Music & Me with … Matt Boydston

- 01 Jul 2018 -

Image: Matt Boydston, Singer, Writer, Guitarist, from Vancouver, WA

When were you first introduced to music?

In a giant two-story farmhouse in Lancaster, New Hampshire! I was the ‘whoops’ that arrived in the family very late and the house was full of music by the time I showed up. My father played mandolin, guitar and banjo, Mom played piano and autoharp. My oldest sister, Suzanne, guitar, my next sister Kathy, banjo, and my two brothers, Harold and Howard played records, and my sister, Jen, guitar. I took up the autoharp when I was about five.  Mom would set it on the table and I’d push the keys and strum and sing, “On Top of Old Smokey”, as long as no one was listening, lol. And when someone wasn’t playing there was music on a record player: Ed Ames, The Sons of the Pioneers, Dylan, Pete Seeger, The Doors, Joni Mitchell, The Who, John Denver, Neil Diamond, The Beatles……

Tell me about your favourite music teachers

Not to slight any of the brilliant teachers I’ve had, but Ms Maliszewski (now Tousignant)  – Ms Mal – as we called her, showed me music is a gift you give that truly touches people, a form of communication with depth beyond words; given a few well-placed cords over several bars you can hug ten thousand people at once. I only enjoyed her teaching for a year or two while in High School Band, and a few private piano lessons, but she taught me to be serious about the craft and to let the joy of performance and creation sweep me away.

What are your fondest musical memories?

Making music with my Dad; just sitting in the living room, guitar, banjo, mandolin and a myriad of old Western and Folk songs that he would play and sing while I would cord along, pure bliss.

What is your favourite TV theme tune and film soundtrack?

The theme from Friends: “I’ll Be There for You” by the Rembrandts, it makes my feet want to move. Film soundtrack is a tossup; the original Jungle Book had some seriously rocking tunes that I continue to sing and George of the Jungle, between the theme song and “Dela”, I am, as Baloo says, “Gone, solid gone.”

What was the last download/ CD you bought? ​

The Singles by Carlos Wilde, great collection of songs by a fantastic Indie Artist.

You have been given a voucher for €330.00 to spend on equipment, downloads, vinyls, CDs, DVDs or concert tickets. How will you spend it?

Probably on espresso trying to decide what to spend it on! Most likely on concert tickets and downloads, I love both sides of a venue, the stage or the audience, and I always learn something from the artist. And downloads are a fantastic way to support other Indie creators.

How do you balance your music with other obligations?

Precariously!! Seriously though, I work hard at giving my full attention to what I’m doing so it’s more committing than balancing. Whether it’s time with my wife, day-job, family, garden, or making music, I strive to be at each fully. But the music never stops writing in my head and sometimes when I get to the music time my head is brimming or I have half a set of lyrics scrawled on a napkin or receipt. For instance, “Old Soul Girl” was mostly written during my day-job in roughly ten minutes; when I come play a theater near you I’ll finish the story!

Happiness is ​… giving, a smile, a hug, a kind word, a song, encouragement, understanding, a couple bucks, lunch, a shoulder, help, not to sound cliché, but just loving people. Without each other, what do we have? And without loving each other what is the value of what we have?

LINKS

You can purchase Matt’s music via these links

Web: http://www.mattboydston.com/

Twitter​: https://twitter.com/MattBoydston

Napster: https://us.napster.com/artist/matt-boydston

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3pX5aTAEZGMf4CnpgmveGg

CDBaby: https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/MattBoydston

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/182-6326465-3631710?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=matt+boydston&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Amatt+boydston

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/going-places/id921732390

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MattBoydstonMusic/?ref=tn_tnmn

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattboydstonmusic/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3HkCx0o67etiK1823THy4Q

Qshop: https://www.jamieslate.com/qshop

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/matt-boydston


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