He may not dance, but when country star Lee Brice stops by Foellinger Theatre, you just might.

The Grammy-nominated artist behind the hit “I Don’t Dance” will be in town Thursday, Aug. 8.

Life-changing injury

Growing up in South Carolina, Brice, born Kenneth Mobley Brice Jr., was surrounded by music as he played guitar and piano and sang at his church.

Along with a musical talent, he also had a knack for sports. 

Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 270, he put his physical stature to use by walking onto the Clemson football team in 1998 before earning a scholarship as a long snapper.

However, following an arm injury, his attention turned to music. And like most country acts, that led him to Nashville, Tennessee.

Gaining traction

He began making a name for himself in 2007.

Having signed with Curb Records, his debut single “She Ain’t Right” reached the Billboard charts at No. 29 that year. 

He was also making his mark as a songwriter, penning songs for the likes of Jason Aldean and Cowboy Crush. 

But it was the hit song “More Than a Memory” he wrote with Billy Montana and Kyle Jacobs for Garth Brooks that sent his career in motion. The song was the first in Billboard history to debut at No. 1.

In 2010, he released his first full-length album, Love Like Crazy, which made its way to No. 9 on the country chart on the strength of the hit singles “Love Like Crazy,” “Beautiful Every Time,” and “Happy Endings.”

Hitting the charts

The name Lee Brice was picking up speed in the country music sector, and that showed when his sophomore effort, Hard 2 Love, reached No. 2 on the Billboard chart in 2012 thanks to his lone No. 1 single, “A Woman Like You.” 

It was also in 2012 that he won his first Academy of Country Music award for the song “Crazy Girl” that he co-wrote with Liz Rose for Eli Young Band.

The good times kept rolling with his third album, as I Don’t Dance took the No. 1 spot in 2014.

The No. 1 album showcased Brice’s rugged exterior with party songs like the aforementioned “I Don’t Dance,” plus “Drinking Class,”  “Girls in Bikinis,” “I Drive Your Truck,” and “Parking Lot Party.”

“I Drive Your Truck” was nominated for the Best Country Solo Performance Grammy, which was won by Darius Rucker for “Wagon Wheel.” However, the song did bring him his second ACM award.

He won his third ACM award for “I Don’t Dance,” which was also nominated for two Country Music Awards.

Taking breather

However, after three ACM awards and numerous ACM, CMT, and CMA nominations from 2011-2015, Brice would not be nominated again until the 2020 CMAs when he was up for Video of the Year and won Musical Event of the Year with Carly Pearce for “I Hope You’re Happy Now.”

The song was featured on his 2020 album, Hey World, as well as Pearce’s self-titled album that year.

Since that time, Brice has stuck to releasing singles, which have included 2022’s “Soul.”

He released “Checking In” in February and most recently “Drinking Buddies” in April.