Adam Shoenfeld
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Adam Shoenfeld (born April 29, 1974) is a professional guitarist, songwriter and producer based in Nashville, TN. Primarily focused on modern country music, his guitar playing has been featured on over 500 albums, and is closely associated with
Big & Rich Big & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich, both of whom are songwriters, vocalists, and guitarists. Before the duo's foundation, Rich was bass guitarist in the country band Lonestar, while Kenny was a sol ...
(" Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)") and
Jason Aldean Jason Aldine Williams (born February 28, 1977), known professionally as Jason Aldean, is an American country music singer. Since 2005, he has been signed to BBR Music Group, Broken Bow Records, a record label for which he has released eleven alb ...
(" Hicktown").


History

Born in
Huntington, NY Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The town's population was 204,127 at the time of the 2020 census, making it the 11th most populous city/town in the state. Founded in 1653, the Town of Huntington is l ...
, and raised in Blairstown, NJ, Shoenfeld moved to Nashville after graduating high school, where he worked as a house musician at Woodland Studios. While working in the studio, Shoenfeld also performed with many different artists in Nashville, and was introduced to Hollywood Records recording artist "
Big Kenny William Kenneth Alphin (born November 1, 1963), best known by his stage name Big Kenny, is an American country music singer. He and John Rich (musician), John Rich comprise the duo Big & Rich, who recorded four studio albums and charted fifteen s ...
" Alphin. After a brief period of touring in support of
Big Kenny William Kenneth Alphin (born November 1, 1963), best known by his stage name Big Kenny, is an American country music singer. He and John Rich (musician), John Rich comprise the duo Big & Rich, who recorded four studio albums and charted fifteen s ...
’s solo effort Live a Little, they formed the rock band luvjOi, and it was during this time that Shoenfeld met singer-songwriter
John Rich John Rich (born January 7, 1974) is an American country music singer-songwriter. From 1992 to 1998, he was a member of the country band Lonestar, in which he played bass guitar and alternated with Richie McDonald as lead vocalist. After depa ...
. Simultaneously, the MuzikMafia was born, a music and art collective in which Shoenfeld was a longstanding member and also included Jon Nicholson,
Gretchen Wilson Gretchen Frances Wilson (born June 26, 1973, in Pocahontas, Illinois) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She made her debut in March 2004 with the Grammy Awards, Grammy Award-winning single "Redneck Woman", a number-one hit on th ...
,
Cowboy Troy Troy Lee Coleman III (born December 18, 1970), better known by his stage name Cowboy Troy, is an American country rap artist. He has released seven studio albums and one EP, including three releases on Warner Bros. Records, and has charted twice o ...
and others. Rich began using Shoenfeld as a frequent guitarist in the recording studio, playing on demos of songs like "
Redneck Woman "Redneck Woman" is the debut single of American country music artist Gretchen Wilson, released on March 15, 2004, from her debut studio album, ''Here for the Party'' (2004). Wilson co-wrote the song with John Rich. It is Wilson's only number-one ...
" and " Hicktown" (penned by Rich and later recorded by Wilson and Aldean, respectively). After Luvjoi disbanded, the country duo
Big & Rich Big & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich, both of whom are songwriters, vocalists, and guitarists. Before the duo's foundation, Rich was bass guitarist in the country band Lonestar, while Kenny was a sol ...
was formed by Alphin and Rich and signed to
Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (known as Warner Bros. Records Inc. until 2019) is an American record label. A subsidiary of Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division ...
in 2004. Shoenfeld was invited to take part in the recording of the duo’s debut album Horse of a Different Color, which reached the top of the Billboard Country Albums Chart and featured Shoenfeld’s guitar playing on the multi-platinum hit, " Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)," a fusion of country, rock and rap. He not only has played on every
Big & Rich Big & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich, both of whom are songwriters, vocalists, and guitarists. Before the duo's foundation, Rich was bass guitarist in the country band Lonestar, while Kenny was a sol ...
album to date, but is a co-author on the songs "Real World," "High Five," "When the Devil Gets the Best of Me," and "M-E-D-L-E-Y of the Hillbilly Jedi." Shoenfeld toured with
Big & Rich Big & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich, both of whom are songwriters, vocalists, and guitarists. Before the duo's foundation, Rich was bass guitarist in the country band Lonestar, while Kenny was a sol ...
in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009, and while working with
Big & Rich Big & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich, both of whom are songwriters, vocalists, and guitarists. Before the duo's foundation, Rich was bass guitarist in the country band Lonestar, while Kenny was a sol ...
also accepted a spot in
Jason Aldean Jason Aldine Williams (born February 28, 1977), known professionally as Jason Aldean, is an American country music singer. Since 2005, he has been signed to BBR Music Group, Broken Bow Records, a record label for which he has released eleven alb ...
’s band to perform at record label showcases. He continued to work with Aldean thereafter, and on Aldean’s self-titled debut album Shoenfeld performed the guitar part on " Hicktown," a Top 10 radio hit and platinum certified track noted for its heavy, hard-rock style guitars. Since then, Shoenfeld has played lead guitar on every Aldean release to date, and is also co-author of the song "Laid Back," featured on Aldean’s
Old Boots, New Dirt ''Old Boots, New Dirt'' is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Jason Aldean. It was released on October 7, 2014 via Broken Bow Records. Its lead single, "Burnin' It Down", reached the top of the US Hot Country Songs chart dur ...
album. The edgy sound made popular in part by Aldean and
Big & Rich Big & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich, both of whom are songwriters, vocalists, and guitarists. Before the duo's foundation, Rich was bass guitarist in the country band Lonestar, while Kenny was a sol ...
made Shoenfeld an in-demand session musician, and he has gone on to play guitar on over 200 albums for artists such as
Luke Bryan Thomas Luther "Luke" Bryan (born July 17, 1976) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and television personality. Bryan is a five-time "Entertainer of the Year", being awarded by both the Academy of Country Music Awards and the Count ...
,
Keith Urban Keith Lionel Urban ( né Urbahn; 26 October 1967) is an Australian and American country singer, songwriter and guitarist. Recognised with four Grammy Awards, he has also received 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, including the Jim Reeves Int ...
,
Blake Shelton Blake Tollison Shelton (born June 18, 1976) is an American country music, country singer, songwriter and television personality. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin (Blake Shelton song), Austin" from his Blake Shelton (album), self ...
,
Florida Georgia Line Florida Georgia Line was an American country music duo founded in 2010 by vocalists and songwriters Tyler Hubbard of Georgia and Brian Kelley of Florida. Their 2012 debut single " Cruise" broke two major sales records: it was downloaded over ...
,
Jake Owen Joshua Ryan Owen (born August 28, 1981), known professionally as Jake Owen, is an American country music singer. Signed to RCA Nashville in 2006, he released his debut studio album, '' Startin' with Me'', that year. This album produced three ...
,
Thomas Rhett Thomas Rhett Akins Jr. (born March 30, 1990) is an American country music, country singer-songwriter. He is the oldest son of singer Rhett Akins. Rhett has released seven studio albums for Big Machine Records' Valory Music imprint: ''It Goes ...
,
Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
,
Tim McGraw Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer and actor. He has released 17 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, five for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those albums have reached number one on ...
,
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 2 Love (Lee B ...
,
Rascal Flatts Rascal Flatts is an American Country music, country music band formed in 1999 in Nashville, Tennessee. The band consists of Gary LeVox (lead vocals), Jay DeMarcus (bass guitar, background vocals), and Joe Don Rooney (lead guitar, background voc ...
and many more. In 2012, Shoenfeld joined country superstar
Tim McGraw Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer and actor. He has released 17 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, five for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those albums have reached number one on ...
’s touring band, and currently tours with McGraw while also maintaining his recording career.


