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Jon Nite (born March 19, 1988) is an American singer/songwriter. He is Grammy-nominated, and has won CMA and ACM awards. He has written over 30 Billboard Airplay hits including 18 No.1's with billions of streams in multiple genres.

Nite's songs have been recorded by Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Gabby Barrett, Charlie Puth, Brandi Carlile, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Jake Owen, Dan and Shay, Michael Ray, Brett Young, Darius Rucker, Dustin Lynch, and more. In 2019 "Break Up in the End" by Cole Swindell lead Nite to receive a Grammy Nomination for Best Country Song, an ACM Nomination for Country Song of the Year, and an NSAI award for Song of the Year. Some of Nite's recent No.1s include: "I Hope" and "Pick Me Up" by Gabby Barrett, "Dancing in the Country" by Tyler Hubbard, "You Didn't" and "Lady" by Brett Young, "Knocking Boots" by Luke Bryan, and "Living" by Dierks Bentley. Nite was named the 2023 SESAC writer of the year.

Biography

Early life

Born and raised in Amarillo, Texas, Nite first started songwriting after he saw an ad on TV for a songwriting competition which his friends "dared" him to enter.

"I sent it in. They liked it. All the critiques were relatively encouraging, like maybe you should move to Nashville," he explained in a 2016 interview with Songwriter Universe. "Some kind songwriter back in the '90s was listening to my horrible first song and giving me a pep talk. I just got hooked. I started writing as much as possible."

Following the judges advice, he moved to Nashville from Amarillo when he was 18 years old with his wife and baby, surviving on food stamps and living in a tiny apartment. He explained "I could be poor in Amarillo, Texas or I could be poor in Nashville and at least be close to something that potentially I could have a dream at". Nite studied at Belmont University's music school from which he eventually graduated.

Early career

As Nite began collaborating with different writers, he was introduced to Sony Music Publishing songwriter Ross Copperman, and they wrote their first song together, "Glass", which was cut by country duo Thompson Square and featured on their 2011 self-titled debut album. It became Nite's first hit as a songwriter, peaking at No. 15 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.

Alongside Copperman, Jon Nite forged his career and created his next few hits, including Dierks Bentley's 2012 top five Country Airplay hit "Tip It On Back". Nite has since scored a number of other hits writing with Copperman, including Luke Bryan's Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay No. 1 "Strip It Down", A Thousand Horses' Country Airplay chart-topper "Smoke", Keith Urban's Airplay No. 1 "Break On Me", Darius Rucker's Airplay chart-topper "If I Told You" and Kenny Chesney's Top 10 hit "Noise".

Another regular co-writer has been Jimmy Robbins. Together, they've written Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert's "We Were Us" and Jake Owen's "Beachin'" (co-written with Jaren Johnston). Both songs reached No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts. His other collaborations with Robbins include David Nail's Country Airplay chart-topping "Whatever She's Got" as well as Chase Rice's "Gonna Wanna Tonight" and Michael Ray's "Think a Little Less", which both peaked at No. 2 on the Country Airplay charts. Alongside Josh Osborne, the pair also wrote Tim McGraw's top five Airplay hit "Top Of The World".

Present career

Among the other artists Nite has had songs recorded by are Frankie Ballard, Lee Brice, Brett Eldredge, Love and Theft, Maddie and Tae, Chase Rice, Dallas Smith, Cole Swindell, Leah Turner and Waterloo Revival.

His awards include a CMA Triple Play honor, which he received for writing three No. 1 hits in a calendar year ("Smoke", "Strip It Down" and "Break On Me").

Nite additionally earned a 2019 Grammy nomination for Best Country Song, an ACM Nomination for Country Song of the Year, and an NSAI award for Song of the Year following his work on Cole Swindell's chart-topping ballad "Break Up In The End". Nite's recent No.1s include: "I Hope" by Gabby Barrett, "What She Wants Tonight" by Luke Bryan, and "Living" by Dierks Bentley.

#1 Hits

• "Strip It Down" – Recorded by Luke Bryan
• "Break On Me" – Recorded by Keith Urban
• "We Were Us" – Recorded by Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert
• "Beachin'" – Recorded by Jake Owen
• "Whatever She's Got" – Recorded by David Nail
• "Smoke" – Recorded by A Thousand Horses
• "If I Told You" – Recorded by Darius Rucker
• "Think A Little Less" – Recorded by Michael Ray
• "Wasting Gas" – Recorded by Dallas Smith
• "Break Up In The End" – Recorded by Cole Swindell
• "Living" - Recorded by Dierks Bentley
• "I Hope" – Recorded by Gabby Barrett
• "What She Wants Tonight" – Recorded by Luke Bryan
• "Lady" – Recorded by Brett Young
• "Dancin' in the Country" - Recorded by Tyler Hubbard

Songwriting discography

Singles

References

1. "Jon Nite". CMA World. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
2. Moss, Marissa (3 November 2014). "Songwriter Spotlight: Jon Nite Shares Stories Behind Keith Urban, Tim McGraw Hits". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
3. Moss, Marissa (3 November 2014). "Songwriter Spotlight: Jon Nite Shares Stories Behind Keith Urban, Tim McGraw Hits". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
4. "Credits". All Music. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
5. "CMA Honors Writers With Triple Play Awards Trophies". 2017-02-16. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
6. Variety Staff (7 December 2018). "Grammy Awards Nominations: The Complete List". variety.com. Variety Magazine. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
7. "Lee Brice Releases 'Boy,' Announces Forthcoming Album". Sounds Like Nashville. 2017-05-19. Retrieved 2017-07-17.
8. "Jon Nite | Album Discography | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
9. "Songwriter Spotlight: Jon Nite Shares Stories Behind Keith Urban, Tim McGraw Hits". Rolling Stone. 2014-11-03. Retrieved 2016-05-11.

• Living people
• Songwriters from Texas
• Musicians from Amarillo, Texas
• 1980 births