Matthew Hager
Encyclopedia
Matthew Hager is a multi platinum American record producer, musician and songwriter
Originally from Houston, Texas
Hager now lives in Los Angeles
. Before moving to Los Angeles, Hager studied at the prestigious Berklee College Of Music. Since then, he has written and produced several number one hit singles as well as several critically acclaimed albums and has worked with many major recording artists. He has achieved unusual success crossing many genres from hard rock to jazz to teen pop.
While working with the Backstreet Boys in the late '90's, he was introduced to Mandy Moore and soon became Moore's musical director. He went on to write and produced her song "When I Talk To You" which is featured on Mandy Moore's multi-platinum album "Mandy Moore" along with her song "Split Chick" that he also produced. In addition, he produced several acoustic versions of her chart topping hits including "Walk Me Home" and "I Wanna Be With You" and arranged all live versions of her biggest hits for her us and international television performances and touring for her albums "So Real", "I Wanna Be With You", "Mandy Moore", and "A Walk To Remember".
After his years with Mandy Moore, Hager became a sought after songwriter in Los Angeles and wrote and produced the #1 hit song "Lucy's", which was the longest running #1 single for any debut artist in history on the Contemporary Jazz R&R chart, as well as the #1 singles "True Blue" and "Bloom". He also wrote and produced the Hot AC hit "Stars" for #1 Billboard artist Mindi Abair
as well as her top 5 hits "Come As You Are", "Flirt" and "Smile". He also wrote and produced her song "Every Time" which was featured in the movie "License To Wed" and "I Can Remember" was featured in the popular Spelling Television series "Summerland". He wrote and produced the holiday smash "I Can't Wait For Christmas" with Mindi Abair that has sold nearly a million copies to date. Her chart topping and critically acclaimed albums "It Just Happens That Way", "Come As You Are", "Life Less Ordinary" and "Stars" Hager produced in their entirety.
Hager recorded "Cry Baby Cry" produced by Timbaland
and "Falling Down" produced by Justin Timberlake
for Duran Duran's album Red Carpet Massacre
. He wrote and produced the international hit "6000 Miles" with John Taylor from Duran Duran
and produced and wrote a majority of his solo album "Techno For Two". He produced the U.S. hit "Perfect Love" for Simply Red
. He wrote and produced the top 20 hit "How Does It Feel" for Columbia recording artist Peter White
and also performed his own song "Enough" under his name in the hit movie A Walk to Remember.
He wrote and produced the Radio Disney hit Make History by Alyson Stoner. Make History is also the opening song being performed on the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, Camp Rock world tour. He also wrote and produced the single "Strange Life" for the rock band Tickle Me Pink.
According to John Taylor, Matthew is working on tracks for the February 2011 release "All You Need Is Now
" from the band Duran Duran
.
In addition to producing and writing, Hager is also a multi-instrumentalist who has appeared on many albums playing guitar, bass, piano, drums, percussion, string arrangements and singing. He also has appeared on and arranged several songs with Scott Weiland
, the lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots
and Velvet Revolver
. He has written many songs for TV and Film and most recently composed and produced the theme song for the Style Network TV show Big Rich Texas and scored the Playdom/Disney video game Kogamu.
An EP of his solo material including the song "Enough" from the movie A Walk To Remember entitled "Peace Love And Animosity" was released June 2, 2009.
In 2010, Hager expanded his company 76 Steps Music to the full service entertainment company 76 Steps Entertainment which began managing actors including Lauran Irion, who is currently filming the ABC show GCB and has guest starred on Disney's I'm In The Band and ABC Family's Melissa And Joey.
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Originally from Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
Hager now lives in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Before moving to Los Angeles, Hager studied at the prestigious Berklee College Of Music. Since then, he has written and produced several number one hit singles as well as several critically acclaimed albums and has worked with many major recording artists. He has achieved unusual success crossing many genres from hard rock to jazz to teen pop.
While working with the Backstreet Boys in the late '90's, he was introduced to Mandy Moore and soon became Moore's musical director. He went on to write and produced her song "When I Talk To You" which is featured on Mandy Moore's multi-platinum album "Mandy Moore" along with her song "Split Chick" that he also produced. In addition, he produced several acoustic versions of her chart topping hits including "Walk Me Home" and "I Wanna Be With You" and arranged all live versions of her biggest hits for her us and international television performances and touring for her albums "So Real", "I Wanna Be With You", "Mandy Moore", and "A Walk To Remember".
