If providence hadn't played its part, you might find Matt Wertz's name on a pair of sneakers rather than on a CD cover. But as a result of Matt's earnest desire to follow wherever his passions led him, music, rather than shoe design, was in the plans for this 24-year-old Kansas City native. Familiar and quirky, serious and witty, the introspective artist and the guy next door, Matt Wertz is as unique as the story behind his music.
Matt recalls the exact moment he left his sneaker design aspirations behind and turned to writing songs. Following the purchase of his first real guitar his freshman year in college, he played the first few chords and was instantly inspired. "When I began writing songs, I never intended for anyone to hear them," explains Matt. "It was simply the natural outpouring of my heart." But these songs that were so easily pouring forth would not stay hidden for long, and in a twist of divine intervention, situations to share his music began to arise.
Touring aggressively the past year-and-a half and playing a variety of venues - from college campuses, to bars, to coffeehouses, to an old carpet warehouse ¿ Matt engages listeners with his impassioned breathy vocals and a stage presence reminiscent of a conversation with a good friend. One moment he's evoking laughter by performing boy-band cover songs and spouting off embarrassing stories about himself, the next moment bearing his innermost thoughts for all to scrutinize. And intriguingly enough, each of these facets of his show are equally a part of who Matt is.
After the music fades and the house lights are up, Matt is the guy in faded jeans, a t-shirt and, unsurprisingly, a pair of designer sneakers from his massive collection, mingling with the audience and signing autographs that are more like yearbook entries. As for the future, Matt's plans are simple - in every aspect, in every way he knows how, he wants to keep creating. Whether that means tennis shoes or tales of love, relationship, and faith, Matt knows he can trust whatever is written on the next page of his story. "It's so refreshing to know I'm right where I'm supposed to be," he declares. "And I really haven't had much at all to do with it."
-christine piccione 02/03
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