"One of the most exciting young musicians in bluegrass music today. Matthew has great chops, but he's also got a lot of soul." ~Rob Ickes
From Claire:
We're flat-out DELIGHTED to introduce you to the new member of the Claire Lynch Band, Matt Wingate. Read his bio, below, so you can see the incredible talent he's bringing to our band. Send him a little welcome message (details here), and we'll randomly choose one of you to win his solo CD - it's a gem!
And we're also pleased to announce our representation by TG2 Artists - landing us in some fine company, including Sam Bush, Alison Brown, Solas, Maura O'Connell, and our pal Missy Raines, and to report some fun "best of..." listings for "Whatcha Gonna Do," our latest CD.
About Matt WingateThe newest member of the band may also be the youngest, but Matt Wingate brings impressive credentials and a mature, improvisational musicality seemingly far beyond his years, making him a natural for The Claire Lynch Band.Winning Merlefest's Doc Watson Guitar Championship in 1997 at the age of 15, at a time when he was performing with his family band, Matt later honed his bluegrass chops performing across the U.S. and in Europe as Valerie Smith's lead guitar player. He began performing with the Greencards in 2004, an experience that immersed Matt in a musically broader, more progressive repertoire, deepening his musical vocabulary and his facility with complex arrangements. From 2006-08, his work as a member with a hot young band, The Lovell Sisters, opened the door for Matt to play a more significant creative role, lending a strong hand to the selection and arrangement of material. It also gave him the opportunity to return to the Merlefest stage in 2008, coming full circle to play the festival that was so key to launching his career at age 15.
That year, Matt also released a solo CD, A Good Dream, to excellent reviews.Flatpicking Guitar Magazine featured Matt on the cover of its March/April 2009 issue, praising not only his flatpicking prowess, but also his "top notch" level of musicianship and his considerable talents as a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist (including guitar, mandolin, bouzouki, bass, drums and dobro). Dobro phenom Rob Ickes' appraisal is spot on, terming Matt "one of the most exciting young musicians in bluegrass music today. Matthew has great chops, but he's also got a lot of soul."Find out more about Matt by visiting: http://www.myspace.com/matthewwingate
