Robert Kelly Thomas (born February 14, 1972) is a German-born American musician. He is the lead vocalist for the Florida-based alternative
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
band
Matchbox Twenty
Matchbox Twenty (stylized as Matchbox 20) is an American rock band formed in Orlando, Florida, in 1995. The group currently consists of Rob Thomas (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Brian Yale (bass guitar), Paul Doucette (drums, rhythm guit ...
, which he formed in 1995 and with whom he has released five studio albums. As a solo act, he is best known for his guest performance on
Santana
Santana may refer to:
Transportation
* Volkswagen Santana, an automobile
* Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles
* Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer
* Sailboat designs by W. D. Schock Corp
** Santana 20
** Santan ...
's 1999 single "
Smooth", which won three
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
s, peaked the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and in 2018, was named the second-most successful song in the chart's history. His 2005 single, "
Lonely No More" was his first to be released as a lead solo artist. It peaked at number six on the chart and led his debut solo album, ''
...Something to Be'' (2005), which peaked atop the
''Billboard'' 200.
As part of Matchbox Twenty, Thomas has written and performed their string of commercially successful singles, including "
Push", "
3AM", "
Real World", "
Back 2 Good", "
Bent", "
If You're Gone", "
Mad Season", "
Disease
A disease is a particular abnormal condition that adversely affects the structure or function (biology), function of all or part of an organism and is not immediately due to any external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical condi ...
", "
Unwell", "
Bright Lights", "
How Far We've Come", and "
She's So Mean". Thomas has also been a credited songwriter for other artists including
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and activist. He was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restr ...
,
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English musician. He is known as the lead singer and one of the founder members of The Rolling Stones. Jagger has co-written most of the band's songs with lead guitarist Keith Richards; Jagge ...
,
Marc Anthony
Marco Antonio Muñiz (born September 16, 1968), known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer and actor. He is the top selling salsa artist of all time. A four-time Grammy Award, eight-time Latin Grammy Award and twenty-nine-tim ...
,
Pat Green
Patrick Craven Green (born April 5, 1972) is an American country artist. Active since 1995, he has recorded a total of seven studio albums, including three for Republic Records and two for BNA Records, BNA. Fifteen of his singles have charted on ...
,
Taylor Hicks
Taylor Reuben Hicks (born October 7, 1976) is an American singer who won the American Idol (season 5), fifth season of ''American Idol'' in May 2006. Hicks got his start as a professional musician in his late teens and performed around the Sout ...
,
Travis Tritt
James Travis Tritt (born February 9, 1963) is an American country music, country singer-songwriter. He signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In t ...
, and
Daughtry. In 2004, the
Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work represent and maintain the heri ...
gave Thomas its first
Hal David Starlight Award, which recognizes young songwriters.
Early life
Thomas was born in
Landstuhl
Landstuhl (), officially the Sickingen Town of Landstuhl (), is a town in the district of Kaiserslautern, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the seat of the Municipal Association of Landstuhl. Situated on the north-west edge of the Palatin ...
, Germany, at
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center
The Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC), also known as Landstuhl Hospital, is a U.S. Army post in Landstuhl, Germany, near Ramstein Air Base. It is an amalgamation of Marceau Kaserne () and Wilson Barracks (''Kirchberg-Kaserne''), which we ...
to Bill Thomas, a
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
sergeant, and Mamie.
Thomas has an elder half sister, Melissa, from his mother's previous marriage. The family returned to the United States when Thomas was six months old. His parents divorced when he was two years old. Thomas lived with his mother and sister.[ They were poor and moved frequently, often staying with Mamie's mother in ]Lake City, South Carolina
Lake City is a city in Florence County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 6,675 at the 2010 census. Located in central South Carolina, it is south of Florence and included as part of the Florence Metropolitan Statistical Area.
H ...
.[ His grandmother was an alcoholic. She owned a small country store and gas station, where she also sold ]moonshine
Moonshine is alcohol proof, high-proof liquor, traditionally made or distributed alcohol law, illegally. The name was derived from a tradition of distilling the alcohol (drug), alcohol at night to avoid detection. In the first decades of the ...
and marijuana under the counter.[ He grew up listening to ]country music
Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...
and idolized the "big stars who lived ... hard lives", like Johnny Cash
John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. ...
and Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential figures in country music, he was a central pioneer of the Bakersfield ...
