from an album I made in 1992 called "Championship Fiddlin"
with Sir Rex Gillentine on his Epiphone Texan & Gibson Super 400 CES (overdubbed) and Sir Jerry Thomasson on his Martin 018T :) - Rex & myself weren't thrilled with the electric guitar tone that made it to the record - but listening now, it adds a cool retro sound to those wonderful lines Rex is playing! And then there's Jerry :))) I feel so blessed and fortunate to have made music with these legends

Shuckin' The Bush

Matthew Hartz & Rick Youngblood 03/19/2012

Grey Eagle

Jerry Thomasson - tenor guitar
Anthony Mature - standard guitar

from an unreleased album we made in 2003

10 Sally Johnson

another from the unreleased album with Jerry Thomasson and Anthony Mature in 2003

08 Sally Goodin'

another from the 2003 unreleased album with Jerry Thomasson & Anthony Mature

my inspiration on this tune comes from Dale Morris Sr.'s version on his "Old Time Fiddlin' - New For '78" album

05 Soldier's Joy

In the spirit of summer, this tune is from my first pop album from 2008

It features my brother, John, on opening vocal
other musicians:
the inimitable Katrina Pearce on organ
Louis McFarland: drums
Bud Gudmundson: bass
Matthew Puzan: electric guitar
Matthew Hartz: vocals, electric 6 & 12 string guitars, 6 string bass

01 Jenny

Another from the unreleased 2003 album with Jerry Thomasson & Anthony Mature

04 The Wind That Shakes the Barley

and another from the 2003 unreleased album with Jerry Thomasson & Anthony Mature

09 Leather Britches

and yet another :) from the unreleased 2003 album with Jerry Thomasson and Anthony Mature

06 The 8th of January

from the 1994 Franklin Brothers album with Royce and Ray Franklin

12 Sally Goodin' (2)

from the 1994 Franklin Brothers album with Royce and Ray Franklin

a couple of days before making the album, I learned the arrangement from A 1973 Grand Masters video (yes, I said video) of Major Franklin during the competition - made it extra special to record this number with his sons!

08 Virginia Moonlight

last of the breakdowns on unreleased album from 2003 with Jerry Thomasson and Anthony Mature

11 Why? ...... Cuz He Can't

1st demo of this tune - done the day I wrote it in October, 2007

09 The Girl With The Sun In Her Eyes

1984 Western Open Fiddle Contest

Terry Morris - fiddle
Joey McKenzie - tenor guitar
Matt Hartz - standard guitar

this is an incredible memory for me that my friend, Lesli Jo Osborne, found and shared with me early this year.  I've been excited to share it with the fiddle community especially since few got to witness the extraordinary, truly spontaneous, masterful breakdown fiddling of the late, VERY great, Terry Morris first hand.

I can't think of a greater dream for myself at 15 years old than to play guitar with Terry Morris in a fiddle contest and I know Joey would have similar sentiments.  What a ride :)



Matthew Hartz

Popular tracks