Lyle Pearce Lovett (born November 1, 1957)[6] is an American country singer, songwriter, actor and record producer. Active since 1980, he has recorded 13 albums and released 25 singles to date, including his highest entry, the number 10 chart hit on the U.S. BillboardHot Country Songs chart, "Cowboy Man". Lovett has won four Grammy Awards, including Best Male Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Album.[7] His most recent album is 12th of June, released in 2022.
Early life
Lovett was born in Houston, Texas,[8][9][10] when his family lived in the nearby community of Klein. He is the son of William Pearce and Bernell Louise (née Klein) Lovett, a marketing executive and training specialist, respectively. He was raised in the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.[11] Lovett attended Texas A&M University, where he received Bachelor of Arts degrees in both German and Journalism in 1980. In the early 1980s, Lovett often played solo acoustic sets at the small bars just off the A&M campus.
Career
Lovett began his music career as a singer-songwriter. By the early 1980s, Lovett had already distinguished himself in the burgeoning Texas folk acoustic scene. He had performed in the New Folk competition at the Kerrville Folk Festival in 1980 and 1982.[12] An American singer, Buffalo Wayne, whom he had met in 1978 during a college trip to Germany, invited Lovett to play with him at the 1983 Schueberfouer in Luxembourg. One of the events at the funfair was an American musical tent. The owner of that event was a fan of the Phoenix, Arizona, house band J. David Sloan and the Rogues.[13] He invited the Rogues for the event, and Lovett was encouraged by band members Ray Herndon and Matt Rollings to sit in with the group,[14] which did some of his songs. They opened his eyes to what his songs could sound like with proper backing; Lovett had never sung with a band before.[13] Sloan and band member Billy Williams offered Lovett a deal on studio time, first day free. In 1984 Lovett took them up on the offer. After several stays in Arizona over that summer he recorded 18 songs.[15] The demo tape of the first four songs led to his first record deal;[16] ten of those songs, recorded with the Rogues, became Lovett's self-titled debut album.[17] He made many longtime contacts in Arizona during that time. Several of the Rogue players, Herndon, Matt McKenzie, Rollings, and Williams, went on to play in his band. Williams produced or co-produced several of his albums from 1987 to 2007. Through them he met Francine Reed, who began recording with him in 1985 and toured with him for decades.[18][19] In 2022, reliving his Phoenix connection:
It led to a demo tape, an album and now, this rolling Thanksgiving tour...It's all because of running into this band in Luxembourg. That's a long way to get to Phoenix from Texas. It's a lot shorter if you just do I–10[15]
Lovett was given an award called an "Esky" for Surest Thing in Esquire's 2006 Esky Music Awards in the April issue. The magazine said of Lovett: "The secret of Lyle Lovett's endurance comes down to the three C's: class, charisma and consistency... In the studio and on stage with his giant orchestra, he's spent two decades gracefully matching genuine songcraft with A-list musicianship".
Lovett married actress Julia Roberts after meeting her on the set of The Player. Following a three-week romance, they eloped and married in June 1993 in Marion, Indiana. In March 1995, they divorced after less than two years of marriage. People magazine reported that the breakup was caused by career demands.[23] They remained friends afterwards.[24]
On March 28, 2002, Lovett was trapped by a bull against a fence on his uncle's farm in Klein, Texas, before being pulled to safety. He fully recovered after six months from a badly broken leg, and he began touring again in summer 2003.
Lovett was conferred an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by the University of Houston on May 15, 2010, at its general commencement ceremony.[25][26] His mother was in the audience as her son was presented with an honorary doctorate from the same university from which she had received her bachelor's degree in 1960.[27] His father was also a graduate of the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture of the University of Houston.[25]
In 2015, Lovett received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Texas A&M University.
61* (TV movie, 2001) — song performer "Nobody Knows Me"
All Over the Guy (2001) — song performer and composer "She Makes Me Feel Good" and "The Blues Walk"
Dr. T & the Women (2000) — Song performer and composer and also used a recording of "You've Been So Good Up to Now" (1992), "She's Already Made Up Her Mind" (1992), "Ain't It Something" (1994)
^"Lyle Lovett – Musician". Visit Houston. Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau. 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2013. I was born at the Methodist Hospital in Houston, TX.
^"Musician Recalls Early Connection to UH". University of Houston (University website). September 21, 2012. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2013. I was born at Methodist [hospital] and never lived anywhere else but Houston.
^"[No title]". Houstorian (Facebook page). James Glassman. November 1, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2013. Mr. Lovett just DM'ed me that he was born in Methodist Hospital in the Medical Center.
