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Robert Kelly Thomas (born February 14, 1972) is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist best known for being the lead singer of the
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band Matchbox Twenty. Thomas also records and performs as a solo artist, with "
Lonely No More "Lonely No More" is the first single from Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas' debut studio album, '' ...Something to Be'' (2005). It was released on February 14, 2005, and became his biggest solo hit to date. The song peaked at number one in H ...
" released in 2005 becoming his biggest solo chart success. Thomas received three Grammy Awards for co-writing and singing on the 1999 hit " Smooth" by
Santana Santana may refer to: Transportation * Volkswagen Santana, an automobile * Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles * Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer Boats * Santana 20, an American sailboat design by W. D. Sch ...
, which was also his first song as a solo artist. He has also been a songwriter for artists such as Willie Nelson, Mick Jagger,
Marc Anthony Marco Antonio Muñiz Rivera (born September 16, 1968), known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is the top selling tropical salsa artist of all time. A three-time Grammy Award and six-time Latin Gra ...
, Pat Green, Taylor Hicks, Travis Tritt, and Daughtry. Since 1996, his band has released a string of hit singles to radio, including "
Push Push may refer to: Music * Mike Dierickx (born 1973), a Belgian producer also known as Push Albums * ''Push'' (Bros album), 1988 * ''Push'' (Gruntruck album), 1992 * ''Push'' (Jacky Terrasson album), 2010 Songs * "Push" (Enrique Iglesias s ...
", "
3AM 3 A.M. or 3AM may refer to: * a time in the 12-hour clock * one definition of the Witching hour Film and television *3 A.M. (2001 film), ''3 A.M.'' (2001 film), an American crime film *3 A.M. (2012 film), ''3 A.M.'' (2012 film), a Thai horror 3D ...
", " Real World", "
Back 2 Good "Back 2 Good" is a song by American rock band Matchbox 20, released as the fifth single from their 1996 debut album, ''Yourself or Someone Like You'', in September 1998. Meaning The song was written by lead singer Rob Thomas and producer Matt ...
", "
Bent Bent may refer to: Places * Bent, Iran, a city in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran * Bent District, an administrative subdivision of Iran * Bent, Netherlands, a village in the municipality of Rijnwoude, the Netherlands * Bent County, Colo ...
", " If You're Gone", " Mad Season", " Disease", " Unwell", "
Bright Lights Bright Lights may refer to: Film and television * ''Bright Lights'' (1916 film), a silent short starring Fatty Arbuckle * ''Bright Lights'' (1925 film), an MGM film starring Charles Ray and directed by Robert Z. Leonard * ''Bright Lights'' (1928 ...
", "
How Far We've Come "How Far We've Come" is a song by American alternative rock group Matchbox Twenty. It was released in September 2007 as the lead single from their retrospective collection, ''Exile on Mainstream'', which was released on October 2, 2007. The music ...
", and " She's So Mean". In 2004, the Songwriters Hall of Fame awarded Thomas its first
Hal David Starlight Award The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work, represent, and maintain, the heri ...
, recognizing young songwriters who have already had a lasting influence in the music industry.