Producing

Shoenfeld has taken on the role of producer on the following albums: Kelsey Harmon’s One Big Favor,
Sarah Darling Sarah Ann Darling (born October 4, 1982) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She has worked and toured in Nashville, Los Angeles, and the UK. Her last full album release, Wonderland, reached #1 on the official UK Country Charts. ...
’s Angels & Devils,
John Rich John Rich (born January 7, 1974) is an American country music singer-songwriter. From 1992 to 1998, he was a member of the country band Lonestar, in which he played bass guitar and alternated with Richie McDonald as lead vocalist. After depa ...
’s Rich Rocks, Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur, and luvjOi’s Volume 2. AWARDS In 2005, Shoenfeld was awarded
SESAC SESAC is a for-profit performance-rights organization in the United States. Founded in 1930 as the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers, it is the second-oldest performance-rights organization in the United States.
’s Song of the Year honor for "
Mississippi Girl "Mississippi Girl" is a song by the American country music recording artist Faith Hill, taken from her sixth studio album ''Fireflies'' (2005). The song was written by John Rich of the country duo Big & Rich, with co-writing credits including fel ...
," a No. 1 hit for
Faith Hill Audrey Faith McGraw (; born September 21, 1967), known professionally as Faith Hill, is an American Country music, country singer. She is one of the most successful country music artists of all time, having sold almost 50 million albums worldwide ...
co-written with
John Rich John Rich (born January 7, 1974) is an American country music singer-songwriter. From 1992 to 1998, he was a member of the country band Lonestar, in which he played bass guitar and alternated with Richie McDonald as lead vocalist. After depa ...
. Shoenfeld has been nominated for ACM Guitarist of the Year Award in 2011, 2012, 2015. 2017, 2018, and 2019.


References


External links


Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shoenfeld, Adam 1974 births American country bass guitarists American country guitarists American male bass guitarists American country songwriters American male songwriters American session musicians Living people People from Huntington, New York Songwriters from New York (state) Guitarists from New York (state) People from Van Wert, Ohio Guitarists from Ohio Country musicians from New York (state) Country musicians from Ohio 21st-century American bass guitarists 21st-century American male musicians