M. Ward

Raised on a diet of gospel and country music, the genres would prove to have a lasting impact on M. Ward’s musical output. Prior to pursuing a career as a solo artist, the singer-songwriter learned the tricks of the trade with the folk-rock trio Rodriguez for six years. Written in Chicago and on the road to his new home in Portland, Oregon, Ward’s solo debut “Duet for Guitars #2” was released in Howe Gelb’s Ow Om Records in 1999. The album propelled the singer to notoriety in underground circles and subsequently began touring around the U.S.

Issued by Future Farmer Records, Ward’s 2001 album “End of Amnesia” once again highlighted the musician’s bluesy, alternative appeal. The live album “Live Music & The Voice of Strangers” was later recorded and sold at live shows in 2001. Featuring a cover of David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance”, which also appeared in the film “Eagle vs Shark”, Ward’s third full-length album “Transfiguration of Vincent” arrived in 2003. On top of his own releases however, Ward is a regular collaborator with other musicians notably Cat Power, Neko Case, Beth Orton, and My Morning Jacket. In 2004 Ward appeared on The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn as the guitarist in Bright Eyes, which earned a feature in Newsweek.

In 2005 the singer-songwriter issued the full-length “Transistor Radio”, which marked Ward’s earliest forays into the mainstream. Extolled by critics the record was released on Merge Records and features a cover of the Beach Boys’ track “You Still Believe in Me”. After releasing the full-length “Post-War” in 2006, the raspy voiced singer emerged alongside singer and actress Zooey Deschanel as the musical duo She & Him. The pair’s debut album “Volume One” arrived in 2008, produced entirely by Ward himself, and followed in 2010 by “Volume Two”. Featuring cutesy, romantically-inclined duets, Ward and Deschanel proved a popular pairing, subsequently releasing the albums “A Very She & Him Christmas” (2011), “Volume Three” (2013), and “Classics” (2014).

M. Ward’s subsequent solo album “Hold Time” arrived in 2009, and proved his highest-charting album to date, rising to No. 31 on the Billboard 200. The same year the singer founded the supergroup Monsters of Folk alongside Jim James, Conor Oberst, and Mike Mogis, and released a self-titled full-length. Peaking at No. 15 on the Billboard 200, the album was a popular release among fans and critics alike and led by the single “Say Please”. In 2012 Ward issued his seventh studio album “A Wasteland Companion”, which peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard 200.