A
country music singer-songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and
occasional actor, Black has had more than 30 singles on the U.S. Billboard
country charts, twenty-two of which have reached number one, in addition to
having released nine studio albums and several compilation albums. In 2003,
Black founded his own record label, Equity Music Group.
Born
in Long Branch, New Jersey in 1962, Black and his family moved to Texas where
his father had been raised. With music always present in the house, it’s no
wonder by age 13 Black taught himself the harmonica and wrote his first song at
age 14. Eventually, Black learned to play the guitar, and as a teenager,
dropped out of high school to join his older brothers in a band before becoming
a solo act.
Initially
drawn to a variety of musical genres, Black chose to focus on country music, in
the style kept alive by George Jones and Merle Haggard. In 1989, Black’s debut
album “Killin’ Time” was an instant success upon its release, establishing him
as one of the biggest new stars in country music. The certified triple-platinum
album spawned four consecutive number one singles, including the title track
“Killin’ Time,” “A Better Man,” “Nobody’s Home,” and “Walkin’ Away.”
Black
would go on to release six more studio albums throughout the 1990s, with such
favorites as “Put Yourself in My Shoes,” “The Hard Way,” “No Time to Kill,” and
“Nothin’ but the Taillights.” Additional hits such as “Loving Blind,” “When My
Ship Comes In,” “Like the Rain,” and duets like “A Bad Goodbye” with Wynonna
Judd and “When I Said I Do” with his wife, actress Lisa Hartman, further
established Black in the hearts of country music fans as a legend in his prime.
Throughout his nearly three-decade career of recording
and performing, Black has collaborated with a number of well-known artists,
making quite a few friends in the process. Among his favorites are Haggard, Jones,
Roy Rogers, David Crosby, and Steve Wariner. With a list of legends such as
this, it’s hard for Black to choose his absolute favorite to work with, but if
he could choose an artist with whom he hasn’t worked, who would it be? “I’d
love to do something with Willie (Nelson) or James Taylor,” he said. “But I’ve
been spoiled thus far, so who could ask for more?”
In 2013, Black released the CD “When I Said I Do,” a mix of re-recorded favorites plus a few new tracks. It was an opportunity for Black to share a little of the new music he had been working on through a partnership with Cracker Barrel restaurants. “I loved working with them; great company and great people,” he said. “I did enjoy revisiting some of the older songs, but I was very anxious to get a little sample of the new stuff out.”
As
far as leaving a legacy one day, Black would above all hope that his
songwriting might be what defines his greatness. “I’ve worked very hard to
write all of this music and keep up with my recording schedule, along with the
pressure that came from the record companies to ‘not’ write my own songs,” he
said. “I never thought after the success of ‘Killin’ Time’ that I would have to
fight to keep writing my songs, but it happened. To this day, there are
companies who would love to sign me to their label, if only I would let
Nashville writers write my songs. Not going to happen!”
After
nearly 30 years in the music business, it’s difficult for Black to name the
single most important highlight of his fabulous career, but he does narrow it
down to just a few great memories he’s had along the way. “It’s so hard to
pinpoint just a few, but I would say the movies I’ve made with my wife, Lisa
Hartman Black, and the one with our daughter, Lily,” he said. “The Tonight Show
with Johnny Carson, all of the shows on military bases, including Somalia and
the Balkans, and writing songs with Haggard, (Jimmy) Buffett, and Michael
McDonald were great moments for me as well.”
Black
hasn’t released a full album of all new material since 2005’s “Drinkin’ Songs
and Other Logic,” but indicated he may have a new record already in the works.
“I’m not sure what my management has lined up, but I’m putting the finishing
touches on it along the way and hope to have it wrapped up and ready for
release by summer,” he said.
While Black admits it isn’t always easy traveling and being away from home, it’s the time on stage that makes it all worthwhile. “The biggest advantage to touring this much is we don’t get rusty,” he said. “I can practice at home and in the studio, but being on stage in front of an audience is the best training and we’re getting a lot of training right now.”
This
year marks the 25th anniversary of Black’s debut smash hit album
“Killin’ Time.” Since then, a new wave of younger artists have come through the
country music scene and provided plenty of competition along the way. But at
52, Black feels that he has never been better as a musician and continues to
hone his craft. “As a singer and guitarist, I feel like I’m in my prime right
now,” he said. “I think as long as I feel that way, I’ll keep going. My vocal
cords have never felt stronger, and I practice way more on guitar now than ever
before. My fingers are crossed for continuing that trend.”
