Ted Hewitt

Ted Hewitt
Background information
Born Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Origin Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Producer
  • Songwriter
  • Singer
  • Musician
Years active 1984–present
Associated acts

Ted Hewitt is an American country music producer, songwriter, singer, and musician[1] who has written and performed songs for numerous acts including Rodney Atkins, Tracy Byrd, Glen Campbell, Reba McEntire, and others.[2][3][4] He co-produced Atkins' 2006 album, If You're Going Through Hell, which was certified platinum by the RIAA.[1][5] Other popular tracks written or produced by Hewitt include "Love Lessons" by Tracy Byrd[2] (#9 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs)[6] and "Wine into Water" by T. Graham Brown (#44).[7][8]

Early life and education

Hewitt grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and was the child of two professional musicians. His father was an opera singer and actor who appeared alongside Andy Griffith in the Broadway production of No Time for Sergeants. Hewitt learned how to play the guitar at the age of 15. His father died early in his life. Hewitt graduated from Emory College in Atlanta, Georgia before moving to Nashville, Tennessee in 1984. It was there that he began his career in country music.[1][2]

Career

Upon arriving in Nashville, Hewitt worked closely with producers like Buddy Cannon and Country legend Mel Tillis.[1][2] Tillis signed Hewitt to a publishing contract in 1985. His first song was called "Leavin' Eyes" which he wrote for Glen Campbell. Hewitt also sang on the recording of the song. After his publishing contract with Tillis ended, Hewitt toured with a range of artists including Vern Gosdin, Suzy Bogguss, and Lee Greenwood.[1]

Hewitt went back to writing and composing in 1992 when he signed a publishing contract with Lee Greenwood.[1] In 1995, he wrote Tracy Byrd's "Love Lessons"[2] which peaked at #9 on Billboard's list of Hot Country Songs.[6] While working for Greenwood, Hewitt also met Rodney Atkins and formed a songwriting partnership that continues to the present day. Hewitt helped Atkins earn a record contract at Curb Records in 1997.[1] The following year, he wrote T. Graham Brown's "Wine into Water"[9] which peaked at #44 on the Hot Country Songs list.[8]

Hewitt produced Rodney Atkins' 2003 album Honesty[10] which peaked at #50 on the Billboard list of Top Country Albums.[11] This ultimately led to Hewitt producing Atkins' 2006 platinum-selling album, If You're Going Through Hell. The album peaked at #1 on the Top Country Albums list and at #3 on the Billboard 200 list and contained four #1 singles.[1][3][12] In recognition of the album, Atkins was awarded the Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Male Vocalist in 2006.[1] The album was also nominated for Album of the Year, the title track was nominated for Song of the Year, and Hewitt himself was nominated for Producer of the Year.[13]

Hewitt has also produced other albums and tracks for Rodney Atkins including the albums It's America (2009) and Take a Back Road (2011).[3][14] Most recently, Hewitt produced a 2014 single for Atkins called "Eat Sleep Love You Repeat."[15] Over the course of his career, Hewitt has also produced and performed on albums for artists like Waylon Jennings, Reba McEntire, Wynonna Judd, Les Taylor, Alabama, and numerous others.[1][2]

Selected discography

Studio albums

As producer

Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales threshold)
US Country
[16]		 US
[17]		 US
Heat
[18]
Honesty[10] 50 — 47
If You're Going Through Hell[2]
  • Artist: Rodney Atkins
  • Release date: July 18, 2006
  • Label: Curb Records
 1 3 —
It's America[3]
  • Artist: Rodney Atkins
  • Release date: March 31, 2009
  • Label: Curb Records
 3 15 —
Take a Back Road[14]
  • Artist: Rodney Atkins
  • Release date: October 4, 2011
  • Label: Curb Records
 3 8 —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

As vocalist

Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales threshold)
US Country US US
Heat
My Kind of Country[4] 13[20] — —
Voices in the Wind[22] 31[23] 116[24] —
Something Up My Sleeve[22]
  • Artist: Suzy Bogguss
  • Release date: September 21, 1993
  • Label: Liberty Records
 27[23] 121[24] —
Craig Morgan[22] — — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles

As songwriter/producer

Song Year Artist Album Notes
"Leavin' Eyes"[1] 1984 Glen Campbell Letter to Home
"Love Lessons"[2] 1995 Tracy Byrd Love Lessons US Country #9[6]
"Wine into Water"[2] 1998 T. Graham Brown Wine into Water US Country #44[8]
"She Rides Wild Horses"[27] 1999 Kenny Rogers She Rides Wild Horses
"He Rocks"[28] 2000 Wynonna Judd New Day Dawning
"Monkey in the Middle" 2003 Rodney Atkins Honesty
"Someone to Share it With"
"The Man I Am Today"
"My Old Man"[29]
"Wasted Whiskey"[30] 2006 If You're Going Through Hell
"Chasin' Girls"[31] 2009 It's America
"Growing Up Like That" 2011 Take a Back Road
"Tips"
"Lifelines"[32]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Rea, James (August 28, 2012). "The Producer's Chair: Ted Hewitt". MusicRow. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Corner, Douglas (March 19, 2009). "Ted Hewitt: The Believing Mirror". Nashville Music Buzz. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Kelly, Dennis M. (March 27, 2011). "Review: Rodney Atkins – It's America". Chicago Music Guide. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Reba McEntire – My Kind of Country". www.discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Biography". Rodney Atkins. 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 "Tracy Byrd". www.billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Wine into Water". www.allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 "T. Graham Brown". www.billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  9. ↑ Flippo, Chet (October 2, 1999). "SESAC, Hall of Fame Honor Songwriters; Tenn. Governor Lauds New Inductees". Billboard. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  10. 1 2 Evans Price, Deborah (December 6, 2003). "'Honesty' Pays Off For Rodney Atkins". Billboard. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Rodney Atkins". www.billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Rodney Atkins". www.billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  13. ↑ Wayne, Robert (August 17, 2014). "Producer Spotlight – Ted Hewitt". Robert Wayne Music. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  14. 1 2 Addison, Daryl (September 27, 2011). "GAC Album Review: Rodney Atkins' Take A Back Road". Great American Country. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Rodney Atkins Releases New Single, 'Eat Sleep Love You Repeat'". CountryMusicIsLove. October 29, 2014. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Rodney Atkins Album & Song Chart History – Country Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Rodney Atkins Album & Song Chart History – Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Rodney Atkins Album & Song Chart History – Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  19. ↑ "American albums certifications – Rodney Atkins – If You're Going Through Hell". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select ', then click SEARCH
  20. ↑ "Billboard chart positions > albums". Allmusic. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  21. ↑ "RIAA search – "My Kind of Country"". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  22. 1 2 3 "Ted Hewitt – Credits". www.allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  23. 1 2 "Suzy Bogguss Album & Song Chart History – Country Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  24. 1 2 "Suzy Bogguss Album & Song Chart History – Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  25. ↑ "American albums certifications – Suzy Bogguss – Voices in the Wind". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select ', then click SEARCH
  26. ↑ "American albums certifications – Suzy Bogguss – Something Up My Sleeve". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select ', then click SEARCH
  27. ↑ "She Rides Wild Horses". www.allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  28. ↑ "New Day Dawning". www.allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  29. ↑ "Honesty". www.allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  30. ↑ "If You're Going Through Hell". www.allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  31. ↑ "It's America". www.allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Take a Back Road". www.allmusic.com. AllMusic. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
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