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Biography
Refimprove|date=April 2010Infobox musical artist|name = Colin Meloy|image =colinmeloy1.jpg|caption=Colin Meloy performing with the The Decemberists in Atlanta , Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia |background = solo_singer|birth_name = Colin Patrick Henry Meloy|origin =|birth_date = Birth date and age|1974|10|5|mf=y|birth_place = Helena, Montana|Helena , Montana |death_date =|genre = Indie rock , Baroque pop , Folk rock |occupation = Singer-songwriter, guitarist|years_active = 1990–present|instrument = Vocals , Guitar , Bouzouki , Percussion , Harmonica |label = Kill Rock Stars Capitol Records|Capitol |associated_acts = The Decemberists , Tarkio (band)|Tarkio , Happy Cactus |website = http://www.decemberists.com/ Decemberists.com| notable_instruments = Gibson J-200 Montana Gold Custom Martin Guitars|Martin 000-17S
Colin Patrick Henry Meloy (born October 5, 1974) is the lead singer and songwriter for the Portland, Oregon , folk-rock band The Decemberists (band)|The Decemberists . In addition to vocals, he performs with an acoustic guitar , Twelve string guitar|12-string acoustic guitar , electric guitar , bouzouki , harmonica and percussion .
Early life and education
Meloy was born in Helena, Montana .cite web|title=Colin Meloy|work=Montana Kids|publisher=Montana Office of Tourism|url= http://montanakids.com/cool_stories/famous_montanans/meloy.htm|accessdate=September 5, 2011cite web|url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p552250|pure_url=yes|title=Biography: Colin Meloy|last=Monger|first=James Christopher|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=September 6, 2011 His sister is Maile Meloy , an author often published in The New Yorker .
Meloy attended the University of Oregon in Eugene for two years, studying English, before returning to Montana and enrolling in the creative writing program at the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana|Missoula . He graduated in 1998.Schweber, Nate, http://www.umt.edu/montanan/w09/making.asp "The Making of Meloy", The Montanan , Winter, 2009. Retrieved 2011-04-08.
Musical career
While in high school, Meloy was in Happy Cactus (band)|Happy Cactus , and when in college, in Missoula, he was the lead singer and songwriter for Tarkio (band)|Tarkio . Both were indie/ Folk rock|folk / alternative country bands. Soon after graduation, Meloy left Tarkio and moved to Portland. There he found, to his disappointment, that he pretty much had to start again, "going to open mics, ... sometimes with no one else in the room save the bartender. ... However, w When I was in that position, with nobody to appeal to or scare away, I thought, ‘I might as well do whatever I want to do,’ Meloy said in 2009. 'And that created a new thing.'"
In Portland, he met future bandmates Jenny Conlee and Nate Query .
In 2005, he went on his first solo tour to support the self-released six-song EP, Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey , consisting of six Morrissey covers. Only 1000 copies of the album were made and they were sold only on this tour. Meloy did a second solo tour in January 2006, playing with Laura Veirs and Amy Annelle . On this tour, he sold an EP featuring covers of British folk artist Shirley Collins . 2006 tour performances were recorded for a live release.
Meloy contributed an online bonus track for Lavender Diamond on their Imagine Our Love album. He performed a solo version of "Oh No."
Meloy began another solo tour in April, 2008. This coincided with the release of his debut solo album, Colin Meloy Sings Live! , on the Kill Rock Stars label. Singer-songwriter Laura Gibson was the supporting act for the full tour. As with previous EPs, Meloy sold an EP only available on this run: Colin Meloy Sings Sam Cooke , a collection of five Sam Cooke songs, arranged and performed by Meloy, with Laura Gibson singing harmonies.
Personal life
On February 24, 2006, Carson Ellis , Meloy's wife, gave birth to a son, Henry "Hank" Meloy. Ellis shares her birthday with Meloy, and is a graphic artist for the Decemberists.Citation needed|date=April 2011 In about 2010, Meloy revealed that Hank has high functioning autism . http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/meloy-opens-up-about-autistic-son_1197281 "The Decemberists - Meloy Opens Up About Autistic Son", contactmusic.com , 28 January 2011 19:01. "Meloy tells Britain's Uncut magazine, 'My son... is autistic. So that song "Rise To Me" is about mine and Carson's challenges.'" Retrieved 2011-04-08.
Solo discography
Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey (2005)
Colin Meloy Sings Shirley Collins (2006)
Colin Meloy Sings Live! (2008)
Colin Meloy Sings Sam Cooke (2008)
In 2003 Meloy contributed vocals to the track "The Lady From Reims" on Reclinerland's The Ideal Home Music Library . Meloy contributed vocals on the tracks "Cemetery Row" and "Twilight Distillery" on The Minus 5 's 2006 Yep Roc release. Meloy also covered the Elliott Smith song "Clementine" for a compilation of Portland, Oregon artists to support a children's charity. In mid-2006, he contributed the track, "Lazy Little Ada" on the Kill Rock Stars compilation, The Sound the Hare Heard . In 2007, Meloy lent his voice to an episode of '' Lil' Bush . He has appeared with Charlie Salas-Humara in the music video for "A Pillar of Salt" by The Thermals (2:16).
Other work
In 2004, Meloy wrote a 100-page book on The Replacements (band)|The Replacements ' third album, Let It Be (The Replacements album)|Let It Be , released as part of the 33? series.Citation needed|date=April 2011 Meloy made his debut as a children's writer with Wildwood (novel)|Wildwood illustrated by wife, Carson Ellis. He kicked off the book tour as the keynote of the AJC Decatur Book Festival on September 2, 2011.cite web|title=AJC Decatur Book Festival|url= http://www.decaturbookfestival.com/2011/authors/detail.php? id=91|work=AJC Decatur Book Festival|accessdate=21 June 2011
Notes
External links
Commons category|Colin Meloy
http://www.decemberists.com/ Decemberists Official Website
http://twitter.com/colinmeloy Colin Meloy's Twitter
Decemberists Persondata | NAME =Meloy, Colin | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH =October 5, 1974 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Helena, Montana|Helena , Montana | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Meloy, Colin Category:American singer-songwriters Category:Living people Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American musicians of Irish descent Category:American singers Category:American folk singers Category:Kill Rock Stars artists Category:People from Helena, Montana Category:Musicians from Montana Category:1974 births Category:Musicians from Portland, Oregon Category:Lewis and Clark County, Montana Category:The Decemberists members Category:The Minus 5 members
de:Colin Meloy eo:Colin Meloy nl:Colin Meloy
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