Singer/Songwriter
http://www.myspace.com/wendellmatthewshttp://www.reverbnation.com/wendellmatthews Along with Wendell's original songs, he covers pop, rock, country and folk music spanning five decades. He frequently uses a wireless rig that allows him to stroll among the crowd, making new friends and winning new fans.
Born and raised in Cowan, Tenn., which is 30 miles from Lynchburg where they make Jack Daniel's whiskey, I'm the one in my family who doesn't have a real job, but they don't play the guitar, Matthews said. I've got the blessing and the curse.
He remembers listening to the radio as a small child and wondering about the lyrics to songs, asking his parents questions like, Why did Roger Miller say They ought to take a rope and hang me? Why did he have lipstick on his collar? Why does he want to dance with that girl? People would tell me, They are just songs, but I wanted to know where those words came from, Matthews said. So apparently I was into writing even then.
In high school, Wendell worked on his skills as a musician in the school band and playing guitar and singing with friends in several Country/Rock bands. Never standardized, his tastes in music varied. "I listened to and played everything from Black Sabbath to Doc Watson- Ray Charles to Hendrix. I liked Hank Williams Sr. as well as Allman Brothers."
Moving to Chattanooga after high school, he honed his craft before traveling the country, taking his music from Florida to California- New York to Texas.
Matthews eventually moved to Nashville, where he joined the songwriting community. He had several songs published, but decided to move to an area that allowed him to "just pick and sing and get back into writing my own songs."
A friend in Nashville told him about the Grand Strand and after a visit, Matthews moved there. (The Grand Strand covers the east coast from Calabash, North Carolina to Georgetown, South Carolina. The center of this stretch is Myrtle Beach.)
Entertaining on the Grand Strand for nine years, Wendell Matthews calls Murrells Inlet home and still writes, performs and appreciates many different genres of music.
Now, after recording "damage control"
his 3rd CD of original music, those eclectic influences come through loud and clear.
This is by far the biggest project I've ever done. With the support of my fans, it was a team effort with more than 25 very talented artists, technicians, family and friends
working to put it together.
With everything from a heart-felt tribute to a lost friend, musician Lisa Hudson, to a Rock/Country song called "Dogs Like Me" and a redneck fishing rap, Matthews' "damage control"
has something for everyone on this album.
Written by Clayton Stairs, Georgetown Times, South Carolina