Biography


1972–1992: Early life

Thomas was born in Landstuhl, Germany at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center to Bill Thomas, a United States Army sergeant, and Mamie. Thomas has an elder half sister, Melissa, from his mother's previous marriage. The family returned to the United States when Thomas was six months old. His parents divorced when he was two years old. Thomas lived with his mother and sister. They were poor and moved frequently, often staying with Mamie's mother in Lake City, South Carolina. His grandmother was an alcoholic. She owned a small country store and gas station, where she also sold
moonshine Moonshine is high-proof liquor that is usually produced illegally. The name was derived from a tradition of creating the alcohol during the nighttime, thereby avoiding detection. In the first decades of the 21st century, commercial dist ...
and marijuana under the counter. He grew up listening to country music and idolized the "big stars who lived ... hard lives", like
Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...
and Merle Haggard. Their stories inspired him to be a songwriter. Thomas and his mother and sister moved to Sarasota, Florida, when he was 10, then settled in the Orlando area the following year. Around this time, Thomas received his first musical instrument, a Casio keyboard. A friend taught him to play, and Thomas practiced by trying to reproduce the songs he heard on the radio. He also acquired a guitar with no strings, which he used as a prop while he pretended he was in a rock band. His home life was not stable. Thomas describes his mother as an alcoholic who occasionally beat him. When Thomas was 12, his mother was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma and given only six months to live. His sister ran away from home to get married, leaving Thomas to care for their mother on his own. She eventually entered remission. Mamie dated a series of men, some of whom beat her, and she loved wild parties. Thomas sometimes woke up to find “10 strangers sleeping off last night’s booze-a-thon in the living room”. He attended
Lake Brantley High School Lake Brantley High School (LBHS) is located in Altamonte Springs, Florida, a suburban community approximately 13 miles (20 km) north of Orlando. It is a public high school serving grade levels 9–12 in Seminole County, FL, operated by Semin ...
in the Orlando suburb of Altamonte Springs. Thomas joined the choir in an unsuccessful attempt to attract the attention of a girl that he liked. His choir teacher told him to keep working, because he saw potential in him. To impress girls at parties, Thomas wrote and played music. A few months before graduation, Thomas dropped out of high school, saying his "regular life was in such disarray that going seemed ridiculous". He later earned a GED. He was convicted of stealing a Camaro and spent two months in county jail when he was 17. For the next two or three years, Thomas was homeless. Occasionally he'd stay for a few days or weeks at the homes of various friends. At other times, he would hitchhike around Florida and South Carolina. Soon after getting out of jail, Thomas connected with several local musicians. He played in a series of cover bands and began writing songs in earnest. Thomas said that "in songwriting I felt special for the first time. And all I wanted to do was get out of Florida." One of his bands, Fair Warning, earned a three-week job playing at a hotel in Vero Beach. They were fired three days into the job, after they were caught stealing beer and candy from the hotel. He was, at one point, a member of another band, Tidal Wave, which played mostly surf tunes. Thomas used drugs, and during one acid trip, he decided to play with dry ice. His hands were burned so badly that doctors initially thought they would require amputation. Thomas’ sister recalled that while she was concerned with how Thomas would manage everyday activities, Thomas cried and asked, “How am I going to get these songs in my head out if I can't play them?"


1993–1995: Formation of Matchbox 20

In 1993, Thomas formed the band Tabitha's Secret.
Brian Yale Brian Joseph Yale (born November 14, 1968) is an American musician who is the bass guitarist for the band Matchbox Twenty and has been nominated for four Grammy Awards. Early life and education Yale grew up in Orange, Connecticut. He graduated ...
was the group's bass player.
Paul Doucette Paul John Doucette (born August 22, 1972) is an American musician best known for being the drummer, rhythm guitarist, and backing vocalist of the band Matchbox Twenty.Erlewine, Stephen ThomasMatchbox Twenty Biography, AllMusic, retrieved 2011-0 ...
earned a spot as drummer after answering an ad. Guitarists Jay Stanley and John Goff rounded out the band. The band was popular in the Orlando area, where they played in bars and nightclubs. Most of their songs were written by Thomas, including " 3 A.M." This song, inspired by his time taking care of his mother, was the first that he had ever written and liked. In an effort to recreate that magic, his writing shifted to focus more on emotions inspired from his own life. Producer
Matt Serletic Matthew Michael Serletic II (born 1970 or 1971) is an American record producer, songwriter, and music executive. Career As a teenager, Serletic joined a band with members of Collective Soul, a group for which he would later produce. Serletic h ...
heard them play and was intrigued. The band met him for an introductory meeting, but broke up before any contracts were signed. Thomas worried that he'd never get another chance for a recording contract. Thomas, Yale, and Doucette were still interested in working together, and Serletic introduced them to rhythm guitarist
Adam Gaynor Adam Gaynor (born November 26, 1963) is an American musician. He is the former rhythm guitarist for the band Matchbox Twenty. Career Gaynor was born on November 26, 1963. He served as the rhythm guitarist and background vocalist for Matchbox 20 f ...
and lead guitarist
Kyle Cook David Kyle Cook (born August 29, 1975) is an American musician best known as a member of the band Matchbox Twenty, serving as the lead guitarist, banjo player, backing and occasional lead vocalist. Career Matchbox Twenty Kyle Cook joined Mat ...
; together, they formed a new band, Matchbox 20. Serletic sent Thomas to vocal coach Jan Smith to learn how to refine his vocal power. The band recorded several demo tapes, with Serletic as their producer. Three radio stations in Orlando and
Tampa Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough County ...
added the songs to their rotations. Executives at
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
noticed that the songs were being requested frequently. Although the band sounded very green, executives thought the songs were good. The band was soon signed to Atlantic subsidiary Lava Records.


