Mr. Big

Mr. Big formed in Los Angeles in 1988, bringing together Eric Martin on lead vocals, Paul Gilbert on guitar, Billy Sheehan on bass, and Pat Torpey on drums. The band quickly established a reputation for their members’ instrumental proficiency and strong vocal harmonies. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1989 through Atlantic Records, charting outside the top 40 in the United States while finding success in Japan. In 1990, the group contributed the songs “Strike Like Lightning” and “Shadows” to the soundtrack of the action film Navy Seals.

The band’s second album, “Lean Into It,” released in 1991, marked a significant commercial breakthrough with the ballads “To Be with You” and “Just Take My Heart.” “To Be with You” notably reached number one in fifteen countries worldwide. They continued to release albums, including “Bump Ahead” in 1993, which featured a successful cover of Cat Stevens’ “Wild World,” peaking at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite a decline in U.S. mainstream success, Mr. Big sustained a dedicated following and consistent popularity in Japan and other Asian markets, often performing sold-out tours and releasing Japan-only live albums.

After a temporary hiatus, Paul Gilbert departed in 1999, and Richie Kotzen joined as guitarist. This lineup released “Get Over It” in 1999 and “Actual Size” in 2001. The original lineup reunited in 2009 for a reunion tour that began in Japan, and they released “What If…” in 2010, their first album with the original members in 15 years. The band continued to release music, including “…The Stories We Could Tell” in 2014 and “Defying Gravity” in 2017. Following the passing of drummer Pat Torpey in 2018 due to Parkinson’s disease, Mr. Big embarked on “The Big Finish Tour” from 2023 to 2025 with Nick D’Virgilio on drums, releasing their tenth and final studio album, “Ten,” in 2024.