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Biography
About|the musician|the lacrosse player|Matt Ward (lacrosse)Infobox musical artist | name = M. Ward| image = M Ward Glastonbury 2009-1.jpg| caption = M. Ward performing live at the Glastonbury Festival , 27th June 2009.| image_size =| background = solo_singer| birth_name = Matthew Stephen Ward| alias =| birth_date = birth date and age|1973|10|4| death_date =| origin = Newbury Park, California , United States|U.S. | instrument = Vocals , Keyboard instrument|Keyboards , Piano , Guitar , Bass guitar|Bass , Harmonica | genre = Indie folk , Alt-country | occupation = Singer-songwriter , Record producer|Producer | years_active = 1999–present| label = Merge Records|Merge , 4AD , Matador Records|Matador , Future Farmer Records|Future Farmer , Arts & Crafts México , Bella Union | associated_acts = She & Him , Monsters of Folk , Bright Eyes (band)|Bright Eyes | website = http://www.mwardmusic.com/ www.mwardmusic.com| notable_instruments = Matthew Stephen Ward , known by his stage name M. Ward , is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who rose to prominence in the Portland, Oregon music scene. In addition to his solo work he is known as a member of She & Him and Monsters of Folk .
Career
Ward's solo debut, Duet for Guitars No. 2|Duet for Guitars #2 , was released by Giant Sand|Howe Gelb on his Ow Om record label. Ward's 2001 album, End of Amnesia , was put out by Future Farmer Records . A collection of live recordings, Live Music & The Voice of Strangers , was a self-released disc that was sold at his shows in 2001. His subsequent albums have been released on Merge Records .
He has guested on recordings by Cat Power , Neko Case , Beth Orton (with whom he co-wrote the title track to her album Comfort of Strangers ), The Court & Spark , Bright Eyes (band)|Bright Eyes (with whom he toured on the 2004 Vote for Change tour with R.E.M. and Bruce Springsteen ), Jenny Lewis (whose debut solo album Rabbit Fur Coat he co-produced), and My Morning Jacket .
In 2004, Ward played guitar for Bright Eyes (band)|Bright Eyes on a taping of The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn . During the performance, Bright Eyes' singer Conor Oberst yelled out "M. Ward for President of the United States|President !" This prompted Newsweek to run an article on Ward and his next album Transistor Radio. Citation needed|date=July 2009 Also in 2004, Ward had his song Transfiguration #1 featured in Chris Malloy's surf documentary "A Brokedown Melody."
In 2005, Ward was – along with Aaron Burtch|Burtch , Jason Lytle|Lytle and Jim Fairchild|Fairchild from Grandaddy , Scout Niblett , Marie Frank or Jeremy Gara – involved in Howe Gelb 's project called Arizona Amp and Alternator , http://www.popnews.com/popnews/aaaa/ & http://www.thrilljockey.com/catalog/? id=100213 which had officially no band memberscite web|url= http://www.thrilljockey.com/artists/? id=10059 |title=Arizona Amp and Alternator - Thrill Jockey Records |publisher=Thrilljockey.com |date= |accessdate=2012-01-06 but a lot of involved musicians (M. Ward voice can be recognized on track Aaaa(3)).
In 2006, he contributed a song to, and helped produce the John Fahey (musician)|John Fahey tribute album I Am the Resurrection (album)|I Am the Resurrection . He also appears on Norah Jones ' album Not Too Late , performing backing vocals and guitar on " Sinkin' Soon ", and toured as the opener and a member of her "Handsome Band" for the album in the spring of 2007. Also his cover of David Bowie 's song " Let's Dance (David Bowie song)|Let's Dance " is featured on the soundtrack of the 2007 New Zealand film Eagle vs Shark . Ward was previously a member of the band Rodriguez (band)|Rodriguez with Kyle Field (musician)|Kyle Field of Little Wings . Their album Swing Like a Metronome was released in 2000 and produced by Jason Lytle of Grandaddy .
In 2006, he released Post-War , which was described by Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair in its August 2006 issue as thematic on the question "How will America heal once this Iraq War|craziness in Iraq is over? " Ward said in that article that he looked to the post-war music of the late 1940s and 1950s. "I had the naive, simplistic idea that producers and writers and artists of the time helped in a minuscule way to change the mind-set of America." The album was released on Merge Records and features cameo performances by Howe Gelb , Jim James and Neko Case .
