Jeff Foxworthy

Biography

Contrary to some people’s popular belief; Jeff Foxworthy is not some overnight success story. Before starring on The Jeff Foxworthy Show for two seasons, releasing many best-selling CD’s and books and selling out major theaters, Foxworthy was practically on a first-name basis with every Holiday Inn manager in the country. Years of relentless touring, mastering the art of sleeping while standing and waking up at the crack of dawn to do morning radio and television interviews, all have helped mold Jeff into one of the most respected and successful comedians in the country.

Jeff’s latest CD, "Totally Committed," which was released May 1998 is Jeff’s fourth CD and marks a new direction in his life and material. Released in conjunction with the CD was a one-hour HBO stand-up special also titled Tototally Committed. "Totally Committed" which has reached gold status also received a 1999 Grammy Award nomination, the third such honor Foxworthy has received for his recording efforts.

To date, Jeff’s comedy recordings have tallied sales of over eleven million units making him the largest selling comedy recording artist in history. His first CD, "You Might Be A Redneck If" (Warner Bros./1994) has been registered triple platinum status (three million units), the only time a comedy CD has surpassed this mark. It has also become the largest selling comedy recording of all time. The tremendous reaction to this CD resulted in both a music video and a single entitled "Redneck Stomp." His July 1995 release, "Games Rednecks Play," was certified platinum a mere five weeks later. "Games Rednecks Play", which is now triple platinum, went on to receive a 1996 Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album.

"Crank It Up:The Music Album" was released in the fall of 1996 and contains the hit single and video "Party All Night" featuring Little Texas. The single "Games Rednecks Play" with country star Alan Jackson also appears on the album and was nominated for a 1997 Grammy nomination for Best Vocal Collaboration. The CD, which has been certified platinum, was Jeff’s salute to his hometown of Atlanta which was the host city of 1996’s Summer Olympic Games.

A regular on such shows as "The Tonight Show" and "The Late Show with David Letterman," Jeff also has two Showtime stand-up specials to his credit. With critical acclaim and rave reviews from the first special, Jeff landed his second Showtime special, which earned a Cable ACE Award nomination. Jeff has also been bestowed with a People’s Choice Award as "Favorite Male Newcomer" for The Jeff Foxworthy Show and had won TNN’s "Comedian of the Year" three years in a row. For the third straight year, Jeff will serve as host of the TNN Music City News Awards which TNN will broadcast live on Monday, June 12, 2000.

Jeff is also the author of ten best selling books, his latest book is The Final Helping of You Might Be a Redneck If... His first four books explore the phenomenon of the redneck "You Might Be A Redneck If..." (now in its 30th printing), "Red Ain’t Dead," "Hick Is Chic: A Guide To Etiquette For The (Grossly) Unsophisticated" and "Check Your Neck." Jeff’s fifth book "You’re Not A Kid Anymore..." was a departure from his previous books as it poignantly and comically looks at the tell-tales signs of getting older. His 1995 book "Games Rednecks Play" offered a humorous preview of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, since Atlanta was the site of the Olympics. 1995 brought "Redneck Classics," a best-of compilation of his earlier writing efforts.

His 1996 book from Longstreet Press was entitled "Those People," which is filled with humorous drawings from Jeff’s observations of his fellow man from many years of being out on the comedy club circuit.

Jeff’s other 1996 publishing effort, "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem!" spent over two months on The New York Times Bestsellers List and has sold more than 600,000 copies in hardcover and paperback. This book was more autobiographical than his previous works, tracing his formative years while growing up in Atlanta and amusing; albeit bewildering stories, from the Foxworthy household, and as Jeff says, "it’s a book for the library instead of the back of the toilet"

"The Foxworthy Down Home Cookbook" was published by Longstreet Press in November of 1998 and includes recipes from Jeff and his father, Big Jim. To date, Jeff has sold over 5 million copies of his various books and over 1.5 million copies of his annual calendar, which are also published by Longstreet Press.

It’s hard to believe that 14 years ago, Jeff was about to quit his $30,000-a-year job to
work the comedy club circuit so he could make a whopping $20 a night in smoky comedy dubs. In no time at all, Jeff began winning several national and regional comedy contests, developing a loyal fan base. Those first six or seven years, Jeff paid his dues by working 48 weeks a year on the road. The end result of his hard work had Foxworthy capturing the award for "Best Stand Up Comic" at the 1990 American Comedy Awards. Jeff went on to open for the likes of Garth Brooks, Jay Leno, The Judds, Eddie Rabbit and Wynton Marsalis.

Away from the stage, an interest in which Jeff holds near and dear is the Duke University Children’s Hospital in Durham, NC. Jeff is the Honorary Chairman of the Duke Children’s Classic Golf Tournament. With Jeff’s help, the hospital, which specializes in treating children with cancer, has raised over $2 million in the last two years.

This Atlanta, Georgia native remains true to his southern roots and resides with his wife and two daughters in Georgia.