Matthew Byrne

Matthew Byrne was born into a family of music makers from Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, and his repertoire is heavily influenced by this unique singing tradition. It is a tradition that thrives on the song – the weaving of a great story with a beautiful melody – and Matthew’s music reminds us how satisfying traditional songs can be when stripped down to these basic elements. His live performance offers tasteful and honest interpretations of folk music delivered with polished guitar work and powerful vocals. His repertoire transcends time and place and offers a collection of traditional songs from both sides of the Atlantic.

In Spring 2010, Matthew released his first studio album, “Ballads” (produced by Billy Sutton), and has since gained considerable attention from the traditional music community. “Ballads” resulted in three MusicNL award nominations in Fall 2010: Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, and Rising Star New Artist/Group of the Year, as well as multiple showcasing opportunities at the 2011 East Coast Music Awards.

In addition to his solo work, Matthew is also bouzouki player and vocalist for The Dardanelles – a supergroup of young traditional players from Newfoundland who’ve made quite a name for themselves throughout the North American folk festival circuit in only a few short years. Since his entry into the group in Spring 2010, Matthew has performed at numerous notable venues including the Winnipeg Folk Festival, International Folk Alliance, and The Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland, Australia.