Paul Worley
Encyclopedia
Paul Worley is an American record producer
and session guitarist
, known primarily for his work in country music
. Formerly a vice president at Sony BMG, he later joined the staff of Warner Bros. Records
' Nashville division as chief creative officer. Since leaving Warner in the early 2000s, Worley has worked mainly as a record producer for other acts, such as Big & Rich
, as well as an occasional session guitarist. He is most widely known as the co- producer (with Victoria Shaw
) of the self-titled debut album of Lady Antebellum
(2008), as the co-writer (with Lady Antebellum) of their global hit, "Need You Now" and as the sole producer of their second album, Need You Now
(2010). He also discovered the Dixie Chicks
and, with Blake Chancey
, co-produced their first two albums.
with a degree in philosophy
.
. On the recommendation of record producer Jim Ed Norman, he first played guitar on albums by Janie Fricke
, Eddy Raven
, and Mickey Gilley
. Worley's first production credits included Riders in the Sky's Three on the Trail (1976) and Gary Morris
' Why Lady Why (1983). Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Worley has produced or co-produced several country music albums, primarily by country music
artists.
Through his association with the Dixie Chicks, Worley earned two Grammy Award
s for Best Country Album, both times for albums recorded by the Dixie Chicks
: 1998's Wide Open Spaces
and 1999's Fly. Worley also played guitar on the Chicks' debut single "I Can Love You Better
".
After becoming chief creative officer at Warner Bros. Records
in 2002, Worley helped to sign Big & Rich
, a country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich
.
Worley left Warner Bros. after the label did not sign Lady Antebellum, notwithstanding Worley's encouragement. When the band signed with Capitol Records
, Worley left Warner Bros. in order to produce the band. In early 2011, Worley shared with Lady Antebellum in four of the 2010 Grammy Awards: Best Country Album, Record of the Year, Song of The Year and Best Country Song.
In addition to Morris, the Dixie Chicks and Lady Antebellum, Worley has produced or co-produced albums and singles by Marie Osmond
, the Desert Rose Band
, Highway 101
, Martina McBride
, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Collin Raye
, Sara Evans
and The Band Perry
.
(who wrote Randy Travis
' Number One single "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart
") Tammy Hyler (who has written for Collin Raye
), and Russ Titelman
.
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and session guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, known primarily for his work in 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...
. Formerly a vice president at Sony BMG, he later joined the staff of Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
' Nashville division as chief creative officer. Since leaving Warner in the early 2000s, Worley has worked mainly as a record producer for other acts, such as Big & Rich
Big & Rich
Big & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich. Both members alternate as lead vocalists and play rhythm guitar...
, as well as an occasional session guitarist. He is most widely known as the co- producer (with Victoria Shaw
Victoria Shaw (singer)
Victoria Lynn Shaw is an American country music artist. She has recorded four studio albums, and has charted five singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts...
) of the self-titled debut album of Lady Antebellum
Lady Antebellum
Lady Antebellum is an American country pop music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2006. The trio is composed of Charles Kelley , Dave Haywood and Hillary Scott .The group made its debut in 2007 as guest vocalists on Jim Brickman's single "Never Alone", before signing to Capitol...
(2008), as the co-writer (with Lady Antebellum) of their global hit, "Need You Now" and as the sole producer of their second album, Need You Now
Need You Now
"Need You Now" is a country pop song performed by American country music group Lady Antebellum. The song was co-written by Lady Antebellum and Josh Kear, and produced by the trio along with Paul Worley. It serves as the lead-off single and title track to their second studio album, Need You Now,...
(2010). He also discovered the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
and, with Blake Chancey
Blake Chancey
Blake Chancey is an American record producer and music business executive, known primarily for his work in country music. Formerly an executive vice president and chief creative officer for Sony Music, he later formed a partnership with artist manager Scott Siman...
, co-produced their first two albums.
Early life
Worley was born in Nashville in 1950. He graduated from Vanderbilt UniversityVanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
with a degree in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
.
Producer and Session Musician
Paul Worley began his career in the late 1970s as a session guitarist in Nashville, TennesseeNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. On the recommendation of record producer Jim Ed Norman, he first played guitar on albums by Janie Fricke
Janie Fricke
Janie Fricke is an American country music singer, best remembered for a series of country music hits in the early to mid 1980s....
, Eddy Raven
Eddy Raven
Edward Garvin Futch is an American country music artist known professionally as Eddy Raven. Known for his Cajun-influenced country music, Raven has been a recording artist since 1962...
, and Mickey Gilley
Mickey Gilley
Mickey Leroy Gilley is an American country music singer and musician. Although he started out singing straight-up country and western material in the 1970s, he moved towards a more pop-friendly sound in the 1980s, bringing him further success on not just the country charts, but the pop charts as...
. Worley's first production credits included Riders in the Sky's Three on the Trail (1976) and Gary Morris
Gary Morris
Gary Gwyn Morris is an American country music artist who charted a string of countrypolitan-styled hit songs throughout the 1980s....
