Mr. Big

Mr. Big is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1988 and active until 2024. The best-known lineup includes Eric Martin on lead vocals, Paul Gilbert on guitar, Billy Sheehan on bass, and Pat Torpey on drums. The band later also includes Richie Kotzen and, for its final period, Nick D’Virgilio. Its sound is rooted in hard rock, but it also includes softer ballads, with an emphasis on strong lead singing and close vocal harmonies.

Career

The group begins with its original Los Angeles lineup of Martin, Gilbert, Sheehan and Torpey. It takes its name from the Free song “Mr. Big,” which it later covers on the 1993 album Bump Ahead. The band releases four studio albums in its first period: Mr. Big (1989), Lean into It (1991), Bump Ahead (1993) and Hey Man (1996).

In 1999, Paul Gilbert leaves and Richie Kotzen replaces him on guitar and vocals. With Kotzen in the group, Mr. Big releases Get Over It (1999) and Actual Size (2001). The band then disbands in 2002.

Mr. Big reunites in 2009 with its original lineup after fan demand, and its first tour after reforming takes place in Japan. In 2010, it releases What If..., its first studio album with the original members in 15 years. During work on ...The Stories We Could Tell (2014), Pat Torpey is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and appears only in a limited role. Defying Gravity (2017) is the last album to include Torpey; he contributes to selected tracks and is credited as a drum producer, while most drumming is done by Matt Starr. After Torpey’s death in 2018, the band goes on hiatus, then returns for a farewell tour in 2023 with Nick D’Virgilio on drums and vocals. D’Virgilio also plays on the final studio album, Ten (2024).

Notable songs and reception

Mr. Big is best known for “To Be with You,” which reaches number one in 15 countries in 1992, and for “Just Take My Heart.” The band is often associated with the “Big in Japan” idea, reflecting its especially strong following there. Although it is sometimes described as a one-hit act because of “To Be with You,” it maintains a regular audience in Japan throughout its career.