Matt Walsh - Guitar / Vocals
Chuck Cotton - Drums / Vocals
Matt Hill -Bass / Guitar / Lapsteel / Barritone Guitar / Vocals
Influences
Muddy Waters, Robert NightHawk, Howlin' Wolf, Willie Johnson, Robert Lockwood Jr, Jimmy Rogers, Bob Margolin, Berry Harris, Max Drake, Johnny Guitar Watson, Louis Myers, Scotty Moore, Hubert Sumlin, Keith Richards, T- Bone Walker, BB King, Eddie Taylor, Luther Tucker, Earl Hooker, John Lee Hooker, Chuck Berry, Elmore James, Lonnie Johnson, Litttle Richard, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Reed, Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson, Johnny Shines, Charlie Christian, Elvis at age 19 or so, Link Wray.
"Matt Walsh...Soulful playing, great vocals...It's great to hear young musicians playing in the tradition. That's the only way the Blues will stay alive "
-Paul Osher (Blues harmonica master and former harmonica player for Muddy Waters Band).
"They love Old School Chicago Blues and have both already gone a long way towards playing it with authentic tone and command of the guitar language. Both of them can sing it too, and improve every time I hear them. They are young today and will keep this style alive on bandstands and preserve it as and preserve it as more than history. They may develop so much themselves that they carry the style forward with their own contributions."
-Bob Margolin former guitarist for Muddy Waters Band, writer and columnist for Blues Revue magazine (Aug/Sept 2006 issue interview with Matt Walsh and Matt Hill).
"Every song on the album was penned by Walsh. You really can't take a musical journey like this disc takes you on without playing your own music. Walsh has a lot of original ideas and works some out on this disc, but you know there are many more ideas still in his head. Give him time and he should be putting out shining gems in the future. Hard Luck is an excellent start to his recording career. This is a foundation that can launch him onto one of the Blues labels out there. He hits so many bases on this album that he will find a comfortable niche and blast off from there. He is not an artist who will be happy playing just one style. He is very versatile and that seems to keep him satisfied."
- Blueswax
"Hard Luck” is rough-edged and magnificent. For a modern era, when a cover of classic is sometimes seen as a mandatory validation, it is a pleasant surprise to be presented with an album entirely of originals. While Matt Walsh is never going to make his fortune as a writer, the songs on the album are well constructed and written with that unique voice in mind. What "Hard Luck" does, above all, is present the Blues as they should be - tough, uncompromising and honest."
-Blues Matters
"the groove he puts out on Hard Luck is, without a doubt, deep Chicago blues. What's most impressive is that each of the dozen songs on the CD were written by Walsh. If this guy rode a time machine back to the early 1950s, he could probably line up a gig as a house songwriter at Chess Records"
- Blues Bytes
"Walsh’s work has been on the scene for some years, but he is now being recognized as one of the best guitarist from a list of new, up and coming Blues musicians, and the man is still improving. His second album, ‘Hard Luck’ ( Raw Tone Records ) is nothing short of awesome and it enjoys a hot accompaniment! On ‘Hard Luck’ Matt features his core band featuring Jesse Major (Dog House bass) and Kyle Couch (drums), and he is routinely supported with remarkable guests...Overall, the Chicago Blues, Piedmont Blues and even mandolin floated Delta Blues make all the songs individual and masterful. This young person has already proved a lot in the contemporary Blues culture and his original songs are of a very high level, certain open doors for the future."
- Rootstime
"When you listen to him, you find yourself wondering just which old vault of Delta or Chicago blues did he find his songs in. You just KNOW you’ve heard that song SOMEWHERE, but it just won’t come to you. But you are wrong. Matt’s deep understanding of the blues allows him to create authentic but original songs that ring true to the soul. It is just astounding"
- Nonzine
"At the age of 27, Matt Walsh, you may be tempted to think, must have struck a deal with the Devil at some dusty Mississippi crossroads beneath a blood-red moon. After all, how else could someone get so good at playing the Blues?
