Billy Mohler

Last updated

Billy Mohler is a Grammy-nominated producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He was raised in South Orange County and is Bill Medley's (of the Righteous Bros.) godson. He attended and graduated from Berklee College of Music where he studied electric bass and acoustic bass. Mohler then received a full scholarship to the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at UCLA. [1] He was a member of the rock band The Calling until 2002. The band's debut record Camino Palmero has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide.

He is currently a member of the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, and is a good friend of Chamberlin. The two first met when Mohler auditioned for Zwan, Chamberlin's former band. Mohler and Chamberlin became quick friends. It was Mohler who Chamberlin called first after securing a record deal with Sanctuary Records. Mohler contributed greatly to the band's first album ( Life Begins Again ), co-writing and co-producing it with Chamberlin, playing bass guitar, bass, electric guitar and keyboards throughout, and singing in "Streetcrawler" and "Newerwaves". [2] With the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex, Mohler has co-produced and co-written three albums including the groups most recent 2020 album Honor.

Mohler's recording/songwriting/production credits are diverse. He has recorded with Lady Gaga, Sia, Awolnation (13 times platinum) Dolly Parton (Dumplin Soundtrack), Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Linda Perry, Natasha Bedingfield, Nile Rodgers, Chic, Dorothy, Pat Benatar, Little Big Town, Maren Morris, Mavis Staples, Miranda Lambert, Alison Krauss, Elle King, Kacey Musgraves, Pom Pom's, Aimee Osbourne, The Airborne Toxic Event, Conway, Limp Bizkit, Liz Phair, Kelly Clarkson, Macy Gray, The Calling, Lifehouse, and Debi Nova. Mohler has produced/written with Awolnation (recently went 6 times platinum), Gustavo Galindo (Grammy Nomination for Best Latin Pop Rock Album 2011), War Tapes, The Drowning Men, Last American Buffalo, Carina Round, Katy Rose, Lenka, The Bellrays, Bill Madden, Shane Alexander, Trevor Menear and many others. Mohler performed with Jon Brion on the Charlie Kaufman film Synecdoche, New York . Mohler recently co-wrote music for John Krasinski's directorial debut film, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men .

For a brief period in 2006, Mohler worked with The Smashing Pumpkins in Los Angeles, CA.

Mohler also plays drums in a band called War Tapes who have opened for the Smashing Pumpkins, Tiger Army, VNV Nation, Shiny Toy Guns, Moving Units and toured in the UK and the West Coast with The Bravery. War Tapes are signed to Sarathan Records in Seattle, WA and recently completed a US tour with VNV Nation as well as releasing their first full length, The Continental Divide . The band released an EP in 2020 entitled Only Time Will Tell featuring five new songs.

Mohler's performance credits are equally diverse including Macy Gray, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Jimmy Heath, Clark Terry, Terence Blanchard, Lenka, Billy Childs, Awolnation, Steven Tyler, Meiko, and he was a member of the band Anarchy Orchestra, [3] formed in part by legendary skater Tony Hawk. While at Berklee, Mohler was a member of The Jay Hodgson Group, which also included violinist Ludvig Girdland, drummer Rohin Khemani and lead-singer and songwriter Jay Hodgson; Girdland would go on to become an important session violinist in Los Angeles, working with the likes of Electric Light Orchestra and Eels, among others. He recorded on their debut album, which topped collegeweb.com's national 'indie' chart for more than three months in 1998.

Mohler performed on bass at the 61st Grammy Awards alongside Dolly Parton, Katy Perry, Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris, Little Big Town, Linda Perry, and Miley Cyrus.

Mohler released his debut album in 2019 called Focus featuring Nate Wood on drums, Shane Endsley on trumpet, and Chris Speed on Tenor Saxophone. Mohler's album was featured in Jazziz Magazine.

Mohler has worked on ad campaigns for Tom Ford (Lady Gaga, Nile Rodgers), Swovski Diamonds (Daya), Tommy Hilfiger, CSX Trains, AT&T, Finlandia Vodka, and many others.

In 2020, Mohler contributed upright bass to CBS's show The Stand. Mohler was also featured in Bass Player Magazines Artist Spotlight.

