Matt Maher
Matt Maher | |
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![]() Maher performing in 2015 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Matthew Guion Maher |
Born |
[1] Newfoundland, Canada | November 10, 1974
Genres | Contemporary Christian music, contemporary worship music |
Years active | 2000–present |
Labels | Essential |
Website |
www |
Matthew "Matt" Guion Maher (born November 10, 1974)[1] is a Canadian contemporary Christian music (CCM) artist, songwriter, and worship leader originally from Newfoundland, Canada, who later relocated to Tempe, Arizona. He has written and produced seven solo albums to date. Three of his albums have reached the Top 25 Christian Albums Billboard chart and four of his singles have reached the Top 25 Christian Songs chart. He is a practicing Catholic.[2] Maher was awarded the Songwriter of the Year for an artist, at the 2015 GMA Dove Awards.[3]
Personal life
Maher was born and raised in Newfoundland, Canada. His parents recognized his musical talent, and he grew up taking piano lessons and immersing himself in a broad variety of music and playing in concert and jazz ensembles, singing in a choir, and playing in a garage rock band.[4]
Maher started his post-secondary studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland, but soon after received a scholarship from the Jazz Department at Arizona State University, so he moved to Phoenix where he studied jazz piano and earned a music degree. He paid for his first three years of college by playing piano in a hotel.
Maher currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
Career
His first label was the Spirit and Song, a division of OCP Publications, where he released his first three collections. Early in 2007 Maher signed to Essential Records. He released his first big-label album (and his fourth album overall) Empty and Beautiful on April 8, 2008. His second album with Essential Records (and his fifth album overall), Alive Again, was released on September 22, 2009.[5] In late 2009, Maher toured with Michael W. Smith, Meredith Andrews and Phil Stacey on the "New Hallelujah Tour". Alive Again peaked at No. 6 on Billboard magazine's Top Christian Albums chart in 2009.[6]
When Pope Benedict XVI visited the United States in April 2008, Maher was asked to lead worship for crowds of thousands at the Rally for Youth and Seminarians in Yonkers, New York, which also featured Kelly Pease, tobyMac and Third Day, among other musicians. He was subsequently interviewed on Fox News, where he played his title track from Empty and Beautiful.[7]
Maher was a guest singer songwriter speaker at Crowder's Fantastical Church Music Conference at Baylor University in late 2010 put on by the David Crowder Band.[8] In early 2011 he toured the United States on the Rock And Worship Roadshow headlined by MercyMe.[9]
Maher performed Lord, I Need You before a crowd of nearly 4 million, including Pope Francis, for World Youth Day 2013 in Rio, Brazil.[10] Other youth activities he has participated in include the 2013 and 2015 National Catholic Youth Conferences, both held in Indianapolis, Indiana.[11][12]
On March 17, 2015, Maher released his eighth studio album, Saints and Sinners, through Essential Records.[13] "Because He Lives, (Amen)" was the first single release off of the album, and additional tracks on the album include songwriting collaborations with Needtobreathe members Bo and Bear Rinehart, Jon Foreman of Switchfoot.
