Kevin Griffin

Kevin Griffin (singer)
Background information
Birth name Kevin Michael Griffin[1]
Born (1968-10-01) October 1, 1968
New Orleans, LA
Genres Rock
Alternative rock
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter, and producer
Instruments Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active 1988–present
Associated acts Better Than Ezra

Kevin Michael[1] Griffin (born October 1, 1968) is an American guitarist, vocalist, producer, and songwriter.[2]

Griffin formed the alternative rock band Better Than Ezra in 1988. The band had great success in the 1990s with hits such as "Good", "In the Blood", and "Desperately Wanting", and has continued in the 2000s with hits such as "Extra Ordinary", "A Lifetime", and "Juicy". They continue to tour and produce new recordings, the most recent of which is All Together Now, released in September 2014. As a singer and performer, Griffin is known for singing in falsetto, inviting audience members onstage to play guitar, and interrupting his own songs with verses of well-known rock songs. He is a skilled mimic, imitating singers from Aaron Neville to Bruce Springsteen.

Personal life

Kevin Griffin grew up and attended River Oaks High School in Monroe, Louisiana. Later, Griffin received a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in political science from Louisiana State University in 1990.[2] There he became a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He took the LSAT with the intention of pursuing a law degree and working in entertainment law.[2] Griffin took a job with Creative Artists Agency in Los Angeles during the early 1990s,[2] before Better Than Ezra achieved commercial success.

Griffin and his family largely resided in the Uptown neighborhood of New Orleans until Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005.[3] Griffin purchased a home in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles in July 2006,[3] but after much consideration put it on the market after a planned move to Nashville in order to be closer to a more prosperous songwriting market.[4]

Songwriter

Griffin has also produced, written, and co-written songs for other artists, such as Sugarland, James Blunt, Christina Perri, Taylor Swift, Train, Howie Day, Missy Higgins, Daniel Powter, Augustana, Debbie Harry, and Josh Radin. Griffin is credited with having co-written "Stuck Like Glue," the Mediabase #1 single from the 2010 Sugarland album, "Incredible Machine", as well as their subsequent single "Tonight". Most recently, Kevin co-wrote Tristan Prettyman's top ten single, "My Oh My". He also co-wrote and co-produced James Blunt's "I'll Be Your Man" from his recent Some Kind of Trouble album. Griffin co-wrote the Top 40 hit "Collide" with Howie Day. He also co-wrote four tracks on Missy Higgins' debut album, The Sound of White, which included the hit "Scar" The album went ten times platinum in Australia. Griffin also co-wrote Tristan Prettyman's single "Madly," and "Avalanche" on the self-titled, major-label debut of American Idol winner David Cook. Better Than Ezra released their 7th studio album, Paper Empire in May 2009. Kevin co-produced the Album with Producer Warren Huart. Other recent artists Kevin has worked with include Secret Sisters, A Rocket to the Moon, Boys Like Girls, Megan and Liz, Skillet, Shinedown, and Hot Chelle Rae. Kevin co-wrote three songs with Barenaked Ladies frontman, Ed Robertson, on their 2013 album Grinning Streak, and two songs on their 2015 album Silverball.

Year Artist Song Album Credit
2003 Blondie Good Boys The Curse of Blondie Co-Writer
Howie Day Collide Stop All the World Now Co-Writer
Howie Day Perfect Time of Day Stop All the World Now Co-Writer
Howie Day Sunday Morning Song Stop All the World Now Co-Writer
Meat Loaf Testify Couldn't Have Said It Better Writer
2004 Graham Colton Band Cigarette Drive Co-Writer
Graham Colton Band Cut Drive Co-Writer
Graham Colton Band First Week Drive Co-Writer
Graham Colton Band How Low (Breakdown) Drive Co-Writer
Graham Colton Band Morning Light Drive Co-Writer
Missy Higgins Don't Ever The Sound of White Co-Writer
Missy Higgins Scar The Sound of White Co-Writer
Missy Higgins Unbroken The Sound of White Co-Writer
2005 Josh Kelley Lover Come Up Almost Honest Co-Writer
2006 Val Emmich Absolutely Still Sunlight Searchparty Co-Writer
2007 Graham Colton New Year's Resolution Here Right Now Co-Writer
Ingram Hill Four Letter Word Cold in California Co-Writer
Ingram Hill Impossible Cold in California Co-Writer
Jeremy Lister Fit Just One Day EP Co-Writer
Jeremy Lister Just One Day Just One Day EP Co-Writer
Jon McLaughlin Human Indiana Co-Writer
2008 David Cook Avalanche David Cook Co-Writer
I Nine Don't Wanna Heavy Weighs the King Co-Writer
Joshua Radin Free of Me Simple Times Co-Writer
Lenka Knock Knock Lenka Co-Writer
Tristan Prettyman Madly Hello...x Co-Writer
2009 Howie Day Be There Sound the Alarm Co-Writer
Howie Day Longest Night Sound the Alarm Co-Writer
Howie Day Sound the Alarm Sound the Alarm Co-Writer
Howie Day Undressed Sound the Alarm Co-Writer
Train I Got You Save Me, San Francisco Co-Writer
2010 James Blunt I'll Be Your Man Some Kind of Trouble Co-Writer
Sugarland Stuck Like Glue The Incredible Machine Co-Writer
Sugarland Tonight The Incredible Machine Co-Writer
2011 Augustana Counting Stars Augustana Co-Writer
David Cook Fade into Me This Loud Morning Co-Writer
Howie Day Ceasefire Ceasefire EP Co-Writer
Howie Day Isn't It Obvious Ceasefire EP Co-Writer
Howie Day Oxygen Ceasefire EP Co-Writer
Il Volo This Time Il Volo (International Version) Co-Writer
2012 Boys Like Girls Crazy World Crazy World Co-Writer
Daniel Powter Cupid Turn on the Lights Co-Writer
Daniel Powter The Day We Never Met Turn on the Lights Co-Writer
Missy Higgins Hello Hello The Ol' Razzle Dazzle Co-Writer
Tristan Prettyman My Oh My Cedar + Gold Co-Writer
2013 A Rocket to the Moon Whole Lotta You Wild & Free Co-Writer
A Rocket to the Moon You're My Song Wild & Free Co-Writer
Barenaked Ladies Did I Say That Out Loud? Grinning Streak Co-Writer
Barenaked Ladies Gonna Walk Grinning Streak Co-Writer
Barenaked Ladies Odds Are Grinning Streak Co-Writer
James Blunt Kiss This Love Goodbye Moon Landing (Deluxe Edition) Co-Writer
James Blunt Telephone Moon Landing (Deluxe Edition) Co-Writer
2014 Christina Perri Lonely Child Head or Heart Co-Writer
Christina Perri One Night Head or Heart Co-Writer
JT Hodges Already High TBA Co-Writer
Megan and Liz Night of Our Lives Simple Life Co-Writer
2015 Barenaked Ladies Get Back Up Silverball Co-Writer
Barenaked Ladies Duct Tape Heart Silverball Co-Writer
2015 David Cook Home Movies (Over Your Shoulder) Digital Vein Co-Writer

References

  1. 1 2 "Kevin Griffin - Biography, Albums, Streaming Links - AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Seastrand, Andrea (June 19, 2009). "Interview with Better Than Ezra: Better Than Solo". The Aquarian Weekly. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
  3. 1 2 Spera, Keith (May 28, 2009). "Better Than Ezra frontman Kevin Griffin's move colors new 'Paper Empire'". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
  4. Spera, Keith (December 22, 2010). "Better Than Ezra's Kevin Griffin anticipates busy year in Nashville and beyond". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
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