Paisley has sold over 11 million albums and has won three Grammy Awards, 14 Academy of Country Music Awards, 14 Country Music Association Awards, and two American Music Awards. He has also earned country music's crowning achievement, becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry.[2] Paisley also wrote songs for Pixar's Cars franchise ("Behind the Clouds", "Find Yourself", "Collision of Worlds" (along with Robbie Williams), "Nobody's Fool", etc.).
Paisley has stated that his love of country music stems from his maternal grandfather, who gave Paisley his first guitar at age 8 and taught him how to play. At age 12, Paisley wrote his first song, and by 13 he was the opening act for country singers.
Paisley graduated from John Marshall High School in Glen Dale and enrolled at Belmont University (from 1993 to 1995). While in college, he met Frank Rogers, a fellow student who went on to serve as his producer. Paisley also met Kelley Lovelace, who became his songwriting partner.
After graduating from Belmont, Paisley signed a songwriting contract with EMI Music Publishing. His debut as a singer was with the label Arista Nashville, with the song, "Who Needs Pictures" (released February 22, 1999). In May of that same year, he made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Seven months later he had his first #1 hit with, ""He Didn't Have To Be."
In 2000, Paisley made an appearance on the nationally televised special, "Route 66: Main Street America" featured on TLC (TV channel) and later that same year he won the Country Music Association's (CMA) Horizon Award and the Academy of Country Music's best new male vocalist trophy. He received his first Grammy Award nomination a year later. On February 17, 2001, after forty appearances on the show, he was inducted into the Opry Hall of Fame.
In 2002, he won the CMA Music Video of the Year for ""I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)." Several celebrities made notable guest appearances in the video, inluding Little Jimmy Dickens, Kimberly Williams (Paisley), Dan Patrick, and Jerry Springer.
Paisley released his third album, Mud on the Tires (2003), following Who Needs Pictures and Part II. The album features the hit song "Celebrity," the video of which parodies reality shows such as Fear Factor and American Idol and included such celebrities as Jason Alexander, Little Jimmy Dickens, Trista Rehn, and William Shatner. The album's title track, "Mud on the Tires," reached Billboard #1 in 2004.
In 2005, after touring with Reba McEntire and Terri Clark on the critically acclaimed "Two Hats and a Redhead Tour," he released Time Well Wasted, containing 15 tracks, including "Alcohol", a duet ("When I Get Where I'm Going") with Dolly Parton, another ("Out in the Parking Lot") with Alan Jackson, and a bonus track, "Cornography".
Brad Paisley was the 2008 CMA and ACM Male Vocalist of the Year winner. Starting with the release of his 1999 album Who Needs Pictures, Paisley has recorded seven studio albums and a Christmas compilation on the Arista Nashville label, with all of his albums certified gold or higher by the RIAA. In addition, he has charted 25 singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 15 of which have reached #1 with a record 10 consecutive singles reaching the top spot on the charts. On November 10, 2010, Paisley won the coveted Entertainer of the Year award at the 44th annual CMA Awards.
In 2009 he released American Saturday Night which has his first single Then.
His song "High Life," on the 2014 album Moonshine in the Trunk, refers to suing Carrie Underwood after hearing that one of Carrie's songs "reminded me of a poem my brother wrote back in second grade." This was a subtle joke about an actual lawsuit from a songwriter who accused Brad of using her material. (In real life, the lawsuit was won by Paisley in 2016.)
Paisley released "Without a Fight", a duet with Demi Lovato, on May 13, 2016. It was to have served as the lead single to his eleventh studio album, but due to poor chart performance it did not make the album's final cut. He was selected as one of thirty artists to perform on "Forever Country", a mash-up track of "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "On the Road Again" and "I Will Always Love You" which celebrates 50 years of the CMA Awards. The second single "Today" was released on October 6, 2016, which gave Paisley his first Country Digital Song Sales #1, opening at the top of the chart with 41,000 first-week downloads. The single landed in the #1 spot on the Country Aircheck/Mediabase charts, marking Paisley's 24th #1 song. On November 11, Paisley announced on Twitter that the title of the album would be Love and War, which was released in April 2017.
Love and War features several collaborations with iconic artists, including Timbaland, John Fogerty, Bill Anderson, and Mick Jagger, as well as a songwriting credit with Johnny Cash.
On October 4, 2018, Paisley and his wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley partnered with Belmont University and opened a free referral-based grocery store in Nashville to help the community in need. The Board of Trustees for The Store include Brad Paisley, President; Megan Zarling, Chair; Pete Fisher, Vice-Chair; Doug Paisley, Secretary and Elaine Bryan, Treasurer. Other board members include Sarah Cates, Jaynee Day, Hope Fisher, David Minnigan, John Zarling, Olivia Munn, John Schario, Scott Scovill, Michael Stagg, Becca Stevens and Kimberly Williams-Paisley. Executive Director is Gina Hancock.
