Mat, the oldest of 4 boys, began taking piano lessons at the tender age of 4 in Atlanta. Though all of his brothers took lessons as well, Mat seemed to be the only one dedicated to sitting in front of those 88 and practicing like his life depended on it.
He learned an appreciation for the classical masters and developed an affinity for the devastatingly complex Franz Liszt and the smooth chaos of George Gershwin. Despite this foundation, Mat found himself searching for something more…syncopated. At 13, he dropped his classically-based teacher for the furiously jazzy Heidi Larson, who turned him on to Duke Ellington, Fats Domino, and the undisputed champion of greatness: Billy Joel.
During his instruction from Heidi, Mat took a course in pedagogy (the study of teaching arts) and has had many students since.
That was merely the beginning of a life obsessed with making music. For his 9th birthday, Mat was given a drumset from his mother and taught himself to play. This curiosity led him to commandeer his brother’s unused guitar. About this time, Mat had discovered the awesome power of bands like the Dead Kennedys, MDC, Bad Brains, and GG Allin. Determined to be a feral, music making monster in a raucous punk band, he also picked up the bass and began writing estranged and anti-authoritarian lyrics.
As his taste in the punk movement matured, he found himself enjoying the folky jams of bands like Defiance, Ohio, Ghost Mice, and Rilo Kiley. This inspired him to learn the upright bass and to join the school symphonic band in the 9th grade. Mat went on to be selected for an exclusive honor band which was meticulously formed by the Georgia Independent School Association, along with his now-fiance Victoria..
Several “Superior” rankings later, Mat extended his repertoire to include the cello, mandolin, violin, organ, and banjo.
Mat has participated in several recording projects, bands, as well touring extensively. Torn between pursuing a musical degree or veterinary school, he has recently decided to take the more melodic of the two!
