Michael English
Genre: Pop/Rock
Official Web Site
Michael English Bibliography: (click on each album cover to view tracks and Michael English lyrics)
Michael English Biography The torrid voice of Michael English makes anything he sings ring with conviction. But he has never sounded more passionate than he does on his stunning new Curb Records album, Heaven To Earth. This time the message is as powerful as the music. "I've got so much to tell, so many stories to share with people," English says softly. "I say I've been under the hood of a car: My fingernails are nasty, but I know how to fix one now. I would never want to go through what I've been through ever again. But these songs are for me to let people know that all of us struggle and deal with bad situations. I have learned to raise my hand and to ask for help. And there is help. There is no way I could have done it on my own."
Few of his peers have faced as many tribulations. Six years ago, Michael English confessed an extra-marital affair that nearly destroyed his career. His beloved and always supportive grandmother died when he began to rebuild his professional life two years ago. His only brother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis during the production of Heaven To Earth. And just as this album's title single was issued as his comeback single, Michael English spent 30 agonizing days in treatment to overcome an addiction to prescribed pain medication.
The songs of Heaven To Earth speak directly to the solace, the comfort and healing that Michael English has found on his painful journey. From the intensely poetic "Finally Free," "Heaven To Earth" and "To Live On" to the uplifting messages of "I Will Be," "Always Be There" and "I'll Believe In You," these are the performances of a lifetime.
To create Heaven To Earth, English reunited with the producer who launched his career, Brown Bannister. The title single was mixed by David Thoener, a Grammy Award winner for his work with Santana and Rob Thomas. Elsewhere on this audio collage are such stellar contributors as Gordon Kennedy, Bill Champlin , Chris Rodriguez and Brent Mason.
The collection's musical moods range from the passionate rockers "All Day All Night" and "How Grace Feels" to the softly contemplative ballads "If You Only Knew," and "I Am Holding You." The uniting element through all of it is a voice of sealing conviction, for Michael English remains one of the most gripping, believable and emotional vocalists of our time. "Not so long ago I needed to medicate myself to go on with a daily life. I was numb. There was no pain. But that was a totally synthetic way of life. I think about those times when I held the pills in my hands and tried to drop them down the toilet. But I couldn't do it because I was scared. I was an addict. But now I know that I can live the rest of my life without anything like that.
"Brown Bannister and I met with the songwriters for this album. We said, 'Look, we don't want every song to be about falling down and getting back up.' We thought we wouldn't be able to find the right songs, but it's amazing how the CD turned out-everything that's on here deals with what I've been going through.
"I was always more comfortable as a singer in a group." Michael English confides. "When people first approached me about making a solo record I thought, 'What do I have to say?' Now, ten years later, I think I know."
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