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Jessica Harp

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Jessica Harp
Harp performing as part of The Wreckers in 2007
Harp performing as part of The Wreckers in 2007
Background information
Birth nameJessica Leigh Harp
Born (1982-02-03) February 3, 1982 (age 42)
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
GenresCountry
Occupations
  • Singer
  • musician
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2002–2010
Formerly ofThe Wreckers
Websitejessicaharp.net

Jessica Leigh Harp (born February 3, 1982) is an American songwriter and former country artist from Kansas City, Missouri. Between 2005 and 2007, Harp and Michelle Branch recorded and performed as The Wreckers, a duo that topped the country charts in 2006 with the Grammy-nominated "Leave the Pieces". After The Wreckers disbanded, Harp began a solo career on Warner Bros. Records, the same label to which The Wreckers were signed. Her solo second album single, "Boy Like Me", debuted in March 2009 and was a top 30 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It was followed by her second album, A Woman Needs, in March 2010.

Biography

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Jessica Harp grew up with her parents and her sister, Annie, in Kansas City, Missouri. She began singing when she was 3, wrote lyrics when she was 8, and picked up guitar at 13. In 2002, she pursued a solo career in music, releasing her independent album, Preface. She then worked as a backup vocalist for various country acts.

2005–2007: The Wreckers

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She provided backing vocals for her long-time friend Michelle Branch's album, Hotel Paper. After working together, Harp joined up with Branch in 2005 to form a country duo, known as The Wreckers, whose song "The Good Kind" was featured on One Tree Hill and its soundtrack. The group's debut country single, "Leave the Pieces", was released in February 2006. It was followed by their debut album, Stand Still, Look Pretty, which was released on May 23, 2006. "Leave the Pieces" reached Number One on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in September 2006. The album produced two additional singles in "My, Oh My" (a Top 10 hit) and "Tennessee" and was certified Gold by the RIAA for reaching sales of over 500,000.

Harp appeared on the very first live game broadcast by the NFL Network on November 23, 2006, to sing the American national anthem before the Thanksgiving Day game between her hometown Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos.[1] They later performed the National Anthem at the 55th Annual NHL All-Star Game on January 24, 2007.

Despite the success of their Number One debut single, album sales, and a nomination for the 2007 Grammy Awards for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for the song "Leave the Pieces", both Harp and Branch announced in August 2007 that they were putting The Wreckers on hold, while both went forward with solo albums.[2][3] This was announced on the band's official message board, which was later closed.

2008–2010: A Woman Needs

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On February 4, 2008, she married The Wreckers' fiddle player Jason Mowery. She started recording her second solo country album for Warner Bros. Nashville in July 2008 and announced in January 2009 that it would be titled A Woman Needs. Songwriter Jerry Flowers produced the album and co-wrote several of the songs. The lead-off single, "Boy Like Me," was released to country radio on March 9, 2009. It became her first Top 30 country hit, reaching a peak of No. 30 in June 2009. The album's second single, the title track, was released to radio on January 19, 2010, and the music video was filmed on November 19, 2009. On March 2, 2010, Harp announced that she would retire as a recording artist to focus on becoming a full-time songwriter.[4] Warner Bros. Records released her second album digitally on March 16, 2010. Over a year and a half later, on October 11, 2011, Harp announced on Twitter that Warner Bros. released her from her contract[5] and that she would record music again, either independently or with a label.[6]

Discography

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Jessica Harp discography
Studio albums2
Singles2
Music videos2

Studio albums

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Title Album details Peak chart
positions
US Country US Heat
Preface — —
A Woman Needs 31 7
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles

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Year Single Peak positions Album
US Country
2009 "Boy Like Me" 30 A Woman Needs
2010 "A Woman Needs" 56

Music videos

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Year Video Director
2009 "Boy Like Me" Scott Speer
2010 "A Woman Needs" Kristin Barlowe

Awards

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Year Organization Award[7] Result
2006 Country Music Association Vocal Duo of the Year (as The Wreckers) Nominated
Academy of Country Music Top New Vocal Duo or Group (as The Wreckers) Nominated
Academy of Country Music Top Vocal Duo (as The Wreckers) Nominated
2007 Grammy Awards Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal — ("Leave the Pieces" as The Wreckers) Nominated
Music Row Awards Major Label Breakout Artist of the Year (as The Wreckers) Won
R&R Readers' Poll Best New Performer (as The Wreckers) Won
Country Music Association Vocal Duo of the Year (as The Wreckers) Nominated
Academy of Country Music Top New Vocal Duo or Group (as The Wreckers) Nominated
2008 Country Music Association Vocal Duo of the Year (as The Wreckers) Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Thanksgiving game – Volunteers needed! Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine KCChiefs.com, November 13, 2006.
  2. ^ "FOX Facts: Complete List of Grammy Award Nominations". Associated Press. December 7, 2006. Retrieved February 4, 2007.
  3. ^ Archived copy lenconnect.com Archived January 29, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ To your friends: An Important Announcement Archived February 19, 2012, at the Wayback Machine at Jessica Harp official site.
  5. ^ Harp, Jessica (October 10, 2011). "It's official. After years of my love of my job being strangled out of me, I'm moving on. Adios Warner Music Nash, thanks for freeing me!".
  6. ^ Harp, Jessica (October 10, 2011). "I can tell you that whether I'm signed somewhere new or ride indie style, I WILL make music again! Thanks guys for your continued love!".
  7. ^ "Awards and nominations of Michelle Branch". Archived from the original on September 30, 2011.
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