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Albums23
Songs165
AboutOne of those rare acts who actually became stars directly
from winning Star Search, country-rockers Sawyer Brown
wound up enjoying a long, hit-filled career and remained
commercially viable into the new millennium.
The group originally grew out of country-pop singer Don
King's touring band, with guitarist Bobby Randall and
drummer Joe Smyth signing on in 1979, and bassist Jim
Scholten, keyboardist Gregg "Hobie" Hubbard, and guitarist /
future lead singer Mark Miller all arriving in 1980. King
stopped touring in 1981, and the group decided to stay
together, naming themselves after the Nashville street where
they rehearsed. They spent the next two years on the road,
and their agent landed them an audition for the popular
syndicated talent show Star Search.
Sawyer Brown won the grand prize of 100,000 dollars, and it
wasn't long before Liberty/Capitol signed them up in 1984.
Their self-titled debut album was released in 1985, and their
debut single, "Leona," climbed into the Top 20; its
follow-up, "Step That Step," went all the way to number one,
and the album fell one spot short of that same position. Their
sophomore album, Shakin', was another hit, producing the
Top Five single "Betty's Bein' Bad." The band endured a
singles-chart slump over 1986-1987, likely a result of their
increasingly slick country-pop production, but they
rebounded when "This Missin' You Heart of Mine" went to
number two at the end of 1987. Another commercially
disappointing period followed, lasting into 1991, but it was
interrupted by the Top Five single "The Race Is On," which
helped its accompanying album, The Boys Are Back, climb
into the Top Five. Following 1991's Buick album, Sawyer
Brown parted ways with Liberty and signed with Curb;
around the same time, guitarist Randall departed and was
replaced by Duncan Cameron. Through it all, they never
stopped touring, which helped them maintain a following, and
it paid off when "The Walk" went to number two in late 1991.
Their first Curb album, The Dirt Road, produced two big hits
in the Top Five title track and the band's second number one
hit, "Some Girls Do." Their follow-up, 1992's Cafe on the
Corner, was acclaimed by many critics as their most
consistent, fully realized album, and it gave them three Top
Five hits in the title track, "All These Years," and "Trouble on
the Line." 1993's Outskirts of Town continued their hot
streak, producing two more Top Fives in "The Boys & Me"
and "Hard to Say," plus their third number one in "Thank God
for You." The band capped off their commercial resurgence
with Greatest Hits 1990-1995, a Top Five-selling compilation
whose two new tracks, "I Don't Believe in Goodbye"
and "This Time," both made the Top Five themselves.
Released later in 1995, the Top Ten This Thing
Called Wantin' and Havin' It All produced another Top Five
smash in "Treat Her Right" and was followed by two albums
in 1997: the live Six Days on the Road (another Top Ten
seller) and the gospel / CCM record Hallelujah He Is Born.
The Top Ten Drive Me Wild arrived in 1999, and its title cut
was also a Top Ten hit. Following 2002's poppy Can You Hear
Me Now, the group parted ways with Curb and signed a new
deal with Disney's country subsidiary Lyric Street.
from winning Star Search, country-rockers Sawyer Brown
wound up enjoying a long, hit-filled career and remained
commercially viable into the new millennium.
The group originally grew out of country-pop singer Don
King's touring band, with guitarist Bobby Randall and
drummer Joe Smyth signing on in 1979, and bassist Jim
Scholten, keyboardist Gregg "Hobie" Hubbard, and guitarist /
future lead singer Mark Miller all arriving in 1980. King
stopped touring in 1981, and the group decided to stay
together, naming themselves after the Nashville street where
they rehearsed. They spent the next two years on the road,
and their agent landed them an audition for the popular
syndicated talent show Star Search.
Sawyer Brown won the grand prize of 100,000 dollars, and it
wasn't long before Liberty/Capitol signed them up in 1984.
Their self-titled debut album was released in 1985, and their
debut single, "Leona," climbed into the Top 20; its
follow-up, "Step That Step," went all the way to number one,
and the album fell one spot short of that same position. Their
sophomore album, Shakin', was another hit, producing the
Top Five single "Betty's Bein' Bad." The band endured a
singles-chart slump over 1986-1987, likely a result of their
increasingly slick country-pop production, but they
rebounded when "This Missin' You Heart of Mine" went to
number two at the end of 1987. Another commercially
disappointing period followed, lasting into 1991, but it was
interrupted by the Top Five single "The Race Is On," which
helped its accompanying album, The Boys Are Back, climb
into the Top Five. Following 1991's Buick album, Sawyer
Brown parted ways with Liberty and signed with Curb;
around the same time, guitarist Randall departed and was
replaced by Duncan Cameron. Through it all, they never
stopped touring, which helped them maintain a following, and
it paid off when "The Walk" went to number two in late 1991.
Their first Curb album, The Dirt Road, produced two big hits
in the Top Five title track and the band's second number one
hit, "Some Girls Do." Their follow-up, 1992's Cafe on the
Corner, was acclaimed by many critics as their most
consistent, fully realized album, and it gave them three Top
Five hits in the title track, "All These Years," and "Trouble on
the Line." 1993's Outskirts of Town continued their hot
streak, producing two more Top Fives in "The Boys & Me"
and "Hard to Say," plus their third number one in "Thank God
for You." The band capped off their commercial resurgence
with Greatest Hits 1990-1995, a Top Five-selling compilation
whose two new tracks, "I Don't Believe in Goodbye"
and "This Time," both made the Top Five themselves.
Released later in 1995, the Top Ten This Thing
Called Wantin' and Havin' It All produced another Top Five
smash in "Treat Her Right" and was followed by two albums
in 1997: the live Six Days on the Road (another Top Ten
seller) and the gospel / CCM record Hallelujah He Is Born.
The Top Ten Drive Me Wild arrived in 1999, and its title cut
was also a Top Ten hit. Following 2002's poppy Can You Hear
Me Now, the group parted ways with Curb and signed a new
deal with Disney's country subsidiary Lyric Street.
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