Matt Andersen

Biography

Matt Andersen is a Canadian blues guitarist and singer-songwriter known for his powerful, soul-drenched voice and dynamic guitar work. Born and raised in the small community of Perth-Andover, New Brunswick, he grew up in a blue-collar environment that deeply shaped the themes of hard work, struggle, and resilience in his songs.[1][4][6] He began his professional music career in 2002 with the local band Flat Top before striking out on his own, quickly earning a reputation as one of Canada’s hardest-working touring artists, often logging around 200 shows a year across Canada, the United States, Europe, and Australia.[1][2][3]

Andersen released his solo debut, Second Time Around, in 2007, followed by Something in Between (2008) and Piggyback (2009), the latter a full collaborative album with harmonica player Mike Stevens.[1][2] A live album (Live from the Phoenix Theatre) and the holiday collection Christmas Time further showcased his ability to command a room with just voice and guitar.[2] In 2011 he recorded Coal Mining Blues at Levon Helm Studios with producer Colin Linden, highlighting his narrative-driven writing and blend of blues and folk.[4] Subsequent releases such as Weightless (2014) and Honest Man (2016) expanded his sound into roots rock and Americana, leading to a Juno nomination for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year and multiple Maple Blues Awards, European Blues Awards, and other honors.[1][2][3]

Musically, Andersen’s style fuses traditional and modern blues with folk, roots rock, and soul, often described as an “earthy blend of blue-collar folk, electric blues, and roots rock” anchored by his commanding stage presence and emotional storytelling.[2][3][4] He has shared stages and tours with blues and rock luminaries including Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy, Gregg Allman, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Randy Bachman, Little Feat, Jonny Lang, Serena Ryder, and others, cementing his standing in the contemporary blues world.[1][3] His relentless touring, acclaimed recordings, and high-profile awards—such as being the first Canadian to win the International Blues Challenge solo/duo category in Memphis—have made him a key figure in modern blues, known for bringing deeply personal, narrative songs to audiences around the globe.[1][3][7]

Fun Facts

• Andersen was the first Canadian ever to win the top solo/duo prize at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in 2010, beating artists from 11 countries and 39 U.S. states.[1][3][7]
• He is known as one of Canada’s hardest-working musicians, frequently performing around 200 shows a year, building his audience largely through relentless touring rather than mainstream radio hits.[2][3][4]
• His early band was called Stubbyfingers, a name he has said he loved and which later became the name of his official website and brand.[3][6]
• Andersen’s song “Let’s Get Back” (from Honest Man) was used in a UK government COVID-19 Test and Trace television advertisement in 2020, tying his music to a major public health campaign.[1]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Bo Diddley - Legendary blues and rock ’n’ roll pioneer with whom Andersen has shared the stage; part of the lineage of classic electric blues and roots that informs Andersen’s style. (Live shared bills and festival appearances (no specific joint recordings documented).) [2000s–2010s (touring era as referenced in career overviews)]
• Buddy Guy - Influential Chicago blues guitarist and singer Andersen has toured and shared the stage with, reflecting the modern electric blues tradition that underpins Andersen’s playing and vocal style. (Live tours and festival performances together (no specific joint studio releases cited).) [2000s–2010s]
• Gregg Allman - Southern rock and blues icon whose blend of roots, blues, and soul parallels Andersen’s own cross-genre approach; Andersen has shared stages with him. (Live appearances and tours; no documented studio collaborations.) [2010s]

Key Collaborators

• Mike Stevens - Harmonica player and one of Andersen’s most significant recording collaborators, partnering on multiple albums that emphasize acoustic blues and roots. (Piggyback (2009) and Push Record (2011), both co-billed projects; extensive touring around these releases.) [Late 2000s–early 2010s[1][2][4]]
• Colin Linden - Producer and guitarist who helped shape the sound of Coal Mining Blues, bringing a roots/Americana texture to Andersen’s songwriting. (Producer of Coal Mining Blues (2011), recorded at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, New York.) [Around 2011[4]]
• Steve Berlin - Producer known for his work with Los Lobos and others; he produced Andersen’s breakout True North album, refining Andersen’s studio sound. (Producer of Weightless (2014), Andersen’s debut for True North Records.) [Circa 2013–2014[2]]
• Commissioner Gordon (Gordon Williams) - Grammy-winning producer (Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone) who brought a broader soul/roots production approach to Andersen’s work. (Producer of Honest Man (2016), recorded in New York.) [Mid-2010s[2]]
• The Big Bottle of Joy (touring/recording band) - An eight-piece ensemble of close musical friends that Andersen assembled to expand his arrangements live and on record. (Album Matt Andersen and The Big Bottle of Joy and associated tours, developed from Halifax shows after initial large-ensemble recording plans were curtailed by pandemic lockdowns.) [Early 2020s[5]]

Artists Influenced

• [[|]] - No specific artists are reliably documented in major sources as direct protégés or explicitly citing Andersen as a primary influence.

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Magnolia
2. The Hammer & The Rose
3. Ain't No Sunshine (Second Time Around)
4. Honest Man
5. Quarter on the Ground (A Song for Uncle Joe) (Halfway Home By Morning)
6. Quarter on the Ground (A Song for Uncle Joe) (Halfway Home By Morning)
7. Other Side of Goodbye
8. Ain't No Sunshine
9. Other Side of Goodbye (House to House)
10. Let It Slide (The Big Bottle of Joy)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #blues