Celeb Secrets Country: How would you describe your sound for someone who hasn’t heard you yet?
Matt Gary: “My music is mix between new country and traditional country. I’m a fan of all types of music. I try to incorporate certain feels or tones that hear from all genres into my music, while still keeping it country. I’m a big believer in the story of the song. That’s always #1 to me.”
Celeb Secrets Country: Who are your biggest musical influences?
Matt Gary: “My two biggest influences are Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban. Kenny from a story telling and live show stand point – he can engage a crowd like no other artist out there, it’s powerful to see. Keith is never afraid to push the envelope and try new things with his music. Every time he releases a record, there is something that is unique and cool. He is constantly stretching the boundaries.”
Celeb Secrets Country: Tell us about your new lyric video for “Back!”
Matt Gary: “The lyric video is shot in a first person perspective and is one continuous shot – which is kind of weird for a video, yet came out great I think. I then had the idea to have the director flash imagery of the girl and memories of the relationship up on the wall…. Almost like it was taunting him.”
Celeb Secrets Country: What made you choose “Back” as your single?
Matt Gary: “One of the co-writers of the song, Aaron Scherz, had me listen to “Back” after a writing sessions of ours and I was instantly intrigued. I like how the song could vividly paint the picture of what was going on for the listener. When we got into the studio, we set the song in this cool groove and from the first down beat you could feel the energy this song was going to have.”
Celeb Secrets Country: What can we expect to see from you the rest of this year?
Matt Gary: “We are fairly close to finishing up the radio tour that we started in November 2016. We have a good amount of radio shows coming, as well as fair and festivals for the summer. If the song does as well as we hope it will – we’ll be touring in the fall. That’s the goal for 2017: Get out on the road and stay out on the road!”
Celeb Secrets Country: What can you tell us about your upcoming EP release this summer and your upcoming album release in the fall?
Matt Gary: “The EP is almost complete. We are putting some finishing touches on it and recording one more song. I’m really pumped to get this EP out there for people to hear. My goal, working with my producer, Jeremy Stover (Justin Moore), was to let each song have a life of its own. Obviously you go into the studio with a game plan, but it’s really cool to see what happens when you get in there with all the musicians, and the vibes you get. Each song is different than the other, but at the same time fit cohesively to a make the project come together as a whole.”
Celeb Secrets Country: What has been your biggest accomplishment over the past year?
Matt Gary: “Throughout the radio tour I’ve gotten to do some really special things that I never thought would happen. Travel the country playing music; playing for Cumulus at their headquarters in Atlanta. We just got back from NYC where we played at iHeartRadio for the entire staff, which was an amazing experience. Being able to meet the media at the ACM’s was a dream come true… I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of these things, but for me, it’s going to be releasing this EP and then full album that I’m going to consider my biggest accomplishment. I’ve been in Nashville for 9 years and have been working on this day for a long time! To have a record deal and release an EP/Album on a label is seeing a hard-won goal achieved.”
Celeb Secrets Country: Do you have any funny stories from any recent live performances?
Matt Gary: “HA-HA. During a live performance I get into the song obviously and really try to deliver the story…. But sometimes I get so into it that I’ll just forget the words. A verse comes around and BAM! My mind is empty. I wish that I could say this has only happened once or twice.”
Celeb Secrets Country: Since we are Celeb Secrets Country, do you have any secrets or fun facts about yourself that you would like to share with us – something you haven’t shared with any other publication?
Matt Gary: “I consider myself to be a fountain soda connoisseur, HA! For some people its coffee, whiskey, beer (I do like beer!) but for me its fountain Coke. That’s usually what starts my day — a fountain Coke…. preferably from McDonalds.”
