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XPN Welcomes David Gray

Presented by WXPN

December 31, 2009

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After several successful releases through the 1990s, David Gray's breakthrough came with the worldwide release in 1999 of his fourth album, White Ladder; this was a critical and commercial success and included his best-known songs, "This Years Love" and "Babylon." In the United States, the album received a boost from jam-band leader Dave Matthews, who made it the first release by the record company he co-founded, ATO Records.

On August 11, 2001 White Ladder at last reached the top of the UK charts, having been selling steadily since its reissue the previous May, thereby setting a new record for the longest uninterrupted climb to No. 1. The follow-up, A New Day at Midnight, also hit No. 1, and Gray's seventh album, Life In Slow Motion was released on September 12, 2005.

Gray's early music was in a contemporary folk-rock, singer-songwriter mode; his primary instrument was acoustic guitar, with occasional piano. 1996's Sell Sell Sell featured some rock arrangements and electric instrumentation.

David Gray's brothers-in-law are Paul and Phillip Hartnoll, formerly of the Techno/Rave band Orbital. Because of this relationship, Gray performed guest vocals on the Orbital single "Illuminate," while Paul Hartnoll produced a breakbeat remix of Gray's song Please Forgive Me.

His successful single "January Rain" was included in the original soundtrack of the movie "Serendipity", starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale.