I am a singer, songwriter and guitar player of world and Canadian music, played Alberta style. I’ve been singing since I was a kid, and began to perform in front of people 15 years ago. Performing has been my sole source of income since 2004. I do about 70 performances annually across Canada and more recently, internationally. I’m a self-managed, independent artist who makes a living singing.
In July 2011 I released my third album, All-Western Winners. The album was produced by John Ellis and is supported by the Calgary label, Saved By Vinyl.
The past year has been witness to my first TV special, (CBC TV’s Grand Cariboo Opry) my first singing and acting debut in a feature film, (A Legend of Whitey) a tour of Mexico, two tours to Manitoba and one tour to British Columbia. Over the past two years I toured from England and Turkey to Germany and Qatar, taking Canadian country music to places it has rarely been.
The last job I had apart from being a country-singer was in 2008, when I pretty much spent the year working as a play write. On account of that, in September 2009, I was awarded the Telus Arts Award for Artistic Innovation at the Mayor’s Evening for Business and the Arts in Calgary. The award recognized my body of live performance and my ability to build unique musical events. Here is what the program said about me.
Matt Masters is a community builder. He uses innovation and imagination to create projects that provide new outlets for musicians, challenging artists and audiences to rediscover the country-western art form.
– Program for the 2009 Mayor’s Evening for Business and the Arts. 09/21/09
In 2008 I premiered my first full-length musical play, “Don Coyote.” It opened to strong reviews in Calgary and was promptly booked to play Nuit Blanche (2008) festival in Toronto, where it was performed before 8,000 people. Subsequently, I took the show to London, England (2009). Excerpts of the play have been shown at the High Performance Rodeo (2010) EnBridge New Playrites festival (2009) and at the Biennale De Montreal (2007.)
Before I committed myself to working as a country singer, I spent 10 years at university getting a 4-year degree. To my credit, I got it. I have a degree in History from the University of Calgary (2002) and spent two years as the General Manager of the Toronto Blues Society (2003-2004.) I am also bi-lingual.
I have shared the stage with the lots of people over ten provinces, one territory, nine other countries on three continents and the better part of twelve years. A few highlights include: Corb Lund, Paul Brandt, Jeff Healey, Barney Bentall, Emerson Drive, The Reverend Horton Heat, Neko Case, Sam Baker, Romi Mayes, Justin Rutledge, Blue Rodeo, Prairie Oyster, Billy Cowsills, Wendell Ferguson and many more. I’ve performed for the Prime Minister, the Governor General, the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations and Wayne Gretzky.
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