Luke McMaster

Luke McMaster (born March 22, 1976) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, recording artist and producer.

McMaster experienced early success as half of the music duo McMaster & James originating from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Named after McMaster and his performing partner, Rob James, the duo released a self-titled gold album and scored the radio hits "Love Wins Everytime", "Thank You," "I Understand" and "Sweet Sensation."

In 1994, McMaster enrolled at Brandon University with a planned major in English Literature.

Driven by a growing ambition to become a professional musician and performer, he left university after only two weeks.

Luke then moved to Winnipeg, registered at the Winnipeg Contemporary Music College and began attending a two-year course.

Through his studies at the Contemporary Music College, McMaster received a formal foundation in music and established a community of friends, musicians and industry professionals who continue to influence him and provide career support to this very day.

During his tenure at Music College, Luke formed the band Double Vision with drummer/vocalist Sean Miller.

Double Vision performed in Winnipeg cafés and public schools.

Influenced by The Everly Brothers and Simon & Garfunkel, the band quickly became known for their tight two-part harmonies and catchy songs.

In 1994, they booked time in a recording studio with local producer Dan Donahue and recorded their first self-titled EP.

A toured followed, lasting several months.

In mid-1995, Miller left the band to pursue a career as a pastor and McMaster continued on in music.

In 1995, during his participation in a Winnipeg Song Writing Workshop, McMaster became acquainted with one of the presenters, Canadian songwriter, producer and artist manager Chris Burke-Gaffney.

Impressed with Burke-Gaffney's credentials as a touring musician in his teens, his stint with The Pumps and, more recently, as manager of Juno Award-winning, triple-platinum artist Chantal Kreviazuk, McMaster approached Burke-Gaffney about working together.

Soon after, Burke-Gaffney and McMaster began their professional relationship, which later included management.

While collaborating with Burke-Gaffney on the writing of their song "Thank You" at an early 1997 studio recording session, McMaster met Rob James.

Together, McMaster and James wrote a new song named "Shouldn't Love You" and demoed it to a professional acquaintance, producer Glen Willows.

With Willows' encouragement, McMaster and James decided to team up under the name Two Face, managed through Chris Burke-Gaffney's company, CBG Artist Development.

Inspired by a common interest in pop and R&B, McMaster and James developed, demoed and then recorded a number of new songs, agreeing that Thank You seemed to have the most potential.

In 1999, McMaster & James signed a contract with ViK. Recordings, a Canadian label formed by BMG Music Canada, the domestic branch of BMG Records.

In February 2000, BMG released their self-titled debut that proceeded to go gold in Canada later that year.

Supported by a number of cross-Canada tours, including an opening spots on Christina Aguilera's and NSYNC's Canadian tours, McMaster & James experienced success with the hits "Love Wins Everytime," "Thank You," "I Understand" and "Sweet Sensation," all of which were also well received by Canadian radio.

In 2001, "Thank You" was awarded a SOCAN Award for Top Radio Play, while "I Understand" won the Prairie Music Award (PMA) award for Best Song.

In addition, McMaster & James won the fan-voted PMA for Entertainers of the Year.

The album McMaster & James was also released in Ireland and South America.

Despite their initial success, the band dissolved in 2002.

Since then, McMaster has worked as a songwriter, producer, solo performing and recording artist living in Toronto, Ontario.

In 2002, McMaster & James were developing a second album and sent to Philadelphia to work with producers André Harris and Vidal Davies (Dre & Vidal).

Subsequently, the project was placed on hold.

He also has contributed songs to albums that have sold an estimated collective total of seven million units, including the 2006 three-million selling, multi-platinum A Girl Like Me, by Rihanna, the 2006 RIAA gold-certified Nick Lachey album What's Left Of Me, the 2004 Canadian double-platinum album 219 Days by Kalan Porter, the 2005 platinum Rex Goudie albums Under The Lights and Home, by premiere Canadian Idol winner Ryan Malcolm.

As a solo artist and songwriter, he is best known for his 2013 hit "Good Morning, Beautiful," with Grammy-nominated American pianist Jim Brickman, which peaked on the US Billboard AC Radio charts at #3.

McMaster's latest project, Icons of Soul, is a new album and potential TV documentary series that will feature his collaborations on new material with such iconic songwriters as Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame and Songwriter Hall of Fame members Felix Cavaliere (founder of The Rascals) and Motown legend Lamont Dozier of Holland-Dozier-Holland and is scheduled for release in 2018.

McMaster was born in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada to businesswoman Bev (née Canning) and university professor George McMaster.

Luke is the second oldest of four sons, with brothers named Jeff, John and Rob.

McMaster's first year of primary school took place in Sunnydale, California as his family accompanied his father George while he attended a one-year sabbatical at Stanford University.

Subsequently, the family returned to Manitoba where George McMaster headed up the School of Maths and Computer Science at Brandon University.

During his final years of high school, McMaster pursued his passion for music and taught himself to play the guitar.

He also learned and developed his skills as a songwriter and lyricist.

He knew that his family had high expectations for academic achievements for all of their boys so McMaster kept his musical ambitions and interests entirely secret from his family and friends.