Kevin Griffin


Kevin Michael Griffin is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the American rock band Better Than Ezra.
Griffin formed the alternative rock band Better Than Ezra in 1988. The band had great success in the 1990s with hits such as "Good", "In the Blood", and "Desperately Wanting", and has continued in the 2000s with hits such as "Extra Ordinary", "A Lifetime", and "Juicy". They continue to tour and produce new recordings, the most recent of which is All Together Now, released in September 2014. As a singer and performer, Griffin is known for singing in falsetto, inviting audience members onstage to play guitar, and interrupting his own songs with verses of well-known rock songs. He is a skilled mimic, imitating singers from Aaron Neville to Bruce Springsteen.
Kevin Griffin released his first solo album, entitled "Anywhere You Go," on October 4, 2019, playing several dates to support it throughout the end of the year.

Personal life

Kevin Griffin grew up and attended River Oaks High School in Monroe, Louisiana. Later, Griffin received a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in political science from Louisiana State University in 1990. There he became a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He took the LSAT with the intention of pursuing a law degree and working in entertainment law. Griffin took a job with Creative Artists Agency in Los Angeles during the early 1990s, before Better Than Ezra achieved commercial success.
Griffin and his family largely resided in the Uptown neighborhood of New Orleans until Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005. Griffin purchased a home in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles in July 2006, but after a few years in L.A. he discovered that many of the artists he wanted to collaborate with, e.g., Jason Mraz and James Blunt, were working out of Nashville. In 2011, he sold his house and moved to Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville, to be closer to a more prosperous songwriting market.

