Joshua Bishop Kelley (born January 30, 1980)[1] is an American musician and singer-songwriter. Kelley has recorded for Hollywood Records, Threshold Records and DNK Records as a pop rock artist. His songs "Amazing" and "Only You" reached the top ten on the Billboard Adult Top 40 chart.

Josh Kelley
Kelley performing in 2007
Kelley performing in 2007
Background information
Birth nameJoshua Bishop Kelley
Born (1980-01-30) January 30, 1980 (age 44)
Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
OriginEvans, Georgia, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • musician
Instruments
Years active2001–present
Labels
Spouse
(m. 2007)
WebsiteJoshKelley.com

In 2010, Kelley signed to MCA Nashville and began a country music career.[2] His debut country single, "Georgia Clay", reached the top 20 on the Hot Country Songs charts.

Kelley is married to actress and model Katherine Heigl.

Early life

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Kelley was born in Augusta, Georgia[1] to Dr. John W. Kelley, a cardiologist, and Gayle Kelley.[3] Kelley began his musical career at the age of 11. His younger brother, Charles Kelley, is a musician and singer in the country trio Lady A.[4] When he was a teenager, Kelley and his brother Charles formed a band called Inside Blue.[citation needed] By the time he was 14, the band released a CD with five songs on it, which led to a meeting with James Brown.[citation needed] Kelley played the guitar in the high school jazz band alongside Charles (drums) and Dave Haywood (guitar) from Lady A.[citation needed]

Kelley attended the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi, and is a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.[citation needed]

Music career

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Kelley released his independent album, Changing Faces, in 2001 and signed with Hollywood Records in 2002. Working with John Alagia as his record producer, Kelley released the album, For the Ride Home, on June 3, 2003.

Even though Kelley has stated that the lyrics from his song "Angeles" were fabricated, he moved to Los Angeles from Georgia and recorded the majority of his second album, Almost Honest, in the studio of his home.[citation needed] Almost Honest was released on August 23, 2005, and featured the hit single, "Only You."[citation needed]

After asking to be released from his contract with Hollywood Records, Kelley released his third album, Just Say The Word under his own label, Threshold.[citation needed] The digital version of the album was released through iTunes on June 6, 2006, while the physical album was released in stores in the United States on July 25, 2006.[citation needed] "The Pop Game" was the first single from his self-produced album and was accompanied by a cartoon video.[citation needed]

Kelley's next album, Special Company, was released in the United States on January 14, 2008.[citation needed] His label, Threshold, was renamed DNK Records so as to avoid confusion with another record label by the same name. Kelley also released a digital album that summer titled Backwoods on July 7. [citation needed] On September 23 of that year, Kelley released the album To Remember exclusively through Target stores.[citation needed] The title track was also included on the AT&T Team USA Soundtrack.[citation needed]

Kelley is a supporter of file sharing applications for independent artists who have a difficult time receiving an audience. In fact, Kelley was "found" after targeting Eric Clinger at Hollywood Records with private spam, "If you like James Taylor, Try Josh Kelley," messages using the Napster program.

In November 2009, Kelley signed with MCA Nashville and began recording his first country album in 2010.[5] The album's first single, "Georgia Clay", was released to country radio in August 2010. The single became a Top 20 hit on the Hot Country Songs chart.[citation needed] The album, also entitled Georgia Clay, was released in March 2011.[citation needed]

Kelley released the album New Lane Road in 2016.[6]

Concert tours

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Supporting

Personal life

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Kelley met actress Katherine Heigl in spring 2005 when she appeared in his music video "Only You". One year later, in June 2006, they became engaged.[7] He wrote the song "Hey Katie" for Heigl. The Heigl-Kelley wedding took place on December 23, 2007, at the Stein Eriksen Lodge in Park City, Utah. Heigl's Grey's Anatomy co-stars T.R. Knight, Sandra Oh, Ellen Pompeo and Justin Chambers attended the ceremony, as well as Grey's Anatomy spinoff series Private Practice star Kate Walsh. The ceremony was officiated by Unitarian minister Tom Goldsmith. Heigl walked down the aisle to an acoustic song written by Kelley and performed by a cello and guitar players. The couple wrote their own vows.[citation needed]

During a taping of Live With Regis and Kelly, Heigl stated that she and Kelley chose not to live together before they were married, saying, "I think I just wanted to save something for the actual marriage... I wanted there to be something to make the actual marriage different than the dating or the courtship."[8]

In 2009, the couple adopted a South Korean baby girl,[9] naming her Nancy Leigh, after Heigl's mother and her adopted, Korean-born older sister, respectively. Nancy Leigh's nickname is Naleigh.[10] Nancy Leigh was born with a congenital heart defect that was repaired with open heart surgery before she left South Korea.[11] Kelley and Heigl adopted a second daughter, Adalaide Marie Hope, in April 2012.[12][13]

In addition to their two daughters, Josh Kelley and Katherine Heigl have a son, Joshua Bishop Kelley Jr., born December 20, 2016.[14]

Kelley, Heigl, and their children live in Oakley, Utah.[15]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[16]
US Heat
[17]
US Indie
[18]
US Country
[19]
US Folk
[20]
AUS
[21]
For the Ride Home 159 5 79
Almost Honest
  • Release date: August 23, 2005
  • Label: Hollywood
114 1
Just Say the Word
Special Company
  • Release date: February 5, 2008
  • Label: DNK
7 27
Backwoods
  • Release date: August 20, 2008
  • Label: DNK
19
To Remember
  • Release date: September 29, 2008
  • Label: DNK
11
Georgia Clay 92 16
New Lane Road[22] 29 13
My Baby & The Band
  • Release date: November 2020
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Extended plays

