Matt Morris (musician)

Last updated

Matt Morris
Matt Morris performing in 2010.jpg
Morris performing at SXSW in 2010
Background information
Birth nameMatthew Burton Morris
Born (1979-05-09) May 9, 1979 (age 44)
Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • multi-instrumentalist
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano
  • bass
Years active1991–present
Labels Tennman
Website www.mattmorris.net

Matthew David Morris (born Matthew Burton Morris on May 9, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and former Episcopal priest. He has released solo projects on Tennman/Interscope Records, but is best known for his work as a songwriter and producer for a variety of artists, including Joy Williams, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Reba McEntire, Mary J. Blige, Sarah McLachlan, Kimbra, and Cher.

Contents

He achieved early fame when he appeared on the Disney Channel television series The All-New Mickey Mouse Club, A.K.A. MMC in the early 1990s, where he was a cast member from 1991 to 1996 (seasons 4–7). Morris' January 2010 performance of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" with Justin Timberlake and Charlie Sexton on the Hope for Haiti Now telethon became the most downloaded song from the international broadcast's digital release and went to No. 1 on the iTunes music chart and No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Early life

Matt Morris was born and reared in Denver, Colorado by his mother and stepfather, and had no intention of being a country singer like his father, Gary Morris, an American country music artist who charted a string of countrypolitan-styled hit songs throughout the 1980s. However, Morris learned much about songwriting from his father, Gary. [1]

Morris's biological parents divorced while he was still an infant. Morris was raised in Denver by his mother Teri Hernandez, and his stepfather Ken. They lived in the Barnum neighborhood of Denver until Morris was in the fourth grade, when they moved to Bear Valley. [2]

In 1991, when Morris was in sixth grade, he joined the cast of the Mickey Mouse Club. [2] His cast mates included future collaborator and pop superstars Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. The show ended in 1994, when Morris was 15. Morris returned to his home in Denver, Colorado with the intention of distancing himself from the entertainment industry and reconnecting with his friends and family. [3] Morris attended John F. Kennedy High School [4] and starred in a number of high school plays, including South Pacific and The King and I. [5]

Morris grew up in an Episcopalian household. [6]

Musical career

Morris performing at Bonnaroo in June 2008 Matt08.jpg
Morris performing at Bonnaroo in June 2008

He is the son of country music star Gary Morris. He achieved early fame when he appeared on the Disney Channel television series The All-New Mickey Mouse Club, A.K.A. MMC in the early 1990s, where he was a cast member from 1991 to 1996 (seasons 4–7). Here he met future collaborators Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera, along with future celebrities Britney Spears, Ryan Gosling, Chasen Hampton, Keri Russell, and JC Chasez. Morris first experienced success as a songwriter in the early 2000s. Morris collaborated with Aguilera on her 2002 RCA Records, "Stripped", co-writing five songs with Aguilera and producer Scott Storch, including the hit "Can't Hold Us Down". [7] Another of their collaborations, "Miss Independent", went on to become a number one hit for American Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson. Morris continued his success in songwriting by co-writing with Timberlake the song "Another Song (All Over Again)" for Timberlake's second solo album, FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006). The track was produced by Rick Rubin, and the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Morris co-wrote with Timberlake a song for Reba McEntire's Reba: Duets album, [8] which McEntire sang with Timberlake. Morris co-wrote the song "Woman's World", the first single from Cher's album Closer to the Truth (2013).

Morris and Cher on Red Carpet Matt Morris and Cher on Red Carpet of The Voice.jpg
Morris and Cher on Red Carpet

Morris' January 2010 performance of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" with Justin Timberlake and Charlie Sexton on the Hope For Haiti Now telethon became the most downloaded song from the international broadcast's digital release and went to No. 1 on the iTunes music chart and No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 During the same month, Morris released When Everything Breaks Open on Timberlake's Tennman Records. The release gained wide distribution through Interscope Records, garnering much praise in the press. [9] Morris was let go from his deal with Tennman and Interscope in 2011, and continues to write songs for other recording artists. [10]