. Their stories inspired him to be a songwriter.[
Thomas and his mother and sister moved to ]Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota () is a city in and the county seat of Sarasota County, Florida, United States. It is located in Southwest Florida, the southern end of the Tampa Bay area, and north of Fort Myers, Florida, Fort Myers and Punta Gorda, Florida, Punta Gord ...
, when he was 10, then settled in the Orlando
Orlando commonly refers to:
* Orlando, Florida, a city in the United States
Orlando may also refer to:
People
* Orlando (given name), a masculine name, includes a list of people with the name
* Orlando (surname), includes a list of people wit ...
area the following year.[ Around this time, Thomas received his first musical instrument, a Casio keyboard.][ A friend taught him to play, and Thomas practiced by trying to reproduce the songs he heard on the radio.][ He also acquired a guitar with no strings, which he used as a prop while he pretended he was in a rock band.]
His home life was not stable. Thomas describes his mother as an alcoholic who occasionally beat him.[ When Thomas was 12, his mother was diagnosed with ]Hodgkin lymphoma
Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a type of lymphoma in which cancer originates from a specific type of white blood cell called lymphocytes, where multinucleated Reed–Sternberg cells (RS cells) are present in the lymph nodes. The condition was named a ...
and given only six months to live. His sister ran away from home to get married, leaving Thomas to care for their mother on his own. She eventually entered remission. Mamie dated a series of men, some of whom beat her, and she loved wild parties.[ Thomas sometimes woke up to find "10 strangers sleeping off last night's booze-a-thon in the living room".][
He attended Lake Brantley High School in the Orlando suburb of Altamonte Springs. Thomas joined the choir in an unsuccessful attempt to attract the attention of a girl that he liked. His choir teacher told him to keep working, because he saw potential in him.] To impress girls at parties, Thomas wrote and played music.[
A few months before graduation, Thomas dropped out of high school, saying his "regular life was in such disarray that going seemed ridiculous".][ He later earned a ]GED
Ged or GED may refer to:
Places
* Ged, Louisiana, an unincorporated community in the United States
* Ged, a village in Bichiwara Tehsil, Dungarpur District, Rajasthan, India
* Delaware Coastal Airport, in Delaware, US, callsign GED
People
* Ged B ...
.[ He was convicted of stealing a Camaro and spent two months in county jail when he was 17.][ For the next two or three years, Thomas was homeless.][ Occasionally he'd stay for a few days or weeks at the homes of various friends. At other times, he would hitchhike around Florida and South Carolina.][
Soon after getting out of jail, Thomas connected with several local musicians.] He played in a series of cover bands[ and began writing songs in earnest. Thomas said that "in songwriting I felt special for the first time. And all I wanted to do was get out of Florida."][ One of his bands, Fair Warning, earned a three-week job playing at a hotel in ]Vero Beach
Vero Beach is a city in and the county seat of Indian River County, Florida, United States. According to the 2020 census, the city had a population of 16,354. Nicknamed "The Hibiscus City", Vero is situated about southeast of Orlando along the ...
. They were fired three days into the job, after they were caught stealing beer and candy from the hotel. He was, at one point, a member of another band, Tidal Wave, which played mostly surf tunes.[
Thomas used drugs, and during one ]acid trip
A psychedelic experience (known colloquially as a trip) is a temporary altered state of consciousness induced by the consumption of a psychedelic substance (most commonly LSD, mescaline, psilocybin mushrooms, or DMT). For example, an acid ...
, he decided to play with dry ice
Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide. It is commonly used for temporary refrigeration as CO2 does not have a liquid state at normal atmospheric pressure and Sublimation (phase transition), sublimes directly from the solid state to the gas ...
. His hands were burned so badly that doctors initially thought they would require amputation. Thomas' sister recalled that while she was concerned with how Thomas would manage everyday activities, Thomas cried and asked, "How am I going to get these songs in my head out if I can't play them?"[
]
Career
1993–1995: Formation of Matchbox 20
In 1993, Thomas formed the band Tabitha's Secret. Brian Yale was the group's bass player. Paul Doucette earned a spot as drummer after answering an ad.[ Guitarists Jay Stanley and John Goff rounded out the band.] The band was popular in the Orlando area,[ where they played in bars and nightclubs. Most of their songs were written by Thomas, including " 3 A.M."][ This song, inspired by his time taking care of his mother, was the first that he had ever written and liked. In an effort to recreate that magic, his writing shifted to focus more on emotions inspired from his own life.]
