John Michael Montgomery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Michael Montgomery
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Montgomery performing in 2003
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| Born | January 20, 1965 Danville, Kentucky, U.S.
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| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 1992–2025 |
| Spouse(s) |
Crystal White
(m. 1996) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives |
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| Musical career | |
| Genres | Country |
| Instruments |
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| Labels |
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John Michael Montgomery (born January 20, 1965) is an American country music singer. He has been making music since 1992. He is known for having over 30 songs on the Billboard country charts.
Seven of his songs reached number one. These include "I Love the Way You Love Me" and "I Swear". His songs "I Swear" and "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)" were the top country songs of 1994 and 1995. Some of his songs also became popular on the main Billboard Hot 100 chart. "Letters from Home" was his highest-charting song there in 2004.
John Michael Montgomery has released ten studio albums. Many of his early albums sold millions of copies. These include Life's a Dance (1992), Kickin' It Up (1994), and John Michael Montgomery (1995). He has won four Academy of Country Music awards and two Country Music Association awards.
His music often mixes slow, emotional songs with faster country rock tunes. Critics have often compared his singing style to Garth Brooks. Other artists have covered his songs. For example, "I Swear" was covered by All-4-One. His brother, Eddie Montgomery, is also a country singer. His nephew, Dillon Carmichael, and son-in-law, Travis Denning, are also in country music.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
John Michael Montgomery was born on January 20, 1965. He grew up in Nicholasville, Kentucky. His father, Harold, was a local musician. Harold taught John Michael how to play guitar when he was young.
By age 15, John Michael played rhythm guitar in his family's band. It was called Harold Montgomery and the Kentucky River Express. His brother Eddie later joined the band too. John Michael left high school to get his General Educational Development (GED) certificate.
After his parents divorced, John Michael and Eddie started a new band. It was called Early Tymz. They often played at a place called Austin City Saloon in Lexington, Kentucky. John Michael worked at a liquor store to help pay for their apartment.
In 1990, John Michael performed alone at another bar. There, a music manager named Estill Sowards discovered him. This led to him signing with Atlantic Records Nashville in 1991. He spent the next year choosing and recording songs for his first album.
Musical Journey and Hit Songs
1992-1993: Life's a Dance Debut
John Michael Montgomery started recording his first album, Life's a Dance. He worked with producer Doug Johnson. The first song released from the album was "Life's a Dance" in September 1992. It reached number four on the country charts.
His next song, "I Love the Way You Love Me", became his first number-one hit in 1993. It also reached number 60 on the main Billboard Hot 100 chart. The Irish group Boyzone later covered this song. The album's last single was "Beer and Bones".
Life's a Dance was very successful. In 1995, it sold over three million copies. John Michael won Top New Male Vocalist at the 1993 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards. "I Love the Way You Love Me" also won Song of the Year.
1994-1995: Kickin' It Up to the Top
Montgomery's second album, Kickin' It Up, came out in 1994. Its first single was "I Swear". This song became his second number-one country hit. It stayed at number one for four weeks. It was also the top country song of 1994.
Soon after, the R&B group All-4-One covered "I Swear". Their version became a number-one hit on the Hot 100. The Kickin' It Up album itself reached number one on both the country and main Billboard 200 charts. This was his only album to top the Billboard 200.
Other songs from the album, "Be My Baby Tonight" and "If You've Got Love", also reached number one in 1994. John Michael wanted this album to be more energetic than his first. "I Swear" won Single of the Year and Song of the Year from the ACM. It also won Single of the Year from the Country Music Association. Kickin' It Up sold over four million copies by 1996.
1995-1996: Self-Titled Success
In 1995, Montgomery released his third album, John Michael Montgomery. The first song, "I Can Love You Like That", became a number-one country hit. Like "I Swear", this song was also covered by All-4-One.
The album's second single, "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)", became his sixth number-one country song. It was the top country song of 1995. Three more songs from this album reached the top five: "No Man's Land", "Cowboy Love", and "Long as I Live".
Critics liked the album's clear production. John Michael Montgomery also sold over four million copies. The album was nominated for Album of the Year by the Country Music Association.
John Michael started touring a lot in 1995. He noticed some problems with his voice during concerts. Doctors found he had an infected salivary gland. He had surgery to fix it. He performed "Sold" at an awards show just two weeks after his surgery.
1996-1997: What I Do the Best and Greatest Hits
Montgomery took a break from touring in 1996. He released his fourth album, What I Do the Best, that year. The song "Friends" became popular and reached number two on the country charts.
