13 Under 30 New Country Vstars
13 Under 30: A new generation of promising country artists, While country music's veteran acts like Reba McEntire, George Strait and Alan Jackson continue to have hits well into their 50s, a new generation of stars under 30 is also emerging and taking its place alongside the acts who have been having hits for as many years as the under-30 set has been alive. Here's a look at 13 artists under 30, some just starting out and some already established superstars.
With her debut album, "Wildflower," set to be released this week, 16-year-old Lauren Alaina may have to struggle a bit to get out of the shadow of fellow "American Idol" Season 10 finalist Scotty McCreery, despite her talent and popularity on the show. The native of Rossville, Ga., came in second behind McCreery, and while his debut single went top 15, hers has struggled at country radio. But Alaina, who entered her first talent competition at age 8 and has been coming to Nashville seeking a record deal since age 12, would appear to have the drive and determination to ultimately succeed.
This sibling trio from East Tennessee just celebrated triple-platinum sales of the Grammy-nominated breakthrough single "If I Die Young," and the band's self-titled debut album, released in 2010, is on track to reach sales of 1 million copies by the end of the year. Members Kimberly, Neil and Reid Perry are all in their 20s now, but youngest sibling Neil was still a teenager when the band first broke through. Since then, they've opened major tours for Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw and Keith Urban — with their mom in tow — and are now touring with Reba McEntire through the fall.
At just 26, Brantley Gilbert is already an accomplished songwriter as well as a performer. He's co-written two hits for Jason Aldean, "My Kinda Party" and "Dirt Road Anthem," and his own single, "Country Must Be Country Wide," breaks into the top 10 on the national country charts this week, based on Billboard projections. His second album, "Halfway to Heaven," reached No. 2 on the iTunes country chart when he released it independently, and when it was re-released last month by his new record label home as "Halfway to Heaven Deluxe," it debuted at No. 2 on Billboard's Top Country albums chart.
After weathering the abrupt departure of youngest member Cheyenne Kimball, 21, this summer, Gloriana has continued on as a three-piece outfit. The band formed in 2007 with brothers Mike and Tom Gossin, Rachel Reinert and Kimball, released their debut album in 2009 when Kimball was still a teenager and the other band members were in their 20s, had a hit with "Wild at Heart," opened dates on Taylor Swift's Fearless tour, and won the Academy of Country Music's top new vocal group award. Their second album, "A Thousand Miles Left Behind," is in the works.
At 4 years old, this native of Breaux Bridge, La., was onstage with Hank Williams Jr. singing "Jambalaya" and playing a tiny accordion. At 6, he was appearing with Robert Duvall in the film "The Apostle." Today, at age 20, Hunter Hayes is releasing his first album on Atlantic Records on Oct. 11. The set, which includes his top 25 (and climbing) debut single, "Storm Warning," was co-produced by Hayes, who also played every instrument on it. He recently wrapped up touring with Taylor Swift and is currently on his first headlining tour.
By the time she was a teenager, this Salt Lake City native was already a household name thanks to her appearances as a pro dancer on ABC's hit show "Dancing With the Stars," which she has won twice along with her celebrity partners. That led to a Nashville record deal, a No. 1 album debut and a top 20 single with "That Song in My Head" in 2008. But her long-finished sophomore album appears to have been shelved as the 23-year-old focuses on her acting career, including a starring role in a remake of "Footloose," opening this weekend, and "Rock of Ages," due out next summer.
Just a teen when she was thrust into the national spotlight as a finalist on "Nashville Star" in 2003, Lambert is now a platinum-selling recording artist. In February, she scored her first Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for "The House That Built Me." Her fourth album, "Four the Record," is due Nov. 1, and the 27-year-old artist, who wed fellow star Blake Shelton this past summer, is currently out on her headlining Revolution Continues tour.
He auditioned for "American Idol" at 16, won it at 17 and, having recently just turned 18, he's now enjoying a No. 1 debut album this week with "Clear as Day." Despite big opportunities now being thrown his way, this native of Garner, N.C., is focused on finishing high school and going on to college next year, and he'll work his music career around his education.
Best known for playing Sam Puckett on the Nickelodeon series "iCarly," singer-songwriter McCurdy has long yearned for a successful country music career. Despite being signed to a major record label on her 17th birthday, however, those dreams have not yet been realized for the native of Garden Grove, Calif. Both of the singles released from her debut album so far have failed to catch on at country radio. But at 19, there's still plenty of time for the talented teen to realize her music career ambitions.
A native of tiny Poyen, Ark., Moore emerged in 2009 with the No. 1 debut single "Small Town USA" the same year he was named Billboard's top new country artist of the year. But he got his feet wet in music by winning a talent contest at age 8, and moved to Nashville right out of high school at age 18. His other hits include "Backwoods," "How I Got to Be This Way" and "If Heaven Wasn't so Far Away," and his second album, "Outlaws Like Me," debuted at No. 1. At 27, Moore is the only parent in this group of under-30 artists. He and his wife are expecting their second daughter in November.
Her bubbly personality helped her rise to fame as a finalist on "American Idol" in 2006 at age 19, but with just one top 10 single to her credit to date her star hasn't risen to the level of fellow "Idol" Carrie Underwood. Still, Albemarle, N.C., native Kellie Pickler, now 25 and married, has managed to carve out a successful niche for herself with frequent appearances on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," a guest hosting stint on "The View" and a recent acting gig on The CW's "90210."
With her astonishing success, Swift has become an inspiring role model for other young artists hoping to launch country music careers, in addition to drawing many young fans into country music. Her breakthrough came at age 16 with the lost-love single "Tim McGraw," a formula she would utilize to great success with subsequent singles. Now 21 and with three top-selling albums to her credit, Swift is a megastar who sells out arenas all over the world and recently introduced her own perfume, Wonderstruck.
Since winning "American Idol" in 2005 at age 22, Carrie Underwood has gone on to sell more than 13 million albums in the U.S. and win five Grammy Awards. She is also the only artist in our group of under-30 acts to have achieved a prestigious membership in the Grand Ole Opry. The singer, now 28 and married to Nashville Predators hockey star Mike Fisher, made her film-acting debut this year in "Soul Surfer."
Special to MSN Music
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