Producer Matt Serletic heard them play and was intrigued. The band met him for an introductory meeting, but broke up before any contracts were signed. Thomas worried that he'd never get another chance for a recording contract. Thomas, Yale, and Doucette were still interested in working together, and Serletic introduced them to rhythm guitarist Adam Gaynor and lead guitarist Kyle Cook; together, they formed a new band, Matchbox 20.[ Serletic sent Thomas to vocal coach Jan Smith to learn how to refine his vocal power.]
The band recorded several demo tapes, with Serletic as their producer. Three radio stations in Orlando and Tampa
Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
added the songs to their rotations. Executives at Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over the course of its first two decades, starting from the release of its first recor ...
noticed that the songs were being requested frequently. Although the band sounded very green, executives thought the songs were good.[ The band was soon signed to Atlantic subsidiary ]Lava Records
Lava Records is an American record label owned by Jason Flom, in partnership with Universal Music Group.
Company history
In 1995, Flom launched Lava Records in partnership with Atlantic Records. For the next decade, he continued to discover an ...
.[
]
1996–1998: ''Yourself or Someone Like You''
Thomas wrote every song on Matchbox 20's debut album, '' Yourself or Someone Like You''. It was released in October 1996,[ on the same day that Lava Records folded.] The album sold only 600 copies in its first week.[ The band toured extensively, trying to attract notice. Radio stations were slow to adopt their first single, "]Long Day
"Long Day" is the first single and second track from American rock band Matchbox 20's debut album, '' Yourself or Someone Like You'' (1996). The cover of the single features a parody of a Diamond Matches box. The song peaked at number eight on ...
".[ Thomas and his bandmates were convinced they were soon to be dropped from their contract. Their manager was also worried, and yelled at them to get serious about their performances.][
Their fears were well-founded. Officials at Atlantic were close to dropping the band when they noticed that sales had spiked in ]Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Jefferson County, Alabama, Jefferson County. The population was 200,733 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List ...
. There, radio stations had begun playing another track on the album, " Push". Atlantic released "Push" as a single, and it soon became a Top 5 hit.[ Its success led the album to be certified gold. Their next single, "3 A.M.", was hugely popular, and the album went multi-platinum.][ " Real World", and " Back 2 Good" followed.][
Nearly seven months after its release, the album reached number 99 on the ]Billboard 200
The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists. Sometimes, a rec ...
chart. It continued to climb, finally reaching as high as number 5. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
and two American Music Awards
The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by Dick Clark Productions since 1974. Nominees are selected on commercial performance such as sales and airplay. Winners are determined by a poll of the public and ...
. In 1997, readers of ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason.
The magazine was first known fo ...
'' named Matchbox 20 the best new band.[
Thomas enjoyed his success. When travelling, he'd tell customs officials that his occupation was "rock star", and he often dressed the part, wearing sunglasses and long furry coats.][ He's described the first few years with Matchbox 20 as a blur, featuring large quantities of alcohol, cocaine, and sexual relationships with women.][ One of those interludes resulted in a son.][
The constant partying took a toll on Thomas and the band. Thomas concedes that the shows were beginning to suffer.][ He gained more than .][ The weight gain earned them their first mention in '']Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason.
The magazine was first known fo ...
''—an item making fun of Thomas. The band members decided together that they wanted to be more professional and began cleaning themselves up. Cocaine use was no longer tolerated.[ In 1998, Thomas was named one of ''People'' magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People.][
]
1999: "Smooth"
In 1999, Latin guitarist Carlos Santana
Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the Rock music, rock band Santana (band), Santana. Born and raised in Mexico where he developed his musical background, he r ...
began putting together his comeback album, ''Supernatural
Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...
'', a series of duets. He was looking for one last song to complete the album. Songwriter Itaal Shur had given a demo tape to Santana's representatives. Although they liked the music, they thought the lyrics and melody could be strengthened. One of the executives sent the demo to Thomas, asking him if he'd like to work on it.[
Thomas had never worked on a song that he didn't intend to perform, and he was interested in the opportunity to try something new.] He wrote the song intending for it to be sung by George Michael
George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer-songwriter and record producer. Regarded as a pop culture icon, he is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling rec ...
.