' Why Lady Why (1983). Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Worley has produced or co-produced several country music albums, primarily by 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...
artists.
Through his association with the Dixie Chicks, Worley earned two Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s for Best Country Album, both times for albums recorded by the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
: 1998's Wide Open Spaces
Wide Open Spaces
Wide Open Spaces is the major label debut of American country music band the Dixie Chicks, and the fourth studio album overall, released in 1998 . It was their first record with new lead vocalist Natalie Maines, and became their breakthrough commercial success...
and 1999's Fly. Worley also played guitar on the Chicks' debut single "I Can Love You Better
I Can Love You Better
"I Can Love You Better" is the title of a song written by Pamela Brown Hayes and Kostas and recorded by American country music group the Dixie Chicks...
".
After becoming chief creative officer at Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
in 2002, Worley helped to sign Big & Rich
Big & Rich
Big & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich. Both members alternate as lead vocalists and play rhythm guitar...
, a country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich
John Rich (musician)
John Rich is an American country music singer-songwriter. From 1992 to 1998, he was a member of the country music band Lonestar, in which he played bass guitar and alternated with Richie McDonald as lead vocalist...
.
Worley left Warner Bros. after the label did not sign Lady Antebellum, notwithstanding Worley's encouragement. When the band signed with Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, Worley left Warner Bros. in order to produce the band. In early 2011, Worley shared with Lady Antebellum in four of the 2010 Grammy Awards: Best Country Album, Record of the Year, Song of The Year and Best Country Song.
In addition to Morris, the Dixie Chicks and Lady Antebellum, Worley has produced or co-produced albums and singles by Marie Osmond
Marie Osmond
Olive Marie Osmond is an American singer, actress, doll designer, and a member of the show business family The Osmonds. Although she was never part of her family's singing group, she gained success as a solo country music artist in the 1970s and 1980s...
, the Desert Rose Band
Desert Rose Band
The Desert Rose Band is a US country music band from California founded by Chris Hillman along with Herb Pedersen and John Jorgenson in 1985. Rounding out the original lineup were Bill Bryson on bass guitar, Jay Dee Maness on pedal steel guitar, and Steve Duncan on drums...
, Highway 101
Highway 101 (band)
Highway 101 is an American country music band founded by Paulette Carlson , Jack Daniels , Curtis Stone and Scott "Cactus" Moser . With Carlson as lead vocalist, the band recorded three albums for Warner Bros. Records Nashville and charted ten consecutive Top Ten hits on the Hot Country Songs...
, 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....
, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Collin Raye
Collin Raye
Floyd Collin Wray Floyd Collin Wray Floyd Collin Wray (born August 22, 1959 or 1960,Although multiple online sources all indicate Raye's date of birth as 1959, Raye's MySpace lists his date of birth as 1960. Furthermore, the 2004 Deseret News article cited in this article indicates the singer as...
, Sara Evans
Sara Evans
Sara Lynn Evans is an American country singer and songwriter.Evans was one of the few traditional-styled singers to emerge from Nashville in the late 1990s, according to Allmusic. Since emerging in the late 1990s, Evans has made five No. 1 Country hits and Gold and Platinum-certified albums by...
and The Band Perry
The Band Perry
The Band Perry, an American country music group, is composed of siblings Kimberly Perry , Reid Perry and Neil Perry...
.
Skyline Music Publishing
Worley, along with Wally Wilson (another Nashville record producer) and two partners, founded a publishing company known as Skyline Music Publishing. Among the songwriters signed to Skyline are Hugh PrestwoodHugh Prestwood
Hugh Prestwood is an American songwriter whose work is primarily in country music. His first hit as a songwriter was "Hard Time for Lovers", which was recorded in 1978 by Judy Collins. Prestwood also wrote "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart", a Number One for Randy Travis in 1990, and a song for...
(who wrote Randy Travis
Randy Travis
Randy Travis is an American country music singer and actor. Since 1985, he has recorded 20 studio albums and charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 22 of which were number one hits...
' Number One single "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart
Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart
"Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart" is the title of a song written by Hugh Prestwood and recorded by American country music singer Randy Travis. Originally released in January 1990, the song was the second track released from Travis' 1989 album, No Holdin' Back...
") Tammy Hyler (who has written for Collin Raye
Collin Raye
Floyd Collin Wray Floyd Collin Wray Floyd Collin Wray (born August 22, 1959 or 1960,Although multiple online sources all indicate Raye's date of birth as 1959, Raye's MySpace lists his date of birth as 1960. Furthermore, the 2004 Deseret News article cited in this article indicates the singer as...
), and Russ Titelman
Russ Titelman
Russ Titelman is an American record producer and songwriter. He has to date won three Grammy Awards. He earned his first producing the Steve Winwood song "Higher Love", and his second and third for Eric Clapton's Journeyman and Unplugged albums...
.