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Ricky Van Shelton
Member Since 1988
Ricky Van Shelton hit the Top 40 for the first time in 1987 with the title track from his debut album Wild Eyed Dream. That launched a recording career that would include 10 No. 1 hits. But he had worked for years during the days and practicing at night, waiting for his big break.
Ricky Van Shelton was raised in the tiny community of Grit, Virginia, where his family still lives. He was the youngest of five children. In 1984, he moved to Nashville with his wife-to-be, Bettye, and worked various day jobs while honing his music.
In June 1986, CBS Records offered him a recording contract. A year later, he had his first hit. In 1989, when he joined the Opry, he told the audience that he had dreamed of having a big bus and of hearing himself on the radio.
In 2006, Van Shelton retired from touring, but he still manages to keep himself busy. He has distinguished himself as a painter, pilot, collector, and author. His series of children’s books about a duck named Quacker has sold more than 200,000 copies, and his paintings can be viewed by his fans on the Internet.
Latest CD
Fried Green Tomatoes