From the music blog It's Hard to Find a Friend: "According to the Omaha City Weekly : ...Also with recording plans for the winter is Conor Oberst. Beginning in the new year, Oberst is slated to begin recording two new albums — one a solo record in Mexico (the album is self titled "Conor Oberst") with Jake Bellows playing a role and another with a new band being formed with M. Ward". http://www.hardtofindafriend.blogspot.com/ In 2006, Ward recorded a duet with actress Zooey Deschanel , a collaboration which resulted in the formation of the band She & Him . http://www.sheandhim.com/sheandhim.php#biography Biography | SheandHim.comdead link|date=October 2010 The duo's album Volume One (She and Him album)|Volume One & mdash; which Ward produced & mdash; was released on Merge Records on March 18, 2008. Ward and Deschanel performed (along with Yo La Tengo ) on '' Late Night with Conan O'Brien on April 22, 2008. Returning from She & Him duties, M. Ward has released his sixth solo studio album, Hold Time '',Cam, Lindsay. http://exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticlesub.aspx? csid1=130& csid2=4& fid1=36727 "M. Ward's Times Aren't A Changin'", Exclaim! , March 2007. on February 17, 2009. Ward has said that he doesn't enjoy playing shows very much: "In general I like it. I don't like being away from home that much. So it's O.K. It's a part of the job."cite web|url= http://www.nadamucho.com/features/interviews/m_ward__a_friendly_man_but_not_our_friend._yet......html |title=M Ward: A friendly man, but not our friend. Yet |publisher=Nadamucho.com |date=2004-02-29 |accessdate=2010-10-14 He has also taken steps recently to restrict fans' use of cameras—even point-and-shoots—during his live shows.cite web | title = Seattle Weekly: Dear M. Ward: Don't Be That Guy | url = http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/reverb/2009/03/dear_m_ward_dont_be_that_guy.php | accessdate = 2009-03-09 | postscript = inconsistent citations
Both Ward and Deschanel also agreed to be judges for the 9th annual The Independent Music Awards|Independent Music Awards . In doing so, She & Him are using their growing influence to assist upcoming independent musicians' careers. http://www.independentmusicawards.com/judges Independent Music Awards. http://miccontrolblog.com/2009/05/27/the-independent-music-awards-announces-judges-for-9th-annual-imas/ MicControl. http://top40-charts.com/news/Charts-Awards/She-& -Him-The-Black-Keys-Mark-Hoppus-Aimee-Mann-And-Bettye-LaVette-Join-Judging-Panel-For-The-9th-Annual-Independent-Music-Awards/48785.html Top40-Charts.com. Ward's music has influenced subsequent singer-songwriters such as Jesse Marchant of JBM .cite news |author= Andrew Duncan |title= JBM – Reflections |publisher= Zaptown |date= Jul 9th, 2010 |url= http://www.zaptownmag.com/2010/07/jbm-reflections |accessdate= 2011-05-23
Monsters of Folk , the project Ward and Oberst began, finally released their Monsters of Folk (album)|self-titled debut album in September 2009. The band also includes Jim James of My Morning Jacket (credited as Yim Yames ) and Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes (band)|Bright Eyes .
A Very She & Him Christmas was announced on Pitchfork.com in September 2011. The twelve track Christmas album was released October 25, 2011 under Merge Records.cite web|last=Fitzmaurice |first=Larry |url= http://www.pitchfork.com/news/43939-she-him-unveil-christmas-album/ |title=She & Him Reveal Christmas Album & #124; News |publisher=Pitchfork |date=2011-09-08 |accessdate=2012-01-06
Influences
Ward says that " Amazing Grace " is probably his favorite song. His favorite piece of musical equipment is the TASCAM 4-Track Recorder, which he uses to start every song he writes. http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/41189-guest-list-m-ward M. Ward | Pitchfork. Ward is sponsored by Gibson Guitars, his main guitar being the Johnny A. model. Regarding the types of music he grew up listening to, Ward said: "My dad turned me on to Johnny Cash . He was always into Gospel music|gospel and country music|country . My mom listened to classical music ."cite web|url= http://www.timmcmahan.com/mward.htm |title=Lazy-I Interview: M.Ward - July 2003 |publisher=Timmcmahan.com |date=2003-07-16 |accessdate=2010-10-14
Discography
Albums
Duet for Guitars No. 2|Duet for Guitars #2 (1999)
End of Amnesia (2001)
Live Music & The Voice of Strangers (2001)
Transfiguration of Vincent (2003)
Transistor Radio (album)|Transistor Radio (2005)
Post-War (2006) (#146 U.S.) http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/m-ward/chart-history/447823 Billboard.com, M. Ward chart history
Hold Time (album)|Hold Time (2009) (#31 U.S.)
A Wasteland Companion (album)|A Wasteland Companion (2012) http://www.bellaunion.com/index.php/site/news/m_ward_to_release_a_wasteland_companion_on_bella_union_in_april/
Volume One (She & Him album)|Volume One (2008) (#71 U.S.)
Volume Two (She & Him album)|Volume Two (2010) (#6 U.S.)
A Very She & Him Christmas (October 25th, 2011)
Monsters of Folk
Monsters of Folk (2009) (#15 U.S.) http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/monsters-of-folk/chart-history/1118903 Billboard.com, Monsters of Folk chart history
Tired Pony
The Place We Ran From (2010)
TBA (2011)
Compilation tracks
"John King's Watercolor Bicycle" on Acuarela Songs 1 (2001, Acuarela)
"Fearless" on Merge Records Presents: Survive and Advance Vol. 3 (2003, Merge Records|Merge )
"Story of an Artist" ( Daniel Johnston ) on The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered (2004, Gammon)
"One More Goodbye" on Old Enough 2 Know Better: 15 Years of Merge Records (2004, Merge)
"Let My Love Open the Door" ( Pete Townshend ) on Sweetheart 2005: Love Songs (2005, Hear Music|Hear )
"Green River" ( Creedence Clearwater Revival ) on Green River: Benefit For Mercy Corps (2005, Merge)
"Bean Vine Blues #2" ( John Fahey (musician)|John Fahey ) on I Am the Resurrection|I Am the Resurrection: A Tribute to John Fahey (2006, Vanguard Records|Vanguard )
"What Is a Soul? " on Big Change: Songs for FINCA (2007, IODA)
"Let's Dance" on Sounds Eclectic: The Covers Project (2007, Hear)
"Crooked Lines" on The Hottest State (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2007, Sony/ATV)
Other appearances
The Band of Blacky Ranchette – '' Still Lookin' Good to Me (2003, Thrill Jockey Records|Thrill Jockey )
My Morning Jacket – Z (My Morning Jacket album)|Z - Into The Woods (2005, ATO Records|ATO )
http://www.myspace.com/monstersoffolk Monsters of Folk Myspace page
M. WardShe & Him Persondata | NAME =Ward, M. | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH =1973-10-04 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Ward, M. Category:American male singers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American folk singers Category:Musicians from Portland, Oregon Category:People from Ventura County, California Category:4AD artists Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:Arts & Crafts (record label) artists
