Matt Read is an Austin, TX based guitarist, composer and private instructor. Matt began his professional career at the age of 16 while recording a guest solo on the track “Brave New World” by Dallas based band Blu Shale. Matt would soon be asked to join that band and play shows around the Dallas/Ft. Worth area for several years. At the age of 19 he started teaching privately at The Master’s Touch School of Music while also studying jazz guitar at The University of North Texas under guitarists Joe Lee and Fred Hamilton.
Upon graduation from UNT Matt relocated to San Diego, CA. He quickly became part of the local music scene performing with local artists and composing the music for his debut solo acoustic guitar record entitled First Song (2008). In 2009 Matt was awarded a scholarship to study at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. Matt studied composition, arranging, and jazz guitar with guitarists Tim Miller, Julian Lage, and other outstanding faculty members.
Now residing in Austin, TX, Matt has established himself as an in demand guitarist and teacher known for his outstanding tone, time, taste, and professionalism. Although Matt plays electric and acoustic guitars fairly equally, his touch and sound on the acoustic guitar is particularly acclaimed by his peers and listeners alike. In 2015 he released his second solo acoustic album entitled Onward.
In 2017 he released the album Western Theatre, a collaboration with long time friend and fellow Austin guitarist Chris McQueen from the three-time Grammy winning jazz group Snarky Puppy.
Matt is a regular member of the Naga Valli band, The Royal Dukes Band, and Beth // James. Matt is a Collings Guitars artist, as well as a Jim Dunlop artist. He is also the demo artist for Hill Country Guitars and a founding member of Scotch and Coda Productions with his composing partner Nate Rendon, which composes music for TV, film, and other forms of media.