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The Music Man
Larry Buchanan,The Apex
August, 2004
Some people know what they want to do as soon as they are born, but for others, it takes a little while. For local musician, Matt Taylor, it took awhile. Taylor, a Homestead High School graduate (class of 1988), now maintains a job as a full-time musician, playing the acoustic guitar and singing at spots around Fort Wayne. But it hasn’t always been that way.
I haven’t always been into music as, like, a serious hobby,” Taylor said. “I’ve always been inspired by music though."
Taylor didn't even pick up a guitar until he was in his early twenties.
“I picked up this guitar with only three bottom strings left one day after graduating college," Taylor states on his web site www.matttaylor.biz.
"I started goofing around with those three strings and at the same time, a friend of mine started teaching me a few easy songs. I soon bought a guitar with three more strings…”
He started playing only because, he said, "I didn't have much of a social life. It was just something to do."
As Taylor continued to grow as a guitarist, he never took it as a serious hobby. Again, "just something to do." He spent the earlier part of his life touching many people’s lives by teaching. With a masters in journalism and a teaching degree from Ball State, Taylor landed his first teaching gig in Lubbock, Texas. After going to a job fair at Ball State, Taylor was on the plane to Texas to teach junior high media studies.
His job in Texas was getting to be too much so he decided to join the Peace Corps.
The Peace Corps took Taylor all the way to Ukraine. Taylor taught the English language to sixth through twelfth graders.
"Joining the Peace Corps was the most rewarding thing I have ever done," Taylor said. "It was physically, intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually the hardest thing I have ever done. You are always on your toes. It was a constant challenge. "Many of Taylor's first songs came out of this experience. He found it to be very inspirational. Taylor also used his music to help his students learn English.
"Ukrainians really like Hotel California," Taylor states on his web site. "The scene over there was inspirational and I wrote lots of songs, and hooked up with other volunteers to have these huge, raucous all night slng-a-longs. I learned so many songs while I was there, just so I could play at these parties."
After two years in the Peace Corps, Taylor came back home to Fort Wayne. While home, Taylor worked for the Macedonian Tribune and for the library, trying to earn some extra cash. He also joined a band named Vertigo. But, to his dismay, the band was unsuccessful.
“I tried the band thing when I got back, but it didn't really work out," Taylor said.
A year had gone by and Taylor was ready to teach again. He got a job teaching for the Bureau of Indian Affairs of Arizona, yet another challenge thrown into Taylor's life. He
taught computer classes, was a yearbook advisor, and also taught an astronomy class in the middle of the Arizona desert.
“I could have walked out my front door and run off to Mexico," Taylor said. "The closest thing to us was a Wal-Mart and that was still about an hour away."
Taylor continued to write and play songs for the three years that he was in Arizona.
"The Arizona desert was another inspirational place, not only for its beautiful and fascinating nature, but for the isolation as
well. I started downloading bass and drum backup files so I'd be able to improve my guitar work and pretend that I was some kind of rock star in my house on the Tohono O'odham Nation."
After three years in Arizona, Taylor was ready to go home once again.
"It was a late decision on my part," Taylor said. "I was ready to go back to teach [in Arizona] in August, but I decided I wanted to come back home. I gave my notice in July, and came back to Fort Wayne."
When Taylor returned home, in the summer of 2002, he decided to take the music career head on.
"I came back to Fort Wayne to start my career as a musician because it was like a safety net to me, "Taylor said."1 knew a lot of people here and I felt it was a place where I could hone my skills to become better."
His first album, Destination, was released in February of 2003,
His second album, All Circles Complete was released this year.
Now, Taylor is hitting it hard. He plays in many spots around Fort Wayne, such as Mid City Bar and Grille, Orchard Ridge Country Club, and Park Place Grill. He does many shows along with Brian Lemert, another local guitarist.
At most of his gigs, Taylor plays the stuff that is going to get the crowd going. He says that he plays a lot of covers, but tries to find room for his original music.
"I'm now finding more opportunities to play my own music, which is essential," Taylor said. "But, somehow I always end up playing 'Sweet Home Alabama', 'Margaritaville', and 'Hotel California'."
No one said the music business was easy, and it sure is keeping Taylor busy. He just got off a trip of 13 gigs in 14 days and he is in the middle of producing his third album.
"I'm in the midst of song writing and producing mayhem," Taylor said. "My cat is starving, I've got dishes piled up in the sink, and I should have shaved."
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