Matthew "Matt" Maher is a contemporary Christian music (CCM) artist, songwriter, and worship leader originally from Newfoundland, Canada, who later relocated to Tempe, Arizona. He has written and produced five solo albums to date. His most well-known song is "Your Grace is Enough." He is a Catholic.
Biography
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.[2]
Maher received a scholarship from the Jazz Department at Arizona State University, where he studied Jazz Piano and got his music degree. He paid for his first three years of college by playing piano in a hotel.
Matt currently lives in Tempe, Arizona. He is involved in building community at Our Lady Of Mount Carmel parish. He married Kristin Fisher on September 10, 2010. Their son, Michael Conor, was born on August 1, 2011.
Career
In the spring of 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.[3] In fall of 2009, Maher toured with Michael W. Smith on the "New Hallelujah Tour". Alive Again peaked in sixth position on Billboard magazine's Top Christian Albums chart in 2009.[4]
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 on the secular airwaves.[5]
Maher was a guest singer songwriter speaker at Crowder's Fantastical Church Music Conference at Baylor University Fall 2010 put on by the David Crowder Band.[6] In early 2011 he toured the United States on the Rock And Worship Roadshow headlined by MercyMe
Albums
Maher performing at YC Newfoundland in 2009.Year Title Chart positions Billboard 200 Top Christian Albums Top Heatseekers 2001 The End and the Beginning[8] - - - 2003 Welcome to Life[9] - - - 2006 Overflow[10] - - - 2008 Empty & Beautiful 168[11] 12[12] 6[13] 2009 Alive Again 128[14] 6[12] -
SinglesYear Title Peak Chart Positions Album Billboard Hot Christian Songs 2009 "Alive Again" 12 Alive Again 2010 "Hold Us Together" 6 "Christ Is Risen" 18 2011 "Turn Around" 251 The Love In Between
