JESSE RICE

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Songwriter of “Cruise,” the largest selling single in country music history, and "A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega"

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Jesse Rice is a multi-platinum selling and award-winning singer/songwriter and producer in Nashville, Tennessee. Originally from low-country South Carolina, Rice moved to Nashville in 2002, where he began working for EMI Music Publishing. From 2007 to 2014 Rice was a staff songwriter at Artist Revolution Publishing. In the winter of 2014 he then signed a worldwide publishing deal with Ole Music Publishing. 

 

As a writer, Rice has won Academy of Country Music (ACM), Country Music Association (CMA), American Music Awards (AMA), Billboard, Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) and The Society of European Stage Authors and Composers (SESAC) Awards, including Awards for SESAC Song of The Year and ACM and CMA Single of the Year for Florida Georgia Line's hit " Cruise." 

 

"Cruise" was Rice’s first number one hit as a songwriter, and the song then went on to become the longest-running number one country music song of all time, spending an unprecedented 25 weeks at the top of the Billboard charts. To date, “Cruise” has sold 11 million downloads, making it the largest selling single in country music history, and the only country song ever to receive a Diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America® (RIAA).  In addition, “Cruise” was remixed and re-released on the pop charts by the rap artist Nelly, going on to spend a crossover record 42 weeks in the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, and reaching a peak of number four in August 2013.

 

Other songs written by Rice include Ashley McBryde's debut single "A Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega," which recently garnered the number one spot on Sirius XM The Highway's Top 30 Countdown and is the lead single from McBryde’s “Girl Going Nowhere” – nominated for Best Country Album at the 2019 Grammys,  "The High Life" by Colt Ford, the Kristian Bush of Sugarland single "Light Me Up," "Whoa" by Chase Rice and "While He's Still Around" from the current Florida Georgia Line Billboard number one record “Dig Your Roots.” 

 

As an artist, Rice also tours promoting the act that is his passion, the “Pirate Sessions.” The first two volumes of that record each debuted in the Top 20 on the iTunes Country Album Charts. Pirate Sessions III was released Jan. 27, 2017 and debuted in the Top 5 on the iTunes Country Album charts. His single "Hope Town" is currently in rotation on Sirius XM Radio Margaritaville. At the 2017 Trop Rock Music Awards, Rice was named the winner of the Horizon Award for Best New Artist. 

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