Sunny Sweeney
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Sunny Sweeney |
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Sunny Michaela Sweeney (born in Houston, Texas) is an American country music artist. She is signed to the independent Big Machine Records label. Her debut album, Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame, was issued in 2007. Although it produced three singles in "If I Could", "Ten Years Pass" and "East Texas Pines", none of these singles have charted. In June 2010, the lead-off to her second studio album, "From a Table Away," became her first single to chart.
Biography
Sunny Sweeney was born in longview, Texas. Initially, Sweeney decided that she wanted to be an improv comedian. She moved to New York City to join a comedy troupe; however, the troupe's other members persuaded her to choose a career in singing instead, and she moved back to her native Texas.[1][2] After gaining a following on the club circuit in her native Texas, Sweeney signed to the independent Big Machine Records label.[3] She also toured throughout Europe in 2007.[1] Her debut album, Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame, was initially self-released, and was reissued in 2007 on Big Machine.[4] The album produced three singles in "If I Could," "Ten Years Pass" and "East Texas Pines", although none of these songs charted.
In 2009, Sweeney was signed as the first artist to Republic Records Nashville, a newly-founded joint venture between Big Machine and Universal Republic.[5] Her first single for the label is "From a Table Away," which was released on June 28, 2010. It became her first chart single when it debuted at #58 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of June 26, 2010.
Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame
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Content
"Please Be San Antone" was co-written by Emily Irwin (now known as Emily Robison) of the Dixie Chicks, and was previously recorded by Jim Lauderdale on his 1999 album Onward Through It All. "16th Avenue" was previously a Top Ten single for Lacy J. Dalton from her 1982 album of the same name, and "Mama's Opry" by Iris DeMent on her 1992 album Infamous Angel.
Reception
The album has received favorable reviews from music critics. Michael Berick, who reviewed the album for Allmusic, gave it four stars out of five, calling it a "a refreshing slice of traditional honky tonk enlivened with a dollop of rock & roll energy[…]She has a strong idea of who she is as a singer and performer, and her instincts are proven correct on this impressive effort."[6] Chris Willman of Entertainment Weekly gave it a B+ rating, calling it "the kind of roadhouse fare typically tagged 'too country for country'."[7] Country Standard Time critic Stuart Munro gave a favorable review as well, noting the mix of material on the album, and describing Sweeney's voice as being "full of sass and syrupy twang."[8]
Track listing
- "Refresh My Memory" (Jim Lauderdale, John Scott Sherrill) – 3:23
- "East Texas Pines" (Libbi Bosworth, Gary Griffin) – 3:20
- "Next Big Nothing" (Audrey Auld) –3:14
- "Lavender Blue" (Keith Sykes) – 3:18
- "Ten Years Pass" (Sunny Sweeney, Elizabeth Mason) – 3:24
- "Here Kinda Lately" (Deron Harris) – 2:50
- "Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame" (Sweeney) – 2:34
- "Slow Swinging Western Tunes" (Sweeney) – 4:35
- "Please Be San Antone" (Lauderdale, Emily Erwin) – 2:20
- "Mama's Opry" (Iris DeMent) – 4:07
- "If I Could" (Tim Carroll) – 2:19
- "16th Avenue" (Thom Schuyler) – 3:58
Discography
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | ||||
| 2007 | "If I Could" | — | Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame | |
| 2008 | "Ten Years Pass" | — | ||
| "East Texas Pines" | — | |||
| 2010 | "From a Table Away"A | 26 | TBD | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
- A Current single.
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "If I Could" | Todd Cassetty |
| 2010 | "From a Table Away" | David McClister |
References
- ^ a b "Sunny Sweeney biography". Country Music Television. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ "New Artist Spotlight: Sunny Sweeney". Great American Country. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ Reges, Margaret. "Sunny Sweeney biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ "Sunny Sweeney signs with Big Machine". Country Standard Time. 2006-11-16. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
- ^ "New Nashville label starts with Sunny Sweeney aboard". Country Standard Time. 2009-06-05. Retrieved 2009-06-05.
- ^ Berick, Michael. "Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame review". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-02-15.
- ^ Willman, Chris (2007-03-16). "Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2009-02-15.
- ^ Munro, Stuart. "Heartbreaker's Hall of Fame review". Country Standard Time. Retrieved 2009-02-15.