Josh Groban facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Josh Groban
Groban at the 2009 Grammys charity auction
Background information
Birth name	Joshua Winslow Groban
Born	(1981-02-27) February 27, 1981 (age 44) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Easy listening vocal adult contemporary classical crossover gospel operatic pop
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter actor
Years active	1997–present
Labels	143 Reprise Warner Bros.
Associated acts	Sara Bareilles
Signature

Joshua Winslow Groban (born February 27, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is famous for his powerful voice and for blending pop music with classical styles. His first four solo albums sold millions of copies. In 2007, he was the top-selling artist in the United States. By 2022, he had sold over 25 million records around the world.

Josh first wanted to be an actor, but his singing voice grew stronger. He went to the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. This school gives students a special education in the arts. A famous producer, David Foster, heard Josh sing. He asked Josh to practice a song called "The Prayer" with Celine Dion for the 1999 Grammy Awards. Josh was filling in for Andrea Bocelli. After this, TV host Rosie O'Donnell invited him to her show. He also sang at the inauguration of California Governor Gray Davis.

Josh also started acting in TV shows and movies. He appeared in Ally McBeal, Crazy, Stupid, Love, and Muppets Most Wanted. In 2016, he made his Broadway debut in the musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. He was nominated for a Tony Award for his role. In 2023, he returned to Broadway to play the main character in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He received another Tony Award nomination for this role.

Early Life and Education

Josh Groban was born in Los Angeles, California. His father, Jack Groban, was a businessman. His mother, Lindy Groban, was a school teacher. His father's family came from Poland and Ukraine. His mother's family had roots in England, Germany, and Norway.

Josh first sang in public when he was in seventh grade. His music teacher chose him to sing a solo at a school event. He sang alone on stage for the first time. At that time, he was more interested in acting. He played Tevye in his high school's play, Fiddler on the Roof.

During the summers of 1997 and 1998, he went to the Interlochen Center for the Arts Camp in Michigan. He studied musical theater there and began taking singing lessons. He graduated from the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts in 1999. He then started attending Carnegie Mellon University to study musical theater. However, after four months, he was offered a recording contract. He left college to become a professional singer.

Becoming a Star

First Steps in Music

In late 1997, when Josh was 16, his vocal coach introduced him to producer David Foster. Foster is famous for winning many Grammy Awards. Josh also met his future manager, Brian Avnet. At this time, Josh had no experience recording music.

Josh worked for David Foster as a practice singer for big events. One of these was the 1999 California governor's inauguration. Another was the 41st Grammy Awards. There, he practiced the song "The Prayer" with Celine Dion. He was filling in for Andrea Bocelli. Josh was very nervous about this. His performance impressed the show's host, Rosie O'Donnell. She invited him to appear on her talk show the next week. This led to an appearance on the TV show Ally McBeal.

The show's creator, David E. Kelley, wrote a character just for Josh. Josh played Malcolm Wyatt in the season finale in May 2001. Viewers loved his performance. Josh was asked to return the next season. These events helped launch Josh Groban's singing career.

First Album Success

Josh was offered a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records. This happened through David Foster's 143 Records company. Warner Bros. was unsure at first. They worried his unique voice might not be popular on the radio. But Foster believed in him. He said Josh had a natural talent for pop and rock, but loved his classical style even more. Under Foster's guidance, Josh's first album focused on classical songs.

Josh performed with Sarah Brightman on her 2000–01 La Luna World Tour. He also recorded "For Always" with Lara Fabian for the movie A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Josh sang at many charity events. These included "The Andre Agassi Grand Slam Event For Children" and "Muhammad Ali's Fight Night Foundation."

His first album, Josh Groban, came out on November 20, 2001. In just one year, it sold enough copies to become double-platinum. This means it sold over two million copies.

More Albums and Broadway

Closer and Awake

Groban in concert at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire in 2007

On February 24, 2002, Josh sang "The Prayer" with Charlotte Church. This was at the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Later that year, he had his own TV special on PBS called "Josh Groban In Concert." In December 2002, he performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Norway. He also sang for Christmas at the Vatican.

Josh's second album, Closer, was released on November 11, 2003. Josh felt this album showed more of his true self. Two months after its release, Closer reached number one on the Billboard music charts. His version of "You Raise Me Up" became very popular. He also sang "Remember" for the movie Troy and "Believe" for The Polar Express.

In 2004, his live DVD Live At The Greek was released. His song "Believe" was nominated for an Academy Award. It also won a Grammy in 2006.

Josh's third album, Awake, came out on November 7, 2006. On this album, he worked with artists like Imogen Heap and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. His "Awake" world tour visited 71 cities in 2007. He also sang duets with Barbra Streisand and Mireille Mathieu.

Illuminations and All That Echoes

Josh's fifth album, Illuminations, was released on November 15, 2010. Josh wrote 11 of the 13 songs on this album. Many songs were about love and relationships. The first song, "Hidden Away", was available for free download. He also sang a song in Portuguese called "Você Existe Em Mim."

His sixth album, All That Echoes, came out on February 5, 2013. It debuted at number one on the charts. Josh promoted this album with the All That Echoes World Tour in 2013.

Stages and Broadway Debut

In March 2015, Josh announced his album Stages. This album featured his versions of songs from famous Broadway musicals. It was released on April 28, 2015.

On October 18, 2016, Josh made his Broadway debut. He played Pierre Bezukhov in the musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. This show was based on the book War and Peace. Critics praised his performance. He was nominated for a Tony Award in 2017. His last show as Pierre was on July 2, 2017. Josh also sang "Evermore" for the end credits of the 2017 Disney movie Beauty and the Beast.

