Brantley Gilbert

Biography

Brantley Keith Gilbert (born January 20, 1985) is an American country rock singer, songwriter and record producer from Jefferson, Georgia. He was originally signed to Colt Ford's label, Average Joes Entertainment, where he released Modern Day Prodigal Son and Halfway to Heaven. He is now signed to the Valory division of Big Machine Records where he has released six studio albums—a deluxe edition of Halfway to Heaven×Halfway to Heaven16 March 2010 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Hell on Wheels4:162Bending the Rules and Breaking the Law3:313Back in the Day4:014My Kind of Crazy3:415Kick It in the Sticks3:486Halfway to Heaven3:157Saving Amy5:298Country Must Be Country Wide3:359Take It Outside4:2110Them Boys4:0411Fall Into Me4:0112Dirt Road Anthem (Revisited)4:41, Just as I Am×Just as I Am19 May 2014 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1If You Want a Bad Boy3:31217 Again3:593Bottoms Up3:414That Was Us3:475I’m Gone3:346My Baby’s Guns n’ Roses3:337Lights of My Hometown6:108One Hell of an Amen3:429Small Town Throwdown3:2210Let It Ride4:3711My Faith in You5:1012G.R.I.T.S.3:5313Read Me My Rights3:5714Grown Ass Man5:01, The Devil Don't Sleep, Fire & Brimstone, So Help Me God, Tattoos, and 14 country chart entries, four of which have gone to number one. He also co-wrote (with Colt Ford) and originally recorded Jason Aldean's singles "My Kinda Party" and "Dirt Road Anthem".

2007–2013: A Modern Day Prodigal Son and Halfway to Heaven

Brantley Gilbert went to Nashville as a songwriter, where he signed to Warner Chappell Publishing. He continued performing at local venues. In 2009, he released his debut album, A Modern Day Prodigal Son×A Modern Day Prodigal Son2009 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Freshman Year4:132What’s Left of a Small Town3:193G.R.I.T.S.3:294Whenever We’re Alone4:205The Best of Me4:056My Kinda Party4:017A Modern Day Prodigal Son4:228Live It Up3:219Friday Night3:4410Indiana’s Angel3:4011Rock This Town3:1512Picture on the Dashboard4:1913Play Me That Song3:29, under independent label Average Joes Entertainment. He followed with Halfway to Heaven in 2010.
In 2011, he signed with Valory Music Co., a division of Big Machine Records, who released a deluxe edition of Halfway to Heaven. The album was produced by Dann Huff. Its first two singles, "Country Must Be Country Wide×Country Must Be Country Wide26 April 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Country Must Be Country Wide3:36" and "You Don't Know Her Like I Do", both went to number one on the Hot Country Songs chart. After them, "Kick It in the Sticks×Kick It In The Sticks18 July 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Kick It In The Sticks" peaked at number 34, and "More Than Miles×More Than Miles17 October 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1More Than Miles" at number 7 on Country Airplay. He won the ACM New Male Artist award in 2013.

2014–2017: Just as I Am and The Devil Don't Sleep

Gilbert's second Valory album (third overall), Just as I Am×Just as I Am19 May 2014 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1If You Want a Bad Boy3:31217 Again3:593Bottoms Up3:414That Was Us3:475I’m Gone3:346My Baby’s Guns n’ Roses3:337Lights of My Hometown6:108One Hell of an Amen3:429Small Town Throwdown3:2210Let It Ride4:3711My Faith in You5:1012G.R.I.T.S.3:5313Read Me My Rights3:5714Grown Ass Man5:01, was released in May 2014. Its lead single, "Bottoms Up×Bottoms Up17 December 2013 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Bottoms Up3:39", also reached number one. The second single, "Small Town Throwdown", featured guest vocals from labelmates Thomas Rhett and Justin Moore. The third single, "One Hell of an Amen×One Hell Of An Amen7 November 2014 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1One Hell of an Amen3:45", became Brantley's fourth number-one hit in 2015. The album's fourth single was "Stone Cold Sober×Stone Cold Sober17 August 2015 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Stone Cold Sober", released with the album's platinum edition.
Ahead of his fourth album, The Devil Don't Sleep, Gilbert released the single "The Weekend×The Weekend22 July 2016 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1The Weekend3:07" as the album's lead single. Also included on the album is "The Ones That Like Me×The Ones That Like Me26 May 2017 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1The Ones That Like Me".
A deluxe edition of The Devil Don't Sleep includes ten bonus tracks: five demos, and five tracks cut from a live performance at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

