As a young teen, Malloy began to cut his teeth in cover bands before heading off to art school in Seattle. Leaving school after a year, Malloy headed to New York City and, following several years of beating the pavement, signed a record deal with RCA. Released in early 1992, his self-titled debut sold well, if not spectacularly, and managed to generate a mid-chart pop hit with "Anything at All." For Ceilings & Walls, Malloy was paired with producer Christopher Neil as the label sought to take him in a more adult contemporary direction. The album failed to build on his audience and Malloy relocated to Nashville, continuing to work as a songwriter. In 2000, Malloy returned with his long-overdue third release Shine. ~ Tom Demalon