1996–1998: ''Yourself or Someone Like You''

Thomas wrote every song on Matchbox 20's debut album, '' Yourself or Someone Like You''. It was released in October 1996, on the same day that Lava Records folded. The album sold only 600 copies in its first week. The band toured extensively, trying to attract notice. Radio stations were slow to adopt their first single, " Long Day". Thomas and his bandmates were convinced they were soon to be dropped from their contract. Their manager was also worried, and yelled at them to get serious about their performances. Their fears were well-founded. Officials at Atlantic were close to dropping the band when they noticed that sales had spiked in Birmingham, Alabama. There, radio stations had begun playing another track on the album, "
Push Push may refer to: Music * Mike Dierickx (born 1973), a Belgian producer also known as Push Albums * ''Push'' (Bros album), 1988 * ''Push'' (Gruntruck album), 1992 * ''Push'' (Jacky Terrasson album), 2010 Songs * "Push" (Enrique Iglesias s ...
". Atlantic released "Push" as a single, and it soon became a Top 5 hit. Its success led the album to be certified gold. Their next single, "3 A.M.", was hugely popular, and the album went multi-platinum. " Real World", and "
Back 2 Good "Back 2 Good" is a song by American rock band Matchbox 20, released as the fifth single from their 1996 debut album, ''Yourself or Someone Like You'', in September 1998. Meaning The song was written by lead singer Rob Thomas and producer Matt ...
" followed. Nearly seven months after its release, the album reached number 99 on the Billboard 200 chart. It continued to climb, finally reaching as high as number 5. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award and two American Music Awards. In 1997, readers of '' Rolling Stone'' named Matchbox 20 the best new band. Thomas enjoyed his success. When travelling, he'd tell customs officials that his occupation was "rock star", and he often dressed the part, wearing sunglasses and long furry coats. He's described the first few years with Matchbox 20 as a blur, featuring large quantities of alcohol, cocaine, and sexual relationships with women. One of those interludes resulted in a son. The constant partying took a toll on Thomas and the band. Thomas concedes that the shows were beginning to suffer. He gained more than . The weight gain earned them their first mention in '' Rolling Stone''—an item making fun of Thomas. The band members decided together that they wanted to be more professional and began cleaning themselves up. Cocaine use was no longer tolerated. In 1998, Thomas was named one of ''People'' magazine's
50 Most Beautiful People ''People'' is an American weekly magazine that specializes in celebrity news and human-interest stories. It is published by Dotdash Meredith, a subsidiary of IAC. With a readership of 46.6 million adults in 2009, ''People'' had the l ...
.


1999: "Smooth"

In 1999, Latin guitarist
Carlos Santana Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist who rose to fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band Santana, which pioneered a fusion of Rock and roll and Latin American jazz. Its sound featured ...
began putting together his comeback album, ''
Supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...
'', a series of duets. He was looking for one last song to complete the album. Songwriter
Itaal Shur Itaal Shur is an American composer, producer and musician. He has written songs for a number of musicians, including Maxwell, Jewel and Enrique Iglesias, and has produced records for various artists, including Kronos Quartet, The Scumfrog and ...
had given a demo tape to Santana's representatives. Although they liked the music, they thought the lyrics and melody could be strengthened. One of the executives sent the demo to Thomas, asking him if he'd like to work on it. Thomas had never worked on a song that he didn't intend to perform, and he was interested in the opportunity to try something new. He wrote the song intending for it to be sung by
George Michael George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the MTV generation and is one of the best-selling musici ...
. Thomas wrote the verses to the song that became " Smooth", and he and Shur collaborated on the chorus. He was inspired both by his wife, who is half-Spanish and half-Puerto-Rican, and by Santana himself. When he finished the song, he was unsure whether it was any good. His wife listened to the demo and told him, "This is going to be huge." Santana heard the demo and said he couldn't determine at first whether it was a male or female singing. He had no idea who Thomas was, but he liked the voice and asked that Thomas sing on the record. When they first met, Santana asked Thomas if he were married to a Latin woman. The song was recorded live, in three takes. Thomas was not aware that it was going to be released as a single until he heard it on the radio. It was a massive hit, spending 58 weeks on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. ''Billboard'' later named it the number 2 Hot 100 song of all time. It won three Grammy Awards, for Best Record, Best Song, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Its success earned him instant credibility as a songwriter. BMI named Thomas its 1999 Pop Songwriter of the Year for "Smooth" and his Matchbox 20 songs. "Smooth" would ultimately become the second biggest-selling single of all time, after Chubby Checker's “The Twist.” "Smooth" increased his visibility, and that of Matchbox 20. The song's video, starring Thomas, was played extensively on
VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Commun ...
and
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
. That exposure launched him out of anonymity. A new set of listeners, older than the band's initial fan base, was exposed to, and liked, Thomas's work. ''Yourself or Someone Like You'' continued to sell briskly. After winning at the Grammy Awards, Atlantic took out ads in many industry publications to make executives aware that Thomas had written not only "Smooth", but also all of the songs on the Matchbox 20 album. Ron Shapiro, an executive at Atlantic, said, "It was our intent to get Rob and this band a substantial amount of credibility." Thomas says that "Smooth" "really opened up the door for me as a songwriter and a solo artist."


