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Thread: Matt Mundy

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    I've been listening to mandolinist Matt Mundy (on 3 tracks of Bela Fleck's Tales From The Acoustic Planet Vol 1, and on Aquarium Rescue Unit etc.). He is a harmonic genius! I have fallen in love with his playing.

    He doesn't seem to play music at all anymore, and hasn't for years. I'm pretty sure he IS alive, so what's his excuse? With talent like his, it's a crying shame not to put it to use!

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    Matt Mundy is a genious player. I spoke with his mother a few weeks ago at the SPGMA convention. She says that he works at their family music store down in GA. I can't remember what town it's in. Somewhere in the Atlanta area. She told me that he doesn't play out anymore at all. He will play enough to sell a musical instrument.
    She told me that she knew he was serious about not playing out anymore when AKUS called him to join Union Station and he turned her down. I hope to stop by down there in a few weeks when I play down in GA and visit him.
    If you like Matt's playing check out the Kevin Williamson Album on Pinecastle Records, OUT OF THE SHADOWS. http://www.pinecastle.com/ASP/Produc...p?ProductID=32 That is the link
    Scott Vestal, Matt, Andy Todd, Randy Howard, and Kevin are playing on the CD. I will try to check back and give an update if I get to visit with him. I am a big fan of his playing.
    JC




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    Thanks for the info, however depressing it may be.

    There must be some way that we can blackmail him into playing again #

    I'm of the opinion that if you're that good, it's your honest-to-god duty to entertain people.




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    Wow, what a talent. I also was wondering the same thing. Kind of a shame that he's not playing out with anyone. Must have a damn good reason for turning down Union Station.Maybe someday our ears will be graced with the sounds of Mr. Mundy's Mando.

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    Matt plays on one track of Widespread Panic's album Everyday. (The track is called Pickin' Up The Pieces.) His crosspicking is off the scale for its inventiveness! He plays chords that you generally only hear from hot jazz guitarists. Also on that track, he does bluegrass chopping that gets really close to sounding like Sam Bush.

    I also love the way Matt bends so many notes. I reckon he must have played a fairly low action to do it though...

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    Thanks Aussie,
    I had been wondering which Panic album Matt played on. I heard a cut on the radio one day driving around Nashville and was blown away. I have a few of their albums, but Matt isn't on them. I finally talked to Dave Blackmon who used to be in Panic when I was in Hiawassee,GA a few years ago and he told me it was Matt.
    Yeah, I have to say the Music business is full of ups and downs and in and outs. It is hard dealing with the whole thing from Various Musicians, Egos, Venues, Club Mgrs., Road Mgr.s, Undependable Musicians, Terrible sound systems, Irate soundmen, Gig cancellations, Bad Habits, Etc. It can get really frustration and All we want is just to be happy. So, I support his decision to do what he is doing. I'm sure he still is the fabulous musician that he was, and maybe someday he will return at least to the studio to provide the world with some more Matt Mundy music. I'm scheduled in the area in a few weeks, so I'm hoping to make a surprise visit to the music store and visit with him. Anyway, I will keep ya'll updated. Take er easy.
    Justin


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    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (AussieRoger @ Feb. 26 2004, 10:25)
    I'm of the opinion that if you're that good, it's your honest-to-god duty to entertain people.
    I was thinking the same thing reading this thread.
    It reminds me of something I heard Otha Turner say on the radio one time. I've been searching in vain for the exact quote to use as my signature on this board. It was something like this:

    If there's something you can do that the people enjoy and you don't do it, that's low down.

    I don't mean to be critical of Matt, it's his life and his decision. I suppose it's selfish, in a way, to think it's his duty to entertain us, but the odd thing is I put that Bella Fleck CD in the player last night and wondered where that guy is nowadays.




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    IMHO-Matt's only responsibility is to be true to himself.If he's happy where he is then be happy for him.He doesn't owe any one anything.

    Joe Parker

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    I agree that ultimately he must do whatever makes him happy...

    I found a good promo pic of him and ARU (it's very very hard to find photos of him!) He's the guy on the left.



    Also found an interview with a guy from Phish that says Matt's mum is a bluegrass bass player.




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    Ya'll, I think this is great. Thanks for posting the pics and info about Matt. Doesn anybody know where I can find some of that ARU stuff? Yes Matt's mother Francis does play bass. They have a band and play around the region.
    As far as Matt goes. I know personally I had to take a break from Music. Although I still continued to play. I just couldn't depend on it for income basicly. But some of it was some of the people that I found myself hanging around were bringing me down. Certainly I can understand in Matt's case to go from playing with Bela on the CD to whatever down that we all have in a normal life can be a dramatic up and down. Let's just use a for instance in my life. I was unemployed all through most of December and then Jan. 9-10 we play the Grand Old Opry. That is kind of a big change, from sitting around with no income and then having a highlight of my life/career like that happen. Often times when u play music, u end up being stuck at a truck stop in a broken down van/car maybe with some people that u don't want to be around. That is one of the worst things that can happen. Just being stuck in the middle of nowhere and sometimes on the road people can be at their worst. Well, maybe I'm rambling but, Musicians work so hard to practice, keep in tune, time , etc. and sometimes no matter how hard you try to get things perfect, everything just crashes. It is alot of instability, frustration, and depression sometimes. Now , I have to say that I know some people would give everything they have to be in my shoes, and I thank the Lord everyday for the talent that I have and the blessings I have recieved. But, I am more prepared for the downs of the "biz" now.
    Anyway, I would like to know if any of ya'll have any live shows of Matt playing with Lynn Morris, ARU, Panic, or any others.
    Thanks,
    JC

