Matt Stell Writes A New Song Backstage At Guitar Pull
Matt Stell performed at the QYK Guitar Pull. This is the second time that Matt has played the Guitar Pull. Matt talked to J.R. and Launa backstage before performing at the Guitar Pull. Matt Stell writes a new song while doing the interview.
Matt Stell is an Arkansas native whose influences stretch from Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley through Alanis Morissette and Oasis to Miranda Lambert and Jason Isbell. “Classic Country was the first soundtrack to my life when I was little,” he recalls, “and my mom took me to my first concert, which was Randy Travis and Alan Jackson. But the first record I ever bought was Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill.”
His first breakthrough came with the 2X PLATINUM “Prayed For You,” the only debut single to top the Billboard Country Airplay chart in 2019. The PLATINUM follow-up, “Everywhere But On,” made him one of just a handful of new artists to hit the top twice in a row in six years. In the process, he racked up more than half a BILLION total global streams across his catalog while surpassing 27 million views alone for the official music video for “Prayed For You.”
Fun Facts About Matt Stell
The first of the fun facts about Matt Stell is that Matt played basketball in high school, where he guarded LeBron James! He earned an athletic scholarship to Drury University, where he played four years of college basketball. While there, he jump-started his musical life with an old guitar he picked up during downtime on a Christmas break.
The second fun fact about Matt Stell is that he almost gave up on his dreams in music until he took a mission trip to Haiti. He was working alongside doctors, nurses, and pharmacists when he realized if he wasn’t going to have a career in music, he wanted to be able to help people. He applied and was accepted into Harvard University’s Extension School Pre-Med program. Just six weeks before he was to begin, he got offered a publishing deal.
The third and final fun fact about Matt Stell is that Matt has a connection to the Tampa Bay area. Not only did he live in Bradenton for awhile, he is a huge hockey fan, specifically a Lightning fan. When he performed at our QYK Guitar Pull a couple years ago he had Pat Maroon and Ryan McDonagh tag along with him. He’s been friends with the guys for a long time.