2000–2003: ''Mad Season'' and ''More Than You Think You Are''

As Matchbox 20 prepared to record their second album, band members had heated discussions over song selection. After flirting with the idea of allowing other band members to provide songs, they chose to record only songs that Thomas had written or co-written. They renamed themselves Matchbox Twenty and, in March 2000, released ''Mad Season''. Its first single, "
Bent Bent may refer to: Places * Bent, Iran, a city in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran * Bent District, an administrative subdivision of Iran * Bent, Netherlands, a village in the municipality of Rijnwoude, the Netherlands * Bent County, Colo ...
", reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; it remains the band's only number one hit, despite larger commercial success on previous material. Their tour took them to 87 cities, and they sold out
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...
in 15 minutes. Thomas was inducted into the South Carolina Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2001. When Santana prepared to record his follow-up to ''Supernatural'', he sought to collaborate with Thomas again. Instead of providing vocals, Thomas wrote two songs for the album, which were recorded by Seal and Musiq. Thomas provided songs to other artists as well. Willie Nelson recorded three of Thomas's songs on his 2002 album '' The Great Divide''. One of those, "Recollection Phoenix", had been in contention for the next Matchbox Twenty album before the other band members had decided it wasn't a good fit. The third Matchbox Twenty album, ''
More Than You Think You Are ''More Than You Think You Are'' is the third studio album by American rock band Matchbox Twenty, released on November 19, 2002. The album is again a departure for the band as the album has more of a focus on harder rock than the band's two previo ...
'', wasn't complete until four weeks before its release date, November 19, 2002. For the first time, the band recorded a song not written by Thomas. Two other songs were jointly attributed to Thomas, Cook, and Doucette. As part of the promotion for the album, Thomas and his bandmates were featured on
VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Commun ...
's '' Behind the Music''. When the tour for ''More Than You Think You Are'' ended, Thomas, Cook, Doucette, Yale, and Gaynor decided to take a break to focus on their families. In June 2004, the Songwriters Hall of Fame gave Thomas the inaugural Hal David Starlight Award, which recognizes a young songwriter who has made an outsized impression on the industry.


2004–2007: ''...Something to Be'' and ''Exile on Mainstream''

On April 19, 2005, Thomas began his solo career with the release of '' ...Something to Be'' which debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The album included several songs that the other Matchbox Twenty members had rejected, such as "I Am An Illusion". The album was more pop than Thomas's Matchbox Twenty work, adding quirks like sampling and loops. It earned two Grammy nominations, for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance. His first single from the album, "
Lonely No More "Lonely No More" is the first single from Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas' debut studio album, '' ...Something to Be'' (2005). It was released on February 14, 2005, and became his biggest solo hit to date. The song peaked at number one in H ...
", reached number six on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. The single debuted in the top 10 of the Australian ARIA singles chart on the week of April 4, 2005. The second single, "
This Is How a Heart Breaks "This Is How a Heart Breaks" is the second single from Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas's debut album, '' ...Something to Be'' (2005). Released in June 2005, the song was moderately successful on the charts, peaking at number 52 in the Unite ...
", went gold in the US and hit the top 50 in Australia. The third single, " Ever the Same", became a top five Adult Contemporary hit. On October 5, 2005, he started his first solo tour, the
Something to Be Tour The Something to Be Tour was the debut concert tour by American recording artist and Matchbox Twenty frontman, Rob Thomas. Visiting numerous countries in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia, the tour supported his first solo record, '' .. ...
. In the summer of 2006, Thomas toured with Jewel and Toby Lightman. In September 2006, Thomas's solo effort received more exposure when
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
started using the song "
Streetcorner Symphony "Streetcorner Symphony" is the fifth and final single from American singer-songwriter Rob Thomas's 2005 debut solo album, '' ...Something to Be''. It was released on October 16, 2006. The song features John Mayer on lead guitar and backing vocal ...
" in promotional ads for its popular Thursday night lineup. This song was subsequently released as a single. In January 2007, Thomas released a single entitled "
Little Wonders "Little Wonders" is a song by American singer-songwriter Rob Thomas, recorded for Disney's animated feature ''Meet the Robinsons'' in 2007. It is the second single from the ''Meet the Robinsons'' soundtrack. It is featured on the film's soundtr ...
" from the soundtrack to the Disney animated feature, '' Meet the Robinsons''. "Little Wonders" reached No. 5 on the Mediabase Hot Adult Contemporary chart. Thomas was featured on the June 14, 2007, episode of the long-running PBS series '' Soundstage''. Thomas reunited with his Matchbox Twenty bandmates in 2007. Gaynor had left the band, leaving only four of them. They decided to release a greatest hits album with a few new songs. They had so much fun collaborating that the new release, '' Exile on Mainstream'', included six new songs. The album released three singles: "
How Far We've Come "How Far We've Come" is a song by American alternative rock group Matchbox Twenty. It was released in September 2007 as the lead single from their retrospective collection, ''Exile on Mainstream'', which was released on October 2, 2007. The music ...
", "
All Your Reasons "All Your Reasons" is a song from Matchbox Twenty's fourth album, ''Exile on Mainstream''. It was released in Australia as the second single from the album, while in the rest of the world, " These Hard Times" was released as the second single. T ...
", and "
These Hard Times "These Hard Times" is the second single (worldwide except Australia) from rock band Matchbox Twenty's first compilation album ''Exile on Mainstream'' (2007). The video premiered on iTunes on Tuesday, February 5, 2008. It was released to Australia ...
". The album debuted at number 3.