UnSpoken

In 2003, Morris released the independent album UnSpoken. To promote the album, Morris toured colleges around the United States and gave an interactive session and dialogue with audiences called "Reflections on Artistry and the Business of Music: A Dialogue with Matt Morris." The event consisted of a discussion of Morris' experiences in the music industry, as well as his thoughts about file sharing. [11]

Backstage at Bonnaroo and Other Acoustic Performances EP

Morris performed at the 2008 Bonnaroo Music Festival. While at the festival, Morris and producer, Charlie Sexton, recorded a series of acoustic performances backstage in the Music Allies recording studio. The songs were compiled as the 5 song EP, Backstage at Bonnaroo and Other Acoustic Performances, and released by Tennman Records September 23, 2008. [12] [13]

When Everything Breaks Open

On January 12, 2010, Morris released When Everything Breaks Open on Justin Timberlake's label, Tennman Records. [14] In support of the album, Morris performed on a number of television shows, including the Late Show with David Letterman, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and Lopez Tonight. When Everything Breaks Open was co-produced by Charlie Sexton and Justin Timberlake. The album was recorded largely at Public Hi-Fi, a recording studio in Austin, Texas founded by Spoon's Jim Eno. [15]

Chart (2010)Peak
Position [16]
Billboard 200 (United States)99
Billboard Top Independent Albums 13
Billboard Top Rock Albums 31
Billboard Top Alternative Albums25

Hallelujah

On January 22, 2010, Morris performed the Leonard Cohen song, "Hallelujah", with Justin Timberlake and Charlie Sexton during the Hope For Haiti Now telethon. The recording of the song became the most downloaded track from the album, and it charted in the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Live Forever video

The first video from When Everything Breaks Open was for the song, "Live Forever". The video was directed by Matt Stawski, with art by Serge Gay, Jr.. The video takes place in a non-descript suburban neighborhood and is rich with animation. [17]

Shlomo

Morris was offered the lead role alongside India.Arie in a Broadway production produced by Daniel Wise entitled "Shlomo". The musical is based on the life of Shlomo Carlebach, also known as the Singing Rabbi. [4]

Songwriter credits

2002

2003

2006

2007

2011

2012

2014

2015

Performance credits

2010

Ordained ministry

After graduating summa cum laude and receiving the award of Masters Student of the Year from Iliff School of Theology, [24] Morris was ordained an episcopal priest on May 9, 2020 at Trinity Cathedral in Portland, Oregon by The Rt. Rev. Michael Joseph Hanley, 10th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon. [25] Morris served in multiple roles in the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon, including short-term interim priest at All Saints Episcopal Church in the summer of 2020, campus minister for Beloved Community on Campus, and video resource specialist on Bishop Hanley's staff at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. [24]

On the 3rd anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood, Morris submitted a letter to his bishop requesting release and removal from ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church, a process outlined in Canon III.9.9 of the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church. [26] Morris cited that the church "is less than fluent in relationships that fall outside of a heteronormative, monogamous-oriented framework, particularly if those relationships are not headed toward marriage, as the church conceives of it," and that this was one reason for requesting release. Additionally, Morris explained that ordained ministry diminished his sense of creativity and musicality. [26] Morris was granted release on June 1, 2023 by The Rt. Rev. Diana Akiyama. [27]

Personal life

Morris is openly gay, and was married to Sean Michael Morris in 2008. [28] The two divorced in 2022.

Morris blogged about his religious journey under the name Teo Bishop from 2009 to 2014, and in 2012 he changed his legal name to Teo Bishop. [29] He changed his name back to Matthew in 2014. [30]

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Timberlake</span> American singer and actor (born 1981)

Justin Randall Timberlake is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades, including ten Grammy Awards, four Primetime Emmy Awards, three Brit Awards, nine Billboard Music Awards, the Contemporary Icon Award by the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and MTV’s Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. According to Billboard, he is the best-performing male solo artist in the history of the Mainstream Top 40.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christina Aguilera</span> American singer and songwriter (born 1980)

Christina María Aguilera is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Referred to as the "Voice of a Generation", she is noted for her four-octave vocal range and signature use of melisma. Recognized as an influential figure in popular music, she became known for incorporating controversial themes such as feminism, sexuality, and LGBT culture into her music.

