single from the album Freedom. The song reached #7 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks... " |
7 | 52 | * | |
| "Practice Life" (with Martina McBride Martina McBride Martina McBride is an American country music singer and songwriter. McBride has been called the "Céline Dion of Country Music" for her big-voiced ballads and soprano range.... ) |
33 | — | * | ||
| 2004 | "She Thinks She Needs Me She Thinks She Needs Me "She Thinks She Needs Me" is a song written by Shane Minor, Sonny LeMaire and Clay Mills, and recorded by American country music artist Andy Griggs... " |
5 | 43 | * | This I Gotta See |
| "If Heaven If Heaven "If Heaven" is the title of a song written by Gretchen Peters and recorded by American country music singer Andy Griggs. It was released in October 2004 as the second single from his 2004 album This I Gotta See... " |
5 | 65 | * | ||
| 2005 | "This I Gotta See" | 58 | — | * | |
| "I Never Had a Chance" | — | — | * | ||
| 2007 | "Tattoo Rose" | 57 | — | * | The Good Life |
| "What If It's Me" | 52 | — | * | ||
| 2009 | "Cutthroat, Montana" | — | — | * | Non-album song |
| 2010 | "Can I Get an Amen" | — | — | * | TBD |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart * denotes unknown peak positions |
|||||
Guest singles
| Year | Single | Artist | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
||||
| 2000 | "Grow Young with You" | Coley McCabe Coley McCabe Coley McCabe is an American country music singer. In 2000, she signed to RCA Records Nashville and released two singles. The first of these, "Grow Young with You" , was also included in the soundtrack to the 2000 film Where the Heart Is. A second single entitled "Who I Am to You" followed, but... |
50 | Where the Heart Is (soundtrack) |
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | "You Won't Ever Be Lonely" | Brent Hedgecock |
| "She's More" | ||
| 2000 | "Grow Young with You" (with Coley McCabe Coley McCabe Coley McCabe is an American country music singer. In 2000, she signed to RCA Records Nashville and released two singles. The first of these, "Grow Young with You" , was also included in the soundtrack to the 2000 film Where the Heart Is. A second single entitled "Who I Am to You" followed, but... ) |
|
| 2002 | "Tonight I Wanna Be Your Man" | Roger Pistole |
| 2003 | "The Truth About Men" (with Tracy Byrd, Montgomery Gentry Montgomery Gentry Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo composed of vocalists Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. The two began performing in the 1990s as part of a band which also included Eddie Montgomery's brother John Michael Montgomery, and founded the existing duo in 1999.Signed to Columbia Records,... and Blake Shelton Blake Shelton Blake Tollison Shelton is an American country music artist. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". Released as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts... ) |
Thom Oliphant |
| 2005 | "If Heaven" | Roman White Roman White Roman White is a music video director who has directed most of Carrie Underwood's videos. He has also directed music videos for Kelly Clarkson, Josh Groban, Kellie Pickler, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and more... |
^ You Won't Ever Be Lonely also peaked at number 5 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
chart and number 11 on the RPM
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
Country Albums chart in Canada.