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McMaster & James is aCanadian soul/pop "boy band" music duo fromWinnipeg, Manitoba.
McMaster & James | |
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| Origin | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| Genres | R&B,pop,soul, |
| Years active | 1997–2002, 2019–present |
| Members | Luke McMaster andRob James |
Luke McMaster (born 22 March 1976) andRob James (born 30 October 1977) met in 1997 through Winnipeg-based producerChris Burke-Gaffney and began collaborating as Two Face, later performing and recording under their combined names. Their gold,[1] self-titled debut CD, released in February 2000 onViK. Recordings, a domestic label formed byBMG Music Canada, a subsidiary ofBMG,[2] yielded the hits "Love Wins Everytime", "Thank You",[3] "I Understand", and "Sweet Sensation", which were well received by Canadian radio.[4]
McMaster & James toured nationally, securing the opening spots forNSYNC Canadian dates and onChristina Aguilera's Canadian tour that year, including a 13 July 2000 date for Aguilera at the Winnipeg Arena.[5] In the fall of 2000, the band was nominated in four categories, McMaster & James won Entertainers of the Year at the Prairie Music Awards via fan vote.[6]
In 2001, their song "Thank You" was named bySOCAN as one of the most performed Canadian pop songs on Canadian radio,[7][8] while "I Understand" won the Prairie Music Award (PMA) award for Best Song. The duo parted amicably in 2002.
In 2003, Luke McMaster decided to focus on his songwriting and production, signing with Universal Music Publishing Group Canada in 2004 for an association that lasted through 2012, placing songs withRihanna,Nick Carter,Nick Lachey,Kalan Porter,Marc Jordan (he co-wrote Jordan's 2010 Top 40 hit, "Falling Man") and others.[citation needed]
In 2006,Rob James was a contestant on the fourth season ofCanadian Idol, finishing seventh.[citation needed]
As a self-published (through his own Ekul Music) solo recording artist, Luke McMaster teamed up with Grammy-nominated American pianistJim Brickman in 2013 for "Good Morning, Beautiful" – a co-written Top 3Billboard AC hit.[citation needed]
McMaster released his solo album,Icons of Soul, which includes collaborations withFelix Cavaliere andLamont Dozier.[9]
On 5 September 2019, McMaster & James reunited for a private performance of "Thank You". During this performance, Luke McMaster announced that the band was planning a tour.[10] In November 2023, McMaster & James reunited for another performance at Rob's wedding.[11]
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