Discography
Albums
![](../I/m/Matt_Maher_in_performance_(2009).jpg)
Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
US | US Christian | |||
2001 | The End and the Beginning[14]
|
— | — | |
2003 | Welcome to Life[16]
|
— | — | |
2006 | Overflow[18]
|
— | — | |
2008 | Empty & Beautiful
|
168[20] | 12[21] | |
2009 | Alive Again
|
128[22] | 6[21] | |
2011 | The Love in Between
|
97 | 7 | |
2013 | All the People Said Amen
|
88 | 5 | |
2015 | Saints and Sinners
|
52 | 2 |
Singles
Year | Title | Peak Chart Positions | Album |
Billboard Hot Christian Songs[23] | |||
2008 | "Your Grace Is Enough" | 4 | Empty & Beautiful |
2009 | "Empty & Beautiful" | 47 | |
"Alive Again" | 12[24] | Alive Again | |
2010 | "Hold Us Together" | 6[25] | |
"Christ Is Risen" | 18[26] | ||
2011 | "Turn Around" | 5[27] | The Love In Between |
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" | 23 | non-album single | |
2012 | "Rise Up" | 23[28] | The Love In Between |
2013 | "Lord, I Need You" | 4[29] | All the People Said Amen |
2014 | "All the People Said Amen" | 6 | |
"Because He Lives (Amen)" | 3 | Saints and Sinners | |
2015 | "Deliverer" | 24 |
Awards and recognition
- 2008 Praise And Worship Album of the Year: Empty & Beautiful[30]
- 2009 nominee, Male Vocalist of the Year
- 2009 nominee, Song of the Year: "As It Is In Heaven"
- 2009 nominee, Praise And Worship Song of the Year: "As It Is In Heaven"
- 2010 Album of the Year: Alive Again
- 2010 Praise And Worship Album of the Year: Alive Again
- 2010 Song of the Year: "Hold Us Together"
- 2010 Praise And Worship Song of the Year: "Alive Again"
- 2011 Male Vocalist of the Year
- 2012 Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year: "The Love In Between"
- 2010 nominee, Praise And Worship Song of the Year: Alive Again
- 2010 nominee, Song of the Year: "Alive Again"
- 2010 winner, Special Events Album of the Year: Glory Revealed II: The Word of God in Worship [Split win with Kari Jobe]
- 2015 winner, Songwriter of the Year
- Unity Awards
- 2003 winner, Best New Artist of the Year
- 2004 winner, Praise & Worship Song of the Year: "I Love You, Lord"
- 2008 winner, Best Artist of the Year
- Other
- 2008 Catholic Album of the Year: Empty & Beautiful
References
- 1 2 "Matt Maher Discography, Matt Maher Lyrics - Jesusfreakhideout.com". Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ↑ Jones, Kim (April 29, 2006). "Matt Maher Interview". About.com. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
- ↑ "2015 Winners". GMA Dove Award. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
- ↑ Bio formerly at www.mattmahermusic.com (archived at the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine).
- ↑ "New Release Tuesday.com". Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ↑ Alive Again review at Allmusic. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
- ↑ Provident Press Archived November 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ Archived March 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "MercyMe, Jars of Clay part of The Rock and Worship Road Show in Sioux City". Argus Leader. January 30, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
- ↑ "WYD Flashback With Matt Maher, And His Story On How The Song Came To Be Written…". Why I Am Catholic. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ↑ "NCYC Post Conference Updates . . .". Retrieved April 25, 2015.
- ↑ "Keynotes and Closing Liturgy". Retrieved April 25, 2015.
- ↑ "iTunes - Music - Saints and Sinners by Matt Maher". iTunes. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
- ↑ "The End and the Beginning at Spirit and Song". Oregon Catholic Press. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ↑ "iTunes - Music - The End and the Beginning by Matt Maher". iTunes. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ↑ "Welcome to Life at Spirit and Song". Oregon Catholic Press. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ↑ "iTunes - Music - Welcome to Life by Matt Maher". iTunes. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ↑ "Overflow at Spirit and Song". Oregon Catholic Press. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ↑ "Artist : BREATHEcast". Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ↑ Empty & Beautiful at Billboard
- 1 2 "Album Chart Positions". AllMusic. Retrieved February 6, 2011.
- ↑ Alive Again at Billboard
- ↑ "Matt Maher Album & Song Chart History - Hot Christian Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Hot Christian Songs chart, week of December 19, 2009". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Hot Christian Songs chart, week of July 17, 2010". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Hot Christian Songs chart, week of March 26, 2011". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Hot Christian Songs chart, week of October 22, 2011". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Hot Christian Songs chart, week of June 16, 2012". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Hot Christian Songs chart, week of October 26, 2013". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
- ↑ Maher received four other GMAC nominations in 2008: New Artist of the Year, Inspirational Song of the Year: "Empty And Beautiful", Praise And Worship Song of the Year: "Your Grace Is Enough", and Song of the Year: "Your Grace Is Enough" GMA Canada list of 2008 nominees
External links
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