Chris Knight (musician)

Knight was born in St. Louis, Missouri,[3] and grew up in Slaughters, Kentucky.[1] His extended family lives in the same area of Kentucky. Knight has three brothers and a sister. His father was a pipe liner.[4]

When he was three years old, he asked for a plastic guitar for Christmas. At 15, he became serious and began teaching himself John Prine songs on his older brother's guitar.[5] In an interview, Knight commented "At one point I could play probably 35–40 John Prine songs."[6]

Knight earned a degree in agriculture from Western Kentucky University. He worked for ten years as a mine reclamation inspector and as a miner's consultant for the Kentucky Department of Surface Mining.[7]

In 1986, he heard Steve Earle on the radio and decided to start writing songs. After six years he came to Nashville and won a spot on a songwriters' night at the Bluebird Cafe.[5]

He attracted the interest of music producer Frank Liddell, who signed him to a contract with Bluewater Music. When Decca Records hired Liddell for an A&R position, Knight received a contract and in 1998 Decca released his self-titled debut. Knight still lived in a 10'-x-15' trailer[8] on 90 acres (36 ha) in Slaughters when the album was released.[5] Decca folded at the end of the 1990s, only two years after Knight joined the label. After a couple years without a label, Knight signed with Dualtone Music Group.

Knight licensed his music to Dualtone Records for two records, then decided to release his music independently with the help of his manager.[2]

Knight is well known and because of his particular fame in Texas, was named an "Honorary Texan" in 2006 by Texas Governor Rick Perry.[9]

He recorded his first demo tapes, bootlegged—and then self-released—while living alone in a trailer on his property outside Slaughters.[10] Called The Trailer Tapes, they were officially released in 2007.[11] They were one of his best-selling records.[12]

It took Knight four years to release Little Victories in 2012. Knight's former Decca labelmate, Lee Ann Womack, collaborated with him on "You Lie When You Call My Name."[13] Long-time musical hero John Prine sings on the title track.[14] Buddy Miller plays guitar and sings on two tracks: "Missing You" and "Nothing on Me."[15]

On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Chris Knight among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.[16]