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It didn’t take Brad Paisley<\/a> long to find chart-topping success once he was in a position to get his music out to the public.<\/p>\n The singer-songwriter and guitarist scored his first No. 1 hit with his second single on Dec. 11, 1999.<\/p>\n Paisley was actually successful straight out of the gate with his debut single, “Who Needs Pictures,” which was the title song and lead single from his debut album in 1999.<\/p>\n “Who Needs Pictures” peaked at No. 12 on Billboard<\/em>‘s Hot Country Song chart, paving the way for “He Didn’t Have to Be,” which Arista Nashville released as Paisley’s second single on Aug. 30.<\/p>\n Paisley wrote “He Didn’t Have to Be” with his frequent collaborator, Kelley Lovelace, and the lyrics draw on Lovelace’s special relationship with his stepson,\u00a0McCain Merren.<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/em> Brad Paisley Got a Truly Wild Birthday Gift!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n “And then all of a sudden ah it seemed so strange to me \/ How we went from something’s missing to a family \/ Lookin’ back all I can say about all the things he did for me \/ Is I hope I’m at least half the dad that he didn’t have to be,”<\/em> Paisley sings in the chorus.<\/p>\n “He Didn’t Have to Be” gave Paisley his first No. 1 single on Dec. 11, 1999.<\/p>\n “I was really lucky, it wasn’t like we knew what we were doing,” Paisley reflected in 2010 when he released his Hits Alive<\/em> collection (quote via the Boot<\/a>). “I just happened [to write] that with my best friend from the bottom of my heart about his situation.”<\/p>\n Paisley scored another hit with his third single, “Me Neither,” and his fourth single, “We Danced,” gave him his second No. 1 hit.<\/p>\n Who Needs Pictures<\/em> went on to sell a million copies, establishing him as one of country music’s hottest up-and-coming artists.<\/p>\n Paisley has gone on to a career that has seen him score a long string of additional No. 1 hits, including “I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song),” “Mud on the Tires,” “The World,” “Letter to Me,” “Water,” “Anything Like Me” and many more.<\/p>\n Brad Paisley is one of the most respected guitarists in country music today. Scroll through the pictures below to see the best guitarists in country music history.<\/p>\n The six-string wizards in our Best Guitarists in Country Music list all have their different ways of using the instrument to touch the hearts and souls of country music fans everywhere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhat Was Brad Paisley’s Debut Single?<\/h3>\n
Who Wrote Brad Paisley’s “He Didn’t Have to Be”?<\/h3>\n
What Was Brad Paisley’s First No. 1 Hit?<\/h3>\n
What Are Brad Paisley’s Biggest Hits?<\/h3>\n
20 Best Guitarists in Country Music<\/h2>\n