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Mario Matteoli is an Austin-based singer-songwriter of dynamic proportions. He has been writing songs since the age of five when he would spontaneously write and perform them for his family. His songs are all over the map of American roots. Rock & roll, folk, country, if he loves it, he writes and plays it. To develop these roots and hone his skills Mario has served his time in the trenches.
Moving to Austin from his hometown of Eureka, CA at the age of nineteen, Mario Matteoli had one goal in mind – to become a professional musician. He formed a group called The Weary Boys with hometown buddies Brian Salvi and Darren Hoff in which he played the lead guitar, sang, and wrote the lion’s share of the songs. After one whirl-wind year of street performing, Texas Honky Tonks, and as much cheap beer as they could drink, The Weary Boys had made a name for themselves. They had gone from street performers to headliners at the Continental Club, a feat rarely seen in that short of a time period.
In 2001, The Weary Boys recorded their first self-released album and began touring nationally. They went on to meet their hero Ralph Stanley at his house in Virginia, open for Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Leon Russell, also heroes, play numerous festivals and record four more records. The Wearies had become a premier touring act but had to keep a grueling pace to maintain the very minor level of comfort they had earned. In June of 2006 Mario released his first solo album Hard Luck Hittin’. The album was well received by fans and critics alike. Some likened the album to the “acoustic solitude of Neil Young or the depressed world spun by Townes Van Zandt,” while others simply described it as “fantastic.” In January of 2007 Mario Matteoli called it quits to salvage friendships and pursue his solo career.
In the nearly two years since, Mario has been working to make a name for his self all over again. He has toured, recorded/produced several various projects, played the Austin City Limits Festival, and found the woman he is going to marry. That brings us to the present. Mario has just finished his second self-produced, self-released solo album, golden state. With the official CD release of July 2008, golden state has been receiving praise from critics and fans (links to cd reviews can be found in the blog section). He maintains a band in Austin featuring Jeff Johnston, Wayne Duncan, Jasper Cronem, and fiancée Cayce Marsh with whom he recorded his newest effort. He regularly tours the West Coast as duo with Cayce.
CDs are available at http://cdbaby.com/cd/mariomatteoli or Waterloo Records.
Also, both albums are now available on iTunes.
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