Thomas wrote the verses to the song that became " Smooth", and he and Shur collaborated on the chorus.[ He was inspired both by his wife, who is half-Spanish and half-Puerto-Rican, and by Santana himself.][ When he finished the song, he was unsure whether it was any good. His wife listened to the demo and told him, "This is going to be huge."][ Santana heard the demo and said he couldn't determine at first whether it was a male or female singing. He had no idea who Thomas was,][ but he liked the voice and asked that Thomas sing on the record. When they first met, Santana asked Thomas if he was married to a Latin woman.][
The song was recorded live, in three takes. Thomas was not aware that it was going to be released as a single until he heard it on the radio. It was a massive hit, spending 58 weeks on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. ''Billboard'' later named it the number 2 Hot 100 song of all time. It won three Grammy Awards, for Best Record, Best Song, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.][ Its success earned him instant credibility as a songwriter.][ BMI named Thomas its 1999 Pop Songwriter of the Year for "Smooth" and his Matchbox 20 songs.][ "Smooth" would ultimately become the second biggest-selling single of all time, after Chubby Checker's "The Twist."
"Smooth" increased his visibility, and that of Matchbox 20.][ The song's video, starring Thomas, was played extensively on ]VH1
VH1 (originally an initialism for Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network that launched on January 1, 1985, and is currently owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global's networks division based in New Y ...
and MTV
MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
. That exposure launched him out of anonymity.[ A new set of listeners, older than the band's initial fan base, was exposed to, and liked, Thomas's work.][ ''Yourself or Someone Like You'' continued to sell briskly.][ After winning at the Grammy Awards, Atlantic took out ads in many industry publications to make executives aware that Thomas had written not only "Smooth", but also all of the songs on the Matchbox 20 album. Ron Shapiro, an executive at Atlantic, said, "It was our intent to get Rob and this band a substantial amount of credibility."]
Thomas says that "Smooth" "really opened up the door for me as a songwriter and a solo artist."[
]
2000–2003: ''Mad Season'' and ''More Than You Think You Are''
As Matchbox 20 prepared to record their second album, band members had heated discussions over song selection. After flirting with the idea of allowing other band members to provide songs, they chose to record only songs that Thomas had written or co-written.[ They renamed themselves Matchbox Twenty and, in March 2000, released ''Mad Season''.][ Its first single, " Bent",][ reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; it remains the band's only number one hit, despite larger commercial success on previous material. Their tour took them to 87 cities,] and they sold out Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...
in 15 minutes.[
Thomas was inducted into the South Carolina Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2001.]
When Santana prepared to record his follow-up to ''Supernatural'', he sought to collaborate with Thomas again. Instead of providing vocals, Thomas wrote two songs for the album, which were recorded by Seal
Seal may refer to any of the following:
Common uses
* Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly:
** Earless seal, also called "true seal"
** Fur seal
** Eared seal
* Seal ( ...
and Musiq.[ Thomas provided songs to other artists as well. ]Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and activist. He was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restr ...
recorded three of Thomas's songs on his 2002 album '' The Great Divide''. One of those, "Recollection Phoenix", had been in contention for the next Matchbox Twenty album before the other band members had decided it wasn't a good fit.[
The third Matchbox Twenty album, '']More Than You Think You Are
''More Than You Think You Are'' is the third studio album by American rock band Matchbox Twenty, released on November 19, 2002. The album is again a departure for the band as it has more of a focus on harder rock than the band's two previous a ...
'', wasn't complete until four weeks before its release date, November 19, 2002. For the first time, the band recorded a song not written by Thomas. Two other songs were jointly attributed to Thomas, Cook, and Doucette. As part of the promotion for the album, Thomas and his bandmates were featured on VH1
VH1 (originally an initialism for Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network that launched on January 1, 1985, and is currently owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global's networks division based in New Y ...
's '' Behind the Music''. When the tour for ''More Than You Think You Are'' ended, Thomas, Cook, Doucette, Yale, and Gaynor decided to take a break to focus on their families.[
In June 2004, the ]Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work represent and maintain the heri ...
gave Thomas the inaugural Hal David Starlight Award, which recognizes a young songwriter who has made an outsized impression on the industry.
2004–2007: ''...Something to Be'' and ''Exile on Mainstream''
On April 19, 2005, Thomas began his solo career with the release of '' ...Something to Be'' which debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.[ The album included several songs that the other Matchbox Twenty members had rejected, such as "I Am An Illusion".][ The album was more pop than Thomas's Matchbox Twenty work, adding quirks like sampling and loops. It earned two Grammy nominations,] for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance.
