Matt Tedder

With deep roots in the blues, a heartfelt love for classic country, and a dedicated appreciation for the current resurgence of two-step and dancehall culture, Texas-born singer songwriter Matt Tedder has carved out a distinct space in the modern Americana and country scenes.

Though he has worn a few hats over his career stylistically—and hung his hat in a few different places—his musical journey has always kept him returning to his Texas roots. Originally from just outside Fort Worth, Tedder’s musical foundation began with the Texas blues, where he started honing his skills on the guitar by playing along with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Freddie King, and Lightnin’ Hopkins.

At the young age of 17, with one goal in his mind of making a career out of music, Tedder landed in Nashville. He was soaking it all in, playing as often as he could—primarily a blues-focused repertoire, but even then the wealth of country music storytelling and melody were starting to inspire him. Over time, his passion for country music grew into something broader and richer, as he dug into the music of Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and Ray Charles’ Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, to name a few.

Upon returning to Texas, he discovered the rich classic country dancehall culture he’d previously been unaware of, and found himself volunteering to join the house band at a saloon in Fort Worth. In a very short amount of time, he learned over a hundred songs by artists like Ray Price, Johnny Bush, and Bob Wills—just by listening and figuring out how and where he could best serve the song. Where he was once a blues-obsessed kid with a guitar, he was slowly becoming a fully formed country music craftsman.

His 2023 album, I Can Dream You, found him diving more into this deepening country inspiration. Tedder’s father, who passed in 2021, had turned him on to the likes of Leon Russell, JJ Cale, Lefty Frizell, and George Jones. On the album, he channeled some of those early musical memories—and the same sense of slinky groove and honest, understated performances is all over I Can Dream You.

Since moving to Austin in early 2025, Tedder has already become an integral part of the city’s thriving country dance scene. The warm welcome he has received in town over a few short months has both reinvigorated and influenced him creatively. Weekly residencies at venues like Sagebrush have helped him refine his setlist and his songwriting style… built with dancers in mind. It’s an audience that’s deeply engaged, and it’s inspired Tedder to lean even further into the traditions of classic country while bringing a fresh, thoughtful energy to his music.

His upcoming release, tentatively titled Light Touch, picks up where I Can Dream You left off, further drawing from the inspirations of the past while adding his own new and unique perspective. The new recordings are being captured at the Finishing School in Austin with Gordy Quist (of the Band of Heathens) and Jim Vollentine, backed up by his ace lineup of players he performs with around Austin and beyond.

The idea of a “light touch” is more than just the working title of Tedder’s new record—it’s also a sort of personal mantra. In his own words: “I feel like it can be applied to quite a few things universally. From my evolution as a guitarist, playing more with my fingers instead of a pick, to the way I approach vocal delivery. Outside of music, while still working hard, I’m realizing there is a lot I can’t control, so more and more I’ve learned to let go of some things and trust that everything will work out one way or another. I used to be one to try and bend or mold everything I could to my liking. That heavy handed approach didn’t suit me.”

The music of Matt Tedder is both groove-oriented and grounded, rhythmic and heartfelt. Both in his current mindset and with his upcoming releases, it’s plain to see the evolution of an artist who’s figured out that less is often more.