Interviewing Matt Bohannon about music can be a little tricky: by the time you finish asking him about one band, he will have formed a new one.
“It’s all about the love of music,” he laughs.
At the moment, he’s working on a new song. He has a title: Losing You. He also has a melody and a few lyrics: “Arising sun of silver and green / The world could show you anything.”
At this stage in the creative process, there’s no telling where the song may end up. Matt is probably best known as the shaggier of the Bohannons, the Chattanooga brothers who’ve toured all over the Southeast with their namesake band. But he’s also just as happy to form a new band among the many musicians he meets at the Cherry Street Tavern - bands like The DSFN or the Big Ole Roots.
“Sometimes me and Marty will collaborate on a song, but these days it’s more common that we bring songs to each other,” he explains. Some songs naturally lend themselves to the big rock sound of the Bohannons, while others might be better suited to a different style.
Most recently, he’s finished an album of songs that blend psychedelic country with classic rock. The band started as a stripped down trio with Justin Colburn on bass and Kevin Rupp on drums. But over the process of rehearsing, performing and recording, the band evolved to include Marcus White on keys, Catherine Campbell on backing vocals, Lon Edridge on steel guitar, Conrad Hyde on Cello, John Bouleware on fiddle, and Daniel Foster on guitar and mandolin.
“I knew it was going to be a big record because we were starting with a six-piece band. And Jarrod Gee’s production skills allowed for wildcard instruments on different tracks.” Some of those unexpected wildcards include Randy Cantrell’s contribution of trumpet and saxophone on “We Want Peace,” a song born out of the unrest of 2020 and Bohannon’s belief that in spite of our differences most people just want peace.
But that album still only represents a fraction of his creative output. He also hosts a weekly open mic night at the Cherry Street Tavern, the venue owned by his brother. On Sundays when the bar is closed, he’s been recording albums for various musicians. Along with his neighbor Walt B. Filmin, Matt’s also started making music videos.
And as a father of three, it only seems natural that he’d start a family band as well. “We’re called The Beat-up Beatles, and it’s me and the twins. We made a music video together about aliens coming down from space to join our band.”
Music is a gift he continues to pass down through his family. He remembers his parents enjoyed playing music, and how he was always able to find a guitar to experiment with. Then one Christmas Marty got his own acoustic guitar and Matt got his an electric. It didn’t take long until they were writing songs of their own. “The first song I wrote and performed with a band was called Caller ID,” he recalls with a laugh. He can still remember the first lyric: “I bought this afghan in Afghanistan at an afghan stand.”
From Caller ID all the way to his latest song, Losing You, Matt Bohannnon will discuss musical inspiration and the craft of songwriting at Woodshop Variety Show on January 4th. He will appear along with Catherine Campbell and Alex the Band. The show starts at 8:00 at the Woodshop Listening Room in St. Elmo. There is no cover charge.