Hailing from Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, blues, folk, rock, country, Celtic and Cajun are all musical threads that weave their way through the songs of Canadian music legend Matt Minglewood.
Matt taps into several styles of music and creates a sound that has focus and a signature that is truly his own. Thirty five years plus of touring, recording and surviving in the music business ensures that his songs portray stories filled with the humor and earthy reality of life on the road.
Matt Minglewood's performances not only showcase great music but also that wonderful heartfelt 'down to earth bearer of good will and good times' hospitality for which the Maritimes is justly famous.
After a quarter of a century and a dozen recordings Matt had just released, his first acoustic cd entitled 'The Story' that includes 12 newly penned songs that grapple with the universal feelings of passion, frustrations, hope, loneliness, love disappointment and regret as well as his deep love of the Maritimes
In a climate ripe with ever-changing musical styles Matt's artistic character
has been defined by his simply remaining true to himself. Matt also possesses
one of the most soulful voices heard today within the country/roots and blues
music. He is on stage the embodiment of a Southern rocker but with an eclectic
twist. He is equally comfortable whether doing a Country ballad, a Celtic air
or 'Rockin' The Blues'.
Matt has released 12 recordings and has amassed numerous awards
& accolades along the way including:
- 2006 East Coast Music Award Blues Recording of the Year for 'The Story'
- 2005 Maple Blues Award 'Entertainer of the Year'
- 2004 East Coast Music Award for Blues Recording of the Year fro 'Live at Last'
- Canadian Country Music Songwriter of the Year award for 'Me and The Boys'
- Lifetime Achievement Award from the East Coast Music Association
- Three Gold Records
- Two Juno nominations
- Two Canadian Country Music nominations
- Two ECMA Awards as well as numerous nominations
- The Great Canadian Blues Award from CBC's National radio show, Saturday Night Blues
- Honorary Doctorate Degree from UCCB
- Bestowed with the Queens Jubilee Medal for his contribution to Canadian music
The Story Reviews
Steve MacDonald – Steve MacDonald Productions (Lunenburg, NS)
“Matt had us captivated from the moment he walked on stage. It was a terrific evening of entertainment. Matt has a way with a song and a way with a story. This was one of our best nights out in a long time.”
Chris Ball – manager The Astor Theatre (Liverpool, NS)
“The Story gave me and my audience an opportunity to meet Matt Minglewood the person not just Matt the performer. His one on one relationship with the audience was great and the music was second to none…he is a true musician and songwriter.”
Joel Wright – CKDU 97.5 Dalhousie Radio (Halifax, NS)
“This was the show I least wanted to see end….and I've even seen Kiss. The songs you've heard before but not like this. And the stories, Matt makes you feel like it's just you and him sitting down having a beer. Amazing!
Pam Marsh – singer, songwriter (Halifax, NS)
“At one point during The Story I had a stitch in my side from laughing too hard and at another point I had tears in my eyes I was so proud of my friend Matt who always gives 200 percent”
Jennifer Crocker- Communication Director Savoy Theatre (Glace Bay, NS)
“When you strip away the big end of production, take away the band and flashy lights and STILL end up with a gargantuan performance, you know then, you're dealing with a real performer. A man with true ability to captivate his audience.”
Michelle Clarke – fan (Halifax, NS)
“I have yet to hear of anyone who has seen The Story say anything negative. He was great. I would absolutely go again and again.”
Wanda Earhard – What's Goin On Magazine (Sydney, NS)
“I actually heard people say they would have gladly paid the ticket price just to hear the stories, so join that with excellent music and it makes for one of the best shows the Savoy has ever hosted”
Sam Moon – singer, songwriter (Dartmouth, NS)
“The Story..a must see! This is an amazing insight into the mind and heart of a true Maritime musical legend ….you actually find out what was behind the writing and discovery of the music that has been for so long a part of our live.”
Pearl McCarthy – fan (Glace Bay, NS)
“I have seen Matt perform in dozens of venues but nothing compares to this! His talent shines, I always knew he was a fabulous musician but his story telling is something else. The 2 and half hours just flew – it was over and left me wanting to hear more. Matt exudes entertainment from every pour in his body.”