2009–2011: ''Cradlesong''

On September 15, 2008, Thomas told ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' his second solo album was tentatively called ''Cradle Songs''. Thomas characterized the album as "the usual mish-mosh of styles, but hopefully just holding true to a bunch of good songs." The article also mentioned that the record would nonetheless feature several tracks that "take a more global, rhythmic direction after working with South American and African percussionists." Thomas explained one such experiment:
We started off with the idea of doing a newer version of (Paul Simon's) '' The Rhythm of the Saints'', and that kinda carried us a long way through. It gave us a whole new bed to work with, like 'How do I get my pop sensibility around this and work it into that?' It was a lot of fun. But you go through different phases when you're writing; it took a different turn, and I just followed it, too.
On March 2, 2009, Clark Collis of '' Entertainment Weekly'' interviewed Thomas, where he confirmed he had since shelved his initial efforts to evoke ''The Rhythm of the Saints'', and claimed the album was scheduled for a June 30 release. Having played half the forthcoming album to ''Entertainment Weekly'', it was reported that many of the lyrics on ''Cradlesong'' were about troubled relationships, and three more song titles were revealed: "Meltdown" (described as "
INXS INXS (a word play, phonetic play on "in excess") were an Australian Rock music, rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. The band's founding members were bassist Garry Gary Beers, main composer and keyboar ...
-esque power pop" that stood out as "a possible first single"), "Fire on the Mountain" (an "epic, tribal drum-driven" track inspired by Dave Eggers' book ''What Is the What'') and "Getting Late" (suggested as the "set's likely closer" and what Thomas described as "a little ditty about death."). On March 11, 2009, Rob Thomas created his own Twitter account and announced via the social application that "
Her Diamonds "Her Diamonds" is the lead single from Rob Thomas's second studio album, '' Cradlesong'' (2009). Thomas confirmed the single's release via a Twitter account he had created on March 11, 2009. The single premiered on April 22, preceding the relea ...
" would be the lead single from ''Cradlesong''. Thomas has also stated via Twitter that '' Cradlesong'' had been mastered and featured fourteen tracks culled from the twenty-four songs recorded during the album sessions. All twenty-four tracks were fully mixed and mastered, leaving plenty of material left over for B-sides, iTunes, or EPs. On June 9, 2009, Thomas released "
Give Me the Meltdown "Give Me the Meltdown" is a song released from Rob Thomas' second album, '' Cradlesong''. It was released to the iTunes Store on June 9, 2009. The song was released as the second single, though exclusively to the Australian market where it peake ...
" to the US iTunes Store. Similarly, "
Someday Someday or Some Day may refer to: Film and television * ''Someday'' (1935 film), a British film directed by Michael Powell * ''Someday'' (2011 film), a Japanese film directed by Junji Sakamoto * ''Someday'' (2021 film), an Indian Hindi-langu ...
" was released on June 16. On June 22, ''Cradlesong'' was made available for streaming only on the
we7 Blinkbox Music (originally We7) was a free, advertising supported, music streaming service, with over 12 million tracks available for streaming in the UK and Ireland, with content from the music industry, and most independent labels and distribu ...
website, one week ahead of its UK release date. Thomas promoted the album with his 2009/2010 tour, Cradlesong Tour. In March 2010, Thomas announced plans to release a four-song digital-only EP entitled the ''Someday EP''. Featuring three new songs, the EP was released to iTunes on March 30, 2010, and all other digital retailers April 6, 2010.


