Deric Ruttan

Deric Ruttan
Ruttan performing at the 2012 Burlington's Sound of Music Festival
Background information
Born	(1972-01-27) January 27, 1972 (age 45)
Origin	Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Country
Occupation(s)	singer/songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, harmonica, drums
Years active	2003–present
Labels	Lyric Street On Ramp Black T
Associated acts	Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Doc Walker
Website	dericruttan.net

Deric J. Ruttan (born January 27, 1972) is a Grammy-nominated songwriter, country music artist, and record producer from Bracebridge, Ontario. A Nashville, Tennessee resident, he has released four studio albums and has written or co-written more than 60 songs that have been recorded by other recording artists.

Deric moved to Nashville in 1994 to pursue his music career, spending his days writing songs and his nights scouring the city getting ideas and learning from local singer/songwriters. He got his break in 1999 when producer Steve Bogard heard one of Deric's tapes and liked it. Steve signed Deric to a songwriting deal and immediately began recording his first demos. After Doug Howard at Lyric Street Records heard his demo and Deric played five songs live for Randy Goodman, Deric entered a record deal with the label. In 2003, he released his debut album, Deric Ruttan.

In 2003, just as his first single "When You Come Around," was released, he celebrated his first No. 1 as a songwriter when friend and collaborator Dierks Bentley took the Ruttan/Bentley/Brett Beavers co-write "What Was I Thinkin'" to the top of the charts in the US. The song helped set Bentley on the path to country stardom. (To date, Bentley has recorded six Ruttan co-writes, including the 2005 chart-topper Lot of Leavin' Left To Do.) In 2004 Ruttan's "My Way", recorded by Aaron Pritchett, was the most-played Canadian country song of that year. Capitol Nashville's Eric Church had an American Billboard hit with his and Ruttan's "Guys Like Me" in 2007, and cuts on other acts followed, on artists like Gary Allan, Paul Brandt, Doc Walker, Jason Blaine, and The Higgins.

In September 2007, Ruttan was awarded his first Canadian Country Music Award (CCMA) for Songwriter Of The Year (along with co-writers Aaron Pritchett and Mitch Merrett), for "Hold My Beer", recorded by Pritchett. He won the CCMA for songwriter of the year once again in 2014 for "Mine Would Be You," recorded by Blake Shelton.