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Title EP details
Josh Kelley Live Session EP
  • Release date: August 2, 2005
  • Label: Hollywood
Georgia Clay
  • Release date: November 30, 2010
  • Label: MCA Nashville

Singles

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Year Title Peak chart positions Album
US
[23]
US AC
[24]
US
Adult

[25]
US Country
[26]
AUS
[21]
2003 "Amazing" 79 8 61 For the Ride Home
2004 "Everybody Wants You" 24
2005 "Only You" 9 99 Almost Honest
"Almost Honest" 29
2006 "Get with It"
"Pop Game" Just Say the Word
"Just Say the Word"
2008 "Unfair" Special Company
2009 "To Remember" 27 To Remember
2010 "Georgia Clay" 87 17 Georgia Clay
2011 "Gone Like That" 53
2014 "Mandolin Rain"
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Guest singles

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Year Single Artist Album
2017 "Young Americans" Colt Ford (with Charles Kelley) Love Hope Faith

Other contributions

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Year Song Album
2004 "To Make You Feel My Love" A Cinderella Story (soundtrack)
"Everybody Wants You" The Prince & Me (soundtrack)
"Share This Day" Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas (soundtrack)
"Amazing" Raising Helen (soundtrack)
2005 "You Are the Woman" Herbie: Fully Loaded (soundtrack)
"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen
2006 "Lover Come Up" My Super Ex-Girlfriend (soundtrack)
"Sunset Lover" John Tucker Must Die (soundtrack)
"Feels Like Home" Brother Bear 2 (soundtrack)
"Welcome to This Day (Reprise)"
"You're a Part of Everything" Candles on Bay Street (soundtrack)
2008 "Unfair" 27 Dresses (soundtrack)
"You're a Part of Everything" Picture This (soundtrack)
2009 "Under the Covers" The Ugly Truth (soundtrack)
2012 "The Best of Me" Act of Valor (soundtrack)

Music videos

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Year Video Director
2004 "Everybody Wants You" Elliott Lester
2005 "Only You" Marcus Raboy
2010 "Georgia Clay" Wes Edwards
2011 "Gone Like That" Adam Boatman
2012 "Naleigh Moon" Katherine Heigl
2016 "It's Your Move"[27]
2017 "Young Americans" (with Colt Ford & Charles Kelley) Wayne Miller

References

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  1. ^ a b Fuoco, Christina. "Josh Kelley Biography". AllMusic.com. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  2. ^ "Josh Kelley's Country Music Crossover: It Feels Like Coming Home".
  3. ^ Rhodes, Don. "Augusta musicians finding fame with Lady Antebellum". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  4. ^ Abrahamson, Rachel Paula (December 26, 2008). "Lady Antebellum Singer Charles Kelley Gets Engaged". US Magazine. Archived from the original on December 27, 2008. Retrieved December 26, 2008. US Magazine, December 26, 2008
  5. ^ "Singer-Songwriter Josh Kelley Signs Nashville Record Deal". Archived from the original on November 22, 2009.
  6. ^ "Review: Josh Kelley, 'New Lane Road'". NPR.org.
  7. ^ "Grey's Anatomy Star Katherine Heigl Engaged". People. June 16, 2006. Retrieved September 17, 2007.
  8. ^ "Katherine Heigl live with Regis and Kelly — part 1". YouTube. March 24, 2008. Archived from the original on June 17, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2009.
  9. ^ Fleeman, Mike; Ingrassia, Lisa (September 9, 2009). "Katherine Heigl & Husband Adopting a Girl". people.com.
  10. ^ Ingrassia, Lisa (September 5, 2009). "Katherine Heigl's Baby Joy". People. 75 (14): 73.
  11. ^ "Katherine Heigl: Naleigh '100 Percent Fine' After Open Heart Surgery". People.com. May 20, 2010. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
  12. ^ "Katherine Heigl, Josh Kelley Adopt Second Daughter!". Us Weekly. April 25, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
  13. ^ "Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley Name Daughter Adalaide Marie Hope". People. May 15, 2012. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  14. ^ "Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley Welcome Son Joshua Bishop".
  15. ^ Goin' country – Katie Heigl and Josh Kelley now call Utah home | Salt Lake Magazine Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  16. ^ "Josh Kelley Album & Song Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  17. ^ "Josh Kelley Album & Song Chart History: Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  18. ^ "Josh Kelley Album & Song Chart History: Independent Albums". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  19. ^ "Josh Kelley Album & Song Chart History: Country Albums". Billboard. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  20. ^ "Josh Kelley Album & Song Chart History: Folk Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  21. ^ a b Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 152.
  22. ^ Allers, Hannahlee (March 25, 2016). "Josh Kelley Set to Release First New Album in Five Years". The Boot. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
  23. ^ "Josh Kelley Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  24. ^ "Josh Kelley Chart History: Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  25. ^ "Josh Kelley Chart History: Adult Pop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  26. ^ "Georgia Clay – Josh Kelley". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2010.
  27. ^ "It's Your Move (Official Video) – Josh Kelley". Vevo. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
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