2012–2014: ''North''

After his solo success, many of Thomas's confidants urged him to leave Matchbox Twenty. As Thomas wrapped up his tour for ''Cradlesong'', he began writing songs for consideration for the next Matchbox Twenty album. He gathered in Nashville, Tennessee with his bandmates to narrow down the work he had already done and develop new material. The group members disagreed on which musical direction the new album should take. For three months, they argued and drank, in what Thomas describes as a "$100,000 bender". Finally, producer Serletic appeared and told them to stop drinking and get to work. The lecture worked. The result was a true collaboration. For the first time, the band recorded several songs written solely by Doucette and Yale. Matchbox Twenty's next album, '' North'', was released on September 4, 2012, ten years after their last full-length album of new material. It debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart.


2015–present: ''The Great Unknown'', ''Chip Tooth Smile'', and ''Something About Christmas Time''

Thomas performed several new album tracks in early 2015: "Hold On Forever", "Great Unknown", and "Heaven Help Me". Thomas released the first single from ''The Great Unknown'', "Trust You", on May 25, 2015. ''The Great Unknown'' was released on August 21, 2015. He spent two years touring it prior. "Hold on Forever" was announced as the album's second single on September 28. The tour for Thomas' album included holographic representations of Thomas produced with
vntana Vntana (stylized as VNTANA) is an American social augmented reality company. History In 2012 the company was founded in Los Angeles by Ashley Crowder (the company’s CEO) and Ben Conway (the company’s COO). The company’s name is derived from ...
technology so that fans could pose for photos with him during the concert. Thomas announced on February 15, 2019, that his fourth studio album—titled ''
Chip Tooth Smile ''Chip Tooth Smile'' is the fourth studio album by American singer Rob Thomas, released on April 26, 2019, through Atlantic Records. It is his first album in four years, following 2015's '' The Great Unknown'', and was preceded by the single " One ...
''—would be released on April 26, 2019. The lead single for the album, "
One Less Day (Dying Young) "One Less Day (Dying Young)" is a song by American singer Rob Thomas. It is the first single from the album ''Chip Tooth Smile'', released on February 20, 2019. Background He told ''Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK a ...
", was released on February 20, 2019. On October 7, 2021, Thomas announced that his first Christmas studio album titled “Something About Christmas Time” will be released on October 22. He recorded the album, which will include both original and cover songs, in his home studio in New York during the summer.


Artistry


Music and voice

After spending more than 20 years as part of Matchbox Twenty and more than 10 years working on solo material, Thomas has become adept at navigating the "identity crisis" of two separate musical worlds. Although he does play some Matchbox Twenty songs during his solo tours, they are always reimagined, often as an acoustic version. As a solo artist, Thomas is known for "emotive radio hits". His solo albums have a much stronger pop feel. His album, ''The Great Unknown'', was "unabashed pop". His detractors say the music is fluff and too sweet.


Songwriting

Thomas writes all of the time, saying "it's a lot easier to come up with ideas than it is to edit them." Thomas admits that his songs have "a radio sensibility". He writes songs that he hopes people will like and does not strive to follow or set trends. In his opinion, this is the reason that he has maintained his career; the music never sounds dated. Each of his songs can stand alone without special effects; Thomas wants his listeners to feel the message of a song even if he is just playing it by himself on an acoustic guitar. Initially, Thomas tried to write epic love songs, in the vein of
Lionel Richie Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of funk band the Commodores; writing and recordi ...
. He did not like most of those attempts. After he finished "3 A.M.", which was inspired by his mother's battle with cancer, Thomas realized that he ought to focus events in his own life. Many of his later songs are inspired by his wife and her battle with an autoimmune disease. Lisa Rockman, music reviewer for the ''
Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper i ...
'', wrote, "There is a reason millions of fans across the world relate to lyrics penned by Rob Thomas. His words come from the heart." Thomas chooses his words carefully, "trying to make my phrases more colourful when I'm writing, trying to find the longest way to get to the point that I'm trying to make as opposed to the quickest way." As his career has progressed, Thomas has more frequently collaborated with other songwriters in order to "keep things fresh and not feel like I'm going back to the same well and just writing the same songs over and over and over". In 2021 he admitted his songs come to him the same way, and his confidence as a writer comes and goes and he does not want to rip himself off. He describes himself as an "emotional dude"


