Jon Nite
Jon Nite (born in Amarillo, Texas) is a CMA and ACM award-winning singer/songwriter who has written 14 top ten hits for American music's top artists. Jon's songs have been recorded by Tim McGraw, Chris Young, Dierks Bentley, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, David Nail, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Phillip Phillips, Chase Rice, Jake Owen, Michael Ray, Adam Craig, Darius Rucker, Gloriana, and many more.[1] Teaming with EMI/Sony ATV, Jon has found a radio home with hits like “What Ever She’s Got” by David Nail, “Smoke” by A Thousand Horses, “We Were Us” by Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert, “Beachin” by Jake Owen, “Strip It Down”by Luke Bryan, “Break On Me” by Keith Urban, "Noise" by Kenny Chesney, “Think A Little Less” by Michael Ray, “If I Told You” by Darius Rucker and Boy (Lee Brice song), by Lee Brice.[2] Cole Swindell's single "Break Up in the End" recently broke #1 on the Country Aircheck chart, earning a 2019 Grammy Award nomination for Best Country Song.
Jon Nite | |
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| Born | March 19, 1980 |
| Origin | Amarillo, Texas, U.S. |
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| Years active | 2006–present |
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Biography
Early life
Born and raised in Amarillo, Texas, Nite first started songwriting after he saw an ad on TV for a songwriting competition which his friends "dared" him to enter.[3]
“I sent it in. They liked it. All the critiques were relatively encouraging, like maybe you should move to Nashville,” he explained in a 2016 interview with Songwriter Universe. “Some kind songwriter back in the ’90s was listening to my horrible first song and giving me a pep talk. I just got hooked. I started writing as much as possible.”[4]
Following the judges advice, he moved to Nashville from Amarillo when he was 18 years old with his wife and baby, surviving on food stamps and living in a trailer. He explained “I could be poor in Amarillo, Texas or I could be poor in Nashville and at least be close to something that potentially I could have a dream at”. Nite studied at Belmont University's music school from which he eventually graduated.[5]
Early career
As Nite began collaborating with different writers, he eventually ran into Sony/ATV songwriter Ross Copperman, and they wrote their first song together, called “Glass”, which was cut by country duo Thompson Square and featured on their 2011 self-titled debut album. It also became Nite's first hit as a songwriter, peaking at No. 15 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.
It was alongside Copperman that Jon Nite forged his career and created his next few hits, including co-penning with him (and Tully Kennedy) Dierks Bentley's 2012 top five Country Airplay hit “Tip It On Back”. Nite has since scored a number of other hits writing with Copperman, including Luke Bryan’s Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay No. 1 “Strip It Down” (also co-written with Bryan), A Thousand Horses’ Country Airplay chart-topper “Smoke” (also co-written with Michael Hobby), Keith Urban's Airplay No. 1 “Break On Me”, Darius Rucker’s Airplay chart-topper “If I Told You (also co-written with Shane McAnally) and Kenny Chesney’s Top 10 hit “Noise” (co-written with McAnally).
Another regular songwriting partner has been Jimmy Robbins and the hits they have written together include Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert’s “We Were Us” (also co-written with Nicole Clawson) and Jake Owen’s “Beachin’” (co-written with Jaren Johnston), which both reached No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts. His other collaborations with Robbins include David Nail’s Country Airplay chart-topping “Whatever She’s Got” as well as Chase Rice's “Gonna Wanna Tonight” (also written with Shane McAnally) and Michael Ray's “Think A Little Less” (co-written with Thomas Rhett and Barry Dean), which both were No. 2 peaking Country Airplay hits. Alongside Josh Osborne, they further wrote together Tim McGraw's top five Airplay hit “Top Of The World”.[6]
Present career
Among the other artists Nite has had songs recorded by are Frankie Ballard, Lee Brice, The Three, Brett Eldredge, Love and Theft, Maddie and Tae, Chase Rice, Dallas Smith, Cole Swindell, Leah Turner and Waterloo Revival.
His awards include a CMA Triple Play honor, which he received for writing three No. 1 hits in a calendar year (“Smoke”, “Strip It Down” and “Break On Me”).[7]
Nite additionally earned a 2019 Grammy nomination for Best Country Song following his work on Cole Swindell's chart-topping ballad "Break Up In The End".[8]
#1 Hits
- Strip It Down – Recorded by Luke Bryan
- Break On Me – Recorded by Keith Urban
- We Were Us – Recorded by Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert
- Beachin’ – Recorded by Jake Owen
- Whatever She's Got – Recorded by David Nail
- Smoke – Recorded by A Thousand Horses
- If I Told You – Recorded by Darius Rucker
- Think A Little Less – Recorded by Michael Ray
- Wasting Gas – Recorded by Dallas Smith
- Break Up In The End – Recorded by Cole Swindell
- I Hope - Recorded by Gabby Barrett
Songwriting discography
Singles
References
- "Keith Urban, Jake Owen Songwriter Shares Stories Behind Hits". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2017-07-17.
- "Jon Nite | 30asongwritersfestival.com". www.30asongwritersfestival.com. Retrieved 2017-07-17.
- "Jon Nite". CMA World. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
- Moss, Marissa. "Songwriter Spotlight: Jon Nite Shares Stories Behind Keith Urban, Tim McGraw Hits". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
- Moss, Marissa. "Songwriter Spotlight: Jon Nite Shares Stories Behind Keith Urban, Tim McGraw Hits". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
- "Credits". All Music. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
- "CMA Honors Writers With Triple Play Awards Trophies". 2017-02-16. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
- Variety Staff. "Grammy Awards Nominations: The Complete List". variety.com. Variety Magazine. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- "Lee Brice Releases 'Boy,' Announces Forthcoming Album". Sounds Like Nashville. 2017-05-19. Retrieved 2017-07-17.
- "Jon Nite | Album Discography | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
- "Songwriter Spotlight: Jon Nite Shares Stories Behind Keith Urban, Tim McGraw Hits". Rolling Stone. 2014-11-03. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
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