Kevin Michael Griffin (born October 1, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Better Than Ezra, with whom he has released nine studio albums. He has also issued one solo record.
His songs have been performed and recorded by artists such as Taylor Swift, Train, James Blunt, Christina Perri, Howie Day, Barenaked Ladies, Blondie, and Missy Higgins, among others.
He is a co-founder and partner of the Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival in Franklin, Tennessee.
Early life and education
Griffin was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up in Monroe, Louisiana. He attended River Oaks School, where he met future bandmate Jim Payne. He received a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in political science
Music career
Better Than Ezra
Griffin formed the alternative rock band Better Than Ezra in 1988. which stayed atop that chart for seven weeks. "Good" also reached No. 3 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and No. 30 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The band enjoyed further success with hits such as "In the Blood", "Rosealia", "King of New Orleans", "Desperately Wanting", "One More Murder", and "At the Stars".
In 2010, the Better Than Ezra song "Breathless" was covered by Taylor Swift at the Hope for Haiti Now telethon,
Solo career and Ezra Ray Hart
Griffin's first solo album, Anywhere You Go, was released on October 4, 2019.
As a performer, Griffin is known for singing in falsetto, inviting audience members onstage to play guitar, and interrupting his own songs with verses of well-known rock songs. He is also a mimic, imitating singers such as Aaron Neville, Bruce Springsteen, and Dave Matthews.
Griffin has won numerous BMI pop and country awards. Train, Christina Perri, Barenaked Ladies, Tom Morello, Boys Like Girls, Blondie, the Struts, Rolling Stones 2015 review of the festival's inaugural year was positive, saying it had "an A-list lineup (arguably the best curated of the year)" Willie Nelson, the Killers, Dave Matthews Band, Maren Morris, In 2020, through a series of livestreamed acoustic performances, he was able to raise more than $220K for various charities helping those adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. He purchased a home in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles in July 2006,
Griffin's first marriage ended in divorce, and "substance abuse was a factor". He has three children.
In a June 2025 interview, Griffin stated that he had been sober for ten years.