Bridges and Harmony

On March 12, 2018, Josh announced his Bridges Tour with special guest Idina Menzel. His album Bridges was released on September 21, 2018. It included a cover of Celine Dion's song "S'il suffisait d'aimer" and new songs. The album reached number two in the US.

Josh released his album Harmony on November 20, 2020. In December 2022, Josh played The Beast in the TV special Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration. He sang "Evermore" again for this show.

Return to Broadway

Josh returned to Broadway in 2023. He played the main character, Sweeney Todd, in a new version of the musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He starred alongside Annaleigh Ashford. The show opened on March 26, 2023, and received great reviews. Josh was nominated for his second Tony Award for this role. He and Annaleigh Ashford left the show on January 14, 2024.

Las Vegas Shows

Josh Groban will perform at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas from May 9-17, 2025.

On Stage and Screen

Groban at the ET Post-Emmys Party, Walt Disney Concert Hall, September 21, 2008

In June 2007, Josh recorded a Christmas album in London. It was called Noël and released on October 9, 2007. This album was very successful in the United States. It became the best-selling album of 2007. On July 1, 2007, Josh performed with Sarah Brightman at the Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium. This concert was watched by over 500 million homes worldwide.

On February 10, 2008, Josh performed at the 2008 Grammy Awards. He sang with Andrea Bocelli in a tribute to Luciano Pavarotti. In May 2008, Josh performed in "Chess in Concert" in London. This was a live concert version of the musical Chess.

On September 21, 2008, Josh performed a funny mix of TV theme songs at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards. In January 2009, he sang "My Country 'Tis of Thee" with Heather Headley at the Presidential Inauguration ceremonies. He also sang the Star Spangled Banner at the 2010 BCS National Championship Game with Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea.

Film and Television Appearances

Josh Groban has appeared on many TV shows. He has been on The Oprah Winfrey Show six times. He has also appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Larry King Live, and Jimmy Kimmel Live!. He was a guest co-host on Live with Kelly many times.

He played Malcolm Wyatt on Ally McBeal in 2001. He also appeared as himself on Glee and The Muppets. Josh played Andy Bernard's brother on The Office. In 2011, he was a surprise guest on Dancing with the Stars. He sang "You Raise Me Up" for Petra Němcová's dance.

In the movie Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011), Josh played a character named Richard. He also appeared in the independent comedy film Coffee Town (2013). In 2014, he played a prisoner in the movie Muppets Most Wanted. He also had cameo roles in Parks and Recreation (2015) and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2017).

In September 2018, Netflix released The Good Cop. Josh starred in this murder-mystery series. He played NYPD detective Tony Caruso Jr., with Tony Danza as his father. In 2022, Josh was a guest on the game show That's My Jam. He also played The Beast in the 2022 TV special Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration.

Helping Others

Josh Groban in concert at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall in 2007

Josh Groban has used his fame to help many charities. His mentor, David Foster, guided him in this. Josh performed for events like VH1 Save the Music Foundation and Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope. He also sang a solo on the song "We Are The World 25 for Haiti" in 2010.

After visiting Nelson Mandela in South Africa in 2004, Josh started the Josh Groban Foundation. This foundation helps children in need through education, healthcare, and the arts. Mandela made Josh an Official Ambassador for his Project 46664. This campaign raises awareness about HIV/AIDS in Africa.

On April 25, 2007, Josh performed with the African Children's Choir on American Idol's "Idol Gives Back" episode. He also donated $150,000 to schools in Charlotte-Mecklenburg to support music education. For his 27th birthday, his fans raised over $44,000 for his foundation. This money helped a children's orphanage in South Africa. Josh called it "the best birthday present ever."

In April 2013, Josh took part in the "Live Below the Line" campaign. This involves living on $1.50 a day to understand extreme poverty. He also wrote a song inspired by the campaign. Josh is a member of Americans for the Arts Artists Committee. This group supports arts education.

On January 17, 2021, Josh performed at an event for Joe Biden's dog, Major. This event raised $200,000 for an animal association.

His Voice and Influences

Some music experts describe Josh Groban as a tenor (a high male voice). Others call him a baritone (a middle-range male voice). Josh himself has said he is a "tenor in training" and a "high lyric baritone." He also mentioned on Twitter that he is a baritone who can sing high notes. Sometimes, he is called a "baritenor."

Josh has sold more than 20 million albums in less than ten years. He has been influenced by many artists. These include Radiohead, Steve Perry, Paul Simon, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Freddie Mercury, and Björk. He also looks up to singers who tell stories with their songs. These include Mandy Patinkin, Klaus Nomi, George Hearn, and Luciano Pavarotti.

Quick Facts

Personal Life

Josh Groban dated actress January Jones from 2003 to 2006. He also dated actress Kat Dennings from 2014 to 2016. From 2019 to 2021, he was in a relationship with Schuyler Helford. Since 2023, he has been dating Natalie McQueen.

Discography

Studio albums

• Josh Groban (2001)
• Closer (2003)
• Awake (2006)
• Noël (2007)
• Illuminations (2010)
• All That Echoes (2013)
• Stages (2015)
• Bridges (2018)
• Harmony (2020)

Concert Tours

Headlining

• Closer Tour (2004–05)
• Awake Tour (2007)
• Straight to You Tour (2011)
• All That Echoes World Tour (2013)
• Josh Groban on Stage (2015–16)
• Bridges Tour (2018)
• Harmony Tour (2021)

Symphonic

• All That Echoes Symphony Tour (2013)
• Summer Symphony Tour (2014)

Promotional

• Before We Begin (2010)

Residencies

• Josh's Great Big Radio City Show (2020–2022)
• Gems- 2025 Las Vegas

Acting Credits

Film Roles

Television Roles

Theatre Roles

Awards and Nominations

Music Awards

Television Awards

Theatre Awards

See also

In Spanish: Josh Groban para niños