|
|
Lonestar Biography
Named after the state from
which all of its members hail, Lonestar was formed in 1992, not in Texas,
but in Tennessee. In fact, the band's original moniker, Texassee, played
upon that fact that the group of Texans had relocated to Tennessee.
The quartet of singer/guitarist Richie McDonald, singer/bassist John Rich,
guitarist Michael Britt, keyboardist Dean Sams, and drummer Keech
Rainwater was discovered in 1993 playing its very first concert at
Backstage Pass in Nashville by a booking agent, who soon sent them out of
the road. After honing their skills by playing nearly 500 shows in two
years, the band scored a contract with BNA Records in 1994.
Lonestar's self-titled debut,
released in 1995, spawned the top-10 country hit "Tequila Talkin'."
It also helped the band garner the top new vocal group honors at the
Academy of Country Music Awards in 1996. Crazy Nights followed in 1997,
but all was not well in the Lonestar camp. In early 1998, Rich announced
plans to pursue a solo career, leaving McDonald as the group's only lead
singer.
Tightening its ranks to a quartet, Lonestar scored its biggest hit with
"Amazed," which hit the No. 1 position on Billboard's Hot
Country Singles & Tracks chart. The success of the single helped the
group's third album, Lonely Grill, debut at No. 3 on the Top Country
Albums chart. With "Amazed" eventually crossing over to top 40
and AC radio stations, and the album spawning three other chart-topping
country hits ("What About Now," "Tell Her," and
"Smile"), Lonely Grill eventually hit the triple platinum mark,
for sales of 3 million copies.
Lonestar returned in 2000 with the holiday album This Christmas Time,
before releasing I'm Already There in 2001. Given the band's past success,
the album debuted at the top of the country album chart, buoyed in part by
the chart-topping title track.
With the release of Greatest Hits in June 2003, Lonestar closed the first
chapter of its career and took some much-needed time off.
Lonestar Links
Lonestar
Official Website |
|
