Today we’d like to introduce you to Colton Mathis.
Colton, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born on March 11, 1991, in Greenville, TX. We moved around for a while, but the first place I remember living was Austin, TX. We moved from there to a small town southeast of Dallas called Crandall, where we would live for the remainder of my raising. I still live there to this day. I’ve always loved that town, and always will. Growing up, my Dad had his own construction company and worked out of town a lot. Being his only son, I was his helper and would travel with him every time it was possible for me to go. On the side, he was a hunting guide and a wildlife photographer, so we were on the road most weekends, summers and holidays as well.
All that time on the road would lead me to hear a lot of different music, Stevie Ray Vaughan, to Hank Williams Sr. To Otis Redding to Led Zeppelin… a bottomless cassette case of music that I wouldn’t have heard from my generations pop radio. I remember one day my Dad was about to put a tape in, he stopped and said, “hey son, you should really listen to this.” What came next would shape the next 24 years of my life. When he pressed play… the intro to Texas flood Instantly grabbed my soul. As a six-year-old kid I didn’t know what I was hearing but that was the first time Music made me feel something. I knew right then I wanted to do that, what ever “that” was… I wanted it too.
My parents bought me a VHS of Stevie Ray Vaughan live at Austin city limits. I would go on to wear that tape out. While other kids were watching cartoons and Disney movies, I watched that tape religiously. The day came that I would want a guitar so for my 11th birthday my parents bought me a red squire Stratocaster the same color of the guitar Stevie was playing on “pride and joy” in the video, it had to be that one.
I would play for hours in my bedroom, when I began to notice that my playing was getting better, I also noticed it made me feel better when I played my guitar. By the time I was 17 I knew I wanted to play for a living. Around that time I was getting into more red dirt country, and even joined a few bands playing lead. I never once thought about singing.. cause it scared me to death. But I joined up with a few older fellas and started a band called “Colton & the 45s” we got together just to jam some old blues and ended up starting my first band. We didn’t have a singer so they forced me to sing.
During this time I started to fall into drugs and drinking and everything that goes with it. I guess I had to feel the blues to play it. Eventually the drugs cause me to distance my self from everyone and the band broke up. I continued playing guitar and started writing songs but didn’t put anything out there. I got clean and started make my way around, I got married to my first wife and joined a band called “The Bigbys”. I played lead guitar for them for a good bit, but things just didn’t work out. After that with divorce on the table, I picked up my guitar and told my self I’m not gonna quit.. I’m gonna keep playing and singing till I make it, or till I can’t play no more. So I put my name out there as a solo artist and became a singer/songwriter, trying to mesh together a blend of all the music I love into something everyone can feel. I’m so lucky to have the family and friends I do to keep pushing me. I have a wife who literally thinks I’m the best singer and guitar player ever. And two beautiful daughters who give me so much to write about. And in the end, I want them to see that it’s ok to follow your dreams with your whole heart. So that’s where I am right now… following my dreams.
In August I’ll be recording my first album with my name on it called: Cigarettes & bacon grease. Wish me luck y’all!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Depression has haunted me my whole life, I think that’s why I took to drugs the way I did. But looking back I feel I went through that to help somebody. I’ve lost people that I thought were my friends, been divorced, been in terrible relationships. Not knowing what self worth was. I tried to commit suicide three times in my life, and failed every time. I thank God everyday that he gave me the family he did, I wouldn’t have made it to today with out them. My wife is a rockstar of a wife, taking care of things I can’t do when I gone. Every time I feel the depression creeping back up she quickly wraps her arms around me, loving me all the way through it.
This year is especially difficult, I lost my granny with in the first two weeks of 2020. And in May I lost my best friend Jake in a car wreck. Two people who have had a major impact on my life and my musical career. I’ve written multiple songs about both of them and they’re so hard for me to sing. I chose to not let a piece of me die with them, but instead to let a piece of them live in me, through my music and the way I treat people.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
Well as far as music goes, right now we’re dealing with COVID-19, so live shows are hard to come by. Going live on Facebook seems to be the new gig. On the side I do photography, recording, and create content for a small company I own called 400South. Me and my wife also bought a store on The Mountain in Canton TX, we call it The Mathis Family store. We do live music on first Monday weekends and always have amazing local talent.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Not paying bills… No I’m just kidding, it was nice though. There’s quite a few childhood memories I could say. I don’t really know if I have a favorite one or if I could pick just one. Being in the woods with my Dad, and on the road all the time with him and my Momma, I had great parents.
But I think one day my parents and my sister (who is nine years older than me) were all at the house and I guess I had gotten pretty good at playing with out anyone noticing, that when they heard me play for real, I don’t think I’ve seen them more proud. It made me feel good that supported me they way the did and still do.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 9036032954
- Email: colton.mathis3409@gmail.com
- Instagram: Edwardmathis
- Facebook: @coltonmathismusic
Image Credit:
400South
Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