His first single from the album, " Lonely No More", reached number six on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. The single debuted in the top 10 of the Australian ARIA
In music, an aria (, ; : , ; ''arias'' in common usage; diminutive form: arietta, ; : ariette; in English simply air (music), air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrument (music), instrumental or orchestral accompan ...
singles chart on the week of April 4, 2005. The second single, " This Is How a Heart Breaks", went gold in the US and hit the top 50 in Australia. The third single, "Ever the Same
"Ever the Same" is the third single from Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas's 2005 debut album, '' ...Something to Be''. The song was released on November 7, 2005, and received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of ...
", became a top five Adult Contemporary hit.
On October 5, 2005, he started his first solo tour, the Something to Be Tour. In the summer of 2006, Thomas toured with Jewel and Toby Lightman. In September 2006, Thomas's solo effort received more exposure when ABC started using the song " Streetcorner Symphony" in promotional ads for its popular Thursday night lineup. This song was subsequently released as a single.
In January 2007, Thomas released a single entitled " Little Wonders" from the soundtrack to the Disney animated feature, ''Meet the Robinsons
''Meet the Robinsons'' is a 2007 American animated science-fiction comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is based on the 1990 children's book ''A Day with Wilbur Robinson'' by William Jo ...
''. "Little Wonders" reached No. 5 on the Mediabase Hot Adult Contemporary chart. Thomas was featured on the June 14, 2007, episode of the long-running PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
series '' Soundstage''.
Thomas reunited with his Matchbox Twenty bandmates in 2007. Gaynor had left the band, leaving only four of them. They decided to release a greatest hits album, ''Exile on Mainstream
''Exile on Mainstream'' is the first compilation album by American rock band Matchbox Twenty. The album was released in two parts: the first was an EP, featuring seven new songs that emerged from a 12-song recording session, produced by Steve L ...
'', which included an additional six new songs. The album released three singles: " How Far We've Come", " All Your Reasons", and " These Hard Times".[ The album debuted at number 3.]
2009–2011: ''Cradlesong''
On September 15, 2008, Thomas told ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' his second solo album was tentatively called ''Cradle Songs''. Thomas characterized the album as "the usual mish-mosh of styles, but hopefully just holding true to a bunch of good songs." The article also mentioned that the record would nonetheless feature several tracks that "take a more global, rhythmic direction after working with South American and African percussionists." Thomas explained one such experiment:
We started off with the idea of doing a newer version of (Paul Simon's) '' The Rhythm of the Saints'', and that kinda carried us a long way through. It gave us a whole new bed to work with, like 'How do I get my pop sensibility around this and work it into that?' It was a lot of fun. But you go through different phases when you're writing; it took a different turn, and I just followed it, too.
On March 2, 2009, Clark Collis of ''Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' interviewed Thomas, where he confirmed he had since shelved his initial efforts to evoke ''The Rhythm of the Saints'', and claimed the album was scheduled for a June 30 release. Having played half the forthcoming album to ''Entertainment Weekly'', it was reported that many of the lyrics on ''Cradlesong'' were about troubled relationships, and three more song titles were revealed: "Meltdown" (described as "INXS
INXS (a phonetic play on "in excess") were an Australian rock band, formed as the Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney. The founding members were bassist Garry Gary Beers, main composer and keyboardist Andrew Farriss, drummer Jon Farriss, gu ...
-esque power pop" that stood out as "a possible first single"), "Fire on the Mountain" (an "epic, tribal drum-driven" track inspired by Dave Eggers
Dave Eggers (born March 12, 1970) is an American writer, editor, and publisher. His 2000 memoir, '' A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius'', became a bestseller and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. Eggers is a ...
' book ''What Is the What'') and "Getting Late" (suggested as the "set's likely closer" and what Thomas described as "a little ditty about death.").
On March 11, 2009, Rob Thomas created his own Twitter account and announced via the social application that " Her Diamonds" would be the lead single from ''Cradlesong''.
Thomas has also stated via Twitter that '' Cradlesong'' had been mastered and featured fourteen tracks culled from the twenty-four songs recorded during the album sessions. All twenty-four tracks were fully mixed and mastered, leaving plenty of material left over for B-sides, iTunes, or EPs.
On June 9, 2009, Thomas released " Give Me the Meltdown" to the US iTunes Store. Similarly, " Someday" was released on June 16. On June 22, ''Cradlesong'' was made available for streaming only on the we7 website, one week ahead of its UK release date.
Thomas promoted the album with his 2009/2010 tour, Cradlesong Tour.
In March 2010, Thomas announced plans to release a four-song digital-only EP entitled the ''Someday EP''. Featuring three new songs, the EP was released to iTunes on March 30, 2010, and all other digital retailers April 6, 2010.
