VOA标准英语2011--Josh Kelley Comes Full Circle with 'Geor

Josh Kelley Comes Full Circle with 'Georgia Clay'

Singer Josh Kelley had to settle for a career in the pop field before returning to his first love - Country music. He has come full circle with his debut¹ Country album, Georgia Clay. The album's title track is climbing high on the Country chart.
While attending the University of Mississippi, the Georgia native first attempted to get a recording² contract with a Nashville label. When that didn't work out, Josh moved to Los Angeles, where he was offered a pop deal with Hollywood Records. His first two albums produced the Top 10 hits "Amazing" and "Only You." In 2005, Josh met his wife, actress Katherine Heigl, who appeared in the video for "Only You."
Josh wrote or co-wrote all 11 tracks on Georgia Clay. His wife was the inspiration³ for several songs, including "Baby Blue Eyes" and "Learning You." The ballad⁴ "Naleigh Moon," is a tribute⁵ to their two-year-old daughter, who they adopted from South Korea when she was nine months old.
Josh moved to Nashville in 2005 after leaving his record company. Soon after, he convinced his younger brother, Charles Kelley, to join him in Music City. Charles is a member of the multi-million-selling Country trio Lady Antebellum.
Josh finally signed with a Country label in 2009 and spent last year in the studio working on Georgia Clay.
"This record is a time capsule," he says. "It's by far the best thing I've written and I've never been more proud. I'm finally in a genre⁶ where I can write lyrics⁷, tell stories and be a man."
Although Josh and his family now live in Utah, he says they're planning a permanent move back to Nashville.
To promote his new album, Josh recently toured with Miranda Lambert, and he'll open some North American dates on Taylor Swift's "Speak Now World Tour."

1 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

2 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

3 inspiration   

n.灵感，鼓励者，吸气

参考例句：

• These events provided the inspiration for his first novel.这些事件给了他创作第一部小说的灵感。
• What an inspiration she was to all around her!她对于她周围所有的人是一种多么大的鼓舞！

4 ballad   

n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲

参考例句：

• This poem has the distinctive flavour of a ballad.这首诗有民歌风味。
• This is a romantic ballad that is pure corn.这是一首极为伤感的浪漫小曲。

5 tribute   

n.颂词，称赞，(表示敬意的)礼物；贡品

参考例句：

• She accepted their tribute graciously.她慈祥地接受了他们的致意。
• Many conquered nations had to pay tribute to the rulers of ancient Rome.许多被征服的国家必须向古罗马的统治者朝贡。

6 genre   

n.(文学、艺术等的)类型，体裁，风格

参考例句：

• My favorite music genre is blues.我最喜欢的音乐种类是布鲁斯音乐。
• Superficially,this Shakespeare's work seems to fit into the same genre.从表面上看， 莎士比亚的这个剧本似乎属于同一类型。

7 lyrics   

n.歌词

参考例句：

• music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart 由罗杰斯和哈特作词作曲
• The book contains lyrics and guitar tablatures for over 100 songs. 这本书有100多首歌的歌词和吉他奏法谱。