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Biography
Infobox musical artist| name = Mike Viola| image =| caption = Mike Viola Live In Copenhagen| image_size = 220px| birth_name = Michael A. Viola| birth_date = birth date and age|1966|9|26| origin = Stoughton, Massachusetts|Stoughton , Massachusetts , United States | instrument = Singing|Vocals , guitar , piano , Bass guitar|bass | genre = Pop rock , powerpop , alternative rock , Acoustic music|acoustic | occupation = Musician , songwriter , Record producer|producer | years_active = 1980s–present| label = BlueThumb Records|Blue Thumb / MCA Records|MCA (1996) Sony Records|Sony / RPM Records (United States)|RPM (1999–2004) Good Morning Monkey Records|Good Morning Monkey (2005–present)| associated_acts = L.E.O. , The Major Labels , Mandy Moore , Torres , Fountains of Wayne , KellyJones , The Figgs | website = http://www.mikeviola.com/| background=solo_singer Michael "Mike" Viola (born September 26, 1966)Michael A. Viola 1966- http://www.faqs.org/copyright/the-early-years-of-the-christian-church-by-clarence-h/ The Early Years, http://www.faqs.org/copyright/ordinary-man-and-3-other-titles/ Ordinary Man, http://www.faqs.org/copyright/rainbows-part-2/#id6999495 Rainbows, http://www.faqs.org/copyright/dont-break-me-easy-and-1-other-title/ Don't Break My Fall, http://www.faqs.org/copyright/i-dont-wanna-fall-for-a-feelin-and-117-other-titles/ I Don't Wanna Die A Pizza Maker http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-Viola/115339369850 Birthday: September 26, 1966 is an American singer-songwriter best known as singer, songwriter and "musical architect" of a team he called the "Candy Butchers", a pop-rock band from New York City that recorded three critically acclaimed albums for Sony. A native of Stoughton, Massachusetts , Mike began his musical career in the 1980s. No recordings of his earliest musical work, however, were known to have been officially released as of September 2009. Citation needed|date=September 2009The success of the Candy Butchers in the 1990s led to multiple appearances on Late Night With Conan O’Brien and Last Call With Carson Daly . It also found the group touring alongside the likes of Ron Sexsmith, They Might Be Giants , Robyn Hitchcock , Semisonic , Sparklehorse , Barenaked Ladies , and Ivy .
Viola simultaneously began a career in film work as the co-producer and lead singer of the Oscar-nominated title track from Tom Hanks 's That Thing You Do! . Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story , a film collaboration between Jake Kasdan and Judd Apatow that starred John C. Reilly as Dewey Cox, featured nearly a dozen songs written by Viola.
Viola joined the ranks of "indie," or independent-record-label artists in 2005 when he released an album of new songs on his own label, Good Morning Monkey Records . Recorded live at Largo (nightclub)|Largo in L.A., Just Before Dark showcased Viola's abilities as a live performer. Once made available on his official website, the album, released as a long-playing vinyl album with a CD copy included, sold out in three months.
His album, Lurch (album)|Lurch , employed classic pop elements, and incorporated storybook imagery, such as Viola’s fans had come to expect by this time in his career. Lurch was also released internationally, with such selections as “Maybe, Maybe Not” (the first selection on the album) and “So Much Better” (the first single Viola released from the album) receiving radio airplay in Denmark . "So Much Better" was a Danish chart selection. Citation needed|date=September 2009 After signing a contract with EMI Music Publishing for worldwide distribution of his own material, Viola remained a songwriter and/or producer on a multitude of projects. His work could be heard on Amanda Leigh , the most recent of Mandy Moore 's albums as of September 2009. In addition to being Moore's musical director, Viola has collaborated with Dan Wilson, Inara George , Tim Christensen , Dan Bern , Steve McEwan , KellyJones , Ryan Adams , Drake Bell , Bleu (musician)|Bleu , Adam Schlesinger , John C. Reilly , Mary Wooddn|date=November 2011, Sam Bisbee , The Gentlemen (band)|The Gentlemen , John Wesley Harding (singer)|John Wesley Harding , Ben Romans , and Noam Weinstein during this period.
He has taken part in a compilation album released on November 15, 2011 by Engine Room Recordings . On the album Mike covers Round and Round (Ratt song)|Round and Round by Ratt .
In 2012 Viola recorded a version of Andrew Gold 's "Lonely Boy" for a fund raising cd titled "Super Hits Of The Seventies" for radio station WFMU . http://michaelshelley.net/2012/ Super Hits Of The 70's
Candy Butchers
Candy Butchers (aka "Mike Viola and the Candy Butchers") was formed in the 1990s in Boston, Massachusetts by Viola. Viola moved to New York City and began appearing as an acoustic duo with his long time friend Todd Foulsham. Candy Butchers were a vehicle for Mike's songwriting and went through various incarnations.
Soundtrack work
Viola, along with friend Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne , co-produced the That Thing You Do (song)|title track for Tom Hanks 's 1996 movie That Thing You Do! The selection received an The Oscars|Oscar nomination for Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song . Viola sang lead vocals on the track, and as the accepted singing voice of Johnathon Schaech 's character, "Jimmy," he also sang on the film's track Little Wild One, All My Only Dreams.
Viola was a songwriter for the 2007 Jake Kasdan / Judd Apatow film, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story . A Life Without You (Is No Life At All), Darling, (I Hate You) Big Daddy, Dear Mr. President, Beautiful Ride, Sir Ringe The Marshmallow Elephant, Let Me Hold You Little Man. Viola toured as musical director on a promotional tour for the film in December 2007 with John C. Reilly , acting out his fictional character of Dewey Cox.
Viola was a songwriter for Russell Brand's character Aldus Snow in the movie Get Him to the Greek African Child, The Clap, I Am Jesus, Searching For a Father in America, Little Bird, Furry Walls.
Alongside Jellyfish 's Andy Sturmer , Chicago 's Jason Scheff and Hanson (band)|the Hanson Brothers Band , Viola collaborated with Bleu (musician)|Bleu , the leader of L.E.O. , a team that paid tribute to the Electric Light Orchestra . They released a single album, Alpacas Orgling , in 2006.
Viola, Bleu (musician)|Bleu , and Ducky Carlisle joined forces to form a power-pop supergroup which they called The Major Labels, self-releasing the album Aquavia in July 2008. Discussions promptly got under way for the album's release on and distribution by a major label in 2009, which was to include bonus material.
His known guests on stage
As of September 2009, Viola was known to host, and/or make guest appearances in, concerts given by a number of independent pop-rock musicians, all of whom he also considered his friends. These included Bleu (musician)|Bleu , John Wesley Harding (singer)|John Wesley Harding , Marshall Crenshaw , Jed Parrish, Jim Boggia , The Brilliant Mistakes , The ClickFive , Oranjuly , Mono Puff ( They Might Be Giants 's John Flansburgh side-project), Fountains of Wayne , the Finn Brothers , Tracy Bonham , Mandy Moore , and Tribe (band)|Tribe 's Janet LaValley.
http://www.myspace.com/mikeviola/ MySpace music page
http://www.emimusicpub.com/worldwide/artist_profile/mike-viola_profile.html/ EMI Music Publishing
Mike Viola Persondata | NAME = Viola, Mike | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH = September 26, 1966 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Viola, Mike Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American power pop groups
