The other day, I was driving home from a looong day at work. Tired and exhausted, I turned on one of my favorite local stations – WKNC 88.1. This is the place where I get my fix of musical talent from all different parts of North Carolina.
I remember specifically being stuck in traffic on Wade Ave in Raleigh, when I heard the slow, melancholy sound coming from a guitar. The melody traveled through my ears and relaxed my body and mind. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any more beautiful, a smooth, yet raspy voice traveled through the airwaves. His haunting tale of lost love made me feel like I was in the song with him. I saw the conflict between the boy and the girl, and I hurt for him.
“Let’s put on some bluegrass and think about it…”
As soon as I parked, I looked up the lyrics. Who was this guy? My search led me to a band called Matt Phillips and The Philharmonic from Chapel Hill, NC. Youtube was my next destination. What I found was a melting pot of blues, folk, rock, and a bunch of different instruments. I showed my boyfriend and he was impressed as well. We HAD to see if he was playing anywhere around here. His website (ilikemattphillips.com) told me he’d be at a bar in Raleigh the following week. Done.
As I walked towards the place, I imagined what it would be like. Would there even be a seat available? I kind of hoped not, because I love to be that girl who dances in front of the stage. When I opened the door, I saw about three people, including the bartender. Where was everyone? My boyfriend looked at me and asked if I was sure that this was the right place and time. As I look at the two people sitting at the bar, I noticed something. One of the guys looked very familiar. OH! It was Matt, just chilling, drinking a beer.
I went up and introduced myself and chatted for a little bit. He asked me for any requests and I rattled off a few that I enjoyed listening to on his Youtube page. He then insists on playing for me and my guest, and the rest was history. It was such a cool experience to get to know Matt and the stories behind his music.
Check out the track, “Bluegrass” here.
Thanks for all the feels, Matt.
-Meredith
Adultish 