Joshua Radin

Joshua Radin's musical career began in the purest way possible.

"I got a gig for an open mic night in the West Village and I wanted to write an original song for the show," says the Cleveland-born singer-songwriter. "So I wrote 'Winter.'"

That was just two years ago. Radin was living in New York and trying to make his way as a painter and screenwriter when the opportunity for the open mic night came up. The delicate and heartbreaking "Winter" was a hit with the audience that night. With some friends' encouragement, it led to Radin following a career as a musician, releasing two independent albums, and garnering comparisons to classic singer-songwriters such as Nick Drake and Simon & Garfunkel, to modern-day luminaries such as Elliott Smith. His success eventually landed Radin deal with Columbia Records, which is re-releasing his second album, WE WERE HERE.

But that's the short version of the story. The longer version picks up when two of Radin's old college friends, singer-songwriter Cary Brothers and actor and director Zach Braff, heard something special in his music.

"They were so supportive. Cary wanted to get me into the studio right away to record 'Winter.' Then, Zach gave the song to the producers of SCRUBS. And they used it," says Radin. "And all of these people kept emailing me and saying they wanted more music."

Radin definitely had more in him. He began penning songs for his first independent release, 2004's FIRST BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH, developing a hushed vocal style that emphasizes his vivid, open-hearted storytelling. Most importantly, though, Radin simply sung what came out.

"I'm not someone who writes 50 songs and chooses 11 for an album. It might take awhile for inspiration to hit, but when it does, the music comes." Thus, the first five songs Radin ever wrote, plus a cover of The Smith's "Girlfriend in a Coma" make up his debut EP. "I just pick up a guitar and they come out. When you're being honest it makes it easy. You do what you do, and people respond to it or they don't."

The intimate writing and recording style heard on "Winter" remained intact throughout FIRST BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH, which was co-produced by Brothers. It wasn't just a wise stylistic move that plays to Radin's strengths. Frankly, he didn't want to piss off his neighbors.

"When I was living in New York I had a neighbor who would complain all of the time if I made noise when I wrote music. So I started writing stuff that was really quiet," he says. "I sort of adapted to the environment of the apartment. That had a lot to do with the sound."

While cutting his live teeth on performances at New York clubs such as the Bitter End and the Knitting Factory, Radin's fan base grew. TV shows and movies approached him about licensing his songs. He began selling more and more music on iTunes, and developing a community around his Myspace page and own website. In 2005, he moved to L.A.

Radin quickly found a musical home at the Hotel Caf�, a cozy Hollywood club that's become known for discovering some of the best singer-songwriters of the past few years. "It's like my home. It's an amazing community," says Radin, who was a standout at the inaugural Hotel Caf� Tour in 2005. "I walk in there all of the time not knowing who is going to be playing and always discover a new gem."

Radin also began working on his first full-length WE WERE HERE. After going through a break-up and then falling in love in L.A., the artist had plenty to pull from. "For the most part," says Radin, "the record is a story about falling in and out of love and those moments in between."

While spotlighting Radin's distinctive style, WE WERE HERE shows his range and appreciation for lyrics that cut deep and make a lasting impact. From the fragile and gut-wrenching "Sundrenched World," to the brighter and breezier "These Photographs," to the more expansive "Everything'll Be Alright (Will's Lullaby)" Radin is able to look into himself, tap into universal themes and deliver them with a fresh, unforgettable take.

"Since I was a screenwriter, I think in visual terms. It's all about how you show something without telling it. That has a lot of influence in the music. It has a cinematic quality to it," he says. "I wanted to make a record that you put on from start to finish; throw in a car, sort of a long drive experience. I wanted something that was cohesive and consistent and people could listen to and hear a story throughout."

Radin also wanted to pay homage to what brought him here in the first place: his live show. Accompanied by up-and-coming singer-songwriter Priscilla Ahn on a handful of tracks, Radin and producer Chris Holmes kept WE WERE HERE up-close, exquisite and warm.

"I still didn't have much experience as a recording artist. When I started playing shows, people responded to that. So when I recorded, I wanted it to sound like just me and my friends were sitting in a room and playing a song, and someone picked up an instrument and it happened in an organic way."

Radin's popularity also continued to grow in an organic way. With the help of his management team, his indie release WE WERE HERE eventually became a hit on iTunes, holding a top spot for over eight weeks and becoming one of the top 30 records in the country. The singer-songwriter from Cleveland found himself in a major label bidding war, getting five label offers in one week.

Radin chose Columbia Records since the label viewed his signing as a partnership more than anything. Columbia is re-releasing WE WERE HERE, but the label isn't touching the album in any way. From the gentle production to the artwork, the disc remains exactly how Radin envisioned it. It simply allows Radin to do what he does best: create inspired music from the heart.

"They just said, 'You're doing a great job on your own, we're going to get on board and just help you out,'" says Radin. "It doesn't get any better than that."