Personal life

A mutual friend introduced him to model Marisol Maldonado at an afterparty in Montreal in late 1997. They both claim it was love at first sight. Thomas said that, "I knew the second I kissed her that I would never, ever kiss another person." As he was in the midst of an international tour, their initial courtship was via phone. Maldonado was at first reluctant to date Thomas, unsure if she could handle being the wife of a rock star. When he returned to the United States, they went on their first date, to a music festival in Boston. That night, he told her he would marry her, and a month later he proposed. They were married on October 2, 1999, at manager Michael Lippman's ranch in California. Their wedding was broadcast on
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
's ''Celebrity Weddings in Style''. They reside in Bedford, New York. Thomas has a son from a previous relationship, born on July 10, 1998.


Charity work

The Thomases are committed animal lovers and supporters of animal charities. Thomas and his wife have established the Sidewalk Angels Foundation, a non-profit organization created to help needy people in and around America's big cities by partnering with various charities to assist people who cannot afford medical care, and animals that have been abandoned or abused.


Political views

Politically, Thomas considers himself a "fairly liberal guy". He is a strong supporter of gay rights and wrote a piece in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage. He closed the article by writing, "Each of us has a short ride on this earth and as long as we stay in our lane, and don't affect someone else's ride, we should be allowed to drive as we see fit."


Discography

* '' ...Something to Be'' (2005) * '' Cradlesong'' (2009) * '' The Great Unknown'' (2015) * ''
Chip Tooth Smile ''Chip Tooth Smile'' is the fourth studio album by American singer Rob Thomas, released on April 26, 2019, through Atlantic Records. It is his first album in four years, following 2015's '' The Great Unknown'', and was preceded by the single " One ...
'' (2019) * ''Something About Christmas Time'' (2021)


Tours

Headlining *
Something to Be Tour The Something to Be Tour was the debut concert tour by American recording artist and Matchbox Twenty frontman, Rob Thomas. Visiting numerous countries in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia, the tour supported his first solo record, '' .. ...
* Cradlesong Tour *A Special Intimate Performance with Rob Thomas *
The Great Unknown Tour The Great Unknown Tour is the fourth concert tour by American recording artist, Rob Thomas. Beginning June 2015, the tour will support his third studio album, '' The Great Unknown''. The tour will predominantly perform in the United States and Ca ...
*Chip Tooth Tour Co-headlining *Counting Crows & Rob Thomas on Tour


Awards and nominations


APRA Music Awards

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, "
Lonely No More "Lonely No More" is the first single from Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas' debut studio album, '' ...Something to Be'' (2005). It was released on February 14, 2005, and became his biggest solo hit to date. The song peaked at number one in H ...
" , Most Performed Foreign Work ,


ASCAP Pop Music Awards

, - , 2006 , rowspan=2, "
Lonely No More "Lonely No More" is the first single from Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas' debut studio album, '' ...Something to Be'' (2005). It was released on February 14, 2005, and became his biggest solo hit to date. The song peaked at number one in H ...
" , rowspan=3, Most Performed Songs , , - , rowspan=2, 2007 , , - , " Ever the Same" ,


American Music Awards

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, rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;", Rob Thomas , Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist , , - , style="text-align:center;",
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, Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist ,


BMI Pop Awards

, - , rowspan=4, 1999 , Rob Thomas , Songwriter of the Year , , - , "
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" , rowspan=3, Award-Winning Songs , , - , "
3AM 3 A.M. or 3AM may refer to: * a time in the 12-hour clock * one definition of the Witching hour Film and television *3 A.M. (2001 film), ''3 A.M.'' (2001 film), an American crime film *3 A.M. (2012 film), ''3 A.M.'' (2012 film), a Thai horror 3D ...
" , , - , " Real World" ,


Billboard Music Awards

, - , rowspan=3, 2000 , rowspan=3, " Smooth" , Top Hot 100 Song , , - , Top Hot 100 Airplay Track , , - , Top Adult Top 40 Track , , - , rowspan=3,
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, rowspan="2", Rob Thomas , New Artist of the Year , , - , Top Adult Top 40 Artist , , - , "
Lonely No More "Lonely No More" is the first single from Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas' debut studio album, '' ...Something to Be'' (2005). It was released on February 14, 2005, and became his biggest solo hit to date. The song peaked at number one in H ...
" , rowspan=2, Top Adult Top 40 Song , , - , rowspan="3",
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, " Ever the Same" , , - , rowspan=2, Himself , Top Hot Adult Contemporary Artist , , - , Top Adult Top 40 Artist ,


