John Michael Montgomery

Infobox musical artist
Name = John Michael Montgomery

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Img_size =
Landscape = yes
Background = solo_singer
Born = birth date and age|1965|1|20
Origin = Nicholasville, Kentucky, USA
Instrument = Vocals
Guitar
Genre = Country
Occupation = Singer-songwriter
Years_active = 1992-present
Label = Atlantic
Warner Bros.
Stringtown
Associated_acts = Montgomery Gentry
All-4-One
URL =

John Michael Montgomery (born January 20, 1965, in Danville, Kentuckycite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:aifwxqtgldte~T1 |title=John Michael Montgomery biography |accessdate=2008-04-08 |last=Huey |first=Steve |work=Allmusic] ) is an american country music artist. He is the brother of Eddie Montgomery, one half of the duo Montgomery Gentry.

John Michael has produced more than thirty singles on the "Billboard" country charts, including two of "Billboard"’s Number One country singles of the year: "I Swear" (1994) and "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)" (1995). Besides these two songs, five more of Montgomery's singles have reached the top of the country charts: "I Love the Way You Love Me", "Be My Baby Tonight", "If You've Got Love", "I Can Love You Like That", and "The Little Girl", while thirteen more have reached Top Ten. "I Swear" and "I Can Love You Like That" were both covered by the pop group All-4-One.

Biography

Born Jan. 20, 1965, in Danville, Kentucky, Montgomery received musical encouragement from their father, who performed in a local country band and taught his son his first chords. John Michael joined the family band (which also included his brother, Eddie Montgomery, who would later join Troy Gentry in the duo Montgomery Gentry) as guitarist before taking the lead singing role when his parents divorced. Afterwards, he made a frugal living on the local honky-tonk scene as a solo artist playing what he referred to as "working man's country." Eventually, Atlantic Records signed him, although it was he, rather than the record company, who rejected his own material for inclusion on his debut. ("Mine just weren't good enough.") There were problems during the recording, typified in an anecdote regarding a late-night call to the head of Atlantic that resulted in a change of producer.

John Michael Montgomery arrived on the country music scene in 1993 with a debut album, Life's a Dance, that became the only million-seller on the country charts by a new artist that year. Its title was a No. 4 hit single and was followed by his first country chart-topper, "I Love the Way You Love Me." The follow-up, "Kickin' It Up", was a Number One album and produced four more successful singles, the chart-topping "I Swear" (which was later covered by All-4-One) "Be My Baby Tonight," "If You Got Love" and the No. 4 single "Rope the Moon". A self-titled album followed in 1995, producing another Number One in "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)" and three more Top Five hits. This album also included the song "Holdin' On to Something", which would later be a Top Ten hit for Jeff Carson in 1996.

His fourth album, "What I Do the Best", was released while the singer underwent throat surgery. He was almost back to full health for 1998's "Leave a Mark", which, like the following year's "Home to You", saw him heading in an increasingly middle-of-the-road direction. Following the release of 2000's "Brand New Me" (which produced his first Number One in five years with "The Little Girl"), he switched labels after Atlantic closed its country division and transferred several of its artists to the Warner Bros. roster. He released "Pictures" in 2002 and "The Very Best of John Michael Montgomery" in 2003.

In early 2003, he scored another radio hit with " Letters From Home", a song about a soldier fighting in an overseas war. The song served as the title track for his album of the same name.

In 2007, Montgomery founded his own label, Stringtown Records. His first single for the label, "Mad Cowboy Disease", was released in March 2008.

Acoustic Neuroma

After an off-key performance of the National Anthem at a televised NASCAR event in March, 2005, Montgomery confirmed on his website that he had a condition known as acoustic neuroma, which is a non-cancerous growth that interferes with a nerve running between the brain and the ear. This condition can affect balance and hearing and can certainly make singing or any kind of public performing quite difficult for the patient. The problem was corrected, however, and did not alter Montgomery's touring schedule for the rest of 2005. [ [http://www.cmt.com/news/news-in-brief/1499140/montgomery-confirms-nerve-disorder.jhtml Montgomery Confirms Nerve Disorder] ]

2006 Arrest

At 2:20 a.m. on February 16, 2006, Montgomery was arrested at an intersection in Lexington, Kentucky for driving under the influence and possession of a controlled substance, which was identified as Endocet by the "Lexington Herald-Leader". Police also found two loaded handguns in Montgomery's vehicle. Montgomery was charged with a count of a prescription drug not in its proper container, two counts of carrying a concealed deadly weapon, disregarding a traffic control device and performing an improper turn. [ [http://www.cmt.com/artists/news/1524422/02162006/montgomery_john_michael.jhtml John Michael Montgomery Arrested on Multiple Charges] ]

Montgomery's lawyer, Jon Woodall, has claimed that Montgomery is a hunter, and holds a concealed weapon permit, though Montgomery did not have the license with him at the time of arrest. Woodall also stated that the prescription was filled by Montgomery's physicians after Montgomery's recent hip replacement surgery [ [http://www.cmt.com/artists/news/1524495/02162006/montgomery_john_michael.jhtml John Michael Montgomery's Attorney Responds to Arrest] ] .He has since been found not guilty of all charges. Montgomery pleaded no-contest to the charge of DUI, stating that he did not admit guilt, but the state had enough evidence to convict him.

Rehab

On May 9, 2008 Montgomery announced he was in rehab for a disclosed substance abuse problem. Although not released at the time he sought rehab at a drug treatment facility in Hazard, KY. He canceled all shows and public appearances for the 30 days following the date of entering. He stated he would "be disappearing for a while and will come out stronger after beating the demons that stripped me of my energy of life and good health. I will fight however long it takes and come out stronger". The addiction was cited to severe anxiety attacks and a sleep disorder. [ [http://www.radioandrecords.com/RRWebSite/Format_RoomPage.aspx?FormatID=8] . John Michael Montgomery Enters Rehab]

Discography

References

External links

* [http://www.johnmichaelmontgomery.com Official website]