<i>Justified</i> (album) 2002 studio album by Justin Timberlake

Justified is the debut solo studio album by American singer Justin Timberlake. It was released on November 5, 2002, by Jive Records. The album was written and recorded in a six-week period as Timberlake's band NSYNC was on hiatus. For his solo album, Timberlake began to adopt a more mature image as an R&B artist opposed to the previous pop music recorded by the group. The majority of the album was produced by the Neptunes and Timbaland, and features guest appearances by Janet Jackson, Clipse, and Bubba Sparxxx. Primarily an R&B album, Justified also contains influences of dance-pop, funk, and soul music.

<i>Stripped</i> (Christina Aguilera album) 2002 studio album by Christina Aguilera

Stripped is the fourth studio album by American singer Christina Aguilera. It was released on October 22, 2002, by RCA Records. Looking to transition from the teen pop styles of her self-titled debut album (1999), Aguilera took creative control over her next album, both musically and lyrically. She also changed her public image and established her alter ego Xtina. Musically, the record incorporates pop and R&B with influences from many different genres, including soul, rock, hip hop, and Latin music. Lyrically, most of the songs from the album discuss the theme of self-respect, while a few other songs talk about sex and feminism. As an executive producer, Aguilera enlisted numerous new collaborators for the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)</span> 2002 single by Christina Aguilera

"Beautiful" is a song recorded by American singer Christina Aguilera for her fourth studio album, Stripped (2002). It was released as the album's second single on November 16, 2002. A pop and R&B ballad, "Beautiful" was written and produced by Linda Perry and discusses inner-beauty, as well as self-esteem and insecurity. Aguilera commented that she put "her heart and soul" into the track, which she felt represented the theme of Stripped.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen song)</span> 1984 single by Leonard Cohen

"Hallelujah" is a song written by Canadian singer Leonard Cohen, originally released on his album Various Positions (1984). Achieving little initial success, the song found greater popular acclaim through a new version recorded by John Cale in 1991. Cale's version inspired a 1994 recording by Jeff Buckley that in 2004 was ranked number 259 on Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fighter (Christina Aguilera song)</span> 2003 single by Christina Aguilera

"Fighter" is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera for her fourth studio album, Stripped (2002). The song was written by Aguilera and Scott Storch, and produced by the latter. It was released by RCA Records as the third single from Stripped on March 10, 2003. Inspired by Guns N' Roses' song "November Rain", "Fighter" was characterized as a hybrid of rock and R&B that incorporates elements of arena rock and rock and roll. The track sees Aguilera thanking a man who had done her wrong for making her a "fighter."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can't Hold Us Down</span> 2003 single by Christina Aguilera

"Can't Hold Us Down" is a song recorded by American singer Christina Aguilera and rapper Lil' Kim for the former's fourth studio album Stripped (2002). It was released by RCA Records on July 8, 2003, as the fourth single from the album. The track was written and produced by Scott Storch, with additional songwriting by Aguilera and Matt Morris. An R&B and hip hop song with a dancehall outro, "Can't Hold Us Down" criticizes gender-related double standards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Voice Within</span> 2003 single by Christina Aguilera

"The Voice Within" is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera from her fourth studio album, Stripped (2002). The song was written by Aguilera and Glen Ballard, with production handled by Ballard. It is a piano-driven ballad that talks about trusting oneself and one's instincts. "The Voice Within" was released as the fifth and final single from Stripped on October 27, 2003, by RCA Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock Your Body</span> 2003 single by Justin Timberlake

"Rock Your Body" is a song by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake from his debut studio album, Justified (2002). The Neptunes wrote and produced the song. The song features background vocals by American singer Vanessa Marquez, who was signed to The Neptunes' Star Trak record label at the time. Jive Records released the track on March 17, 2003, as the third single from Justified. Originally intended to be featured on Michael Jackson's tenth studio album Invincible (2001), Jackson rejected the song along with several other tracks, which were instead given to Timberlake for his debut album. It is an uptempo, disco groove, soul infused song containing influences from Jackson and Stevie Wonder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ain't No Other Man</span> 2006 single by Christina Aguilera

"Ain't No Other Man" is a song by the American singer Christina Aguilera from her fifth studio album Back to Basics (2006). Aguilera co-wrote the song with Kara DioGuardi, Charles Martin Roane, Harold Beatty and the producer DJ Premier. "Ain't No Other Man" is a pop, funk and R&B song that incorporates elements of soul, blues and jazz music. Lyrically, the song was inspired by her marriage to Jordan Bratman in 2005.

