Brantley Gilbert

Brantley Gilbert Artistfacts

  • January 20, 1985
  • Gilbert was born in Jefferson, Georgia. He came to Nashville as a songwriter and penned hits like Jason Aldean's "My Kinda Party" and "Dirt Road Anthem."
  • He was briefly engaged to country singer and One Tree Hill actress Jana Kramer in 2013. The following year, he announced another engagement - this time to Amber Cochran, a teacher from his hometown. The couple tied the knot on June 28, 2015 at Gilbert's home in Georgia.
  • He's been sober since December 2011. "There's some people that can do it like that (drink responsibly), and there's some people that can't. I'm one of the people that can't," he told the Charlotte Observer.
  • Though he was interested in music from a young age, Gilbert took a different path in college, where studied marriage and relationship counseling at George College and State University. He soon got a job as a special-needs counselor at Friendship Elementary in Gainesville, Georgia.
  • He nearly died in an accident at age 19 when, after a night of drinking, he flipped his truck, rammed into a tree, and was ejected from the vehicle. The trauma caused him to forget many of his memories, but songwriting helped him to recover part of his lost past.
  • Brantley Gilbert has a reputation for gritty, hard-hitting music and a love of motorcycles, he is actually a soft-hearted dad at home who enjoys spending his downtime in the woods with his kids. He revealed to Nashville Insider that one of his favorite activities is taking his two little ones on hunting trips - though it's less about the hunt and more about unplugging from screens and bonding. Gilbert cherishes the time they spend together outdoors, joking that his kids "move too much" to actually catch anything, but it's the time away from the iPads that really matters to him.
  • Gilbert owns a 365-acre farm near his hometown in Georgia, and it's not just for weekend getaways. One reason he bought the property was to be prepared for doomsday.

    "I will say that one of the goals of the farm that I bought a few years ago... is to kind of unplug from the matrix and let it be self-sufficient," Gilbert told Taste Of Country Nights. "Should anything ever happen, I want my kids also to have the skillset and the knowledge to be able to take care of themselves if anything were to go bad."
  • Brantley Gilbert's third child, Abram, was born on his tour bus in October 2024. The unexpected arrival happened during a concert in Tupelo, Mississippi, when Brantley was pulled off stage to be with his wife, Amber. After she gave birth, he returned to his show, joyfully announcing to his fans, "We got a baby!"

Comments: 1

  • Tina Collins from Trumann,ark.I'm sorry I been in the same situation but mine was due to drugs.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Dino Cazares of Fear Factory

Dino Cazares of Fear FactorySongwriter Interviews

The guitarist/songwriter explains how he came up with his signature sound, and deconstructs some classic Fear Factory songs.

Michael W. Smith

Michael W. SmithSongwriter Interviews

Smith breaks down some of his worship tracks as well as his mainstream hits, including "I Will Be Here For You" and "A Place In This World."

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

TV Theme Songs

TV Theme SongsFact or Fiction

Was a Beatles song a TV theme? And who came up with those Fresh Prince and Sopranos songs?

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.