-The Daily Times ( Knoxville Tennessee )
"It was worth to wait for your album to come, it's a killer! First thing I've noticed after pressing play button in my stereo is the sound - vintage, old school Chicago blues sound that you don't hear too often today. It's obvious that you have spent lot's of time listening to the classic blues stuff. Your guitar tone is fat and dirty, just the way I like it. It reminds me of guys like Jody Williams - those players who knew it all, not only flashy solos but also deep rhythm patterns. Together with emotional vocals and your ability to write interesting songs that makes a total package. With some great musicians behind your back you've recorded one of the coolest classic blues albums I've heard this year! With such an album you have lot's of good luck coming your way!It will be my pleasure to feature your music in my shows. I'm sure my listeners will enjoy it as much as I do!
Matt Walsh is a 30 year old blues vocalist / guitarist / songwritter from North Carolina, where he is currently based. His primary sound is rooted in the old school southside Chicago Blues style of the 1950's with musical detours that venture into Rockabilly, Jump Blues, and 50's Rock genres as well.
Influenced by Bluesmen like Robert Nighthawk, Howlin' Wolf, T-Bone Walker, Willie Johnson, Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Johnny Guitar Watson, Matt has dedicated himself to playing the blues. His wailing, singing, raw distorted guitar tone, coupled with his soulful vocals have stunned music critics and fans everywhere agree that his stripped down blues approach is authentic and real.
Matt's newest album 'Hard Luck' (Raw Tone Records) features 12 original songs and has earned high praise and favorable reviews from respectable and well-known Blues sources and publications. The sophmore follow-up to his previous album 'Goin' Back South', was produced by and features Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin, who has helped a great bit to bring attention to Walsh. From 1973-1980, Margolin played guitar in Chicago Blues legend, Muddy Waters band, touring worldwide and recording, and learning to play Muddy's powerful music directly from him.
In the past few months, 'Hard Luck' has been played on on over 360 Blues radio programs across the United States and abroad. It has sustained a position on many of these stations as well. One Blues disc jockey even went so far as to call 'Hard Luck' the best Blues album to date of 2007. in July 2007, 'Hard Luck' was added to Blues Deluxe which syndicates to 100 plus radio stations along side Blues legends like Muddy Waters, James Cotton, and Johnny Winter.
The title track from Matt's new album will also be featured on Bill Wax's Bluesville on XM radio ch. 74 as a "Pick to Click" for the week of August 18th 2007.
Matt was also recently interviewed by Bob Margolin in 2006 in the well-known blues US publication Blues Revue magazine, which provided an insightful article that further confirmed Matt's talents.
Hey Matt, Thanks for accepting my invitation!! Welcome! I really enjoy your music. Check out some other great music, surf my friends, or my playlist! I try to get everyone on one of my play list! Over 1200 songs and growing!! THANKS TO MY FRIENDS!! I'm here to post the music I find!:) THANKS AGAIN, JOHN ;)
Great show last night @ The Second Fret!! Will be out to see you again SOON, also loved your knowledge of Blues history that you shared with your audience. Northern California needs to hear you!
Apparently the Myspace nannies won't forward to that link I sent, but just copy/paste if you want to hear it - it ain't nothin' but good stuff, I promise.
Great show tonight, Matt! I thought you might enjoy hearing another version of Jimmy Reed's "Baby What You Want Me To Do?" This is Jay Farrar (Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt) on vocal and harmonica with Brian Henneman (The Bottle Rockets) on lead guitar and Mark Spencer (Blood Oranges) on rhythm recorded 10-10-01 at The Music Zone (RIP) in Asheville. I was there and it was sublime...
I'm an idiot and failed to ask for friday night off from work... so I don't think I'll be getting to see y'all play. But feel free to stop by McDonalds and say hi! We're open til midnight on Fridays (thus the reason I wont be off in time to see y'all play)
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