Mohler currently plays Fender Basses, Moollon Basses, Hofner Basses, Ashdown Engineering amplification, Noble Di and D'Addario strings.

Related Research Articles

<i>Siamese Dream</i> 1993 studio album by the Smashing Pumpkins

Siamese Dream is the second studio album by the American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on July 27, 1993, by Virgin Records. The album was produced by Butch Vig and frontman Billy Corgan. Despite its recording sessions being fraught with difficulties and tensions, Siamese Dream debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200, and was eventually certified 4× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with the album selling over six million copies worldwide, catapulting the Smashing Pumpkins to mainstream success and cementing them as a significant group in alternative music.

Country pop is a fusion genre of country music and pop music that was developed by members of the country genre out of a desire to reach a larger, mainstream audience. Country pop music blends genres like rock, pop, and country, continuing similar efforts that began in the late 1950s, known originally as the Nashville sound and later on as Countrypolitan. By the mid-1970s, many country artists were transitioning to the pop-country sound, which led to some records charting high on the mainstream top 40 and the Billboard country chart. In turn, many pop and easy listening artists crossed over to country charts during this time. After declining in popularity during the neotraditional movement of the 1980s, country pop had a comeback in the 1990s with a sound that drew more heavily on pop rock and adult contemporary. In the 2010s, country pop metamorphosized again with the addition of hip-hop beats and rap-style phrasing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Here You Come Again (song)</span> 1977 single by Dolly Parton

"Here You Come Again" is a song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, and recorded by American entertainer Dolly Parton. It was released as a single in September 1977 as the title track from Parton's album of the same name, topped the U.S. country singles chart for five weeks, and won the 1978 Grammy award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance; it also reached number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, representing Parton's first significant pop crossover hit.

"After the Gold Rush" is a song written and performed by Neil Young and is the title song from his 1970 album of the same name. In addition to After the Gold Rush, it also appears on the compilation albums Decade, and Greatest Hits, and on Live Rust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane McAnally</span> American musician

Shane Lamar McAnally is an American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer. McAnally has written, and/or produced over 50 number one songs. Writing and producing for artists such as Kacey Musgraves, Sam Hunt, Kenny Chesney, Walker Hayes, Kelly Clarkson, Reba McEntire, Luke Bryan, Lady A, Keith Urban, Thomas Rhett, Brothers Osborne, Old Dominion, Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, Kelsea Ballerini, Midland, and more. He has received Billboard’s Trailblazer Award for his work both in country music and in championing voices in the LGBTQ community.

War Tapes is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 2004. The band has played shows and toured across the US and in the UK with The Smashing Pumpkins, Tiger Army, Shiny Toy Guns, Moving Units, The Bravery, Longwave, VNV Nation, She Wants Revenge, Mark Burgess of The Chameleons, Elefant, Jonathan Richman, and The Unseen. Their songs "Dreaming Of You" and "The Night Unfolds" were featured on Last Call with Carson Daly; the song "Mind Is Ugly" was featured on a Season 5 episode of the MTV series The Hills, and the band also performed on the season 2 finale of the ABC Family show Greek. They define their sound as: "Heart-Quaking Doom Pop" and they released their first album, The Continental Divide in May 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Not Your Fault</span> 2011 single by Awolnation

"Not Your Fault" is a song by American alternative rock band Awolnation. It was written by frontman Aaron Bruno and recorded by the band for their debut studio album Megalithic Symphony, where it appears as the twelfth track. "Not Your Fault" was released to American modern rock radio on October 17, 2011, and was also released as a single in the United Kingdom and Bosnia on February 26, 2012. The single peaked at numbers three and eleven on the US Billboard Alternative Songs and Rock Songs charts, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kacey Musgraves</span> American singer (born 1988)

Kacey Lee Musgraves is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She began her career in the early 2000s, when she self-released three solo albums and recorded another album as a member of the duo Texas Two Bits. In 2007, Musgraves appeared on the fifth season of the USA Network singing competition Nashville Star, where she finished in seventh place. In 2012, she signed with Mercury Nashville and released the hit single "Merry Go 'Round". Her major-label debut studio album, Same Trailer Different Park (2013), won the Grammy Award for Best Country Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.

iHeartRadio Music Festival Music festival held in Las Vegas by iHeartRadio

The iHeartRadio Music Festival is a two-day music concert festival held every year on the third or fourth weekend of September since 2011 by iHeartRadio along the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.

