The Haven Social Club

Born during a blackout in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, 31 year old Matt Masters is stepping out of the shadows and on to the national stage. Matt was raised and lives in Calgary where he has been a leading member of the local music scene for over a decade.

Matt has sung onstage with Dale Watson at the Continental Club in Austin, performed alongside blues masters Jeff Healey and Madagascar Slim, sat in with members of Prairie Oyster and Blue Rodeo. Not bad for an unsigned self managed honky-tonk singer-songwriter.

In the mid-90’s Matt began his music career by organizing a one-day rock music festival in Calgary. Matt then started solo acoustic shows in 1998 the Calgary area. By 2000 he had formed the first incarnation of his band, the gentlemen of the rodeo, and by 2001 he was opening for up and coming acts like Neko Case and Corb Lund as well as established honky-tonk veterans like The Reverend Horton Heat and Ray Condo. Established in the alt-county and indie scene at home, Matt moved to Toronto in 2002 where he
was quickly adopted into the Toronto roots music community, again, performing alongside rising stars, such as Justin Rutledge and Ndidi Onukwulu and established performers like Wendell Ferguson and Chris Whiteley. During his time in Toronto Matt was also working as the General Manager of the Toronto Blues Society.

Photo: Matt Masters, live on June 6.
Credit: Sean Kent Dykink