Country hitmaker Lee Brice opens the Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo and headlines the Headwaters Country Jam.
When country rocker Lee Brice opens the Northwest Montana Fair in Kalispell Aug. 17 and headlines the Headwaters Country Jam in Three Forks Aug. 20, fans are sure to be hollering for his hit, “One of Them Girls.”
The tune, written overnight with songwriting buddies Ashley Gorley, Dallas Davidson and Ben Johnson, took an unprecedented first in 2021 when it was honored as Song of the Year at country music awards ceremonies held by three performing rights organizations — ASCAP, BMI and SESAC – marking the first time that a song has earned that distinction at all three ceremonies within a single year.
The track resonated with music fans too, perching on top of Billboard’s Country Airplay chart for three weeks and winning double platinum status. It’s featured on his latest album, Hey World, which also boasts chart-toppers, “Memory I Don’t Mess With” and “I Hope You’re Happy Now” with Carly Pearce, marking nine career chart-toppers. It also features his new radio single “Soul.”
The multi-award-winner told Billboard magazine last fall that recognition for songwriting is important to him. “The songs are where it all starts, and it’s where I started,” he told the reporter. “When I heard George Strait on the radio, I figured as a 9-year-old kid that if he was the guy singing that song, he obviously wrote it, played the music and produced it. So, I thought, ‘If I want to sing, I guess I need to write some songs, and that’s what I did.’ That’s why this really means a lot to me.”
He’s no stranger to songwriting accolades having previously written hit songs recorded by Garth Brooks (“More Than a Memory”) and Eli Young Band (the ACM song of the year winner “Crazy Girl”), as well as his own hits, including “I Don’t Dance,” “Memory I Don’t Mess With,” and “Rumor.”
When Brice isn’t selling out arenas, writing and recording songs, or building new brands like American Born Whiskey, the family man is hanging out with wife Sara, two young boys and a daughter.
Meanwhile, Brice continues to enjoy massive success at country radio, digital streaming services, and on the road. One of the most-played artists of all time on Pandora, he was the second country artist behind Keith Urban to receive the Pandora Billionaire plaque. He’s also a Grammy nominee, a CMA and ACM award winner and has taken nine radio singles to number one.
Garth Brooks, Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney and others have recorded his songs and he’s performed on numerous TV shows, including NBC’s Today, ABC’s The Bachelor and NBC’s The Voice. Brice performed as part of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song honoring Garth Brooks, which aired on PBS in March 2020.
At the 54th annual CMA Awards, held in 2020, Brice claimed the prize for Musical Event of the Year for his song with Carly Pearce, “I Hope You’re Happy Now,” and at the 56th ACM Awards, the song won Single of the Year and Music Event of the Year, with Brice and Pearce performing it live.
Catch a little country with Lee Brice
Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17 at the fairgrounds in Kalispell. Tickets are $40-$65, $20 for ages 6-12; order online or call 406-758-5810. Fair action also includes PRCA rodeos Thursday-Saturday, and the Big Air Bash on Sunday.
Headwaters Country Jam: Brice performs 10:30 p.m. Aug. 20 during the mega country fest.