Matt Backer (ABC, Julian Lennon) will appear at the Key West Songwriters Festival May 4-8, 2016

May 4– with Claire Finley at Sunset Pier Main Stage at 8pm

May 6– Smokin Tuna Late Night

May 7– Gas Monkey

“I enjoy the water. I like to swim, sail, kayak, and I’m a certified scuba diver. I like good food – seafood in particular. I like to play music. All things abundant in Key West. I also like playing with good musicians, also abundant. You can be an accurate studio drummer, capable of being in sync with a click track, an exciting live performer, or both as is the case in Key West. The constant flow of people to and from New York, Chicago and Nashville keeps standards high. Looks like there might be a bit of London traffic picking up too. I love being able to wander into a venue and see someone who has become a friend making a lovely noise.” – London guitarist Matt Backer on the unique Key West music community.

*Matt is the current guitarist for the 80s British pop band, ABC

*Matt is an internationally acclaimed guitarist, producer and composer and has played, recorded or toured with Emmylou Harris, Julian Lennon, Steve Winwood, Alice Cooper and Steve Earle, among many others.

*Matt has contributed music to television shows (Without a Trace, Cold Case, Top Gear, LA Ink)  movies( Fahrenheit 9/11, Horton Hears a Who and White Lightening) and commercials (Ping, Chrysler, MTV, Nickelodeon, Hard Rock Cafe).  Backer also writes music for The Extreme Music Library owned by Sony Records.

 *Matt Backer’s stage and TV credits include work with Cher, Sinead O’Connor, Bananarama, Belinda Carlisle, Michael Bolton and Aimee Mann among others.

*Matt is featured in the 2008 Smithsonian TV series, Music Revolutions, narrated by Morgan Freeman.

*Matt wrote the guitar chapter in the 2003 Cambridge Companion to Gospel and Blues

“I was born in New Orleans, and lived in Mexico, Venezuela, the Caribbean and Belgium before the age of ten,” says guitarist Matt Backer. “I was exposed to a vast amount of diverse music. Additionally, I don’t know how you could be born in the sixties and adolescent in the seventies and NOT want to be a musician. Music was everywhere, exciting and important.” He pauses and laughs, “It was either that or try to be an astronaut!”

Matt’s parents did two things to tip the balance of his career scales toward music. When he was seven, his parents gave him a copy of “Are You Experienced” by Jimi Hendrix. Then they took him to see Ray Charles. “I did, however, get the Apollo 8 crew’s autographs!” he admits.

After graduating from college, Backer began playing jazz in London and the Midlands. The first record Backer played on was “What’s the Color of Money” by Hollywood Beyond (Warner Electra Artists/ 1986) which went to #7 on the UK Charts and was a world wide hit.

From there, Matt’s trajectory has continued upward, much like a musical astronaut. He’s played guitar with a plethora of talent, released his own music to much acclaim and always manages to play, tour, produce and compose on a daily basis.

And what about the constant on-the-go lifestyle of a successful musician? “I was traveling before I could speak,” he says. “Fortunately, I enjoy it very much.

I like getting the chance to visit new places, and sometimes less prominent gigs or sessions in unusual places can be immensely rewarding because you get exposed to something unexpected.”

“The downside can be schlepping, being stuck in traffic en route to Bishop’s Itchington or knowing that the delay at O’Hare means you’re going to miss your connection to get to East Oblivion, Ohio. These locations actually exist, by the way,” he laughs.”But if you’re with good company-either with colleagues or a good book- in the knowledge that you’re going to be playing great music at your destination, that makes it easy.”

Matt’s producer, Ian Shaw of WarmFuzz Records, moved from London to Key West several years ago. Since then, Matt finds himself frequently in Key West, recording with the incredible local talent (Bill Blue, Nick Heyward, Ericson Holt) while pursuing his outdoor sports like scuba diving and sailing.