2012–2014: ''North''
After his solo success, many of Thomas's confidants urged him to leave Matchbox Twenty. As Thomas wrapped up his tour for ''Cradlesong'', he began writing songs for consideration for the next Matchbox Twenty album.[ He gathered in ]Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
, with his bandmates to narrow down the work he had already done and develop new material. The group members disagreed on which musical direction the new album should take. For three months, they argued and drank, in what Thomas describes as a "$100,000 bender". Finally, producer Serletic appeared and told them to stop drinking and get to work. The lecture worked. The result was a true collaboration.[ For the first time, the band recorded several songs written solely by Doucette and Yale.]
Matchbox Twenty's next album, ''North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography.
Etymology
T ...
'', was released on September 4, 2012, ten years after their last full-length album of new material. It debuted at number 1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart.[
]
2015–2024: ''The Great Unknown'', ''Chip Tooth Smile'', ''Something About Christmas Time'', and ''Where the Light Goes''
Thomas performed several new album tracks in early 2015: "Hold On Forever", "Great Unknown", and "Heaven Help Me". Thomas released the first single from ''The Great Unknown'', "Trust You", on May 25, 2015. ''The Great Unknown'' was released on August 21, 2015. He spent two years touring it prior. "Hold on Forever" was announced as the album's second single on September 28. The tour for Thomas' album included holographic representations of Thomas produced with vntana technology so that fans could pose for photos with him during the concert.
Thomas announced on February 15, 2019, that his fourth studio album—titled '' Chip Tooth Smile''—would be released on April 26, 2019. The lead single for the album, " One Less Day (Dying Young)", was released on February 20, 2019.
On October 7, 2021, Thomas announced that his first Christmas studio album titled "Something About Christmas Time" would be released on October 22. He recorded the album, which includes both original and cover songs, in his home studio in New York during the summer.
Matchbox Twenty got back together for "Where the Light Goes
''Where the Light Goes'' is the fifth studio album by American rock band Matchbox Twenty, released on May 26, 2023, by Atlantic Records. On March 17, 2023, the band released the first single from the album, " Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)". ...
" album in May 2023, which was toured in 2024.
2025–present: ''All Night Days''
On May 6, 2025, Thomas announced that his sixth solo studio album will be titled ''All Night Days'' and that he will embark on a 25 date tour titled "The ''All Night Days'' Tour" in the United States starting on August 1st, 2025 and ending on September 6th, 2025. The tour will feature special guests A Great Big World
A Great Big World is an American musical duo from New York made up of singer/songwriters Ian Axel and Chad King and signed to Epic Records. The group is best known for their single "This Is the New Year", which was performed by the cast in an epi ...
and The Lucky. The first single of the album will be titled "Hard To Be Happy".
Artistry
Music and voice
After spending more than 20 years as part of Matchbox Twenty and more than 10 years working on solo material, Thomas has become adept at navigating the "identity crisis" of two separate musical worlds.[ Although he does play some Matchbox Twenty songs during his solo tours, they are always reimagined, often as an acoustic version.][
As a solo artist, Thomas is known for "emotive radio hits".] His solo albums have a much stronger pop feel.[ His album, ''The Great Unknown'', was "unabashed pop".]
His detractors say the music is fluff and too sweet.[
]
Songwriting
Thomas writes all of the time, saying "it's a lot easier to come up with ideas than it is to edit them."[
Thomas admits that his songs have "a radio sensibility".][ He writes songs that he hopes people will like and does not strive to follow or set trends.][ In his opinion, this is the reason that he has maintained his career; the music never sounds dated.][ Each of his songs can stand alone without special effects; Thomas wants his listeners to feel the message of a song even if he is just playing it by himself on an acoustic guitar.][
Initially, Thomas tried to write epic love songs, in the vein of ]Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of the Motown group Commodores; writing and recor ...
. He did not like most of those attempts. After he finished "3 A.M.", which was inspired by his mother's battle with cancer, Thomas realized that he ought to focus on events in his own life.[ Many of his later songs are inspired by his wife and her battle with an autoimmune disease.][
Lisa Rockman, music reviewer for the '']Sydney Morning Herald
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, and owned by Nine Entertainment. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper in ...
'', wrote, "There is a reason millions of fans across the world relate to lyrics penned by Rob Thomas. His words come from the heart."
