Matt Wilson

MATT WILSON

Birthplace Henderson, Kentucky
Birthday January 28
Instrument Bass, Guitar, Vocals
Inspired by his uncle's Southern Rock cover band, Matt began playing guitar at age thirteen, sneaking his grandfather's guitar out of the closet when adults weren't around. Hearing Stevie Ray Vaughn for the first time turned his head around, leading him to hole up for hours on end practicing. Discovered at age fourteen playing in a music store by a Top 40 college cover band, Matt played his first show a month later before 2500 people. Continuing with the group all through high school, Matt would sneak out of the house after his parents were asleep to play shows.

Graduation brought Matt to Indiana University, where among numerous other musical pursuits he played in a funk band with Demian. That association led to Matt being asked to join Socko as a guitarist in 1995. He was with the band for six months, then left to finish school and found the group Homunculus with college buddies. After a successful three year run with that band, Matt left to pursue other musical interests. On a dare, he began playing bass on blues gigs and songwriters nights. It was then that he was asked to rejoin Johnny Socko in 1999, completing the lineup.

Matt comes from an old-school, stripped-down style of bass playing. "I consider myself as a team player, rather than in individual player. I see Dylan and I as one unit, providing the foundation to anchor the musical craziness on stage," he says. Other interests for Matt in addition to guitar and bass are motorbikes, soccer, home recording (he's a whiz with found percussion), and home brewing.

Matt Wilson proudly endorses SIT Strings.

Send a message to Matt