Josh Kear is a Nashville-based songwriter signed to Sony/ATV Music Publishing. In 2007, he cowrote Carrie Underwood’s hit "

Before He Cheats "Before He Cheats" is a song by American singer Carrie Underwood from her debut studio album, '' Some Hearts'' (2005). Written by Chris Tompkins and Josh Kear, it was released as the fourth single from the album. The song tells the story of a wo ...

" with

Chris Tompkins Christopher G. Tompkins (born Muscle Shoals, Alabama) is an American songwriter based in Nashville. Since 2002 he has co-written songs for pop, rock, and country artists Jimmy Buffett, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, ...

. The song spent five weeks at the top of the charts. His song " Drinking Class", performed by

Lee Brice Kenneth Mobley Brice Jr. (born June 10, 1979), known professionally as Lee Brice, is an American country music singer and songwriter, signed to Curb Records. Brice has released five albums with the label: '' Love Like Crazy'', '' Hard to Love'', ...

, was the most played country song of 2015 according to the Billboard country airplay chart. Other songwriting credits include " Most People Are Good" by Luke Bryan, which held a number one spot on Billboard's Country Airplay chart for three weeks, " Woman, Amen" by

Dierks Bentley Frederick Dierks Bentley (; born November 20, 1975) is an American country music singer and songwriter. In 2003, he signed to Capitol Nashville and released his eponymous debut album. Both it and its follow-up, 2005's '' Modern Day Drifter'', a ...

, "Buy My Own Drinks" by

Runaway June Runaway June is an American country music group consisting of Stevie Woodward (lead vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica, autoharp), Jennifer Wayne (guitar, vocals), and Natalie Stovall (guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, vocals). Wayne co-founded the g ...

, "The Way I See It" by

Mason Ramsey Mason Ramsey (born November 16, 2006) is an American singer. In March 2018, after gaining Internet fame from a viral video of him yodeling " Lovesick Blues" by Hank Williams at a Walmart, Ramsey was signed to Big Loud. He is known for his singl ...

, "More" by Clare Dunn, and "The Best Is Yet To Come" by Drake White. " Need You Now", cowritten with and performed by

Lady Antebellum Lady A (formerly known as Lady Antebellum) is an American country music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2006. The group is composed of Hillary Scott (lead and background vocals), Charles Kelley (lead and background vocals, guitar) ...

, spent five weeks at number one on the country chart and 14 weeks at number one on the adult contemporary chart. The song earned two Grammy Awards, winning for both Country Song of the Year and Overall Song of the Year in 2011. Kear also won Grammy Awards for Country Song Of The Year for "

” and “ Blown Away”. Kear remains the only country songwriter to win the Country Song Of The Year Grammy three times. Other number one songs that Kear has written or cowritten include " God, Your Mama and Me" by

Florida Georgia Line Florida Georgia Line is an American country music duo founded in 2010 by Tyler Hubbard of Georgia and Brian Kelley of Florida, both of whom are vocalists and songwriters. Their 2012 debut single "Cruise" broke two major sales records: it was d ...

(featuring

Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys (often abbreviated as BSB) are an American vocal group consisting of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson. Lou Pearlman formed the group in 1993 in Orlando, Florida. The ...

), “ Highway Don't Care” by

Tim McGraw Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, four for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those album ...

(featuring

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...

and

Keith Urban Keith Lionel Urban (born 26 October 1967) is an Australian-American musician, singer, guitarist and songwriter known for his work in country music. Recognized with four Grammy Awards, Urban also received fifteen Academy of Country Music Award ...

), "

Drunk on a Plane "Drunk on a Plane" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Dierks Bentley. It was released in April 2014 as the third single from his seventh studio album '' Riser''. The song has been certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA. ...

” by

, "

Neon Light Neon lighting consists of brightly glowing, electrified glass tubes or bulbs that contain rarefied neon or other gases. Neon lights are a type of cold cathode gas-discharge light. A neon tube is a sealed glass tube with a metal electrode a ...

” by

Blake Shelton Blake Tollison Shelton (born June 18, 1976) is an American country music singer and television personality. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". The lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" spent five weeks at ...

, both “ Blown Away” and "

Two Black Cadillacs "Two Black Cadillacs" is a song by American recording artist Carrie Underwood, taken from her fourth studio album, '' Blown Away.'' The song served as the album's third single on November 18, 2012, through Arista Nashville. Written by Underwood, ...

” by Carrie Underwood, “ Helluva Life” by Frankie Ballard, and “

Drunk On You "Drunk on You" is a song written by Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins, and Josh Kear and recorded by American country music artist Luke Bryan. It was released in February 2012 as the third single from his album ''Tailgates & Tanlines''. It was also t ...

” by Luke Bryan. Still more songs with which Kear has been involved include “ (Kissed You) Good Night and “ Wild At Heart” by

Gloriana ''Gloriana'', Op. 53, is an opera in three acts by Benjamin Britten to an English libretto by William Plomer, based on Lytton Strachey's 1928 ''Elizabeth and Essex: A Tragic History''. The first performance was presented at the Royal Opera Ho ...

, “ Dancin' Away with My Heart” and “ Goodbye Town” by

, and " Redneck Crazy” by

Tyler Farr Tyler Lynn Farr (born February 5, 1984) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Originally signed to BNA Records Farr released two singles for the label before it closed. He transferred to Columbia Records Nashville, releasing two al ...

. Kear also co-wrote and produced "Just Like You Like It" off of Backstreet Boys' 2019 album ''DNA.'' Kear has received 14 ASCAP country airplay awards, two ASCAP pop airplay awards, and three ASCAP country Song of the Year awards for “

”, “ Need You Now” and “

”. In 2013 he won the ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year award. Kear is an advocate for songwriter's rights. He has made multiple trips to

Washington D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...

to lobby congress on behalf of songwriters. He also performed for the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library ...

in 2014 as part of ASCAP’s "We Write The Songs" series along with Randy Newman, Carly Simon and

Heart The heart is a muscular organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide to t ...

. Kear also helped write the theme song for ASCAP’s 100th Anniversary, "More Than The Stars", collaborating with such writers as

Ne-Yo Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and record producer. He gained fame for his songwriting abilities when he penned Mario's 2004 hit " Let Me Love You ...

, Dan Wilson, Stargate,

Bill Withers William Harrison Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He had several hits over a career spanning 18 years, including " Ain't No Sunshine" (1971), " Grandma's Hands" (1971), " Use Me" (197 ...

and others.

Selected songwriting credits

Awards

External links

Carrie Underwood Associated PressAIMP Panel 2012 - Josh Kear, Mike Stoller, Desmond ChildWinners List
at cmaawards.com

GulfCoastNews.com Feature Article
Big Yellow Dog Music website
Playback Magazine Feature Story

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kear, Josh 1974 births Middle Tennessee State University alumni Living people Grammy Award winners People from Jonesborough, Tennessee