Kevin Griffin

Kevin Michael Griffin[1] (born October 1, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the American rock band Better Than Ezra.[3]

Kevin Griffin
Griffin in 2010
Background information
Birth nameKevin Michael Griffin[1]
Born (1968-10-01) October 1, 1968
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.[2]
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano
Years active1988–present
Associated actsBetter Than Ezra, Barenaked Ladies

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.

Kevin Griffin released his first solo album, entitled Anywhere You Go,[4] on October 4, 2019, playing several dates to support it throughout the end of the year.

Personal life

Griffin grew up in Monroe, Louisiana and attended River Oaks High School there. He received a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in political science from Louisiana State University in 1990.[3] 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.[3] Griffin took a job with Creative Artists Agency in Los Angeles during the early 1990s,[3] 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.[5] Griffin purchased a home in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles in July 2006,[5] but after a few years in L.A. he discovered that many of the artists he wanted to collaborate with, e.g., Jason Mraz and James Blunt, were working out of Nashville.[6] In 2011, he sold his house and moved to Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville, to be closer to a more prosperous songwriting market.[7]

Songwriting credits

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, The Incredible Machine, as well as their subsequent single "Tonight". Most recently, Griffin 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. Other recent artists Griffin has worked with include The Secret Sisters, A Rocket to the Moon, Boys Like Girls, Megan and Liz, Skillet, Shinedown, and Hot Chelle Rae. He co-wrote three songs with Barenaked Ladies frontman, Ed Robertson, on their 2013 album Grinning Streak, two songs on their 2015 album Silverball, and four on their 2017 album Fake Nudes.

YearArtistSongAlbumCredit
2003Blondie"Good Boys"The Curse of BlondieCo-Writer
Howie Day"Collide"Stop All the World NowCo-Writer
"Perfect Time of Day"Co-Writer
"Sunday Morning Song"Co-Writer
Meat Loaf"Testify"Couldn't Have Said It BetterWriter
2004Graham Colton Band"Cigarette"DriveCo-Writer
"Cut"Co-Writer
"First Week"Co-Writer
"How Low (Breakdown)"Co-Writer
"Morning Light"Co-Writer
Missy Higgins"Don't Ever"The Sound of WhiteCo-Writer
"Scar"Co-Writer
"Unbroken"Co-Writer
2005Josh Kelley"Lover Come Up"Almost HonestCo-Writer
2006Val Emmich"Absolutely Still"Sunlight SearchpartyCo-Writer
2007Graham Colton"New Year's Resolution"Here Right NowCo-Writer
Ingram Hill"Four Letter Word"Cold in CaliforniaCo-Writer
"Impossible"Co-Writer
Jeremy Lister"Fit"Just One Day EPCo-Writer
"Just One Day"Co-Writer
Jon McLaughlin"Human"IndianaCo-Writer
2008David Cook"Avalanche"David CookCo-Writer
I Nine"Don't Wanna"Heavy Weighs the KingCo-Writer
Joshua Radin"Free of Me"Simple TimesCo-Writer
Lenka"Knock Knock"LenkaCo-Writer
Tristan Prettyman"Madly"Hello...xCo-Writer
2009Howie Day"Be There"Sound the AlarmCo-Writer
"Longest Night"Co-Writer
"Sound the Alarm"Co-Writer
"Undressed"Co-Writer
Train"I Got You"Save Me, San FranciscoCo-Writer
2010 Taylor Swift Breathless Hope for Haiti Now Writer
James BluntI'll Be Your ManSome Kind of TroubleCo-Writer
SugarlandStuck Like GlueThe Incredible MachineCo-Writer
SugarlandTonightThe Incredible MachineCo-Writer
2011AugustanaCounting StarsAugustanaCo-Writer
David CookFade into MeThis Loud MorningCo-Writer
Howie DayCeasefireCeasefire EPCo-Writer
Howie DayIsn't It ObviousCeasefire EPCo-Writer
Howie DayOxygenCeasefire EPCo-Writer
Il VoloThis TimeIl Volo (International Version)Co-Writer
2012Boys Like GirlsCrazy WorldCrazy WorldCo-Writer
Daniel PowterCupidTurn on the LightsCo-Writer
Daniel PowterThe Day We Never MetTurn on the LightsCo-Writer
Missy HigginsHello HelloThe Ol' Razzle DazzleCo-Writer
Tristan PrettymanMy Oh MyCedar + GoldCo-Writer
2013A Rocket to the MoonWhole Lotta YouWild & FreeCo-Writer
A Rocket to the MoonYou're My SongWild & FreeCo-Writer
Barenaked LadiesDid I Say That Out Loud?Grinning StreakCo-Writer
Barenaked LadiesGonna WalkGrinning StreakCo-Writer
Barenaked LadiesOdds AreGrinning StreakCo-Writer
James BluntKiss This Love GoodbyeMoon Landing (Deluxe Edition)Co-Writer
James BluntTelephoneMoon Landing (Deluxe Edition)Co-Writer
2014Christina PerriLonely ChildHead or HeartCo-Writer
Christina PerriOne NightHead or HeartCo-Writer
JT HodgesAlready HighTBACo-Writer
Megan and LizNight of Our LivesSimple LifeCo-Writer
2015Barenaked LadiesGet Back UpSilverballCo-Writer
Barenaked LadiesDuct Tape HeartSilverballCo-Writer
2015David CookHome Movies (Over Your Shoulder)Digital VeinCo-Writer
2017Barenaked LadiesCanada DryFake NudesCo-Writer
Barenaked LadiesBringing It HomeFake NudesCo-Writer
Barenaked LadiesLookin' UpFake NudesCo-Writer
Barenaked LadiesYou + Me vs. the WorldFake NudesCo-Writer
2018The StrutsFreak Like YouYoung & DangerousCo-Writer
Mike LoveMust Be ChristmasReason for the SeasonCo-Writer

References

  1. "Kevin Griffin - Biography, Albums, Streaming Links - AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  2. "Pilgrimage co-founder Kevin Griffin talks solo album, act, at this year's festival".
  3. Seastrand, Andrea (June 19, 2009). "Interview with Better Than Ezra: Better Than Solo". The Aquarian Weekly. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
  4. Milano, Brett (September 26, 2019). "Kevin Griffin, Anywhere You Go (BMG)". Offbeat Magazine. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  5. Spera, Keith (May 28, 2009). "Better Than Ezra frontman Kevin Griffin's move colors new 'Paper Empire'". The Times-Picayune. Archived from the original on January 10, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
  6. Paulson, Dave (September 17, 2018). "Pilgrimage Music and Cultural Festival: A Long Process". 114 (20). The Tennessean. pp. 1A, 13A.
  7. 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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