Tal Bachman

Talmage Charles Robert "Tal" Bachman (/ˈbækmən/ 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 song from his self-titled 1999 album for which he won a BMI award in 2000.^[3] Along with his father, Randy Bachman, he is currently a member of Bachman–Turner Overdrive.

Tal Bachman
Bachman performing in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Talmage Robert Bachman
Also known as	Tal Bachman
Born	(1968-08-13) August 13, 1968 (age 56)
Origin	Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada[1]
Genres	Pop rock
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Columbia Sextant Daylight
Member of	Randy Bachman, Bachman-Turner Overdrive[2]

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.^[1] 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.^[4][5]

Musical career

After Bachman was rejected by many record labels, executives at EMI Music Publishing in New York City heard a demo tape of his ballad "If You Sleep" and offered him a recording contract with Columbia Records.^[6] His debut album, Tal Bachman, was co-produced by Bob Rock and including the hit single, "She's So High",^[7] which was inspired by the song "If It Makes You Happy" by Sheryl Crow, using the same chords but a different key.^[6] The song reached No. 1 on three different radio formats in Canada and reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1999.^[8] 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.^[6] 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.^[9]

In 2023, Bachman joined Bachman-Turner Overdrive.^[10]

Influences

Bachman cites the Beatles, Cheap Trick, and Electric Light Orchestra as influences.^[5]

Personal life

Tal and KoKo at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival

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.^[11] 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.^[12] In 2008, Bachman also discussed his departure from the LDS Church when interviewed for the Bill Maher documentary Religulous.^[13]

Bachman has written political articles in American Greatness and SteynOnline. Several of his articles discuss religion and rugby.^[14][15]

Bachman plays right-wing and outside-centre for the Victoria, British Columbia rugby union club Castaway Wanderers RFC.^[16]

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Album details	Chart positions
		US [17]
Tal Bachman	Release date: April 13, 1999 Label: Columbia	124
Staring Down the Sun	Release date: July 13, 2004 Label: Sextant	—

Compilation albums

Title	Album details
Ian Starglow's Greatest Hits Vol. 1 (as Ian Starglow)	Release date: December 9, 2019 Label: Self-release

Singles

Title	Year	Chart positions								Album
		CAN	CAN AC	AUS [18]	GER [19]	NZ [20]	UK [21]	US [22]	US Adult [23]
"She's So High"	1999	3	30	8	71	9	30	14	1	Tal Bachman
"Strong Enough"		31	59	—		—	—	—	—
"If You Sleep"		61	—	—		—	—	—	35
"Aeroplane"	2004	20	—	—		—	—	—	—	Staring Down the Sun
"Na Na Na"	2019	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	Ian Starglow's Greatest Hits Volume 1

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)^[24]
• Best Pop/Adult Album (nominated)
• Best Songwriter (nominated)