mr.downer

In 1998, Matt began a field recording project on Sand Mtn. Alabama, to document the elder musicians living there. He recorded the likes of Jess Moore, Gene Ivey, Lloyd Heidt, Wayne Heard, Stanley Baker and Cast King. He is founder of the Chattanooga based old-time music collective 'Hill City String Band' and plays regularly with Chattanooga old-time groups Citico, the New Binkley Brothers and the Rivercity Roustabouts as well as solo on the streets of Chattanooga.You can hear examples of his field recordings on Cast King's debut album "Saw Mill Man" - Locust Music (Cast released this at the age of 79). Also available are 2 collections produced and sold by Matt himself - "Walking up Sand Mountain" - which features the tunes and tales of fiddler Jess Moore (1911-2005) and "Gray Mule, Brown Mare" - featuring the music and memories of dobro wizard Wayne Heard (1925-present).Matt began playing old-time banjo and fiddle in 2005, taking instruction from Cast King and Jess Moore of old Sand Mtn. and learning by osmosis from playing in Citico and studying the old-time fiddling of Ken Parr and clawhammer banjo playing of Ron Williams. Local tunes were studied and learned from old field recordings of Blaine Smith, Florrie Stewart, Eldia Barbee and Oscar Overturf. Today, Matt can be found carrying on the traditional and regional musical traditions of the Southeastern mountains on the streets of Chattanooga as well as at various venues in the surrounding hills and hollers. ----Leo Chancy-TN Dept. of Transformation