Nobody will ever steal the nickname of “King of Country” away from George Strait. But Brad Paisley is undoubtedly one of the crowned princes of modern country music. He burst onto the scene in the late 90s with multiple no. 1 hits on his first album. More than 20 years later, he remains just as relevant as ever. Paisley has released over a dozen albums and headlined over a dozen tours, collecting countless awards along the way, including a few Grammys. He’s become one of the faces of country music and an ambassador for country music who has helped make the genre appealing to a wider audience.

Just a Good Ole Boy

Paisley’s story sounds like a classic tale of country music success. He grew up in a small town in West Virginia and was noticed for his talents at an early age. By third grade, he was performing in public and started writing songs at age 13. That led to Paisley performing as an opener on the Wheeling Jamboree, which helped launch his career. After attending college in Nashville, Paisley signed a songwriting contract. Soon after, he appeared on the Grand Ole Opry, and in a few short months, Paisley had his first no. 1 hit, jumpstarting the career of one of the most prolific country singers of the 21st century.

The Hits Kept Coming

In 1999, a baby-faced Paisley released his first single “Who Needs Pictures,” which almost immediately became a hit song. From there, the hits just kept on coming in all shapes and forms. With every subsequent song and every subsequent album, Paisley seemed to expand his fanbase even more. He also became the perfect collaborating partner for other country singers, singing duets with Chely Wright, Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton, Keith Urban, Demi Lovato, and even rapper LL Cool J.

One album after another, Paisley continued to play hit songs, doing things a little differently each time but still giving fans what they want. With each song and each collaboration, he worked himself more into the mainstream but without forgetting his country roots. The end result is an amazing career and a concert playlist that features a vast collection of hit songs that will remind fans of just how much Paisley has contributed to country music.