<i>The Justified & Stripped Tour</i> Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake concert tour (2003)

The Justified & Stripped Tour was a co-headlining concert tour by American recording artists Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. It was launched in support of Timberlake's debut studio album, Justified (2002), and Aguilera's fourth studio album, Stripped (2002). Timberlake announced that he would go on a co-headlining tour at the 2003 American Music Awards on January 13, 2003, and it was officially announced the following day that Aguilera would be the co-headlined artist of the tour. Tour dates were revealed on February 21, 2003; it kicked off on June 4, 2003 in Phoenix, Arizona and visited 45 cities in North America. The Black Eyed Peas were serviced as the tour's supporting act.

<i>Reba: Duets</i> 2007 studio album by Reba McEntire

Reba: Duets is the twenty-sixth studio album by American country music singer Reba McEntire. It was released on September 18, 2007, by MCA Nashville and was produced by Tony Brown, Dann Huff, McEntire, and Justin Timberlake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Timberlake discography</span>

The discography of American singer and songwriter Justin Timberlake consists of five studio albums, two compilation albums, three extended plays, and 51 singles. Timberlake started his music career in 1995, as a member of boy band NSYNC. Following the group's hiatus in 2002, he released his solo debut studio album, Justified, in November that same year. The album was a commercial success and peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart and additionally topped the charts in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Justified earned multiple multi-platinum certifications, including a triple platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and a sextuple platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). It produced four singles: "Like I Love You", "Cry Me a River", "Rock Your Body" and "Señorita"; all performed well commercially, with two of them becoming top 5 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and top two hits on the UK Singles Chart. "Rock Your Body" also reached number one in Australia.

"The Only Promise That Remains" is a country duet recorded by American singers Reba McEntire and Justin Timberlake for McEntire's 24th studio album, Reba: Duets (2007). It was written and produced by Timberlake, with additional writing from Matt Morris. McEntire and Timberlake met at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony in February 2007, where McEntire asked him to be a part of the album. She was initially skeptical when Timberlake suggested that he write a song for her, expecting it to be "something that was wayyy out of [her] ballpark". She was relieved when he played "The Only Promise That Remains", an acoustic-based Celtic love song, for her.

Justin Osuji, best known by his current alias Sonny J Mason, is a Scottish singer, songwriter, and producer whose style combines "hints of R&B, soul, funk and disco." Mason was signed as a singer-songwriter to Virgin Records at age 14, and his first four singles, released under the name Justin, all reached top 40 positions on the UK Singles Chart in the late 1990s. His debut album Finally was released in 2000 on Innocent Records, and that year he was awarded the Young Scottish Achievers Award from Queen Elizabeth II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Not Myself Tonight</span> 2010 single by Christina Aguilera

"Not Myself Tonight" is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera for her sixth studio album Bionic (2010). It was released by RCA Records as the lead single from the album on April 2, 2010. Produced by Jamal Jones a.k.a. Polow da Don and co-written in collaboration with Greg Curtis, Ester Dean and Jason Perry, "Not Myself Tonight" is an electropop, electro-R&B and dance-pop song, which explores Aguilera's adoption of different personas on the dance floor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">90s Music</span> 2014 single by Kimbra

"90s Music" is a song co-written, co-produced and performed by New Zealand recording artist Kimbra, issued as the lead single from her second studio album The Golden Echo.

<i>La Fuerza</i> Extended play by Christina Aguilera (2022)

La Fuerza is the debut solo and Spanish-language extended play (EP) by American singer Christina Aguilera. It was released through Sony Music Latin on January 21, 2022 as the first part of her ninth studio and second Spanish-language album Aguilera (2022). It is her second EP, following her promotional EP, Justin & Christina (2003), with Justin Timberlake. While recording her ninth studio album in Miami in early 2021, Aguilera decided to release the album in an unconventional way, by releasing it in three separate parts. La Fuerza was the first part of the trilogy. The EP is centered around female empowerment and strength and features guest vocals from Becky G, Nicki Nicole, Nathy Peluso, and Ozuna.

