Kevin Griffin

Kevin Michael Griffin was born on October 1, 1968, in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up in Monroe, Louisiana. He attended River Oaks School and later pursued a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in political science from Louisiana State University, graduating in 1990. Initially intending to attend law school and work in entertainment law, Griffin instead took a position with Creative Artists Agency in Los Angeles in the early 1990s. His career path shifted significantly with the formation of the alternative rock band Better Than Ezra in 1988.

As the lead vocalist of Better Than Ezra, Griffin achieved widespread recognition. The band’s 1995 single “Good” topped the Modern Rock Tracks chart for seven weeks and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, as well as No. 30 on the Billboard Hot 100. Better Than Ezra continued to produce hits including “In the Blood,” “Rosealia,” “King of New Orleans,” “Desperately Wanting,” “One More Murder,” and “At the Stars.” Beyond his band work, Griffin released his first solo album, “Anywhere You Go,” in 2019 and is also part of the supergroup Ezra Ray Hart.

Griffin has a prominent career as a songwriter and producer, contributing to albums and songs that have sold over thirty million copies. His notable number-one hits include Howie Day’s “Collide” (2004) and Sugarland’s “Stuck Like Glue” (2010). He has written or co-written for artists such as Taylor Swift, Train, James Blunt, Christina Perri, Barenaked Ladies, Blondie, and Missy Higgins. In addition to his musical endeavors, Griffin co-founded and remains a partner in the Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival in Franklin, Tennessee, which has featured major artists like Justin Timberlake, Foo Fighters, and Dave Matthews Band. Between 2018-2022, he also served as an adjunct professor at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music.