Matt Maher

Matthew Guion Maher (born November 10, 1974)[1] is a Canadian contemporary Christian music (CCM) artist, songwriter, and worship leader from Newfoundland, Canada, who lives in the United States. He has written and produced nine 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 has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards in his career and was awarded the Songwriter of the Year for an artist, at the 2015 GMA Dove Awards.[3]

For other people named Matthew Maher, see Matthew Maher (disambiguation).

Matt Maher
Maher performing in 2015
Background information
Birth nameMatthew Guion Maher
Born (1974-11-10) November 10, 1974[1]
Newfoundland, Canada
GenresContemporary worship music
InstrumentsVocals, guitar
Years active2000–present
LabelsEssential
Websitewww.mattmahermusic.com

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 and continued his studies in the Jazz Department at Arizona State University. He studied jazz piano and earned a music degree there. He paid for his first three years of college by playing piano in a hotel.

Maher lives in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.

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 Clarkson, 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 four million, including Pope Francis, for World Youth Day 2013 in Rio, Brazil.[10] Other youth activities he has participated in include the 2013, 2015, and 2017 National Catholic Youth Conferences, all held in Indianapolis, Indiana.[11][12][13] He also sang at the 2014 March for Life.[14]

On March 17, 2015, Maher released his eighth studio album, Saints and Sinners, through Essential Records.[15] "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. In September 2017, Maher's ninth studio album, Echoes, released and earned Maher his ninth career Grammy Award nomination.

He is a two-time BMI Songwriter of the Year and in 2015 was named NSAI Songwriter of the Year. Along with his nine GRAMMY Award nominations, he has also been nominated for more than 20 GMA/Gospel Music Association Dove Awards in his career, including "Song of the Year", "Worship Song of the Year", "Pop Contemporary Christian Performance of the Year", and "Pop Contemporary Song of the Year".

On October 12, 2018, his song "Lord, I Need You" was certified Platinum by RIAA, his first certification.

His single "Alive and Breathing" reached top-5 in the Christian singles chart, in June 2020 the song started to chart on mainstream lists as well, hitting No. 3 on Rolling Stone's trending 25 list as well as No. 25 on Billboard singles of the week.[16]

Discography

Albums
Maher performing at YC Newfoundland in 2009
Title Year Album details Peak chart positions
US US
Christian
[17]		 US
Holiday
[18]
The End and the Beginning[19] 2001 — — —
Welcome to Life[21] 2003
  • Released: January 1, 2003[22]
  • Label: Spirit and Song
  • Format: CD, digital download
 — — —
Overflow[23] 2006
  • Released: March 22, 2006[24]
  • Label: Spirit and Song
  • Format: CD, digital download
 — — —
Empty & Beautiful 2008
  • Released: April 8, 2008
  • Label: Essential
  • Format: CD, digital download
 168[25] 12[26] —
Alive Again 2009
  • Released: September 22, 2009
  • Label: Essential
  • Format: CD, digital download
 128[27] 6[26] —
The Love in Between 2011
  • Released: September 20, 2011
  • Label: Essential
  • Format: CD, digital download
 97 7 —
All the People Said Amen 2013
  • Released: April 23, 2013
  • Label: Essential
  • Format: CD, digital download
 88 5 —
Saints and Sinners 2015
  • Released: March 17, 2015
  • Label: Essential
  • Format: CD, digital download
 52 2 —
Echoes 2017
  • Released: September 29, 2017
  • Label: Essential/Sony
  • Format: CD, digital download
 — 5 —
The Advent of Christmas 2018
  • Released: October 19, 2018
  • Label: Essence Records
  • Format: CD
 — 27 12
Alive & Breathing[28] 2020
  • Released: February 21, 2020
 — 4[29] —

Extended plays
Title Year EP details
Lord, I Need You[30] 2015
  • Released: September 23, 2015
  • Label: Provident
Alive & Breathing Vol. I[31] 2019
  • Released: September 13, 2019
Alive & Breathing Vol. II[32]
  • Released: October 11, 2019
Alive & Breathing Vol. 3[33]
  • Released: November 8, 2019
Alive & Breathing Vol. 4[34] 2020
  • Released: January 17, 2020

