Krissy Matthews

Krissy Matthews

Krissy Matthews is a Norwegian blues rock guitarist and vocalist, born in 1992 and described as half English and half Norwegian. He performs with Keith Matthews on bass and vocals and Chris Sharley on drums, and his early band work develops from a trio format with Keith Matthews on bass and various drummers.

Early development

Matthews first appears on stage at the age of three, encouraged by his father, Keith Matthews. He gets his first electric guitar at the age of eight, and his profile begins to build quickly through club dates, press coverage and radio appearances in Norway and the UK.

Recordings and releases

His first recording, Influences, is made in July 2005 at Timeless Studios with Mark Freeman on drums and Keith Matthews on bass. It is initially intended for sale at gigs, then released in Scandinavia after Matthews signs to Via Music in Norway in 2006. The follow-up, No Age Limit, is recorded in Juke Joint Studios in Notodden in February 2007 and released later that year. Allen in Reverse is recorded in January 2009 and released in September 2009, and his fourth studio album, Hit the Rock, is recorded at the end of 2010.

Live work and collaborations

In August 2004, Matthews sits in with John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers at the Notodden Blues Festival in Norway, which leads to national radio and press interviews and further appearances with Norwegian acts. He returns to Norway in October 2004 for television and radio work, including God Morgen Norge and a session with Knut Reiersrud for BluesAsylet on NRK P2, and he also performs with Larry Burton in Oslo. He later appears on stage with Jeff Healey, Walter Trout, and Devon Allman, and also performs with Bernie Marsden and Joe Bonamassa. He supports Robben Ford on several dates and plays alongside Brazilian blues musician Nuno Mindelis at Festi Avante in Portugal.

Tours, radio and festivals

Matthews tours widely across Europe, including the UK, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Holland, Belgium, Germany, France, Switzerland and Portugal. His performances include a 15-date Scandinavia tour, a 15-date Europe tour, a week-long Norway tour, and a 15-date solo tour of Poland with a Polish band. He records a session for Paul Jones at BBC Maida Vale for BBC Radio 2, appears in the British magazine Blues Matters, and is featured by Total Guitar in its “Bands to watch out for” section. Festival appearances include Notodden Blues Festival, Blues Autour Du Zinc, Gloucester Blues, Tring Blues, Nantwich Jazz & Blues, Finnafjorden Blues, Eikerapen Roots, Skalldyr Festival, Monsteras Blues, Fredrikstad Blues, Hemnes Blues, Ingolstadt Blues, Alta Blues and Soul, Dalane Blues, Tribal Gathering, Blues on the Farm, Dundee Blues Bonanaza, Crawley Folk, Canal Street Jazz & Blues, Leyhill Music Festival, Maryport Blues Festival, Colne Blues Festival, Festi Avante!, Appleby Blues and Banbury Blues.