Matthew West | |
|---|---|
 Matthew West live at the Grand Ole Opry in 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Matthew Joseph West |
| Born | April 25, 1977 Downers Grove, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | Contemporary Christian music, pop rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, piano |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Labels | Universal South, Sparrow, Provident Label Group |
| Website | matthewwest |
Matthew Joseph West[1] (born April 25, 1977) is an American contemporary Christian musician and singer-songwriter. He has released five studio albums and is known for his songs "More", "You Are Everything", and "The Motions". He was nominated for five Dove Awards in 2005, two of which were for his major-label debut album, Happy. West won the 2013 American Music Award for Best Contemporary Inspirational Artist.[2]
Starting as an independent musician in the late 1990s, he released three independent albums before signing with Universal South Records. With the release of his Dove Award-winning debut album, Happy, released in 2003, his first radio single, "More", stayed at No. 1 on Christian Adult Contemporary charts for nine weeks and received two Dove Award nominations. His second album, History, was followed by a 2006 re-release of the originally independent album Sellout. In 2007, his career was threatened by vocal issues that required vocal-cord surgery followed by two months of prescribed vocal rest. His third studio album, Something to Say, also enjoyed chart success with No. 1 hits "You Are Everything" and "The Motions".
In addition to his main solo career, West has worked as a songwriter for many Christian musicians and groups, such as Point of Grace, Mandisa, Natalie Grant, and Casting Crowns, as well as mainstream country acts Rascal Flatts, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Vince Gill. In 2013, his second single, "Hello, My Name Is", from the album Into the Light, was released and reached No. 1 for a career-best 17 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Christian Songs chart.[3][4]
- ^ "Hide Lyrics | Joy Williams". MTV.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2009. Retrieved July 5, 2008.
- ^ "Complete Winners' List and Highlights of the 2013 American Music Awards - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. November 24, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- ^ "Matthew West - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- ^ "17 Weeks at No. 1 for "HELLO MY NAME IS" – A NEW RECORD!". Matthew West. Archived from the original on November 10, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2013.