John Michael Montgomery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Michael Montgomery
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John Michael Montgomery performing at The Pentagon in mid-June 2003.
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| Background information | |
| Born | January 20, 1965 Danville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Origin | Nicholasville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
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| Years active | 1991–present |
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John Michael Montgomery (born January 20, 1965) is an American country music singer. He is known for his many hit songs. John Michael started singing with his brother Eddie in a group called Early Tymz. Later, his brother Eddie became famous as half of the duo Montgomery Gentry.
John Michael Montgomery began his solo music career in 1992. He has had over 30 songs appear on the Billboard country music charts. Seven of these songs reached the number one spot! Some of his biggest hits include "I Swear" and "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)". These songs were even named the top country songs of 1994 and 1995 by Billboard.
Two of his popular songs, "I Swear" and "I Can Love You Like That", were also covered by the R&B group All-4-One. Many of John Michael's songs also became popular on the main Billboard pop chart. His song "Letters from Home" reached its highest spot on that chart in 2004.
He has released 10 studio albums. His first three albums, Life's a Dance (1992), Kickin' It Up (1994), and John Michael Montgomery (1995), sold millions of copies. This earned them "multi-platinum" awards from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Other albums like What I Do the Best (1996) went "platinum" (meaning they sold over a million copies). Leave a Mark (1998) and Brand New Me (2000) earned "gold" awards for selling over 500,000 copies.
Contents
Early Life and Family
John Michael Montgomery was born on January 20, 1965. His hometown is Danville, Kentucky. He grew up in Nicholasville, Kentucky.
His father, Harold Edward Montgomery, was a musician. He played in a local country band. John Michael's father taught him how to play his first guitar chords.
John Michael joined his family's band. His older brother, Eddie Montgomery, was also in this band. John Michael played guitar first, then became the lead singer. Later, he started performing by himself.
Music Career Highlights
John Michael Montgomery signed with Atlantic Records in 1992. This was the start of his solo career.
Life's a Dance (1992)
His first album was called Life's a Dance. The song "Life's a Dance" was his first hit. It reached number 4 on the country charts.
His next song, "I Love the Way You Love Me", became his first number 1 hit. This song also became popular on the pop charts. The album sold three million copies.
John Michael won the "Top New Male Vocalist" award in 1994. This award was from the Academy of Country Music.
Kickin' It Up (1994)
His second album, Kickin' It Up, came out in 1994. The first song from this album was "I Swear". It went to number 1 on the country charts.
"I Swear" was named the top country song of 1994. This album also had two more number 1 songs: "Be My Baby Tonight" and "If You've Got Love". Kickin' It Up sold four million copies.
John Michael Montgomery (1995)
In 1995, he released his third album, John Michael Montgomery. This album also sold four million copies. It featured two more number 1 hits.
These hits were "I Can Love You Like That" and "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)". "Sold" was named the number one country song of 1995. After this album, John Michael took a break due to a vocal cord injury.
What I Do the Best (1996)
His fourth album was What I Do the Best. This album did not have a number 1 hit. However, it still sold over a million copies.
It included popular songs like "Friends" and "How Was I to Know". Both reached number 2 on the charts. In 1997, he released a Greatest Hits album. It included a new song, "Angel in My Eyes", which was a top 5 hit.
Leave a Mark (1998)
In 1998, John Michael released Leave a Mark. This album had a more pop music sound. It sold half a million copies.
It featured the hit songs "Cover You in Kisses" and "Hold On to Me". "Hold On to Me" was his first song to reach the Top 40 on the main pop charts.
Brand New Me (2000)
John Michael returned to number one in 2000 with the song "The Little Girl". This song was inspired by an urban legend. It stayed at number one for three weeks.
It also reached number 35 on the main pop charts. After this album, John Michael moved to Warner Bros. Records.
Letters from Home (2004)
His album Letters from Home came out in 2004. The song "Letters from Home" became his biggest hit on the pop charts. It reached number 24.
In 2005, John Michael Montgomery had a health issue. He had a non-cancerous growth that affected his ear and balance. This problem was fixed, and it did not stop him from touring.
Later Career and Retirement
In 2008, John Michael started his own music label called Stringtown Records. He released his album Time Flies that year. The song "Forever" from this album reached number 28 on the country charts.
He also sang with Colt Ford on the song "Ride Through the Country". John Michael continued to tour throughout the 2010s. He enjoyed performing live for his fans.
In 2010, he started a company called Montgomery Mix Pro. This company helps new artists create music. He wanted to help artists make music that fans truly wanted.
In January 2024, John Michael Montgomery announced he would retire from touring. He plans to finish his 2024-2025 tour schedule. That same year, he performed with Post Malone at the Grand Ole Opry.
Personal Life
John Michael Montgomery married Crystal White on January 8, 1996. They have two children, a son named Walker and a daughter named Madison.
His daughter Madison is married to country singer Travis Denning.
Discography
- Studio albums
- Life's a Dance (1992)
- Kickin' It Up (1994)
- John Michael Montgomery (1995)
- What I Do the Best (1996)
- Leave a Mark (1998)
- Home to You (1999)
- Brand New Me (2000)
- Pictures (2002)
- Letters from Home (2004)
- Time Flies (2008)
Number-One Hits
John Michael Montgomery has had seven songs reach number one on the Billboard country charts:
- "I Love the Way You Love Me" (1993)
- "I Swear" (1993–1994)
- "Be My Baby Tonight" (1994)
- "If You've Got Love" (1994)
- "I Can Love You Like That" (1995)
- "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)" (1995)
- "The Little Girl" (2000)
Awards and Nominations
John Michael Montgomery has won several awards for his music.
American Music Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | John Michael Montgomery | Favorite Country New Artist | Won |
| 1995 | "I Swear" | Favorite Country Single | Nominated |
Academy of Country Music Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | John Michael Montgomery | Top New Male Vocalist | Won |
| "I Love the Way You Love Me" | Song of the Year | Won | |
| 1995 | "I Swear" | Won | |
| Single Record of the Year | Won | ||
| 1996 | "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)" | Video of the Year | Nominated |
| 2000 | "The Little Girl" | Single Record of the Year | Nominated |
| Song of the Year | Nominated |
Country Music Association Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | John Michael Montgomery | Horizon Award | Nominated |
| 1994 | Won | ||
| "I Swear" | Single of the Year | Won | |
| 1995 | John Michael Montgomery | Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated |
| John Michael Montgomery | Album of the Year | Nominated |
Images for kids
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John Michael Montgomery performing at The Pentagon in mid-June 2003.