References

  1. ↑ Fusilli, Jim (April 14, 2010). "From Mouseketeer To Balladeer". The Wall Street Journal.
  2. 1 2 Johnson, Ru (February 2, 2010). "Matt Morris is more than Justin Timberlake's protege". Westword. Archived from the original on September 25, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  3. ↑ Johnson, Ru (February 2, 2010). "Matt Morris is more than Justin Timberlake's protege". Westword. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  4. 1 2 "Broadway's "Shlomo" would have Denver ties". The Denver Post. May 23, 2010.
  5. ↑ Baca, Ricardo (January 11, 2010). "The Reverb Interview: Matt Morris". The Denver Post.
  6. ↑ Bishop, Teo (November 2, 2013). "A Disruptive and Inconvenient Realization". The Huffington Post. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Christina Aguilera Album & Song Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  8. 1 2 "Reba Outmuscles Kanye, 50 To Score First No. 1". Billboard.com. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  9. ↑ Swami, The (January 2, 2010). "Colorado Music Buzz Magazine Daily Blog: Matt Morris Video links to David Letteman and Ellen DeGeneres (look for our CMBer Dave Preston playing guitar!)". Coloradomusicbuzz.blogspot.com. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Everything Breaks Down and Becomes Something New". Facebook.com. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Grammy-nominated artist Matt Morris to perform at MUW Wednesday" (Press release). Mississippi University for Women. February 2, 2004. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  12. ↑ "Club Notes: Ex-Muskateer Matt Morris". Dailycamera.com. Archived from the original on March 18, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Matt Morris : News". Tennmanrecords.com. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  14. ↑ Fusilli, Jim (April 14, 2010). "From Mouseketeer To Balladeer". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  15. ↑ Caldwell, Patrick (March 1, 2010). "Austin TX music: Music listings, bands, music news, reviews, SXSW and ACL". Austin360.com. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  16. ↑ Billboard Charts
  17. ↑ Herrera, Dave (July 9, 2010). "A first look at the new Matt Morris video for "Live Forever"". Blogs.westword.com. Archived from the original on March 31, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Sex Therapy – Robin Thicke". Billboard.com. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  19. ↑ ChristinaMultimedia Staff. "Christina Statistics – Can´t Hold Us Down Lyrics". ChristinaMultimedia. Retrieved December 14, 2011.[ permanent dead link ]
  20. ↑ ChristinaMultimedia Staff. "Christina Statistics – Walk Away Lyrics". ChristinaMultimedia. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  21. ↑ ChristinaMultimedia Staff. "Christina Statistics – Infatuation Lyrics". ChristinaMultimedia. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  22. ↑ ChristinaMultimedia Staff. "Christina Statistics – Loving Me 4 Me Lyrics". ChristinaMultimedia. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  23. ↑ ChristinaMultimedia Staff. "Christina Statistics – Underappreciated Lyrics". ChristinaMultimedia. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  24. 1 2 "Welcoming Fr. Matthew David Morris - All Saints Episcopal Church".
  25. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=2289398088034923
  26. 1 2 "Coming Out of the Priesthood". June 10, 2023.
  27. ↑ https://files.constantcontact.com/9dde8b84601/27533cdd-3a8a-4f1d-999f-cc87c4b7cd40.pdf
  28. ↑ Tsai, Catherine (January 12, 2010). "Matt Morris – Colorado's Justin Timberlake?". The Huffington Post. Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  29. ↑ "The Road Ahead: Being Matt Morris Again". BishopInTheGrove.com. January 1, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013. As many of you know, I have two names. There is the name you know me by, Teo Bishop; a name which I chose for myself several years back, and one that I took as my legal name last year. There is also the name which I've performed under for most of my life, Matt Morris.
  30. ↑ Matthew David Morris [@MattMorris] (March 28, 2014). "2 years ago I legally changed my name to @TeoBishop. Today I changed it back, & gave myself the middle name, David. Matthew David Morris" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.