Thomas chooses his words carefully, "trying to make my phrases more colourful when I'm writing, trying to find the longest way to get to the point that I'm trying to make as opposed to the quickest way."[
As his career has progressed, Thomas has more frequently collaborated with other songwriters in order to "keep things fresh and not feel like I'm going back to the same well and just writing the same songs over and over and over".][ In 2021 he admitted his songs come to him the same way, and his confidence as a writer comes and goes and he does not want to rip himself off. He describes himself as an "emotional dude".
]
Personal life
A mutual friend introduced him to model Marisol Maldonado at an afterparty in Montreal
Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
in late 1997.[ They both claim it was love at first sight. Thomas said that, "I knew the second I kissed her that I would never, ever kiss another person."][ As he was in the midst of an international tour, their initial courtship was via phone.][ Maldonado was at first reluctant to date Thomas, unsure if she could handle being the wife of a rock star.] When he returned to the United States, they went on their first date, to a music festival in Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
. That night, he told her he would marry her,[ and a month later he proposed.][ They were married on October 2, 1999, at manager Michael Lippman's ranch in California.][ Their wedding was broadcast on ABC's ''Celebrity Weddings in Style''.][ They reside in Bedford, New York.
Thomas has a son, Maison Thomas Eudy, from a previous relationship, born on July 10, 1998. Maison is credited as a songwriter for Thomas's song "I Love It" from his 2019 album ''Chip Tooth Smile''.
]
Charity work
The Thomases are committed animal lovers and supporters of animal charities. Thomas and his wife have established the Sidewalk Angels Foundation, a non-profit organization created to help needy people in and around America's big cities by partnering with various charities to assist people who cannot afford medical care, and animals that have been abandoned or abused.
Political views
Politically, Thomas considers himself a "fairly liberal guy". He is a strong supporter of gay rights and wrote a piece in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
. He closed the article by writing, "Each of us has a short ride on this earth and as long as we stay in our lane, and don't affect someone else's ride, we should be allowed to drive as we see fit."
Discography
* '' ...Something to Be'' (2005)
* '' Cradlesong'' (2009)
* '' The Great Unknown'' (2015)
* '' Chip Tooth Smile'' (2019)
* ''Something About Christmas Time'' (2021)
* ''All Night Days'' (2025)
Tours
Headlining
* Something to Be Tour
* Cradlesong Tour
*A Special Intimate Performance with Rob Thomas
* The Great Unknown Tour
*Chip Tooth Tour
*The All Night Days Tour [
Co-headlining
*Counting Crows & Rob Thomas on Tour
]
Awards and nominations
APRA Music Awards
, -
, 2006
2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.
Events
January
* January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute.
* January 12 – A stampede during t ...
, " Lonely No More"
, Most Performed Foreign Work
,
ASCAP Pop Music Awards
, -
, 2006
, rowspan=2, " Lonely No More"
, rowspan=3, Most Performed Songs
,
, -
, rowspan=2, 2007
,
, -
, "Ever the Same
"Ever the Same" is the third single from Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas's 2005 debut album, '' ...Something to Be''. The song was released on November 7, 2005, and received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of ...
"
,
American Music Awards
, -
, style="text-align:center;", 2005
2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
, rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;", Rob Thomas
, Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist
,
, -
, style="text-align:center;", 2006
2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.
Events
January
* January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute.
* January 12 – A stampede during t ...
, Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist
,
BMI Pop Awards
, -
, rowspan=4, 1999
, Rob Thomas
, Songwriter of the Year
,
, -
, " Push"
, rowspan=3, Award-Winning Songs
,
, -
, " 3AM"
,
, -
, " Real World"
,
Billboard Music Awards
, -
, rowspan=3, 2000
, rowspan=3, " Smooth"
, Top Hot 100 Song
,
, -
, Top Hot 100 Airplay Track
,
, -
, Top Adult Top 40 Track
,
, -
, rowspan=3, 2005
2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
, rowspan="2", Rob Thomas
, New Artist of the Year
,
, -
, Top Adult Top 40 Artist
,
, -
, " Lonely No More"
, rowspan=2, Top Adult Top 40 Song
,
, -
, rowspan="3", 2006
2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.
Events
January
* January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute.
* January 12 – A stampede during t ...
, "Ever the Same
"Ever the Same" is the third single from Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas's 2005 debut album, '' ...Something to Be''. The song was released on November 7, 2005, and received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of ...
