Michael McLean (composer)

Michael McLean
Genres	Mormon pop
Occupations	Composer
Years active	1983 to present
Labels	Shadow Mountain
Associated acts	The Forgotten Carols
Website	www.michaelmcleanmusic.com

Michael McLean (born 1952) is an American composer, singer, author, and filmmaker based in Heber City, Utah.

Early life

McLean attended high school in the Chicago area. He was the only Latter-day Saint in his graduating class, but managed to serve as student body president, as well as performing in the school's production of The Music Man.^[1]

McLean served an LDS mission in South Africa. After returning from his mission he formed a band. They went around at the bottom of the club circuit, but never made a break. While a student at Brigham Young University he took a music theory class in which he received a C and was told that he did not have what it would take to make it in music professionally.^[2]

After this McLean went to the University of Utah. He took a weekly composition class with Merrill Bradshaw. He then did some writing of music for local commercials in Salt Lake City and made some headway at this.^[3]

McLean finally quit college after his wife Lynne was in an auto accident. He made his first march into the limelight by writing commercials for the Church's "Homefront" campaign. He next took a job as producer for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in 1976. McLean would work with the Choir until 1993.^[4]

Career

As a composer, McLean has produced more than 20 albums of original music, selling over one million copies since his 1983 debut. Focused mainly on a Latter-day Saint audience, McLean has also produced albums with a broader appeal, such as The Forgotten Carols. McLean's most recent musical releases have been through Shadow Mountain Records, with The Forgotten Carols on a separate Deseret Book label.

McLean authored a book in conjunction with The Forgotten Carols and enjoys continued commercial success from that work via annual, regional tours of a stage adaptation during the Christmas season. He has authored other books as well.

In 1986, McLean began work on a musical called The Ark, which originally debuted at the Plum Alley Theatre. In 2000, the musical participated in the Festivals of New Musicals in New York City. The play was scheduled for an off-Broadway debut in the fall of 2005.[1]

In the early 1980s, McLean convinced legendary actor James Stewart to work with him at a reduced rate in a made-for-TV film entitled Mr. Krueger's Christmas. McLean later worked with other notable actors in various writing, directing, and producing projects, including Academy Award winner Celeste Holm.

McLean also wrote The Ark with BYU professor Kevin Kelly, which was produced off-Broadway in New York City in November 2005 by Erik Orton.^[5]

Discography

• You're Not Alone (1983)
• Stay With Me (1984)
• Celebrating the Light (1985)
• A New Kind of Love Song (1988)
• One Heart in the Right Place (1990)
• The Forgotten Carols (1991)
• You've Always Been There For Me (1992)
• The Collection, Volume 1 (1994)
• Soundtracks (1994)
• The Garden (1995)
• Our Unspoken Song (1995)
• Celebrating the Light Soundtrack (1995)
• The Collection, Volume 2 (1997)
• Father and Son (1997)
• The Ark (1998)
• Safe Harbors (1999)
• Michael Sings McLean (2000)
• Connie Lou's Christmas (2000)
• Arise and Shine Forth (2000)
• The Forgotten Carols: Anniversary Edition (2001)
• Something's Changed (2002)
• The Best Two Years (2004)
• As I Am (2005)
• The Other Side of Down (2008)
• Hope Hiding (2008
• It's Not Love 'Til It's Been Through a Storm (2008)
• See Us Shine (2008)
• Tender Mercies (2008)

Memoir

• Hold On, The Light Will Come: And Other Lessons My Songs Have Taught Me (2003)

References

1. ^ Deseret News, November 13th, 2003
2. ^ Deseret News, November 13th, 2003
3. ^ Deseret News, November 13th, 2003
4. ^ Deseret News, November 13th, 2003
5. ^ BYU Daily Universe Sep. 26, 2005

External links

• Michael McLean at the Internet Movie Database
• Michael McLean Music
• Csardas by Michael McLean performed by the Lamb Sisters Trio on the radio show From the Top.

Persondata
Name	Maclean, Michael
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Date of birth	1952
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