Kurt Vile is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. He is known for his dark folk-rock music and was a member of The War on Drugs. He is the only artist nominated for three Grammy Awards and won one.
Vile was born in Austin, Texas, and his mother died when he was still a kid. He attended college at the University of Texas and dropped out of school. Later, he moved to Philadelphia, where he started working as a barista in a coffee shop.
During his career, he collaborated with bands including the War on Drugs, Elbow, The Walkmen, and others. In 2012, he released his first solo album titled “Boys and Girls Will Have Their Day,” and it was an instant h
Early Life And Education
Kurt Vile was born Kurt Benjamin Vile on June 28, 1986, in Austin, Texas. He is the son of a teacher and a writer. He has an older brother named Michael.
He grew up in a small town called Pflugerville, Texas. Vile had a happy childhood, but when he was seven, his mother died due to cancer. After that, his father left the family. Vile’s mother had a strong influence on him, and she was the one who taught him how to play guitar.
Vile went to high school in Austin and graduated in 2004. During that time, he took a job at a coffee shop as a barista and worked there for a year.
After finishing high school, Vile moved to Philadelphia to pursue a career in music. He spent three years there as a bartender and worked for the band Elbow as a sound engineer.
Studio Albums
- Vile’s first solo album, ‘Smoke Ring For My Halo’, was released in 2012. It received critical acclaim and won the 2013 Independent Music Awards for Best Folk Album.
- His second solo album, ‘Bottle It In’, was released in 2015 and reached number three on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. In 2016, he collaborated with indie pop band The War On Drugs on their album, ‘Lost In The Dream’. The album was named Album Of The Year by Rolling Stone magazine and won the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.
- Next year, he’ll release his third album, ‘Doom Days’, due out on Matador Records.
- In April, 2022 the latest Album By Kurt Vile - Watch My Moves that is the ninth studio album by American indie rock musician.
- Vile’s music has been described as “folk-rock,” “alternative country,” “Americana,” and “alt-country.” He’s been compared to artists like Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and Bruce Springsteen. He’s also been called “the most important American musician of the past decade”, and “one of the best songwriters of our time.”
- By comparison, he’s been described as a “new Tom Waits,” “a modern-day Robert Plant,” and “the next Neil Young.”
Awards
- In 2014, he was awarded the Austin Music Award for Best Male Artist. In 2015, he was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Americana Album for ‘Bottle It In’.
- And in 2016, he won the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album for ‘Lost In The Dream’.
- He has also been nominated for several other awards, including the Americana Music Association’s Horizon Award, the Independent Music Awards for Best Folk Album, and the Americana Music Honours & Awards for Best Americana Album.
- He’s also been nominated for the Austin Music Awards for Best Male Artist and Best Live Act.
- He has been nominated for two Austin Music Awards for Best Folk Album and Best Americana Album.
- He’s been nominated for three Independent Music Awards for Best Folk Album, Best Americana Album, and Best Americana Song.
- He has also been nominated for the Americana Music Honors & Awards for Best Americana Album.
- He’s been nominated for the Americana Music Association’s Horizon Award.
Summary
Kurt Vile is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Vile grew up in an artistic family. His mother was a poet and painter, and his father was an art professor. After a brief stint as a professional soccer player, Vile began playing guitar in 2000. He released his debut EP, God Bless Vanessa Granite, in 2005, which garnered critical acclaim and made him a household name in the indie rock scene. He released his first studio album, The Violinist, in 2007, followed by the EP, Bitte Orca.