Mitchell Froom


Mitchell Froom is an American musician and record producer. He was a member of the bands Gamma and Latin Playboys, and is the keyboardist for Crowded House. He has produced albums for several artists, including David LaFlamme, Richard Thompson, Los Lobos, Suzanne Vega, and Vonda Shepard.

Career

Froom began his career as a keyboard player in Sonoma County, California. The band Crossfire featured two keyboard players; Mitchell on one side of the stage and his brother David on the other with Gary Pihl on guitar. He also played keyboards on the Ronnie Montrose-led group Gamma's third album Gamma 3, and the first two solo albums of David LaFlamme titled White Bird and Inside Out. The latter two projects he also co-produced with LaFlamme.
He then produced the first three Crowded House albums, which led to more production jobs with Richard Thompson, Los Lobos, American Music Club, Suzanne Vega and Paul McCartney. In 1982, Froom scored the adult film Café Flesh; his soundtrack was later released as the album Key of Cool. In the late 1980s, Crowded House leader Neil Finn invited Froom to join the band as an official member, but Froom declined due to his producing career.
In 1987 he produced and wrote incidental music for the neo-noir film Slam Dance.
Between 1992 and 2002 Froom formed a full-time partnership with engineer Tchad Blake. Production credits include albums from American Music Club, Stevie Ann, Tasmin Archer, the Bangles, Peter Case, the Corrs, Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Crowded House, the Ditty Bops, Tim Finn, Missy Higgins, Indigo Girls, Los Lobos, Robin Gibb, Maria McKee, Pat McLaughlin, Randy Newman, Nerina Pallot, Pearl Jam, Phantom Planet, Bonnie Pink, Daniel Powter, Bonnie Raitt, Ron Sexsmith, the Del Fuegos, Richard Thompson, and Suzanne Vega. Froom and Blake joined with David Hidalgo and Louie Perez of Los Lobos to form the experimental roots collaboration Latin Playboys.
Froom has produced over 60 albums
and has composed and produced music for numerous films. He has been nominated for several Grammys including for Record of the Year for La Bamba by Los Lobos and Producer of the Year in 1993 for both Kiko by Los Lobos and by Suzanne Vega. He was also nominated for the 1998 Golden Globe Award and the 1999 Grammy for
Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
for co-writing with Sheryl Crow the James Bond movie title song "Tomorrow Never Dies".
As a musician, Froom has released two solo albums, Dopamine and A Thousand Days. The song "Noodletown" from "Dopamine" won an Emmy when it was used as the theme for PBS's Sessions at West 54th.
Froom was a judge for the 2nd annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers.
In December 2019 Froom was announced as a member of the new lineup of Crowded House. The first album with this lineup, Dreamers Are Waiting, was released on June 4, 2021.

Personal life

Froom is of Romanian ancestry. His brother was David Froom, a classical composer and Department Chair of the Music Department at St. Mary's College of Maryland.
His first wife was Connie Jester, with whom he had a daughter, Charlotte Froom. Charlotte was the bassist in the Like.
Froom married Suzanne Vega in 1995; they separated and divorced in 1998. Soul Coughing's 1994 album, Ruby Vroom, was named after their daughter, Ruby Froom.
He married Vonda Shepard in 2004. They have a son, Jack Froom, named for Froom's late father, a physician and educator.

Discography

With American Music ClubMercury
With Tasmin ArcherBloom
With Tracy BonhamDown Here Blink the Brightest
With Peter CasePeter Case (album) The Man with the Blue Post-Modern Fragmented Neo-Traditionalist Guitar Six-Pack of Love
With Tracy ChapmanWhere You Live
With Cibo MattoViva! La Woman Super Relax
With Rita CoolidgeInside the Fire
With the CorrsUnplugged In Blue VH1 Presents: The Corrs, Live in Dublin Home
With Elvis CostelloMighty Like a Rose Brutal Youth
With Marshall CrenshawDowntown
With Sheryl CrowSheryl Crow The Globe Sessions
With Crowded HouseCrowded House Temple of Low Men Woodface Dreamers Are Waiting
With Del FuegosThe Longest Day Boston, Mass. Stand Up
With the Ditty BopsThe Ditty Bops (album) Moon Over The Freeway
With Dave DobbynLament for the Numb
With Bob DylanDown in the Groove
With Neil FinnTry Whistling This One Nil
With Tim FinnTim Finn
With Finn BrothersEveryone is Here
With Peter GabrielUp
With Boris GrebenshchikovSalt
With Missy HigginsOn a Clear Night
With Susanna HoffsSomeday
With Indigo GirlsPoseidon and the Bitter Bug
With David LaFlammeWhite Bird Inside Out
With Los LobosKiko Colossal Head This Time
With Paul McCartneyFlowers in the Dirt
With Maria McKeeMaria McKee
With Eddie MoneyWhere's the Party?
With Randy NewmanBad Love Harps and Angels Dark Matter
With Stina NordenstamThis Is Stina Nordenstam
With Roy OrbisonMystery Girl
With Mel ParsonsGlass Heart
With Phantom PlanetThe Guest
With Daniel PowterDaniel Powter
With PretendersPacked!
With Bonnie RaittLonging in Their Hearts Fundamental Silver Lining Souls Alike
With Stan RidgwayThe Big Heat
With Ron SexsmithRon Sexsmith Other Songs Whereabouts Time Being Forever Endeavour
With Vonda ShepardThe Radical Light By 7:30 Chinatown From the Sun
With Richard ThompsonDaring Adventures Amnesia Rumor and Sigh Mirror Blue You? Me? Us?
With TriggerfingerColossus
With Suzanne VegaNine Objects of Desire
With Rufus WainwrightUnfollow the Rules