2018–2023: Fire & Brimstone and So Help Me God

In December 2018, Gilbert released a duet with Lindsay Ell, "What Happens in a Small Town", as the lead single from his fifth studio album, Fire & Brimstone×Fire & Brimstone4 October 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Fire’t Up2:572Not Like Us3:043Welcome to Hazeville3:014What Happens in a Small Town3:245She Ain’t Home3:216Lost Soul’s Prayer3:287Tough Town3:278Fire & Brimstone5:229Laid Back Ride3:1810Bad Boy4:0111New Money3:1212Breaks Down3:0913Man of Steel3:0614Never Gonna Be Alone3:0815Man That Hung the Moon3:31. The album was released in October 2019. "Fire't Up" was released as the second single off the album.
In June 2020, Gilbert released the single "Hard Days×Hard Days5 June 2020 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Hard Days2:58". The song was later included on a deluxe edition of Fire & Brimstone.
In June 2021, Gilbert released the single "The Worst Country Song of All Time", featuring Hardy and Toby Keith, and followed it up with the promotional single "Gone But Not Forgotten×Gone But Not Forgotten17 September 2021 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Gone But Not Forgotten2:53" in September 2021. The second promotional single, "How to Talk to Girls×How To Talk To Girls19 November 2021 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1How To Talk To Girls3:20", was released on November 19, 2021. In March 2022, Gilbert and Jason Aldean released the third promotional single, "Rolex on a Redneck". In June 2022, Gilbert and Jelly Roll released the fourth promotional single, "Son of the Dirty South", which charted on multiple Billboard charts.
Gilbert released his sixth studio album So Help Me God×So Help Me God10 November 2022 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Heaven by Then3:022Rolex® on a Redneck2:593Miles of Memories3:104She’s the One3:315The Worst Country Song of All Time3:176Son of the Dirty South2:597How to Talk to Girls3:208Little Piece of Heaven2:579Gone but Not Forgotten2:5310So Help Me God3:1411Wrote the Book Around Here2:5212Tailgates of Heaven3:5513Bury Me Upside Down2:4914All Over the Map3:2415Behind the Times3:21 on November 10, 2022 and released "Heaven by Then", featuring Blake Shelton and Vince Gill, as the album's second single. He opened for Five Finger Death Punch on their late 2022 headlining tour along with Cory Marks in the United States. He released a deluxe edition of So Help Me God on April 21, 2023, containing five new tracks, including the promotional single "Bury Me Upside Down". Gilbert joined Nickelback's "Get Rollin' Tour" in summer 2023 in North America as an opening act alongside fellow country artist Josh Ross.

