Matt Maher

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

Maher performing in 2015
Background information
Birth name Matthew Guion Maher
Born (1974-11-10) November 10, 1974[1]
Newfoundland, Canada
Genres Contemporary Christian music, contemporary worship music
Years active 2000–present
Labels Essential
Website www.mattmahermusic.com

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

Maher performing at YC Newfoundland in 2009.
Year Album details Peak chart positions
US US
Christian
2001 The End and the Beginning[14] — —
2003 Welcome to Life[16]
  • Released: January 1, 2003[17]
  • Label: Spirit and Song
    •
  • Format: CD, digital download
 — —
2006 Overflow[18]
  • Released: March 22, 2006[19]
  • Label: Spirit and Song
    •
  • Format: CD, digital download
 — —
2008 Empty & Beautiful
  • Released: April 8, 2008
  • Label: Essential
    •
  • Format: CD, digital download
 168[20] 12[21]
2009 Alive Again
  • Released: September 22, 2009
  • Label: Essential
    •
  • Format: CD, digital download
 128[22] 6[21]
2011 The Love in Between
  • Released: September 20, 2011
  • Label: Essential
    •
  • Format: CD, digital download
 97 7
2013 All the People Said Amen
  • Released: April 23, 2013
  • Label: Essential
    •
  • Format: CD, digital download
 88 5
2015 Saints and Sinners
  • Released: March 17, 2015
  • Label: Essential
    •
  • Format: CD, digital download
 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

GMA Canada Covenant Awards
GMA Dove Awards
Unity Awards
Other

References

  1. 1 2 "Matt Maher Discography, Matt Maher Lyrics - Jesusfreakhideout.com". 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. 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. ↑ Provident Press Archived November 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
  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 . . .". Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Keynotes and Closing Liturgy". Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  13. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Saints and Sinners by Matt Maher". iTunes. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  14. ↑ "The End and the Beginning at Spirit and Song". Oregon Catholic Press. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  15. ↑ "iTunes - Music - The End and the Beginning by Matt Maher". iTunes. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Welcome to Life at Spirit and Song". Oregon Catholic Press. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  17. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Welcome to Life by Matt Maher". iTunes. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Overflow at Spirit and Song". Oregon Catholic Press. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Artist : BREATHEcast". Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  20. ↑ Empty & Beautiful at Billboard
  21. 1 2 "Album Chart Positions". AllMusic. Retrieved February 6, 2011.
  22. ↑ Alive Again at Billboard
  23. ↑ "Matt Maher Album & Song Chart History - Hot Christian Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Hot Christian Songs chart, week of December 19, 2009". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Hot Christian Songs chart, week of July 17, 2010". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Hot Christian Songs chart, week of March 26, 2011". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  27. ↑ "Hot Christian Songs chart, week of October 22, 2011". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  28. ↑ "Hot Christian Songs chart, week of June 16, 2012". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  29. ↑ "Hot Christian Songs chart, week of October 26, 2013". Billboard. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  30. ↑ 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
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