Dan MacDonald – Cape Breton Post (Sydney, NS)
“No band, no one to sing backup. Just the man, four guitars and a piano. What evolved was a wonderfully intimate evening with one of Cape Breton's foremost rock and blues entertainers, a look inside his life, his travels and his music …….the audience sang and laughed and cheered.”
Debbie Tibbo – fan (Halifax, NS)
“It was incredible! A fascinating life and a very talented musician/performer”
Lynn Moore – fan (Halifax, NS)
“The Story was fantastic! …when Matt was telling the stories you were transported and put into the scene he was describing. I could visualize the people and the surroundings. It gave the songs that followed each story much more meaning.”
Minglewood Unplugged at Savoy
A night of song,stories... By Dan MacDonald
Cape Breton Post
Last weekend was the first warm one this spring, with days nice enough to work outside. Lots of music happenings as well. Friday night Minglewood played the Savoy. No band, no one to sing backup. Just the man, four guitars, and a piano. What evolved was a wonderfully intimate evening with one of Cape Breton's foremost rock and blues entertainers, a look inside his life, his travel, and his music.
What I found most entertaining were the stories! The background on why he wrote a particular song. Who he learned a song from. Where he was when it happened. Why a certain song is so significant to him. All those little details that take you inside the life and music of Matt Minglewood.
For example, the story about getting married in Alaska by a priest from Belfast, Ireland who spent most of his time promoting the cause of the IRA was followed by 'The Patriot Game'. Stories about travelling in the Canadian Artic (and mislaying band members along the way) rendition of Robert Service's 'Dangerous Dan McGrew'.
Meeting Steve Earle in Amsterdam, and plans to get him to Cape Breton, was the subject of another story. There was one about meeting Jerry Lee Lewis in Memphis and how he almost played on one of Matt's recordings. And meeting a drug-damaged harmonica wizard with holes in his shoes while playing in Alaska, then hearing from him through the Internet in the past few weeks.
And the road stories: driving a bus over his favourite guitar; getting tossed in jail in BC because his brother hadn't paid a fine; sleep-walking at a motel in Gander. And on and on and on!
It made for a wonderful evening and the audience sang and laughed and cheered - and remembered, from the first notes of Me & The Boys' to the final chorus of 'Can't You See'. And we were all young again.
Matt Minglewood - The Story
By Wanda Earhart
May 24, 2002 – Savoy Theatre
Never mind that some of the tales have been told and retold. This was definitely a Minglewood crowd and they just could not get enough of his often wild, mostly humorous recollections from a guy determined to make a living doing what he loves despite what it takes to make it in the business.
Of course there were some heartwarming stories of growing up in North Sydney, of hitting the stage in Mabou at age 4, of running over his guitar (Big Red, which almost has a personality of its own) with the tour bus (twice), and of his marriage to Babs in Alaska 30 odd years ago. There’s no end to the list of characters he’s met and played with either in bars or prisons, yes he has done time (as the guest musician that is), in some pretty rough spaces. But always evident is his ability to make light of most situations he may have found himself in and the results were the details that make for an interesting show, a change in style for him, while a welcome change of pace for any crowd.
A highlight of the night was when Minglewood took to the grand piano and belted out a couple of ballads including “The Patriot Game”, truly showing his versatility as a performer. He mixed a little Gospel, a little poetry, and a huge helping of the blues, which had people on their feet and insisting on not one but two encores before the night was through. I actually heard people say that they would have gladly paid the ticket price just to hear the stories, so join that with the excellent music and it makes for one of the best shows the Savoy has hosted. I have to say it was definitely one of the finer appearances I have seen of Minglewood in the past ten years for sure.
He has a string of solo dates scheduled in the upcoming weeks and hopefully by its end, Matt will be rather comfortable, sharing the stage with his guitars, a piano, his stories and some great songs. This is definitely one show to be brought back in the future, and for those who missed this time around, do yourself a favor and catch The Story next time it comes rockin to your town!