Tal Bachman

Talmage Charles Robert "Tal" Bachman ( BAK-mən; born August 13, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his 1999 hit "She's So High", a pop rock tune from his self-titled 1999 album for which he won a BMI award in 2000. Along with his father, Randy Bachman, he is currently a member of Bachman–Turner Overdrive.

Biography

Early life

Bachman was born in Winnipeg, the son of Randy Bachman and the nephew of Robbie Bachman of the classic rock bands The Guess Who and Bachman–Turner Overdrive. As a child, Bachman listened to his father's enormous record collection and taught himself to play guitar. He studied political philosophy at Utah State University but dropped out and moved to Vancouver in 1995 to begin writing songs.

Musical career

After being rejected by many record labels, executives at EMI Music Publishing in New York City heard a demo tape of the ballad "If You Sleep" and offered Bachman a recording contract with Columbia Records. His debut album, Tal Bachman, was co-produced by Bob Rock and including the hit single, "She's So High", which was inspired by the song "If It Makes You Happy" by Sheryl Crow, using the same chords but a different key. The song reached No. 1 on three different radio formats in Canada and reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1999. It won BMI's "Song of the Year" award. The album earned Bachman two Juno awards in Canada. Bachman then toured as an opening act for Bryan Adams and the Barenaked Ladies, and also toured on his own.

Bachman's second album, Staring Down the Sun, was released in Canada on Sextant Records in August 2004 and was released in the United States by Artemis Records in 2006. The single "Aeroplane" reached number 20 on the Canadian charts and was used in the 2005 film, American Pie Presents: Band Camp. It was played as an instrumental and during the credits.

In 2005, Bachman was invited to be a musical ambassador for Canada in South Africa and Zimbabwe, receiving a C$16,500 grant to visit AIDS hospices and orphanages and community centres.

In 2023, Bachman joined Bachman-Turner Overdrive.

Influences

Bachman cites the Beatles, Cheap Trick, and Electric Light Orchestra as influences.

Personal life

Bachman is married to Koko, who is Japanese. Bachman lives on Vancouver Island.

Bachman is a former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and went on a two-year Mormon mission to Argentina. In the early 2000s, he began doubting his faith. After two years of research, Bachman concluded that the church's founder Joseph Smith had invented his stories, and Bachman severed his ties to the church. In 2006, Bachman was interviewed for The Mormons, a PBS documentary in which he discussed his departure from the LDS Church. In 2008, Bachman also discussed his departure from the LDS Church when interviewed for the Bill Maher documentary Religulous.

Bachman has written political articles in American Greatness and SteynOnline. Several of his articles discuss religion and rugby.

Bachman plays right-wing and scrum-half for the Victoria, British Columbia rugby union club Castaway Wanderers RFC.

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles

Awards

Third Annual Canadian Radio Music Awards (2000)

• Best New Solo Artist – Rock
• Best New Solo Artist – Pop Adult
• Best New Solo Artist – Contemporary Hit Radio

29th Annual Juno Awards (2000)

• Best New Solo Artist (won)
• Best Producer (with Bob Rock) for "She's So High" and "If You Sleep" (won)
• Best Pop/Adult Album (nominated)
• Best Songwriter (nominated)

References