After his years with Mandy Moore, Hager became a sought after songwriter in Los Angeles and wrote and produced the #1 hit song "Lucy's", which was the longest running #1 single for any debut artist in history on the Contemporary Jazz R&R chart, as well as the #1 singles "True Blue" and "Bloom". He also wrote and produced the Hot AC hit "Stars" for #1 Billboard artist Mindi Abair
Mindi Abair
Mindi Abair is an American smooth jazz saxophonist with a strong Top-40 pop music background. Mindi has toured and/or recorded with the Backstreet Boys, Duran Duran, Mandy Moore, Josh Groban, Adam Sandler, Keb' Mo', Lalah Hathaway, Lee Ritenour, Teena Marie, John Tesh, Bobby Lyle, Jonathan Butler,...
as well as her top 5 hits "Come As You Are", "Flirt" and "Smile". He also wrote and produced her song "Every Time" which was featured in the movie "License To Wed" and "I Can Remember" was featured in the popular Spelling Television series "Summerland". He wrote and produced the holiday smash "I Can't Wait For Christmas" with Mindi Abair that has sold nearly a million copies to date. Her chart topping and critically acclaimed albums "It Just Happens That Way", "Come As You Are", "Life Less Ordinary" and "Stars" Hager produced in their entirety.
Hager recorded "Cry Baby Cry" produced by Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
and "Falling Down" produced by Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
for Duran Duran's album Red Carpet Massacre
Red Carpet Massacre
Red Carpet Massacre is the 12th studio album by English pop rock band Duran Duran. It was released on 19 November 2007 in Europe, and on the 13th in the United States....
. He wrote and produced the international hit "6000 Miles" with John Taylor from Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
and produced and wrote a majority of his solo album "Techno For Two". He produced the U.S. hit "Perfect Love" for Simply Red
Simply Red
Simply Red were a British soul band that sold more than 50 million albums over a 25-year career. Their style drew influences from blue-eyed soul, new romantic, rock, reggae and jazz...
. He wrote and produced the top 20 hit "How Does It Feel" for Columbia recording artist Peter White
Peter White
Peter White, PC was a Canadian parliamentarian.White was born into a family that had established its homestead at the junction of the Muskrat and Ottawa Rivers where the town of Pembroke, Ontario was soon established...
and also performed his own song "Enough" under his name in the hit movie A Walk to Remember.
He wrote and produced the Radio Disney hit Make History by Alyson Stoner. Make History is also the opening song being performed on the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, Camp Rock world tour. He also wrote and produced the single "Strange Life" for the rock band Tickle Me Pink.
According to John Taylor, Matthew is working on tracks for the February 2011 release "All You Need Is Now
All You Need Is Now
All You Need Is Now is the thirteenth studio album by the British pop/rock band Duran Duran. Produced by Grammy Award-winner Mark Ronson, a truncated version of the album was released as a download on 21 December 2010. It is the band's first album not released by a major record label; it appeared...
" from the band Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
.
In addition to producing and writing, Hager is also a multi-instrumentalist who has appeared on many albums playing guitar, bass, piano, drums, percussion, string arrangements and singing. He also has appeared on and arranged several songs with Scott Weiland
Scott Weiland
Scott Weiland is an American musician, lyricist, and vocalist, most notable for his work with Grammy Award-winning rock band Stone Temple Pilots. Weiland is also known for his five-year career with supergroup Velvet Revolver as well as his own solo career...
, the lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots is an American rock band from San Diego, California that consists of Scott Weiland , brothers Robert DeLeo and Dean DeLeo , and Eric Kretz ....
and Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver is an American hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth. Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland was Velvet Revolver's lead singer from their formation until...
. He has written many songs for TV and Film and most recently composed and produced the theme song for the Style Network TV show Big Rich Texas and scored the Playdom/Disney video game Kogamu.
An EP of his solo material including the song "Enough" from the movie A Walk To Remember entitled "Peace Love And Animosity" was released June 2, 2009.
In 2010, Hager expanded his company 76 Steps Music to the full service entertainment company 76 Steps Entertainment which began managing actors including Lauran Irion, who is currently filming the ABC show GCB and has guest starred on Disney's I'm In The Band and ABC Family's Melissa And Joey.
Sources
- http://billboard.prweb.com/releases/new_rock_pop/album_Matthew_Hager/prweb2456954.htm
- http://jazzmonthly.com/artist_hp/hager_matthew/interviews/hager_index.html
- http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_m?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=mindi+abair&x=0&y=0