2024–present: Tattoos, Greatest Hits... So Far and label change

On March 8, 2024, Gilbert released "Off The Rails×Off The Rails8 March 2024 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Off The Rails3:04", as the lead promotional single from his seventh studio album. The album's first official single "Over When We're Sober×Over When We're Sober21 June 2024 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Over When We're Sober3:07", featuring Ashley Cooke, was released on June 20, 2024.
In July 2024, Gilbert announced his seventh studio album Tattoos×Tattoos13 September 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Dirty Money4:212Over When We’re Sober3:093Tattoos3:344Gone By Now2:525Off The Rails3:056The Hell That Raised Us3:217Me And My House3:458God Isn’t Country3:289Out Here2:4210Miss These Towns3:06, which was released on September 13, 2024. He released the songs "Me and My House", featuring Struggle Jennings and Demun Jones, and "Dirty Money", featuring Justin Moore, as the album's third and fourth promotional singles, respectively. In January 2025, Gilbert was featured on a remix of country rock artist Austin Snell's song "Muddy Water Rockstar", as promotion for Snell opening for Gilbert on tour in 2025.
On May 23, 2025, Gilbert released a 10th anniversary edition of his third studio album, Just as I Am×Just as I Am19 May 2014 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1If You Want a Bad Boy3:31217 Again3:593Bottoms Up3:414That Was Us3:475I’m Gone3:346My Baby’s Guns n’ Roses3:337Lights of My Hometown6:108One Hell of an Amen3:429Small Town Throwdown3:2210Let It Ride4:3711My Faith in You5:1012G.R.I.T.S.3:5313Read Me My Rights3:5714Grown Ass Man5:01. The album contained two new live tracks that weren't included on the original release. On June 6, 2025, Gilbert released a 15th anniversary edition of his second studio album, Halfway to Heaven×Halfway to Heaven16 March 2010 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Hell on Wheels4:162Bending the Rules and Breaking the Law3:313Back in the Day4:014My Kind of Crazy3:415Kick It in the Sticks3:486Halfway to Heaven3:157Saving Amy5:298Country Must Be Country Wide3:359Take It Outside4:2110Them Boys4:0411Fall Into Me4:0112Dirt Road Anthem (Revisited)4:41, containing the original recordings of the album's tracks, entitled Halfway to Heaven (From the Vault)×Halfway To Heaven (From The Vault)6 June 2025 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Hell on Wheels (original version)4:132Bending the Rules & Breaking the Law (original version)3:273Back in the Day (original version)3:514My Kind of Crazy (original version)3:355Kick It in the Sticks (original version)3:446Halfway to Heaven (original version)3:127Saving Amy (original version)5:158Country Must Be Country Wide (original version)3:359Take It Outside (original version)4:1810Them Boys (original version)3:5611Fall Into Me (original version)4:0212Dirt Road Anthem (Revisited) (original version)4:3813Kick It in the Sticks (original version)3:45.
In September 2025, Gilbert announced his next single, "Want You Back" as a surprise release on September 5, 2025. Upon release, Gilbert announced his next album, a greatest hits compilation, Greatest Hits... So Far, to release on December 12, 2025, featuring three previously unreleased songs, "Want You Back", "Real American", and "Ride With Me". Real American Freestyle co-founder Hulk Hogan had commissioned Gilbert to write “Real American” as the promotion’s theme song.
On October 2, 2025, it was announced by surprise guest, Jelly Roll, during Gilbert's concert at First Bank Amphitheater in Franklin, Tennessee, that BBR Music Group and BMG had signed. Representatives from the management group and label were present to honor Gilbert.
On February 8, 2026, Gilbert performed at Turning Point USA's All-American Halftime Show alongside Kid Rock, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett, performing "Real American" and "Dirt Road Anthem".

Songwriting

In addition to his original work, Gilbert has written songs that Colt Ford and Jason Aldean have recorded. The songs "Dirt Road Anthem" (co-written and originally recorded by him and Colt Ford) and "My Kinda Party" were released on Aldean's 2010 album My Kinda Party. "My Kinda Party" was originally recorded by Gilbert on Modern Day Prodigal Son, while "Dirt Road Anthem" was on Halfway to Heaven. Aldean has also covered Gilbert's "The Best of Me", available on the iTunes release of his 2009 album Wide Open. Gilbert has also co-written the tracks "The Same Way" on Aldean's album 9 and "Small Town Small" on his album Macon, Georgia.

Personal life

In 2013, Gilbert embarked on an eight-day USO tour to entertain American service members stationed in Italy and Kuwait.
Brantley Gilbert was in a near-fatal truck accident when he was 19. Gilbert is an active Christian, and his song "My Faith In You", from his album Just as I Am×Just as I Am19 May 2014 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1If You Want a Bad Boy3:31217 Again3:593Bottoms Up3:414That Was Us3:475I’m Gone3:346My Baby’s Guns n’ Roses3:337Lights of My Hometown6:108One Hell of an Amen3:429Small Town Throwdown3:2210Let It Ride4:3711My Faith in You5:1012G.R.I.T.S.3:5313Read Me My Rights3:5714Grown Ass Man5:01, speaks of his faith.
Gilbert headlined the NRA's Country Concert in February 2023.
In April 2023, Gilbert smashed a can of Bud Light on stage after saying, "Yeah, fuck that." Bud Light had recently become the focus of a boycott from conservatives because of a sponsored Instagram post by transgender woman, Dylan Mulvaney.
Gilbert joined Real American Beer in February 2026 as a partner and investor.

Relationships

It was announced in September 2012 that Brantley Gilbert was dating country music singer and actress Jana Kramer. They were engaged on January 20, 2013, his 28th birthday, but split in August 2013.
In October 2014, Gilbert got engaged to Amber Cochran, a teacher, after they reconnected after dating in high school. The couple were married in June 2015, and have three children.

Albums

A Modern Day Prodigal Son (2009)
Halfway to Heaven (2010)
Just as I Am (2014)
The Devil Don't Sleep (2017)
Fire & Brimstone (2019)
So Help Me God (2022)
Tattoos (2024)
Sins of the Father (2026)