Here's my story straight ahead and to the point without trying to convince you that I'm the next Blues messiah. I'd rather paint an accurate and honest picture of myself for you, instead of some cliche that usually relies on heavy hype and empty sensationalism...besides that, hey, it's just personable.
I was born in Statesville, North Carolina in 1977 and I had leanings towards music at an early age. When I was five, I loved the novelty band Sha Na Na and I used to imitate their show by putting grease in my hair and using a vacum cleaner hose for a microphone.
I still can remember my grandfather telling me that " A little dab will do you", when I put the grease in my hair to assume the role. The fascination I had with this and with other types of music I heard, grew over the years, and I was always anxious as a kid when I heard a sound that was different or foriegn to me. My mother encouraged my appreciation for this, and many other artistic outlets that I found. But my real education began with my late uncle.
I was to find out just how deep Cary's knowledge was one summer when I was 13 years old. As I approached his house on that day, I heard a raw, primal Blues sound coming from his front poarch. It was the music of the Chicago Blues legend, Muddy Waters. My conception of Blues, music, and life was changed a lot at that moment and after it. I was fascinated and immediatley obsessed with what I had heard and Cary could see it. He dropped some names like Lightnin' Hopkins, Robert Johnson, Howlin' Wolf and Albert King and off I went.
At the same time I was lucky to find that my pulic library housed records by Johnny Shines, Jimmy Reed with Eddie Taylor, Jimmy Rogers, T-Bone Walker, Bukka White and a slew of other Blues masters. Then, I guess fate had it that me and my mother rented a space at a local flea market to sell some of our junk. I met a man there who was kind enough to sell me my first guitar ( a 70's electric Hondo ) for $25. Rather than going to the prom or attending football games with a date, I chose to put on a thumb pick and wear a metal slide on my pinky. My goal was to try to learn how to play the deep Blues that my new idols did. My first experience learning to play Blues was like being with a no good, wrong doing woman in one of its many songs...It took a lot of time, hard work and patience. These days it still takes that, except you can add sacrafice, no sleep, buisness, a tough market to break into, and creativity to the list.
So I can tell you that I didn't go hitch hiking with some long forgotten Bluesman like the movie 'Crossroads'. Nor did I go to prison and get pardoned for my my musical talents. I didn't even pour chicken blood on me and meet the Devil at a crossroads at midnight. Given the chance in my deviant youth I may have, but my mother set a curfew that made these activities nearly impossible. To be honest, I just spent a lot of time listening to all kinds of Blues and working on my guitar playing. I don't read music either.
Around the age of 14 or 15, I met a local Blues guitar player named Max Drake. Max is a professional musician who with his very successful band, Arhoolie, did shows for 15 years with Blues greats like B.B. King, Robert Cray, Lightnin' Hopkins, Carey Bell, Freddy King and many more. He just recently finished a four year stint as the lead guitar player for Big Bill Morganfield's band ( son of Muddy Waters ). I found that Max was an encyclopedia of Blues guitar, and he took me under his wing. He showed me enough of the rudiments of Blues guitar, that I could go off on my own and find my own way and style. He was also kind enough to pose as an uncle or whatever to get me into clubs to watch him play when I was way to young to do so. These days we gig together from time to time. If something goes wrong with my navagation, bookings, plans etc when we play, Max will inevitably say " I taught him how to make an E chord. I didn't teach him the other stuff ".
I moved to Wichita, KS in the beginning of 2000. I was widely accepted once I arrived there and the buzz got out about me through articles in newspapers and music publications. At that time, there were no bands around that were playing the old school nasty Blues that I had focused on. Later that year I won one of the national Blues competitons that led to the International Blues Competition in Memphis, Tennesse on historic Beale Street. To get to Memphis I had to beat 10 full bands ( a few with horn sections ) by myself on an acoustic guitar. I was quite shocked that I won.
After I got back from Memphis I met bass player and good friend, Jesse Major ( see band link ). We shared a common interest in raw 50's Blues, Rockabilly, and Swing and decided to form a band and a musical partnership focusing on that. The result was Matt Walsh and the Maddogs. The band went through its bulk of drummers and harmonica players like any other Blues band, with Jesse being the only constant and Kyle Couch being the longest kept drummer..
Around this time ( 2000 ) I started opening for some Blues legends and great musicians like Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Delbert McClinton, Homer Henderson, Kenny Neal and many more ( see reviews link ). I also met and became friends with Bob Margolin around 2002. From 1973-1980, Bob played guitar in the band of Chicago Blues legend Muddy Waters, touring worldwide and recording, and learning to play Muddy’s powerful music directly from him. With a track record like that, it's probably obvious to you that Bob has been a great influence and inspiration for me, but he has also been a good friend, and is responsible for introducing me to some great musicians with whom I play with currently. While living in Wichita, KS, I traveled around the midwest with my band mostly, and hooked up with other musicians for shows in the southeast. Two of those musicians, I play with regularly now. They are Matt Hill and Chuck Cotton. I met Matt at a jam hosted by our mutal friend, who happened to be Bob Margolin, and we started playing as a two guitar duo when I came to NC. Later I would meet drummer extrodinare Chuck Cotton, who plays drums in Bob's band, and Matt switched over to play some bass on my gigs. I currently feature them when I play in a band format.
After 7 years, I have just recently moved from Wichita back to my home state, North Carolina. When I'm not out on the road, I can be found in local clubs in NC or in neighboring states.
I think that the Blues and Roots music are rich, honest, heart felt and anyone who has a heartbeat can surely feel it. Given the chance, I think we all can relate to the humanity of it. I'm very thankful that it's opened doors of opportunity and allowed me to express myself while also giving me the chance to spread it to new and nostalgic ears. I am always very appreciative of all the kind words and support I recieve from my audiences, loyal die hard Blues fans, family and friends.
~ Matt Walsh