Matt Stillwell has managed, in this age of American Idol and viral videos, to build his following the old-fashioned way--one city, one club, one crowd at a time. Now, with the release of his new CD, Shine, fans nationwide can experience the magic that Matt brings to bear every time he steps in front of a microphone. Shine showcases the qualities that have brought him to the threshold of national attention--the songwriter's knack for finding the truth in any situation, the vocal chops to do justice to the joy and passion in each song, and the ability to take an audience on a roller-coaster of emotion and leave them better for the ride. Matt, best known as a performer with a rowdy sense of fun, opens his sophomore album with the title-track "Shine," an anthem to the joys of the Mason jar and the moonshine produced in places like Matt's beloved western North Carolina. It's a song in a league with some of modern country's best sing-along anthems, and it is the perfect starting point. There is also "Whiskey Well," about the process of turning heartache into a party, and "Dirt Road Dancing," celebrating the outlook that says the music should be loud, the drinks cold and the men and women single and rowdy. Dig a little deeper, though, and you'll find Matt's keen eye for the nuances of love and loss, and the twists and turns of a good story. There is "Somewhere Between Me And You," with its unblinking look at a relationship gone wrong, "Go Away," dealing with the aftermath of lost love, and "Moment Of Weakness," a harrowing look at temptation and the decisions that change everything. Matt, who wrote five of the albums ten cuts, also demonstrates his ability to make a song his own, as he captures all the longing in Ryan Adams' "Oh My Sweet Carolina." Shine showcases a performer who can be rowdy and side-splittingly funny as well as passionately engaging, and for whom music is simply an extension of his personality. A Sylva, North Carolina, the outdoor paradise lent its teachings in bluegrass, country and Southern gospel music to Matt with his list of influences including Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Ronnie Bowman and Ben Harper.     After attending Belmont University, the music business school that nurtured Trisha Yearwood, Brad Paisley, Lee Ann Woman and Josh Turner, Matt realized he just wanted to learn enough guitar to be able to write and sing demos. Shortly after, he was playing clubs in Knoxville and surrounding areas, drawing enthusiastic crowds in Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, Statesboro, Chapel Hill, and Asheville. His lifestyle at first was a Spartan one--just him, his car, his guitar, and the couches of friends in each town. Word spread, the crowds got bigger, and he began opening for acts like Luke Bryan, Lee Brice, Chris Knight, Zac Brown and Corey Smith, and working festivals with the likes of Trent Tomlinson and Jake Owen. Matts recent affiliation, however, is not with an artist but with Catdaddy Carolina Moonshine.  The marriage has given Matt the opportunity to headline field parties that help him and his fans live out his rowdier material.




"I want to do the big field parties, and the intimate little clubs, says Matt.  I want to do the me-and-a-guitar thing and I want to work more with a full band.  His big dream brings it all full circle, Someday I'd like to sell out the Ryman for a gig that was just me and my acoustic guitar, he says. I think that would be the ultimate gig ever." Gig-to-gig and night-after-night, Matt continues to attract followers with his charming good looks and earnest passion for entertaining.  Without a doubt, Matt is as simple, smooth and pure as the moonshine he sings about.  So sit back, take a seat or take a sip, and get ready to watch Matt Stillwell truly shine.