In November 2018, Paisley released "Bucked Off", the lead single from his upcoming studio album. On March 11, 2019, Paisley released "My Miracle".
In 2021, Paisley released his own Bourbon brand called "America Highway Reserve." As this whiskey was aged in barrels in the "Rolling Rickhouse" semi-trailer that followed Paisley's 2019 concert tour, Paisley collaborated with Bardstown Bourbon Company to create this Bourbon.
Easy Money
Brad Paisley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the hot summer sun all day
Now I work two hours a night
It feels a lot more like play
'Fore Kenny joined the band
He used to hang dry wall
Ben worked down at Valentino's
So when you see us up here and think
You don't have to tell us 'cause we know
[Chorus]
Yeah, we're laughing all the way to the bank
'Cause it all just seems so funny
A bunch of guys like us
In a big tour bus
Making that easy money
Desperado hauled cattle
Grady drove trucks
Justin had a hotdog stand
Kevin sold records
And Brent sold shoes
And Gary was a garbage man
[Chorus]
I used to have an ex-girlfriend
That didn't understand
She said, "Boy you're going nowhere fast
You oughta get a real job
Why don't you quit that band?"
Now she can kiss my backstage pass
[Chorus: x2]
In Brad Paisley's song Easy Money, he talks about how his life has changed for the better since he started playing music. He reminisces about his old job, where he worked on a rooftop in the hot sun all day, and compares it to his current job where he only works two hours a night and it feels more like play than work. He mentions some band members, including Kenny who used to hang drywall, and Ben who worked at Valentino's. Paisley admits that they are all lucky to be doing what they love, but they don't need anyone to tell them that because they already know.
The chorus focuses on how they're all laughing their way to the bank because they're making easy money doing something they love. Paisley mentions people outside of the band as well, such as Desperado, Grady, Justin, Kevin, Brent, and Gary, who all had different jobs before becoming musicians. Paisley also includes a reference to an ex-girlfriend who didn't understand his passion for music and told him he should quit the band and get a real job. Now, she can kiss his backstage pass as he enjoys the success that comes with his career in music.
Overall, the song celebrates the joy and fulfillment that can come from following your passion and doing what you love. Paisley and his band members have worked hard to get where they are, but they are also grateful for the good fortune that has come their way.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember working on a rooftop
I recall hauling bricks and wood up a roof.
In the hot summer sun all day
It was scorching hot and the rays were beating down on me.
Now I work two hours a night
My job has become so easy that it barely takes up my time.
It feels a lot more like play
And it's almost like a hobby than an occupation.
'Fore Kenny joined the band
Before Kenny, our new member, joined our musical group.
He used to hang dry wall
He was employed as a construction worker before joining us.
Ben worked down at Valentino's
Ben had employment at Valentino's as a staff member.
So when you see us up here and think
When you notice us on this stage and believe that we are lucky.
Man they're lucky
Wow, they're truly fortunate.
You don't have to tell us 'cause we know
You don't have to tell us because we are already aware of it.
Yeah, we're laughing all the way to the bank
We can't help laughing because of the vast profits we are making.
'Cause it all just seems so funny
Our circumstances and success just come across as a hilarious joke.
A bunch of guys like us
A group of regular guys like us.
In a big tour bus
Traveling together in a massive tour bus.
Making that easy money
Earning that income with such ease.
Desperado hauled cattle
Desperado previously transported livestock.
Grady drove trucks
Grady's previous occupation was driving heavy-duty automobiles.
Justin had a hotdog stand
Justin manned a hotdog stand back then.
Kevin sold records
Kevin was in retail and sold albums.
And Brent sold shoes
Brent's previous profession was selling shoes.
And Gary was a garbage man
Gary previously worked collecting trash.
I used to have an ex-girlfriend
I had a girlfriend who's no longer with me.
That didn't understand
She didn't believe in my dreams and aspirations.
She said, 'Boy you're going nowhere fast
She expressed that I was destined to fail.
You oughta get a real job
She suggested that I get a more conventional profession.
Why don't you quit that band?'
She urged that I leave the band.
Now she can kiss my backstage pass
But now, I've succeeded and become famous, and she doesn't matter.
Yeah, we're laughing all the way to the bank
We are still laughing due to our current expensive lifestyle.
'Cause it all just seems so funny
Our unbelievable success still comes across as funny.
A bunch of guys like us
We're still just a regular group of guys.
In a big tour bus
Traveling in the same luxurious tour bus.
Making that easy money
Still making a large income with such ease.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BILLY JOEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind