I think it's time to get back on some stages and shake the rust off.
For The Breakdown, even though performing our own original music is our ultimate aim, our North Star in recent years has been the classic country…
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This is a playlist of live performances, both solo acoustic and with the band. I'll keep adding it to it as we collect more and better video.
In 2020, I'm challenging myself to learn 50 cover songs, write 50 original songs, and make quality demos of all 100 of them. That's basically one of each per week with a couple weeks wiggle room. Here is a playlist of them in reverse chronological order (most recent first) and here's a blog post about it.
The Box Factory for the Arts, 1101 Broad Street, St. Joseph, MI
ST. JOSEPH, MI - Alright everyone, after we've all been cooped up for the past two years, it's time to come let your talent out of the box and share it with other like-minded people. Those words were written by Matt Lenny who will take over hosting "Out of the Box Open Mic" at the Box Factory for the Arts, 1101 Broad Steet, on April 13 from 7 to 9 p.m. After the April open mic, the sessions will return to the first Wednesday of each month. Those who perform will be admitted free with a $5 charge for those who come to listen.
The Box Factory is excited to announce the return of the monthly open mic/open jam and all comers are welcome. "Musicians, poets, comedians, actors, jugglers, writers...if you can fill the stage with something creative for 5 to 10 minutes, we'd love to have you," says Matt. "Let's get together and make joyful noises emanate 'out of the Box' once again."
Inspired by a chance encounter with country legend Steve Earle, who showed him that a single chord can sometimes have more power than anything else, local guitarist and songwriter Matt Lenny writes songs that fall somewhere on the rock and roll side of Americana. Matt pursues a powerful simplicity, both as a full band and as a solo singer-songwriter. With simple chord changes and melodies married to heartfelt emotions and old-fashioned storytelling, Matt is a natural leader for the return of the open mic to the Box Factory stage.
For more on this event, contact Matt Lenny at https://mattlenny.com/contact. For other Box Factory events, visit the website at http://www.boxfactoryforthearts.org or follow the Box on Facebook.
A chance encounter with country legend Steve Earle changed everything for guitarist and songwriter, Matt Lenny. As Matt tells it, “I was sitting in Matt Umanov Guitars in Greenwich Village and in walks Steve Earle. He picked up an acoustic guitar and just started strumming some chords. And…I don’t know how to put it except to say that, when he played G and C, it was every country song ever written. When I played G and C, it was just a couple of chords. But, when he did it, it was deep; it had soul and groove and power. It really blew my mind. I’d been touring with all these loud rock bands and had all these fancy guitar chops, but he had the song in every strum. I’ve been chasing that ever since.”
Now living in Michigan, Matt continues to pursue that powerful simplicity, both as a full band and as a solo singer-songwriter. The resulting music is somewhere on the rock and roll side of Americana with simple chord changes and melodies married to heartfelt emotions and old-fashioned storytelling.