Billboard Music Video Awards

, - , 2000 , " Smooth" (with
Santana Santana may refer to: Transportation * Volkswagen Santana, an automobile * Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles * Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer Boats * Santana 20, an American sailboat design by W. D. Sch ...
) , FAN.tastic Video ,


California Music Awards

, - , 2000 , " Smooth" (with
Santana Santana may refer to: Transportation * Volkswagen Santana, an automobile * Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles * Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer Boats * Santana 20, an American sailboat design by W. D. Sch ...
) , Outstanding Single ,


Grammy Awards

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, rowspan="3", " Smooth" ,
Song of the Year Song of the Year may refer to: * Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year * Dove Award for Song of the Year * Golden Melody Award for Song of the Year * Grammis Song of the Year * Grammy Award for Song of the Year * Latin Grammy Awa ...
, , - , Record of the Year , , - ,
Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals The Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality pop songs on which singers c ...
, , - , style="text-align:center;",
2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...
, "
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" , Best Rock Song , , - , rowspan="2",
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, "
Lonely No More "Lonely No More" is the first single from Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas' debut studio album, '' ...Something to Be'' (2005). It was released on February 14, 2005, and became his biggest solo hit to date. The song peaked at number one in H ...
" ,
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a male in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The award wen ...
, , - , "
This Is How a Heart Breaks "This Is How a Heart Breaks" is the second single from Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas's debut album, '' ...Something to Be'' (2005). Released in June 2005, the song was moderately successful on the charts, peaking at number 52 in the Unite ...
" , Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance ,


Teen Choice Awards

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, rowspan="2", Himself , Choice Music: Male Artist , , - , Choice Music: Breakout Artist - Male , , - , '' ...Something to Be'' , Choice Music: Album , , - , "
Lonely No More "Lonely No More" is the first single from Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas' debut studio album, '' ...Something to Be'' (2005). It was released on February 14, 2005, and became his biggest solo hit to date. The song peaked at number one in H ...
" , Choice Music: Single ,


XM Nation Music Awards

, - , 2005 , Rob Thomas , Best Solo Career ,


Television

Thomas appeared on the American sitcom '' It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'' in its fourth season, in which he played himself as a deranged patient of a
rehabilitation Rehabilitation or Rehab may refer to: Health * Rehabilitation (neuropsychology), therapy to regain or improve neurocognitive function that has been lost or diminished * Rehabilitation (wildlife), treatment of injured wildlife so they can be retur ...
center. He also served as an advisor for Cee-Lo Green's team during the third season of the NBC reality competition series '' The Voice''. Thomas has noted that he is sometimes mistaken for television writer Rob Thomas, and vice versa. A conversation between the two men on this subject led to Thomas agreeing to perform a musical number as himself in the season two finale of the TV show ''
iZombie ''iZombie'', originally titled ''I, Zombie'', is a comic book series created by writer Chris Roberson and artist Michael Allred, published by DC Comics' Vertigo imprint beginning in 2010. The series deals with Gwen Dylan ( née Gwendolyn Price ...
'', penned by his namesake. He and his wife were devoted fans of the show. Thomas was killed in the episode.


See also

* Matchbox Twenty *
List of number-one hits (United States) This is a list of songs that have peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and the magazine's national singles charts that preceded it. Introduced in 1958, the Hot 100 is the pre-eminent singles chart in the United States, currently mon ...
*
List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.) This is a list of recording artists who have reached number one on '' Billboard'' magazine's weekly singles chart(s). This list spans from the issue dated January 1, 1955 to the present. Prior to the creation of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, ''Bil ...
* List of number-one dance hits (United States) * List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart


References


External links

* *
About Rob Thomas – Fansite

Interview with Rob Thomas

Matchbox Twenty Fansite
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Rob 1972 births 20th-century American singers 21st-century American singers Alternative rock guitarists Alternative rock singers American alternative rock musicians American baritones American dance musicians American male guitarists American male pop singers American male singer-songwriters American multi-instrumentalists American philanthropists American pop rock singers American rock singers American rock songwriters American soft rock musicians APRA Award winners Atlantic Records artists Grammy Award winners Lake Brantley High School alumni LGBT rights activists from the United States Living people Matchbox Twenty members People from Lake City, South Carolina People from Landstuhl People from Sarasota, Florida Post-grunge musicians Singers from Orlando, Florida Singer-songwriters from Florida Singer-songwriters from South Carolina