Biography of John Michael Montgomery

With his strong voice and trademark black cowboy hat, John Michael Montgomery is among the new generation of country traditionalists. He was born in Danville, Kentucky, to a guitar-playing father and a mother who played the drums. He made his debut at age five during one of the concerts his parents frequently performed at. Montgomery began playing in local bands at age 15, and when his parents divorced two years later, he began playing with his father and brother. Montgomery dropped out of high school, but later returned to get his GED. He first gained notice while playing at the Austin City Saloon in Lexington, Kentucky, and eventually signed with Atlantic Records. Songwriter Steve Clark came to be one of Montgomery's fans and helped the young singer find the right connections. His first album, Life's a Dance, came out in 1992 and received both critical and commercial acclaim. That year it climbed to the Top Five on the country album charts and the Top 30 on the pop album charts. In 1993 it went platinum and produced several hits, including the title cut and "I Love the Way You Love Me," which became a number one hit and a mid-range pop hit as well. His second album, Kickin' It Up, came out in 1994 and contained the chart-topper "I Swear," which remained number one for over a month. Almost immediately after the album's release, it shot to number one on the album charts and sold a million copies. "I Swear" was named Single of the Year by the CMA, which also gave him their Horizon Award. ~ Sandra Brennan