Matt Barber
"The Matt Barber Experience"
At the age when most of his peers are listening to Evanescence, D12, or Usher,
19 year old "Boy Wonder" and true "Road Warrior" Matt Barber is a throwback to a
kinder, gentler era. Matt was born in Peoria, Illinois where he spent his
childhood. Growing up, music was always a major part of his life. Matt began his
musical journey at the age of 10, heavily influenced by acts such as Frankie
Valli and The Four Seasons, The Beach Boys, The Carpenters, and later soloists
to include Brian Wilson, Barry Manilow, and Michael Buble. At a young age, Matt
was exposed to many types of music, listening to his dad, a DJ on Quad Cities
radio station KUUL-FM. He secretly dreamed of someday performing professionally
and recording his own album. Throughout school, Matt was involved in choirs and
loved singing more than anything. It was finally time to take the first bold
step. In 2003, at the age of 16, with the help of producer friend David Saelens,
Matt’s dream came true when he released his debut album "Easy Autumn," a
collection of Easy Listening music produced by musician friend David Saelens.
The next year was spent working on new material and deciding whether or not to
record a new album and begin performing full time. In June 2004, Matt completed
his second album "Peaches and Cream," a collection of fun, upbeat music and
loves songs from the heart. Through his senior year of High School, Matt began
to hewn his craft by performing at every opportunity, from coffee houses, to
bookstores, to malls, to retirement centers. Wherever it was, Matt was there to
deliver songs about love and happy times, through his powerful, yet soft and
heart-warming vocals. From attending school during the day and performing on a
regular basis at night, to planning his first major US Tour, it was a busy and
exciting year. In June 2005, Matt released his fourth album, "Let's Keep In
Touch," an album dedicated to Matt's graduating class. "My goal with each
project is to make it better than the previous one. I feel the new album is
superior both musically, vocally, and production wise. It's fun and relaxing,
innocent, and yet not too serious. I'm very proud of it." This album is my best
work to date, and it was my way of showing [everyone] how much I care. Matt's
show, also known as "The Matt Barber Experience" consists of "fun, upbeat, and
relaxing music from the heart." He describes the music as a blend of Easy
Listening, Soft Rock, Jazz, and Caribbean. With a variety of original music and
popular favorites spanning the past four decades, including music by Barry
Manilow, Frankie Valli, Frank Sinatra to Sting and Michael Buble, Matt provides
an extensive repertoire of music making for a fun, relaxing, and interesting
experience. In 2005 Matt completed a 10 state tour across the western United
States, playing in over 100 different venues including cities like Denver,
Phoenix, Las Vegas, L.A., San Diego, San Francisco, and Sacramento. The tour was
a huge success and a career milestone for Matt. "You just have to get out there
and go after your dream." In 2006, Matt toured the entire East Coast from
Florida to Maine and has been working hard "pounding the pavement." It has not
always been a bed of roses for Matt but he loves traveling and seeing so many
beautiful places. Matt is truly passionate about performing, singing, and
writing music and has put everything on the line to make his dream happen. “When
I perform, I hope to bring some happiness to people and make their evening a
little more enjoyable. If I can help people forget about their problems and feel
uplifted, even for one evening, then I’ve done my job.” While Matt currently
performs solo, he delivers a huge sound. It's unique, it's music that makes you
feel good inside, and it's unlike anything out there. Catch Matt during this
2007 Winter Paradise Tour with stops in Southern California, Las Vegas, and
other warm destinations. Matt's future plans include recording new music for an
album planned to be released later in the year. Matt's albums are available at
CDbaby.com online, and at his shows. “I hope those who hear the music will feel
uplifted."
