WV Musicians

WV Musicians

Let's learn about some musicians from West Virginia!

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Click on each of these to learn about them. Then answer the questions on your paper.

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Born in Kenova (Wayne County) in 1957, Michael W. Smith is a Grammy award winning singer, songwriter, musician and actor. Before he reached his teens, Smith developed a love of music through his church which led him to learn piano and join the church choir. Encouraged by family, church and community, he moved to Nashville in the late ’70s. By the mid-’80s, he was on his way to becoming one of the best-selling and most influential artists in Contemporary Christian music. As he added elements of rock, his popularity crossed over to secular music. Smith has won three Grammys and 45 Dove awards, as well as selling more than 15 million albums which have yielded 32 No. 1 hit songs. He has written and composed scores for film projects, authored 12 books, and has acted in assorted motion pictures. Smith is the founder and visionary pastor of New River Fellowship in Franklin, TN, and works with a number of non-profits to help change the lives of teens.

Kathy Mattea was born in 1959 in Cross Lanes (Kanawha County).In the mid- to late-’80s, she was one of the most respected female country stars and a successful hit maker who brought elements of folk, bluegrass, gospel, and singer/songwriter intimacy to her music. In 1976, while attending WVU, Mattea joined the bluegrass band Pennsboro. Two years later, she dropped out of school and moved to Nashville. She landed a deal with Mercury Records in 1983, but it wasn't until her third effort, 1986’s Walk the Way the Wind Blows, that she broke through critically and commercially. Her 1989 album, Willow in the Wind, became her first gold record on the strength of the No. 1 hits “Burnin’ Old Memories” and “Come From the Heart,” and the No. 2 “She Came From Fort Worth.” In addition, the album’s Top Ten “Where’ve You Been” won a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal. The 1993 gospel-oriented Christmas record Good News won a Grammy for Best Southern/Country/Bluegrass Gospel Album. In 2008, Mattea released a CD titled Coal, and took a controversial stand on mountaintop removal. Mattea remains one of WV’s most revered musicians.

Brad Paisley was born in 1972, in Glen Dale (Marshall Country), West Virginia. He has stated that his love of country music stems from his maternal grandfather who gave him his first guitar and taught him how to play at eight years old. In third grade, he performed for the first time in public by singing in his church. Initially, they were just going to have him play the song on the guitar instead of a piano. But then the adults heard him sing the tune and said, "Forget the choir, let's just have Brad do the whole thing." At age 13, he wrote his first song, "Born on Christmas Day", which later appeared on his album Brad Paisley Christmas. After high school, he attended West Liberty State College and then Belmont University in Nashville. He made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry in 1999. His first number one hit, "He Didn't Have To Be" was released later that year. He has since won many Country Music awards and 3 Grammy awards.

Bill Withers was born in Raleigh County, West Virginia in 1938. Hisdad died when he was 12. He grew up with a bad stutter. Nobody would have predicted he would grow up to be a famous singer and songwriter. Now he has become a musical legend. Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Aretha Franklin, Mick Jagger, The Temptations, Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt, Sting, Kenny Rogers – many of the most famous musicians of his time – recorded songs he wrote, and he sold millions of his own records. His songs have been nominated for nine Grammys. He has won three. People all around the world sing “Lean on Me” and his other songs. Withers died in 2020 at the age of 81.