Album Notes

"Matt Brown can take his place among the finest fiddlers of his generation" - Sing Out!, Fall 2006

"Matt Brown is an old-time fiddler who has amassed quite an impressive musical resume. For his latest project, he has gathered some of his favorite Appalachian fiddle tunes...The extensive liner notes documenting the songs adds further luster to this first-class production. Anyone who appreciates authentic old-time fiddling would be well-advised to add "Lone Prairie" to their library" - Bluegrass Unlimited, August 2006

"This is a very tasty CD from the fine young old-time fiddler, Matt Brown...both Paul Brown and Beverly Smith provide perfect instrumental accompaniment for the central voice on this CD, Matt's fiddle...I don't see how these three fine musicians could have done a better job of this."
-The Old-Time Herald, August-September 2006

"Matt Brown is a talented and disciplined fiddler with a strong command of his bow. There is a sureness to his work that makes it a joy to hear...A real gem of a first recording from a very promising young fiddler."
-Fiddler Magazine, Winter 2006/07


Matt Brown plays traditional Appalachian music with a command that belies his age. Onstage, Matt is entertaining and informative, presenting an eclectic mix of tunes and songs. He has established himself as a master fiddler, both authentic and innovative. He has studied with fiddle greats Brad Leftwich, Rafe Stefanini, Bruce Molsky, Dirk Powell, and Bruce Greene.

“Lone Prairie,” is a collection of 18 traditional Appalachian tunes and songs. On it, he presents a range of material spanning from the common (Arkansas Traveler, Old Joe Clark) to the unusual (Cookhouse Joe, Stuart’s Long Bow). Brown's fiddling is clean and powerful, well grounded in tradition, but also innovative and playful. He is joined by two veterans of traditional music, Paul Brown and Beverly Smith. Paul, who is no relation to Matt, plays a variety of old-time banjo styles masterfully. Beverly plays rhythm guitar and sings in a beautiful, unadorned voice.

Matt performs as a musician with Rhythm in Shoes, a percussive dance ensemble based in Dayton, Ohio. Under the direction of bandleader Rick Good (of the Hotmud Family), Matt plays a range of music, including hoedowns, jazz ballads, rock grooves, calypso waltzes, and hornpipes. His band-mates include Pete Sutherland, Ben Cooper, and Kevin Anderson. Rhythm in Shoes is a touring group equally at home in a theater and in front of a festival crowd.

Matt Brown has appeared as a guest artist with Uncle Earl, The Wilders, and Crooked Still. He has performed at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, The Wheatland Music Festival, The Cityfolk Festival, The Appalachian String Band Music Festival ("Clifftop"), The New England Folk Festival, The Hiawatha Traditional Music Festival, and The American Roots Festival. He also performs with Paul Brown as the Brown Brothers, with singer Annie Patterson (co-editor of Rise Up Singing), and with multi-instrumentalist and singer Joe Newberry.

In addition to performing, Matt has taught fiddle workshops in the United States and England. He is an active studio musician and producer. A majority of his recorded work, including “Lone Prairie,” is on the 5-String Productions label (www.5-string.com).