Biography
Multiple Grammy-winning Lyle Lovett established a reputation as one of the contemporary country music scene's most distinctive singer-songwriters before becoming a Robert Altman regular, appearing in the likes of "The Player" (1992), "Short Cuts" (1993) and "Cookie's Fortune" (1999). Born in Houston, TX in 1957, Lovett first began performing at various local clubs while studying Journalism and German at Texas A&M University and got the chance to showcase his talents on a bigger scale when he played a beach singer in TV movie "Bill: On His Own" (1983). A year later he contributed to Nanci Griffith's Once in a Very Blue Moon LP and in 1986 released his self-titled debut through MCA/Curb Records. Fusing pop, jazz, folk and blues with the sounds of country music, 1988's Pontiac cracked the Billboard 200 and was followed by 1989's Grammy-winning Lyle Lovett and His Large Band. Lovett made his proper acting debut playing Detective Delongpre in meta black comedy "The Player" (1992), the first of several Robert Altman films he would star in throughout the decade. After playing baker Andy Bitkower in the auteur's interweaving Los Angeles drama "Short Cuts" (1993), Lovett was briefly propelled to the front pages of the tabloids when he married box office favorite Julia Roberts. The pair both appeared in Altman's much-maligned fashion satire "Pret-a-Porter" (1994) but just a year later announced their divorce. By this point Lovett had released a further two gold-selling albums, guested as Lenny on hit sitcom "Mad About You" (NBC, 1992-99) and become a soundtrack regular, contributing to the likes of "Always" (1989), "The Firm" (1993) and "Toy Story" (1995). Lovett then played the uncle of an abused girl and research scientist in TV movies "Bastard Out of Carolina" (1996) and "Breast Men" (1997) respectively, picked up the fourth Grammy of his career for 1996's "The Road to Ensanada" and appeared as The Road Person in gonzo cult classic "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" (1998). After showing up as Sheriff Carl Tippett in subversive romantic comedy "The Opposite of Sex" (1998) Lovett reunited with Robert Altman to play voyeur Manny Hood in crime caper "Cookie's Fortune" (1999) and compose the soundtrack to his ensemble drama "Dr. T & The Women" (2000). Roles in teen comedy "The New Guy" (2002) and Chekhov short story collection "Three Days of Rain" (2002) then followed, as did his first US Top 20 album, 2007's It's Not Big It's Large. Lovett then played himself in musical biopic spoof "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" (2007), a bartender in Southern dramedy "The Open Road" (2008) and a high-spirited neighbor in festive family film "Angels Sing" (2013), released his tenth studio effort, 2009's Natural Forces, and enjoyed a ten-episode stint as Monte P. Flagman, the lawyer of an immigrant smuggler in acclaimed Scandi noir adaptation "The Bridge" (FX, 2013-14).
