Mark Mcgrath
About
Biography
Biography
As the personable and striking front man for 1990s pop rock band Sugar Ray, Mark McGrath served up an easygoing, Southern California surf-punk attitude that propelled songs such as "Fly" and "Someday" to the top of the music charts. McGrath's rock star image captivated a diverse audience, from Top 40-loving teens to the adult contemporary crowd, even though critics were skeptical about the band's staying power. When Sugar Ray's popularity waned in the 2000s, McGrath shifted gears and launched a television career. He suited up as the host of entertainment news program "Extra" (NBC, 1994- ) and the reality competition series "The Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll" (The CW, 2007), and appeared as a contestant on "The Celebrity Apprentice" (NBC, 2004- ), where he once again showcased his enduring charm and likeable nature.
Mark Sayers McGrath was born on March 15, 1968 in Hartford, CT. After moving to Southern California, McGrath attended Corona del Mar High School in Newport Beach, where he formed the music group Shrinky Dinx with friends Rodney Sheppard, Stan Frazier and Murphy Karges. The band signed with Atlantic Records in 1994, but had to change its name after the Milton Bradley Company - maker of the popular toy Shrinky Dinks - threatened a lawsuit. After renaming themselves Sugar Ray, the band released its debut album Lemonade and Brownies in 1995. The group cited funk metal, punk and alternative rock as its musical influences. Sugar Ray yielded its first mainstream hit "Fly," a catchy reggae-infused track that featured singer Super Cat, off the 1997 album Floored. The radio-friendly single helped the band's sophomore album rise to the top of the charts, but it was also McGrath's good looks and high-energy performances that drew millions of people to Sugar Ray concerts. The spiky-haired and tattooed singer also became the poster boy for the late '90s music scene, appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine and being named "Sexiest Rocker" by People magazine. However, McGrath's mainstream appeal and bad boy-turned-heartthrob image dissuaded a few critics from taking Sugar Ray seriously, while some were quick to label the group a "one-hit wonder."
Sugar Ray named its 1999 album 14:59 in response to critics who proclaimed McGrath and his band mates' 15 minutes of fame were about up. The lead single "Every Morning" (1998) reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, while its follow up, the bouncy ballad "Someday," also did well in radio and music video airplay. Sugar Ray released several more albums in the 2000s, including a 2005 greatest hits collection, yet none did comparatively as well nor had the pop culture breakout of Fly. The music scene had also changed, with alternative rock and rap metal acts slipping on the charts, while hip-hop artists and folksy singer songwriters inched their way to the top. After Sugar Ray's greatest hits release, the band finally parted ways with Atlantic Records in 2006. Perhaps capitalizing on his rock star appeal and charming personality, McGrath turned his focus on television appearances, including a 2004 cameo on the drama series "Las Vegas" (NBC, 2003-08) and a guest judge stint on "American Idol" (Fox, 2002-16) a year later. McGrath was also tapped to host the Radio Music Awards, which was often referred to as the music industry's answer to the Golden Globes, both in 2004 and 2005.
In 2004, McGrath landed a co-anchor spot on "Extra," a popular entertainment and celebrity news program, a year after host Leeza Gibbons left the show. The series allowed McGrath to report on and interview some of the biggest names in Hollywood. He also began acting, with cameos in the film "Uptown Girls" (2003) and on the primetime drama "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (NBC, 1999- ). But it was with his hosting duties that McGrath looked and felt most comfortable in front of the camera. He made the leap to reality television by hosting the talent competition series, "The Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll" and its 2008 spin-off, "The Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious." That same year, McGrath left "Extra" to spend more time working on his music career. In 2010, the rocker returned to the small screen with a hosting gig on the syndicated game show "Don't Forget the Lyrics" (Fox, 2007-11), and by competing on the reality hit "Celebrity Apprentice" (NBC, 2004- ) where he faced off against other stars such as singer La Toya Jackson and former teen idol David Cassidy to win money for their respective charities.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Music (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
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