Pat Mathews

by Mary Beth Starkey
Staff Writer

Made of red spruce and European wood curly maple, this cello is handmade and as close to perfect as it could be without being so. As local musician Pat Mathews sits and plays the beautifully carved cello, the cello’s maker, Arthur Conner, smiles with approval.
“He’s a genius,” Conner says of Mathews, who quickly agrees that “Conner is a genius as well.”
“But it takes two to tango,” Conner replies. “The maker creates the instrument, which would be nothing without the musician.”
Mathews does indeed have enough musical experience, ability and knowledge to be considered a “musical genius.” With nine CDs recorded since in his homemade series since 2001, Mathews is expecting his first “professionally mastered, professionally duplicated” CD to be released in July. “Piano Music: Volume I” will be composed of all original works except for three songs – a folksong and the first and last hymns on the album.
A native of Long Island, N.Y., Mathews has lived up and down the East Coast from “Boston to Buffalo and Florida to Mississippi.” Formerly a computer consultant, Mathews worked with Citizens Phone Company in Floyd for two years before beginning his third career as a musician.
Though his focus is on recording, Mathews “main money-maker” is playing the piano for local businesses.
“I basically play for whatever venues will have me,” Mathews says.
The musician plays bass, two guitars and three keyboards, among many other instruments, including the cello. He also teaches piano, guitar, bass and cello. He also possesses skills in teaching musical theory, composition and arranging.
“This whole thing has just been a big answer to prayer for me,” says Mathews, as he moves to his keyboards to demonstrate another original composition.
Mathews’ first job in Floyd was playing his digital piano at Oddfellas Cantina.
Shortly after, he was contacted by the former owner of Mama Lazardos, Dave Brown, to entertain at the restaurant. A gig at Chic’s Antiques later followed, and suddenly Mathews was playing between eight and 12 hours a day.
He created his first CD, which was strictly piano music, with Mark Kenworthy and a duplication with Mark Hodges.
A church in Stuart donated the money for the “first batch of CDs,” which were sold out two weeks after production.
Since that time, Mathews has recorded three piano solo albums, one guitar album, two multi-instrumentals, and two hymn albums.
He considers his genre to be “contemporary chamber music or adult contemporary,” most like that of artists George Winston and Jim Brickman.
“I’ve even had people tell me, ‘you do Brickman better than Brickman,” says Mathews, which he considers a definite compliment.
Mathews, who is also currently accepting students, looks forward to sharing his talent wherever he may be invited to do so.
He plays at Chic’s Antiques on a frequent basis, where his albums are also sold.
After many changes, in residence and career, Mathews is finally doing something he loves in a place he loves. “What I’ve wanted all my life is to write music and play.”
More information about Pat Mathews can be found on the internet at www.patmathews.net
or at www.sonicbids.com/patmathews.

- Floyd Press 06/08/06