<i>Pageant Material</i> 2015 studio album by Kacey Musgraves

Pageant Material is the second studio album by American country music artist Kacey Musgraves, released June 23, 2015, through Mercury Nashville. Musgraves co-wrote all 13 tracks and co-produced the album with Luke Laird and Shane McAnally. The album made numerous "Best Albums of 2015" lists and was nominated for Best Country Album at the 58th Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shawn Everett</span> Canadian record producer

Shawn Everett is a Canadian music engineer and producer best known for his work with Alabama Shakes, Kacey Musgraves, The War on Drugs, The Killers, and Julian Casablancas. Everett has won six Grammy Awards.

<i>A Very Kacey Christmas</i> 2016 studio album by Kacey Musgraves

A Very Kacey Christmas is a third studio album and first Christmas album by American country music artist Kacey Musgraves, released on October 28, 2016, through Mercury Nashville. Overall, it is Musgraves' sixth album, her third studio album, and first Christmas album. Produced by Musgraves, Kyle Ryan and Misa Arriaga, it features eight traditional Christmas songs and four originals. Special guest artists include Willie Nelson, The Quebe Sisters and Leon Bridges.

<i>Golden Hour</i> (Kacey Musgraves album) 2018 studio album by Kacey Musgraves

Golden Hour is the fourth studio album by American country music singer and songwriter Kacey Musgraves, released on March 30, 2018, through MCA Nashville. Musgraves co-wrote all 13 tracks and co-produced the album with Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk. A country pop record, Golden Hour also contains elements of disco, electropop, electronica, and yacht rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Space Cowboy (Kacey Musgraves song)</span> 2018 single by Kacey Musgraves

"Space Cowboy" is a song by American country singer and songwriter Kacey Musgraves, released as a single from her fourth studio album Golden Hour on February 23, 2018.

<i>The Parable</i> (album) Jimmy Chamberlin Complex album

The Parable is the second studio album by the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex. It was released on November 6, 2017 as a digital download, and the physical edition was released 2 weeks after the digital download's release. This is the first album since the 2005 debut, Life Begins Again. The album was produced by Chamberlin's longtime collaborator, Billy Mohler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">61st Annual Grammy Awards</span> 61st Annual Grammy Awards ceremony

The 61st Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 10, 2019, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Singer-songwriter Alicia Keys hosted. During her opening monologue, Keys brought out Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Lopez, and former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama, each of whom spoke about the impact that music had on their lives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Girl in the Movies</span> 2018 song by Dolly Parton

"Girl in the Movies" is a song by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was written by Parton and Linda Perry for the soundtrack of the 2018 Netflix film, Dumplin'. The song was produced by Perry and released as the second single from the soundtrack on November 2, 2018. It was nominated for Best Original Song at the 76th Golden Globe Awards and Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.

Ian Fitchuk is a songwriter, music producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist.

RandyMerrill is an American mastering engineer who has worked with international artists including Blink-182, DAY6, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Harry Styles, One Direction, Adele, Imagine Dragons, Beck, Liam Gallagher, Jonas Brothers, Muse, Cage the Elephant, Maren Morris, Ariana Grande, Mumford & Sons, Paul McCartney, Troye Sivan, Taylor Swift, Lorde, Justin Bieber, Porter Robinson, Ayumi Hamasaki, Buck-Tick, King Gnu, Little Mix and BTS.

<i>Star-Crossed</i> (album) 2021 studio album by Kacey Musgraves

Star-Crossed is the fifth studio album by American singer Kacey Musgraves. It was released on September 10, 2021, by MCA Nashville and Interscope Records. Musgraves co-wrote and co-produced the album with American musicians Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian, with whom she collaborated on her fourth studio album, Golden Hour (2018), as well.

References

  1. "Monk Institute Awards and Honors". Berklee School Of Music Website. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  2. "The Jimmy Chamberlin Complex". The Jimmy Chamberlin Complex. April 8, 2011. Archived from the original on June 19, 2006. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
  3. Broward-Palm Beach – Music – Pit Bullies Skate Archived November 17, 2005, at the Wayback Machine