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    A friend of mine has a terrible recording of Matt Mundy playing with the Tony Rice unit. Some of the most inventive, outside mandolin playing I've ever heard. I've been trying to get a copy for awhile with no success.

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    Matt Mundy is the reason I first picked up a mandolin. I first heard him on the album "Everyday." It is a shame he isn't playing out anymore. My goal as a mandolin player was to be able to play "Pickin' up the Pieces" and I still can't play it. I sure do hope he reconsiders but as long as he's doing what is best for him at this moment its up to him.
    "Experience has shown that even under the best forms (of government) those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny."
    -Thomas Jefferson

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    It's great to hear from other fans of Matt! Justin, I'm interested to hear if you get in touch with him.

    The electric mandolin site has a pic of the electric Matt played, built by Jim Bickerstaff.



    Wrong forum, I know

    Anyone know what sort of acoustic mando Matt played? It sounds like it has an ultra-low action. Actually, if someone else was playing that instrument, I think it would sound awful... but somehow he makes it sound incredible.

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    When I remember watching Matt play he was playing an old gibson A Model. Seems it was like 1920s or 1910s.
    jc

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    Friend of mine names Richard owns one of his old mando's-a beautiful 84 flatiron 2 point(i think). I heard he smashed one of j=his main axes against a wall around the same time he made te decision not to play anymore.

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    You can find some of the ARU shows w/ Matt here:

    http://www.archive.org/audio....%20Unit

    I believe anything pre-94 has Matt on the mando. Check out both the shows from 1991. He's great....

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    I emailed Béla about Matt's work on Tales. He didn't say much in his response, but agreed that Matt is an outstanding talent, and that he enjoyed working with him on the album.

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    Has anyone tried to work out any of the songs Matt played mando on? I was working on "The Landing" on Tales from an Acoustic Planet. I figured out parts of it but I haven't figured out the overall structure of the song (chords, parts, etc). If anyone at least has chord progressions, that would be excellent. Thanks.
    "Experience has shown that even under the best forms (of government) those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny."
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    I picked with his Grandma a couple of weeks ago at the Red Bud fest, she says he hardly plays anymore, dang shame.

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    Being a huge ARU fan in the early 90's,I wondered where Matt had gone as well. #That is until I ran into him working in a little music store in the middle of nowhere! Talking mandolins with my mandolin idol is sweet. Set up the new #mando for me and signed a few photos and items. Can't convince him to give me lessons yet though. I'm glad to see people realize how talented Matt is. #Matt used to play on old Davis mandolin along with the Bickerstaff electric.

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    Anyone know how I can get in contact with Matt? Perhaps at the little music shop in the Middle of Nowhere? I want to ask him some questions about the crazy chords he plays(ed).

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    Howdy Folks,
    Well Aussie, I'm back and saw this thread. I was glad to see it was still alive, I remember his mother saying that he worked in the Music store. I belive it was north of Atlanta. Somewhere around Sewanee, GA. I don't rememeber the town or name of the store.
    Unfortunately, I am not touring with Mark Wills anymore and have spent most of my time in Canada and the West Coast this year. Maybe someday I'll get to say howdy. So, that's all the info I have.
    GOD Bless,
    JC

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    Is it just me or does Matt look like Jeff Gordon in that picture above?
    If F-model mandolins have F-holes then why don't A-model mandolins have A-holes???

  24. #24

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    i met matt a couple of weeks ago and he told me he was working at a factory that puts binding on books. he just sits there and watches books go by all day. he said he absolutely loves it. he doesn't play anymore. the music store is in cumming georgia. not sure if he works there anymore. he also said the reason he doesn't play is because he figured he was getting close to 30 and needed to work. he is a nice guy and he was a great player. also i asked him about the rice unit show that he played. he said he wasn't sure if he could a good sounbd out of a mandolin because he had been playing electric so much. he was also offered the third time out spot when wayne left but he just wanted to work. strange i know considering the amount of money he could make with akus and also third time out. but he is very happy with what he is doing so more power to him i guess.

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    It's definitely a shame he isn't playing anymore. #He pushed the mandolin places it had never been. #Hopefully he'll get back into it. #Hey Justin: Remember when greg and I came down and stayed with you at granna mae's and went to the fiddle camp!
    Tim Hicks

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