Smoke When I Drink - Single Kelleigh Bannen

Country artist Kelleigh Bannen has lived nearly all her life in Nashville, but despite growing up in Music City, she was in her twenties before she first considered pursuing music as a career. Bannen's father was an auto dealer, and she grew up with a love of both cars and country music, but living in a town where so many people reached for the brass ring of success but failed, she was well aware of the tough odds and pitfalls of the music business. However, Bannen enjoyed writing songs and occasionally performed for fun; she met her future husband at a college event where she sang, and after they married, he encouraged her to follow her muse. Bannen launched her own business making and selling jewelry, and it afforded her the time and the flexible hours to work on her songwriting. Eventually, Bannen decided to take a chance at presenting her songs to a larger audience, so she assembled a band, began playing out, and in 2008 released an independent album, Radio Skies. While the album received only modest sales, critics were enthusiastic about Bannen's work, and in 2012, EMI's Nashville division signed her to a record deal. Months later, she released a single for her new label, "Sorry on the Rocks," which became a minor hit, rising to 48 on the country singles charts. In early 2014, Bannen returned with a second single, a witty revenge ditty against a two-timing boyfriend titled "Famous," that soon made an impression on country radio. ~ Mark Deming