[Photos] 25 Things You Didn’t Know About Jerrod Niemann

Jerrod%20was%20born%20in%20Harper%2C%20Kansas%2C%20but%20raised%20in%20Liberal%2C%20Kansas.

He%20was%20influenced%20by%20country%20acts%20Lefty%20Frizzell%2C%20Keith%20Whitley%20and%20George%20Strait.%20%20

What%20sealed%20the%20deal%20for%20his%20passion%20for%20Country%20Music%3F%20When%20Jerrod%20heard%20George%20Strait%27s%201986%20Christmas%20album%20Merry%20Christmas%20Strait%20To%20You.

At%20the%20age%20of%20eight%2C%20Niemann%20was%20writing%20several%20songs%20a%20year.%20

His%20parents%20owned%20a%20skating%20rink.

He%20learned%20to%20play%20his%20first%20musical%20instrument%20on%20a%20Tracy%20Lawrence%20autographed%20guitar%20his%20mother%20won%20in%20a%20contest%20at%20a%20Lawrence%20concert.

Jerrod%20competed%20in%20talent%20competitions%20across%20the%20U.S.%20and%20went%20on%20to%20win%20the%20national%20finals%20with%20the%20Tracy%20Lawrence%20song%20%22Texas%20Tornado%22%20in%201996.

He%20studied%20for%20two%20years%20at%20South%20Plains%20College%20in%20Levelland%2C%20TX.

Jerrod%20spent%20the%20majority%20of%20his%20college%20years%20in%20Texas%20performing%20in%20local%20clubs.

He%20moved%20to%20Nashville%20in%202000.

%20He%20had%20a%20band%20called%20The%20Saloonitics.

He%20was%20a%20staff%20writer%20for%20three%20different%20publishing%20companies%20on%20music%20row%20in%20Nashville.

He%20traveled%20to%20Europe%20to%20tour%20with%20the%20band%20Kane%2C%20fronted%20by%20Christian%20Kane.

He%20is%20also%20a%20songwriter%20-%20Garth%20Brooks%2C%20Jamey%20Johnson%2C%20Neal%20McCoy%2C%20Julie%20Roberts%2C%20Flynnville%20Train%2C%20Blake%20Shelton%20and%20Zona%20Jones%20have%20all%20recorded%20Niemann%27s%20songs.%20

He%20scored%20his%20first%20%231%20hit%20song%20with%20Garth%20Brooks%20in%202005%20with%20%22Good%20Ride%20Cowboy%22%2C%20a%20tribute%20to%20Chris%20LeDoux.

Although%20he%20experienced%20triumphs%20as%20a%20songwriter%2C%20he%20yearned%20to%20be%20a%20performer.

After%20two%20failed%20record%20contracts%20he%20hit%20rock%20bottom%2C%20gaining%2060%20lbs%20and%20even%20running%20off%20his%20girlfriend%20at%20the%20time...%20to%20India%21

His%20pal%2C%20Jamey%20Johnson%2C%20gave%20him%20the%20advice%20he%20needed%20at%20that%20time%20-%20cut%20a%20record.

The%20record%20was%20shopped%20to%20Arista%20Nashville%20but%20under%20one%20condition%3A%20not%20a%20single%20note%20on%20the%20album%20could%20be%20changed.

They%20released%20Judge%20Jerrod%20%26amp%3B%20The%20Hung%20Jury%20without%20changing%20a%20single%20note%20on%20the%20%20album.

His%20debut%20single%20%22Lover%2C%20Lover%22%2C%20was%20originally%20recorded%20by%20the%20folk%20music%20group%20Sonia%20Dada%20under%20the%20title%20%22You%20Don%27t%20Treat%20Me%20No%20Good.%22%20%20

His%20original%20plan%20was%20to%20just%20sing%20the%20lead%20vocal%20part%20in%20%22Lover%2C%20Lover%22%20and%20have%20Jamey%20Johnson%2C%20Randy%20Houser%2C%20Chris%20Young%20and%20a%20bunch%20of%20his%20friends%20to%20each%20sing%20a%20part.

Jerrod%20now%20is%20back%20working%20on%20his%20own%20album%2C%20his%20first%20album%20in%20two%20years%2C%20%22Yellow%20Brick%20Road.%22%20

His%20Twitter%20handle%20is%20%40jrodfromoz%20-%20follow%20him%2C%20he%27s%20funny%20and%20might%20even%20reply%21