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Chris Knight Biography

christopher-knight
  • Born: June 24, 1960 in Slaughters, KY
  • Years Active: 1990s-2000s
  • Genre: Country

Chris Knight is a singer/songwriter from the tiny mining town of Slaughters, KY, whose self-titled debut album invited comparisons to Steve Earle and John Prine. Knight started on his musical journey at just three years old when he requested a plastic guitar for Christmas. At 15, he became more serious when he began teaching himself dozens of John Prine songs on his older brother's guitar. After earning an agriculture degree from Western Kentucky University, Knight went to work in land reclamation, but in 1986 he heard Earle on the radio and decided to try his hand at writing songs. After six years of perfecting his story songs about the downtrodden of small-town America, Knight came to Nashville and won a coveted spot on a songwriters' night at the Bluebird Cafe. Performing songs like "Framed," which would eventually wind up on his debut album, he caught the ear of Frank Liddell, who signed him to a publishing deal with Bluewater Music. Knight went back home and kept writing, and when Decca Records hired Liddell for an A&R position, Knight got a record deal. When Decca released his self-titled debut in 1997, Knight still lived in a house trailer on 90 acres in Slaughters. He has since become a popular name in Americana music, releasing four more albums: his 1998 self-titled sophomore effort, 2001's Pretty Good Guy, 2003's Jealous Kind, and 2006's Enough Rope. ~ Brian Wahlert, Rovi

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