Songwriting credits

Griffin has also produced, written, and co-written songs for other artists, such as Sugarland, James Blunt, Christina Perri, Taylor Swift, Train, Howie Day, Missy Higgins, Daniel Powter, Augustana, Debbie Harry, and Josh Radin. Griffin is credited with having co-written "Stuck Like Glue", the Mediabase #1 single from the 2010 Sugarland album, "Incredible Machine", as well as their subsequent single "Tonight". Most recently, Kevin co-wrote Tristan Prettyman's top ten single, "My Oh My". He also co-wrote and co-produced James Blunt's "I'll Be Your Man" from his recent Some Kind of Trouble album. Griffin co-wrote the Top 40 hit "Collide" with Howie Day. He also co-wrote four tracks on Missy Higgins' debut album, The Sound of White, which included the hit "Scar" The album went ten times platinum in Australia. Griffin also co-wrote Tristan Prettyman's single "Madly," and "Avalanche" on the self-titled, major-label debut of American Idol winner David Cook. Better Than Ezra released their 7th studio album, Paper Empire in May 2009. Kevin co-produced the Album with Producer Warren Huart. Other recent artists Kevin has worked with include Secret Sisters, A Rocket to the Moon, Boys Like Girls, Megan and Liz, Skillet, Shinedown, and Hot Chelle Rae. Kevin co-wrote three songs with Barenaked Ladies frontman, Ed Robertson, on their 2013 album Grinning Streak, two songs on their 2015 album Silverball, and four on their 2017 album Fake Nudes.
YearArtistSongAlbumCredit
2003BlondieGood BoysThe Curse of BlondieCo-Writer
2003Howie DayCollideStop All the World NowCo-Writer
2003Howie DayPerfect Time of DayStop All the World NowCo-Writer
2003Howie DaySunday Morning SongStop All the World NowCo-Writer
2003Meat LoafTestifyCouldn't Have Said It BetterWriter
2004Graham Colton BandCigaretteDriveCo-Writer
2004Graham Colton BandCutDriveCo-Writer
2004Graham Colton BandFirst WeekDriveCo-Writer
2004Graham Colton BandHow Low DriveCo-Writer
2004Graham Colton BandMorning LightDriveCo-Writer
2004Missy HigginsDon't EverThe Sound of WhiteCo-Writer
2004Missy HigginsScarThe Sound of WhiteCo-Writer
2004Missy HigginsUnbrokenThe Sound of WhiteCo-Writer
2005Josh KelleyLover Come UpAlmost HonestCo-Writer
2006Val EmmichAbsolutely StillSunlight SearchpartyCo-Writer
2007Graham ColtonNew Year's ResolutionHere Right NowCo-Writer
2007Ingram HillFour Letter WordCold in CaliforniaCo-Writer
2007Ingram HillImpossibleCold in CaliforniaCo-Writer
2007Jeremy ListerFitJust One Day EPCo-Writer
2007Jeremy ListerJust One DayJust One Day EPCo-Writer
2007Jon McLaughlinHumanIndianaCo-Writer
2008David CookAvalancheDavid CookCo-Writer
2008I NineDon't WannaHeavy Weighs the KingCo-Writer
2008Joshua RadinFree of MeSimple TimesCo-Writer
2008LenkaKnock KnockLenkaCo-Writer
2008Tristan PrettymanMadlyHello...xCo-Writer
2009Howie DayBe ThereSound the AlarmCo-Writer
2009Howie DayLongest NightSound the AlarmCo-Writer
2009Howie DaySound the AlarmSound the AlarmCo-Writer
2009Howie DayUndressedSound the AlarmCo-Writer
2009TrainI Got YouSave Me, San FranciscoCo-Writer
2010Taylor SwiftBreathlessHope for Haiti NowWriter
2010James BluntI'll Be Your ManSome Kind of TroubleCo-Writer
2010SugarlandStuck Like GlueThe Incredible MachineCo-Writer
2010SugarlandTonightThe Incredible MachineCo-Writer
2011AugustanaCounting StarsAugustanaCo-Writer
2011David CookFade into MeThis Loud MorningCo-Writer
2011Howie DayCeasefireCeasefire EPCo-Writer
2011Howie DayIsn't It ObviousCeasefire EPCo-Writer
2011Howie DayOxygenCeasefire EPCo-Writer
2011Il VoloThis TimeIl Volo Co-Writer
2012Boys Like GirlsCrazy WorldCrazy WorldCo-Writer
2012Daniel PowterCupidTurn on the LightsCo-Writer
2012Daniel PowterThe Day We Never MetTurn on the LightsCo-Writer
2012Missy HigginsHello HelloThe Ol' Razzle DazzleCo-Writer
2012Tristan PrettymanMy Oh MyCedar + GoldCo-Writer
2013A Rocket to the MoonWhole Lotta YouWild & FreeCo-Writer
2013A Rocket to the MoonYou're My SongWild & FreeCo-Writer
2013Barenaked LadiesDid I Say That Out Loud?Grinning StreakCo-Writer
2013Barenaked LadiesGonna WalkGrinning StreakCo-Writer
2013Barenaked LadiesOdds AreGrinning StreakCo-Writer
2013James BluntKiss This Love GoodbyeMoon Landing Co-Writer
2013James BluntTelephoneMoon Landing Co-Writer
2014Christina PerriLonely ChildHead or HeartCo-Writer
2014Christina PerriOne NightHead or HeartCo-Writer
2014JT HodgesAlready HighTBACo-Writer
2014Megan and LizNight of Our LivesSimple LifeCo-Writer
2015Barenaked LadiesGet Back UpSilverballCo-Writer
2015Barenaked LadiesDuct Tape HeartSilverballCo-Writer
2015David CookHome Movies Digital VeinCo-Writer
2017Barenaked LadiesCanada DryFake NudesCo-Writer
2017Barenaked LadiesBringing It HomeFake NudesCo-Writer
2017Barenaked LadiesLookin' UpFake NudesCo-Writer
2017Barenaked LadiesYou + Me vs. the WorldFake NudesCo-Writer
2018The StrutsFreak Like YouYoung & DangerousCo-Writer
2018Mike LoveMust Be ChristmasReason for the SeasonCo-Writer