Thank you for talking with us Matt! Did you always want to be a musician or was there a specific moment that something happened that made you think "this is what I want to do with my life." If so, what was it? I think I really caught the bug in high school. I was in a band just doing cover stuff. When my brother, who is three years older than me and is also my best friend left for college, I had a lot of free time I’d never had before. That’s when I started writing songs. Since then, writing is what I’ve always loved more than anything and getting to perform my own songs on stage is such a rush. Tell us about your new single, 'Outskirts of Grace' that came out on February 28 and what it's like working with Grammy-award winning producer, Sal Oliveri. ‘Outskirts of Grace’ is probably my favorite song I’ve ever been a part of. I wrote it with two of my favorite people in the world, Charlie Berry and Ryan Hedge. All three of us are young, married guys who are starting families and chasing the music thing. Real world responsibilities and dreams don’t always align, so to me, this song is just about trying to navigate those things and figure out how to be responsible and still live a fulfilled, non-complacent life. Complacency is my greatest fear. This song is about walking the very fine line between complacency and contentment.
I’ve worked with Sal for five or six years now. Obviously, Sal is an amazing producer – his ear, his ability to find the best musicians in Nashville to record with me, his production quality is some of the best I’ve ever heard, so of course I love working with him. But honestly, Sal is just one of the best people I know. There are a lot of people who are good at what they do. There are very few people who are as good at what they do and as good of people as Sal. He started as my producer and has really turned into a dear friend and trusted mentor in many ways.
What are you doing during your stay at home quarantine? I’m getting to spend a lot of time with my kids which has been a blast and also tiring! That’s been the best. Of course, I’ve also been doing a lot of music stuff – writing like crazy, shooting a lot of cover videos to release, working on booking, etc. It’s been a really great time to focus on things that I’ve never had time to focus on before. I’m getting a bit restless, like everyone else I think, but it’s honestly been one of the most productive months of my life. What is the first thing you are going to do when we are allowed to venture out of our homes? I hope I get to go see a concert. I am a music fan first and foremost and this quarantine has caused me to miss a lot of shows, so I want to go see one. Instagram and Facebook Live have been great, but you can’t beat the live experience. Since everyone is stuck at home can you share your favorite cocktail recipe? An Old Fashioned has been my go to for a few years now. There are a million recipes out there, and it’s a pretty flexible drink, depending on what you like. The recipe I’ve found that I enjoy most is:
2oz Rye Whiskey (High West Double Rye is my favorite)
1 barspoon Simple Syrup (1 part water, 1 part sugar)
3-4 dashes Orange Bitters
Splash of Water
Stir all ingredients in a glass and add ice, preferably one large cube. Garnish with an orange peel and enjoy!
Where are some of your favorite places to eat in St. Louis/your hometown? There are some pretty famous, well-known places in St. Louis. But you can find those on Google. I’ve got the underground recommendations for you.
Mulligan’s wings are the best wings in town. Awesome neighborhood bar in the West suburbs. Nothing better than a Saturday at Mulligan’s with wings, beer and college football.
We have a lot of good BBQ here – out of loyalty for my hometown of Eureka, Super Smokers is my favorite BBQ.
Mom’s Deli in South City is legitimately the best sandwich you can get anywhere. The Mom’s Special or the Roast Beef. Unreal.
If I’m being fancy and taking my wife out for a nice dinner, Gamlin Whiskey House is the go to. Best Old Fashioned in town and you can’t beat a good steak. What's the most unusual thing you've ever eaten? I think pig ears? That seems weird to me. I’m not the kind of guy that’s going to try fish eyes or monkey brain or anything. I’d say pig ears at Lockland Table in Nashville. They were so good. What kitchen appliance do you use every day? Nespresso machine. I drink about six shots of espresso a day… I think I’m keeping them in business. What is one thing you can tell us that most people don’t know about you and might surprise us? Generally, I’m pretty quiet and to myself. But when I go to weddings, I will tear a dance floor UP. That makes it sound like I’m a good dancer – I’m not. But I go all out at weddings. Finally, if you could be sponsored by one food/drink brand who would it be and why? High West Whiskey. They’re out of Utah and have a restaurant in Park City. My family has been going to Sundance Utah for 20+ years and always stop into the High West restaurant so it’s become a favorite. Their Double Rye is my favorite whiskey out there.
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