"
,
, -
, rowspan=2, Himself
, Top Hot Adult Contemporary Artist
,
, -
, Top Adult Top 40 Artist
,
Billboard Music Video Awards
, -
, 2000
, " Smooth" (with Santana
Santana may refer to:
Transportation
* Volkswagen Santana, an automobile
* Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles
* Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer
* Sailboat designs by W. D. Schock Corp
** Santana 20
** Santan ...
)
, FAN.tastic Video
,
California Music Awards
, -
, 2000
, " Smooth" (with Santana
Santana may refer to:
Transportation
* Volkswagen Santana, an automobile
* Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles
* Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer
* Sailboat designs by W. D. Schock Corp
** Santana 20
** Santan ...
)
, Outstanding Single
,
Grammy Awards
, -
, rowspan="3", 2000
2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year.
Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
, rowspan="3", " Smooth"
, Song of the Year
,
, -
, Record of the Year
The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without re ...
,
, -
, Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
,
, -
, style="text-align:center;", 2001
The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...
, " Bent"
, Best Rock Song
,
, -
, rowspan="2", 2006
2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.
Events
January
* January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute.
* January 12 – A stampede during t ...
, " Lonely No More"
, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a male in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The award wen ...
,
, -
, " This Is How a Heart Breaks"
, Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance
,
Teen Choice Awards
, -
, rowspan="4", 2005
2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
, rowspan="2", Himself
, Choice Music: Male Artist
,
, -
, Choice Music: Breakout Artist - Male
,
, -
, '' ...Something to Be''
, Choice Music: Album
,
, -
, " Lonely No More"
, Choice Music: Single
,
XM Nation Music Awards
, -
, 2005
, Rob Thomas
, Best Solo Career
,
Television
Thomas appeared on the American sitcom ''It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
''It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'', also known colloquially simply as ''Always Sunny'', is an American sitcom created by Rob McElhenney and co-developed by Glenn Howerton for FX (TV channel), FX. It premiered on August 4, 2005, and stars Charl ...
'' in its fourth season, in which he played himself as a deranged patient of a rehabilitation center. He also served as an advisor for Cee-Lo Green
Thomas DeCarlo Callaway-Burton (born May 30, 1975), known professionally as CeeLo Green (or Cee Lo Green or simply Cee-Lo), is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Green came to initial pr ...
's team during the third season of the NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
reality competition series '' The Voice''.
Thomas has noted that he is sometimes mistaken for television writer Rob Thomas, and vice versa. A conversation between the two men on this subject led to Thomas agreeing to perform a musical number as himself in the season two finale of the TV show '' iZombie'', penned by his namesake. He and his wife were devoted fans of the show. Thomas was killed in the episode.
He performed on NBC’s Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Concert on November 29, 2023. His 2021 song, A New York Christmas, was chosen because it centers on compassion, understanding and peace.
See also
*Matchbox Twenty
Matchbox Twenty (stylized as Matchbox 20) is an American rock band formed in Orlando, Florida, in 1995. The group currently consists of Rob Thomas (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Brian Yale (bass guitar), Paul Doucette (drums, rhythm guit ...
*List of number-one hits (United States)
This is a list of songs that have peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and the magazine's national singles charts that preceded it. Introduced in 1958, the Hot 100 is the pre-eminent singles chart in the United States, currently m ...
* List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
*List of number-one dance hits (United States)
''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine has published Billboard charts, charts ranking the top-performing dance music songs in the United States since 1974. Originally a top-ten list of tracks that garnered the largest audience response in N ...
*List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
This is a list of recording artists who have reached number one on ''Billboard magazine's'' Dance Club Songs chart. ''Billboard'' began ranking dance music on the week ending October 26, 1974, and this is the standard music popularity chart in ...
References
External links
*
*
About Rob Thomas – Fansite
Interview with Rob Thomas
Matchbox Twenty Fansite
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Rob
1972 births
20th-century American singer-songwriters
21st-century American singer-songwriters
American alternative rock guitarists
American alternative rock singers
American alternative rock musicians
American baritones
American dance musicians
American male guitarists
American male pop singers
American male singer-songwriters
American multi-instrumentalists
American philanthropists
American pop rock singers
American rock songwriters
American soft rock musicians
APRA Award winners
Atlantic Records artists
Grammy Award winners
Lake Brantley High School alumni
American LGBTQ rights activists
Living people
Matchbox Twenty members
People from Lake City, South Carolina
People from Landstuhl
Musicians from Sarasota, Florida
Post-grunge musicians
Singers from Orlando, Florida
Singer-songwriters from Florida
Singer-songwriters from South Carolina