Ernest
A bearded blond man in a black vest and pants, holding onto a microphone
Ernest performing in March 2022
Background information
Birth nameErnest Keith Smith[1]
Born (1992-01-11) January 11, 1992 (age 32)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
GenresCountry[1]
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Years active2017–present
LabelsBig Loud
Websiteernestofficial.com

Ernest Keith Smith, (born January 11, 1992) known mononymously as Ernest (stylized as ERNEST), is an American country music singer-songwriter. After writing songs for Morgan Wallen, Jake Owen, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett and Chris Lane, he signed a recording contract with Big Loud in 2019.

Biography

Ernest Keith Smith was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. He took an interest in hip hop music at an early age, citing the Space Jam soundtrack and a compact disc of Eminem songs given to him by a friend as his main influences. At age 19, he suffered a heart attack brought on by a viral infection, and developed a drug addiction while in college playing JUCO baseball.[2] After recovering, he moved back to Nashville and began writing and recording songs, in the bro-country style with Matt Royer, the brother of his now wife, who owned a recording studio. This association led to him co-writing the title track of Florida Georgia Line's 2016 album Dig Your Roots. The following year, recording under the mononym Ernest, he began to cut country rap singles: "Dopeman" and "Bad Boy".[1]

In addition, Ernest began writing songs for Chris Lane and Jake Owen. This led to him signing a recording contract with Big Loud, the label to which both Owen and Lane are signed, in 2019. Concurrently, he began touring with Lane and Mason Ramsey later in the year.[3] Ernest had further success as a songwriter in 2020 with Lane's "Big, Big Plans", Morgan Wallen's "More Than My Hometown", and Sam Hunt's "Breaking Up Was Easy in the 90s". He also released his first single for Big Loud, titled "Cheers".[4] This was followed in 2021 by two more singles; the first was "American Rust", issued in June.[5] It was followed in December by "Flower Shops", a duet with Wallen.[6] He also was a co-writer on labelmate Dallas Smith's single "Hide from a Broken Heart".[7]

Ernest also host his own podcast titled Just Being Ernest, in which he talks to other musicians about the music industry. The podcast first started April 19, 2020.[8]

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[9] 		US
Country
[10]
Locals Only[11]
  • Release date: October 11, 2019
  • Label: Big Loud
 — —
Flower Shops (The Album)
  • Release date: March 11, 2022[12]
  • Label: Big Loud
 150 12
Flower Shops (The Album): Two Dozen Roses
  • Release date: February 10, 2023
  • Label: Big Loud
 — —

Singles

Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
[13] 		US Country
[14] 		US Country Airplay
[15]
2017 "Doperman" — — — Non-album singles
"Bad Boy" — — —
2019 "I Think I Love You" — — — Locals Only
2020 "Cheers" — — — Non-album singles
2021 "American Rust" — — —
2022 "Flower Shops"
(featuring Morgan Wallen) 		64 13 18 Flower Shops (The Album)

References

  1. ^ a b c Mark Deming. "Ernest K. Smith biography". AllMusic. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  2. ^ "Morgan Wallen Wouldn't Trade His Fans with Anyone Just Being ERNEST". YouTube. December 23, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  3. ^ Jessica Nicholson (September 26, 2019). "Big Loud Records Signs Ernest". Music Row. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  4. ^ "Interview: Prolific Songwriter, Ernest, has Written for FGL, Chris Lane, Jake Owen, Morgan Wallen & More. We talk all about it, his own music, his past & impending fatherhood!". Lyric Magazine. March 5, 2021. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  5. ^ "Single Review: American Rust – Ernest". Off the Record UK. June 9, 2021. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  6. ^ "BREAKING: ERNEST Reveals Release Date & Shares Snippet Of "Flower Shops" Featuring Morgan Wallen". Music Mayhem Magazine. December 10, 2021. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  7. ^ "The Sit Down with Dallas Smith". Country in the UK. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  8. ^ "Just Being ERNEST on Apple Podcast". Apple Podcast. April 19, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  9. ^ @billboardcharts (March 21, 2022). "Debuts on this week's #Billboard200 (2/2)..." (Tweet). Retrieved March 22, 2022 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ "Billboard Country Update" (PDF). Billboard. March 28, 2022. p. 14. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  11. ^ "Ernest". www.umusicpub.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  12. ^ Vaughn, Grace Lenehan (February 26, 2022). "Ernest Announces 'Flower Shops (The Album)' + Releases Three New Songs". Taste of Country. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  13. ^ "Morgan Wallen – Chart history (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  14. ^ "Morgan Wallen – Chart history (Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  15. ^ "Morgan Wallen – Chart history (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  16. ^ "American certifications – Ernest". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
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