Matt Hires
May 19, 2013
Matt Hires is a singer-songwriter from Tampa, Florida. Drawing inspiration from influences as disparate as The Band, Sufjan Stevens, Wilco and Ryan Adams, Matt became the first artist to sign with F-Stop Music, an imprint of Atlantic Records.
Matt's father, also a musician, introduced him to music at a young age, giving him the handmade guitar that Matt continues to play. Initially drawn to the punk, Post-hardcore, and Emo scenes, Matt later developed an interest in artists like Tom Petty and Bob Dylan, which explains the uniqueness of his vocal and instrumental harmonies that dabble in both traditional and contemporary musical realms.
Hires began working with producer Eric Rosse (Sara Bareilles, Tori Amos, David Archuleta), and together they recorded his first full-length record. Hires released his debut EP, Live From the Hotel Cafe, under F-Stop Music/Atlantic Records, on October 7, 2008. Although only four songs in length, the EP gained him solid exposure, with critics comparing him to the likes of Jack Johnson, John Mayer, Matt Costa, Mat Kearney, and Bright Eyes. But still, critics conceded that Hires has a sincerity and authenticity of his own.
On July 28, 2009 Hires released his debut full-length album, Take Us To The Start, featuring his first single, "Honey Let Me Sing You A Song." The album also features "You in The End", co-written by Sara Bareilles. Tracks from Take Us To The Start have appeared on Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Cougar Town on ABC and Life Unexpected on The CW. His latest single is entitled, "Restless Heart," off his Forever EP, which is out now.