"I Miss You a Little" was the third song from the album. John Michael co-wrote this song as a tribute to his father. Both "I Miss You a Little" and "How Was I to Know" were top-ten country hits in 1997. What I Do the Best sold over one million copies.
When he returned to touring in 1997, he performed fewer shows. Also in 1997, he released his Greatest Hits album. It included a new song, "Angel in My Eyes", which was a top-five hit.
1998-2001: New Albums and Collaborations
His next album was Leave a Mark in 1998. John Michael helped produce this album himself for the first time. The album's main song was "Love Working on You". It was followed by the top-five hits "Cover You in Kisses" and "Hold On to Me". Leave a Mark sold over 500,000 copies.
In 1999, he released Home to You. The main song was "Hello L.O.V.E.". The album's title track, "Home to You", reached number two on the charts.
His seventh album, Brand New Me, came out in 2000. The first song, "The Little Girl", became his seventh and final number-one hit on the country charts. This song was nominated for Single and Song of the Year by the Academy of Country Music. The album sold over 500,000 copies by the end of 2000.
2002-2004: Moving Labels and More Hits
In 2001, John Michael Montgomery moved to Warner Bros. Records. His first album with them was Pictures in 2002. The first song, "'Til Nothing Comes Between Us", reached the top 20.
In 2003, he released The Very Best of John Michael Montgomery, a collection of his hits. It included two new songs. He also released a Christmas album called Mr. Snowman.
His last Warner album was Letters from Home in 2004. The title song, "Letters from Home", was his last top-ten country hit. It reached number two on the country charts and number 24 on the Hot 100. After this album, John Michael left Warner Records.
2005-2024: Independent Music and Retirement
John Michael Montgomery did not release new music in 2005 or 2006. He continued to tour. In 2007, he started his own record label called Stringtown Records. He wanted to release music independently.
His only Stringtown album, Time Flies, came out in 2008. The song "Forever" was his last solo song to appear on the charts. In 2009, he sang on Colt Ford's song "Ride Through the Country". This was his last song to chart on Hot Country Songs.
He continued to tour throughout the 2010s. In 2010, he started a company to help new artists with their music. In 2019, he had surgery on his vocal cords to remove a small growth. In 2022, his tour bus was in an accident. He broke several ribs but recovered well.
In January 2024, John Michael Montgomery announced he would retire from touring. His final tour schedule will end in 2025. In 2024, he performed with Post Malone at the Grand Ole Opry.
Musical Style and Influences
John Michael Montgomery's music includes both slow, emotional songs and faster, upbeat ones. He is known for his "tender balladry" and his "manly baritone" singing voice. He wanted his music to be enjoyed by both young and old listeners.
He is often described as part of the 1990s country music wave. He was known as a romantic singer, but his voice always stayed true to country traditions. He often chose the songs he wanted to record himself. He has named Lionel Richie, Bob Seger, and George Strait as his main influences.
Many people compared John Michael Montgomery to Garth Brooks. Critics noted similarities in their music and vocal styles. However, John Michael said he liked the comparisons when they meant he could appeal to many fans, but not if people thought he was just copying Brooks.
Family Life
John Michael Montgomery's brother, Eddie, worked with him early in his career. Later, Eddie started the duo Montgomery Gentry with Troy Gentry. Montgomery Gentry became very successful. Troy Gentry passed away in a helicopter accident in 2017. Eddie continues to perform under the Montgomery Gentry name.
John Michael and Eddie sang together at a concert in 2014. The song "Brothers 'til the End" from John Michael's album Time Flies is a tribute to Eddie. John Michael and Eddie are also uncles to Dillon Carmichael, who is also a country singer.
John Michael Montgomery married Crystal White in 1996. They have a daughter named Madison, born in 1997. In 2023, Madison married country singer Travis Denning. John Michael also has a son named Walker. Walker released his own version of "I Love the Way You Love Me" in 2024. In May 2025, Walker became engaged to Krista Slaubaugh.
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)
Awards and Nominations
Grammy Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "I Swear" | Best Male Country Vocal Performance | Nominated |
| 1996 | "I Can Love You Like That" | Nominated | |
| John Michael Montgomery | Best Country Album | 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 | ||
| Kickin' It Up | Album of the Year | Shortlisted | |
| John Michael Montgomery | Top Male Vocalist of the Year | Shortlisted | |
| 1996 | Shortlisted | ||
| Entertainer of the Year | Shortlisted | ||
| "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 |
