Today we feature an artist who started writing songs at a very young age, and by the time he was in college was recording his debut album and co-writing with some of the top tune smiths in Nashville. An artist who grew up in Kansas, but Nashville has always been in his heart.

ACM Pool Party For A Cause
Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for ACM
loading...

From an early age, Jerrod Niemann knew country. He was influenced by country music legends Lefty Frizzell, Keith Whitley and George Strait. Born in Harper, KS and raised in Liberal, Niemann caught his performing bug after his mother won a guitar in a raffle and gave it to him. Jerrod immediately caught the fever, and by the time he turned 8, he was writing his own songs.

Niemann was encouraged early on by Tracy Lawrence, after the two met after a performance at the Kansas Fair, where Lawrence autographed the young singer's guitar. He continued to perform locally through high school, and after graduating from Liberal High School in 1997, headed off to Levelland, TX to attend South Plains College. He began playing clubs near the college, graduating to the legendary White Elephant Saloon in Ft. Worth.

Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Country Thunder
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Country Thunder
loading...

1999 saw the release of Niemann's self-produced debut album Long Hard Road, which led to his move to Nashville a year later. Within a year of the move, Jerrod signed a development deal with Mercury Records in 2001, but saw nothing come of the relationship and found himself right back on the road with his band, touring the U.S. and Australia. In 2006 the hard work began to payoff as Niemann signed with Category 5 Records. Niemann would release the single "I Love Women (My Mama Can't Stand)", which would take off early, but peaked at #59 and stalled as the label shut its doors soon after the completion of Niemann's first album for the label, Behind The Microphone, which went unreleased.

Country Thunder USA In Florence, Arizona - Day 3
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Country Thunder USA
loading...

It would be four more years of touring, hitting all the small clubs and honkey-tonks before Niemann would again surface. In 2010, he signed contracts with Sea Gayle Publishing and Sea Gayle Records, jointly run ventures co-owned by Arista Records and Brad Paisley. Niemann released his major label debut soon after, the single "Lover, Lover" would become his first #1 hit, serving as the lead for the album "Judge Jerrod and the Hung Jury", which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart in July of 2010.

2016 iHeartCountry Festival At The Frank Erwin Center - Show
Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images for iHeartMedia
loading...

Niemann would release three albums with Arista, leaving the label in 2016. The album produced three top-10 hits, including 2 #1s, "Lover, Lover" and "Drink To That All Night". In 2016, the singer singed with Curb Records, releasing the album This Ride last month. The third single from the album is in our spotlight today. Brought to you by All American Super Car Wash of Lawton, Jerrod Niemann and "I Got This" is today's Catch of the Day, new music you haven't heard, but you'll want to hear it again.

Text today’s key word to 580 353-1013, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card from All American Super Car Wash of Lawton, presenting the Catch of the Day on Oklahoma’s Best Country KLAW101.

Today’s Key Word: “THIS”

More From KLAW-FM