Chris Matthews

Originally hailing from wheat, sheep and cattle farms in the south west of WA, independent musician Chris Matthews first appeared on the Perth music scene back in 1999 as a 17 year old instrumental guitarist. Since then, through a process of sheer hard work, drive and love of music, Chris has developed into one of Australia’s finest and well respected singer/songwriter/guitarists.

Taking a pinch of blues, a decent sprinkling of country, generous proportions of good foot stompin' rock and roll and topping it all off with sheer brute force and passion, Chris' live shows have become legendary for their astonishing guitar work, combined with intelligent songwriting and entertaining off the cuff stage banter. His remarkable skills on 6 and 12 string guitars, banjo and lap steel have amazed audiences from Broome to Batemans Bay. Armed with the afore mentioned instruments, a home made stomp box to drive the beat home and an impassioned and solid voice that could only come from the land of Australia, he is one of those performers who once seen, is one you never forget.

As a general rule, Chris plays over 250 shows each year in every distant corner of the land. Late nights, 5 hour gigs, much broken gear and countless hours and kilometres on the road have formed Matthews into a formidable force, holding his own anywhere from a massive festival stage, to the humble old campfire, to the local pub raging on a Friday night. Watch out if you feel like heckling, because in his own words Chris says “I’ve heard it all before, and believe me I’ve learnt to give it back in spades. All those front bar gigs in regional Australia give you a pretty thick skin, and you learn in a real hurry that you can’t be precious about yourself”.
And while the country song “I’ve Been Everywhere” may not be the best song ever written, it could almost read like a history of Chris’ touring schedule. Name a few towns when you next run into him, and he will probably start reminiscing about some memorable times and shows he has had in all of them.

2011 was a busy one for Mr Matthews. He started the year as a finalist in the prestigious Star Maker competition at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January, recorded and released his debut album “It Goes To Eleven" in a hectic 2 months afterwards, wrapped up his 9th tour of Western Australia and the Northern Territory (30 shows in 32 days and 15,000kms anyone?), and played various other shows in all states and territories of the country at one time or a another.

Supporting artists from such differing styles as John Farnham, Adam Harvey, the Celibate Rifles, and Liz Stringer, the Dave Mann Collective and Blue Shaddy, to sharing the stage with Jimmy Barnes, James Blundell and the Hoodoo Gurus at iconic events such as the Kimberley Moon Experience (at which in 2009 he was also the MC), attests to the fact that Chris’ music can find a home anywhere it goes. Since relocating to the East Kimberley region of Western Australia in 2006, he has also been the resident musician at world renowned resort El Questro, with many a listener being heard to have remarked, “I have never, ever in my life seen anyone play the guitar like that......”.

4 EP’s, 1 LP, 1 Live LP and 4500 shows later (probably) Chris is not slowing down at time soon. With a massive run of shows at the 2012 Tamworth Music Festival to start the year, a new album in the works, and touring and festival shows aplenty, the train just keeps on rolling along for one of Australia’s hardest working and finest talents.