Singles
Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
Christ.
[35]		 US
Christ.
Airplay
[36]		 US
Christ. AC
[37]
2008 "Your Grace Is Enough" 4 2 Empty & Beautiful
2009 "Empty & Beautiful" 47 —
"Alive Again" 12 10 Alive Again
2010 "Hold Us Together" 6 8
"Christ Is Risen" 18 21
2011 "Turn Around" 5 6 The Love in Between
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" 23 7 non-album single
2012 "Rise Up" 23 18 The Love in Between
2013 "Lord, I Need You" 4 4 All the People Said Amen
2014 "All the People Said Amen" 6 4 7
"Hope Can Change Everything"
(with Francesca Battistelli, Jeremy Camp,
Jamie Grace, Bart Millard, and Sidewalk Prophets)		 14 21 — non-album single
"Because He Lives (Amen)" 3 1 1 Saints and Sinners
2015 "Deliverer" 18 18 15
2017 "Glory (Let There Be Peace)" 14 1 1 non-album single
"Your Love Defends Me" 12 8 3 Echoes
"What a Friend" 10 2 3
2018 "Born On That Day" 24 10 6 The Advent of Christmas
"Jingle Bells" 48 34 21
2019 "Alive & Breathing"
(featuring Ellie Limebear)		 5 1 1 Alive & Breathing
2020 "Run to the Father" — 31 —

Awards and recognition

Grammy Awards

  • 2017 - nomination for the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards for Best Contemporary Christian album, ECHOES
  • 2015 - four nominations for the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards
    • Best Contemporary Christian Music Album, Saints And Sinners
    • Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song, "Because He Lives (Amen)" from Saints And Sinners
    • Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song, as co-writer for "Soul On Fire" by Third Day
    • Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song, as co-writer "Come As You Are" by Crowder
  • 2014 - two nominations for the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards
    • Best Contemporary Christian Music Album, All The People Said Amen
    • Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song, "Lord, I Need You" from All The People Said Amen
  • 2013 - nomination for the 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for "White Flag" from 2012 Passion compilation
  • 2012 - nomination for 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song as co-writer for "I Lift My Hands" by Chris Tomlin

GMA Canada Covenant Awards

  • 2008 Praise And Worship Album of the Year: Empty & Beautiful[39]
  • 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"

GMA Dove Awards

  • 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
  • 2019 winner, Christmas/Special Event Album of the Year: The Advent of Christmas

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. "Matt Maher Discography, Matt Maher Lyrics". Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  2. Jones, Kim (April 29, 2006). "Matt Maher Interview". About.com. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
  3. "2015 Winners". GMA Dove Award. Archived from the original on September 27, 2018. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  4. Bio formerly at www.mattmahermusic.com (archived at the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine).
  5. "New Release Tuesday.com". Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  6. Alive Again review at Allmusic. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
  7. "Homepage". Provident Label Group. Archived from the original on November 28, 2010.
  8. Archived March 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  9. "MercyMe, Jars of Clay part of The Rock and Worship Road Show in Sioux City". Argus Leader. January 30, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
  10. "WYD Flashback With Matt Maher, And His Story On How The Song Came To Be Written…". Why I Am Catholic. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  11. "NCYC Post Conference Updates . . ". Archived from the original on March 2, 2015. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  12. "Keynotes and Closing Liturgy". Archived from the original on April 29, 2015. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  13. https://twitter.com/NFCYM/status/932665859876601856%5B%5D
  14. "Press Release". January 20, 2014.
  15. "iTunes - Music - Saints and Sinners by Matt Maher". iTunes Store. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  16. Mauro, J.-P. "Matt Maher's new hit lands high on secular charts". Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  17. "Matt Maher Chart History: Top Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  18. "Matt Maher Chart History: Top Holiday Albums". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  19. "The End and the Beginning at Spirit and Song". Oregon Catholic Press. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  20. "iTunes - Music - The End and the Beginning by Matt Maher". iTunes Store. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  21. "Welcome to Life at Spirit and Song". Oregon Catholic Press. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  22. "iTunes - Music - Welcome to Life by Matt Maher". iTunes Store. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  23. "Overflow at Spirit and Song". Oregon Catholic Press. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  24. "Artist : BREATHEcast". Archived from the original on June 10, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  25. Empty & Beautiful at Billboard
  26. "Album Chart Positions". AllMusic. Retrieved February 6, 2011.
  27. Alive Again at Billboard
  28. "Alive & Breathing by Matt Maher". NewReleaseToday. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  29. Mauro, J.-P. "Matt Maher's new hit lands high on secular charts". Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  30. "Lord, I Need You EP by Matt Maher". NewReleaseToday. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  31. "Alive & Breathing Vol. I EP by Matt Maher". NewReleaseToday. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  32. "Alive & Breathing Vol. II EP by Matt Maher". NewReleaseToday. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
  33. "Alive & Breathing Vol. 3 EP by Matt Maher". NewReleaseToday. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  34. "Alive & Breathing Vol. 4 EP by Matt Maher". NewReleaseToday. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  35. "Matt Maher Chart History (Hot Christian Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  36. "Matt Maher Chart History (Christian Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
  37. "Matt Maher Chart History (Christian AC Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
  38. "American certifications – Matt Maher". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  39. 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 Archived September 27, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
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