John Paul White is a classic, idealistic Americana dream. Many would recognize White’s haunting harmonies and undeniable lyricism from his days as one half of the heavily decorated Americana duo, The Civil Wars, but the man behind the melody is as charming as the music he creates.
White was raised on a chicken farm in the tiny town of Loretto, TN. He turned his humble passion for music into a career that would lead him to becoming a four-time Grammy Award winning musician. His interest in music sparked when he and a group of friends performed at their high school talent show, where they would lip sync Back in Black by AC/DC. White was the vocalist for the sheer fact that he was the only one who could recite all of the lyrics. This early introduction to music would plant the seed for a career that would help shape the future of Americana music as we know it.
Throughout the years, he leaned into timeless musical influences such as Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash, who were the inspiration that would help shape his voice. He would go on to cultivate a career throughout the Nashville scene for two decades, first as a singer/songwriter, and then as a publisher. In 2008, he released the album The Long Goodbye. The very next year, he teamed up with Joy Williams to form The Civil Wars. The duo would go on to win four Grammy Awards between 2011 and 2013.
White made home in Florence, Alabama, not too far from Muscle Shoals, where he would continue his solo career, releasing Belulah in 2016 and The Hurting Kind in 2019. While he continues to write and perform, he admits he enjoys being home more often with his wife and children. He currently teaches two classes at the University of North Alabama, and recently started a band with his son. “It makes me feel like a young, passionate musician all over again,” White said.
We partnered with John Paul White to craft his very own custom bottle of whiskey. He selected a barrel strength 4 Grain Bourbon, finished with a charred American Oak spire. It is a bold, smooth, and legendary bourbon, just like the legend himself.
