Chris Matthews (Australian musician)

Christopher John Matthews was born in Western Australia. At the age of 13, in Perth, Matthews started learning electric guitar and played heavy metal.[1] He later recalled, "The first thing I learnt was the solo from Metallica's 'One'."[2] From the age of 17 he was performing country music regularly for two-and-a-half years before touring the west coast to Darwin and then to Townsville.[1] Early in 2004 he relocated to Melbourne, where he played at various local venues.[1] By that time he was using an acoustic guitar or 12-string slide guitar with a stomp box.[1]

By December 2010 he was based in Kununurra and was one of 20 finalists in the Tamworth Toyota Star Maker Quest for 2011.[3] During the previous five years he had toured nationally five times.[2] In April 2013 his five-track extended play, Five Songs for Six Strings (2012), had two tracks played regularly on national radio, "Getting Things Done" and "That's What They Call Learning".[4]

By June 2015, Matthews had released four albums and toured nationally.[5] His style of guitar playing incorporates unorthodox finger picking techniques and alternate tunings;[2] he sings with a baritone voice.[6][7]