Bryan Simpson

This article is about the American singer-songwriter. For the American basketball player, see Bryan Simpson (basketball).

Bryan Simpson
Birth nameBryan Simpson
OriginFort Worth, Texas, United States
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, guitarist
Instruments
Years active2002–present
Member ofThe Whistles & The Bells
Formerly ofCadillac Sky
Websitethewhistlesandthebells.com

Bryan Simpson is an American singer-songwriter from Fort Worth, Texas, who is based out of Nashville, Tennessee. Simpson is best known for his solo output as the Whistles & The Bells, his work as a founding member of Cadillac Sky, and the songs he has written for artists including Tim McGraw and Joe Nichols.[1]

Career

As a songwriter, Simpson has written songs for Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Billy Currington, George Strait, Jason Aldean, and Joe Nichols,[2] whose track "Yeah" went to No. 1 for three consecutive weeks on Billboard Country Airplay in 2014.[1] Simpson also charted with Blake Shelton's "I'll Just Hold On" (2009) at No. 5 and "A Guy with a Girl" (2016) at No. 1, as well as Tim McGraw's "Better Than I Used To Be" (2010), which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard chart. Simpson has won NSAI's Country Awards Top 50 Songs for his work on Brad Martin's "Before I Knew Better", Tim McGraw's "Better Than I Used To Be", Blake Shelton's "I'll Just Hold On", and Joe Nichols' "Yeah.

In 2002, Simpson co-founded Progressive bluegrass band Cadillac Sky in Texas with Matt Menefee (banjo), Ross Holmes (violin), Mike Jump (guitar, vocals), and Clint Sturgeon/Andy Moritz (bass, vocals).[3] They recorded their debut album Blind Man Walking in 2006 for a January 2007 release on the Skaggs Family label. They followed up their debut with Gravity's Our Enemy in 2008 and Letters in the Deep in 2010, which was produced by Dan Auerbach and released through Dualtone Records. Simpson departed the group in 2010 shortly after embarking on a tour opening for Mumford & Sons.

Following his time in Cadillac Sky, Simpson began a solo musical venture in Nashville, called The Whistles & The Bells.[4] Simpson self-produced and self-released the project's eponymous debut album in 2014. It was recorded over two days[5] with the help of Matt Menefee and Byron House among others. On August 7, 2015, the album was reissued globally by New West Records.[6] The project's second album, Modern Plagues, was released on April 28, 2017, promoted with the lead single "Harry Potter".[7]

Discography

Cadillac Sky

  • Blind Man Walking (2007)
  • Gravity's Our Enemy (2008)
  • Letters in the Deep (2010)

The Whistles and The Bells

  • The Whistles & The Bells (2014)
  • Modern Plagues (2017)

References

  1. ^ a b Eric T. Parker, "No. 1 Party: Joe Nichols' 'Yeah'", "Music Row", September 17, 2014
  2. ^ "Bryan Simpson- Bio", "Sandy Lee Watkins Songwriter"
  3. ^ Davis Inman, "Cadillac Sky", "American Songwriter", June 7, 2010
  4. ^ "Fort Worth's Bryan Simpson signs with New West Records". star-telegram.com. April 10, 2015. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  5. ^ Evan Schlansky, "Stream The Whistles and The Bells' Debut Album", "American Songwriter", February 24, 2014
  6. ^ Annie Black, "Video Premiere: The Whistles and The Bells – 'Mercy Please'", "Paste Magazine", September 15, 2015
  7. ^ "Album Premiere: The Whistles & the Bells, 'Modern Plagues'". allmusic.com. April 11, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2019.