Singer/songwriter Matt Aquiline lives and performs in Washington, DC, but he is always of Pittsburgh first. Matt was born and raised there and loves the place, its people and its music.
The youngest of six children, he was given early exposure to modern music and was introduced to his greatest influence, Bruce Springsteen, at the age of five. He spent his youth wearing out Springsteen, Neil Young and Kiss records, but also began a life-long and ever-growing quest for discovery of all that is good in music. Through punk and rock, electronica and singer/songwriters, roots, soul and blues, Matt has developed a long, eclectic list of influences including Springsteen and Young, John Hiatt, Steve Earle, Van Morrison, Elvis Presley, Elvis Costello, Ani DiFranco, The Silos, Soul Asylum and REM.
His first performances were on the once great, now dark, stage of Graffiti, a legendary Pittsburgh club. He recorded his cd, Dice Roll, at once great, then burned to the ground, now apparently great again Dave World in Ambridge, PA. The CD features some of Pittsburgh's best musicians, including Whitey Cooper and Sam Klingensmith of the legendary Norman Nardini and The Tigers, Chuck Beatty of Big Daddy, Glenn Pavone & The Cyclones and James King & The Usual Suspects, Joe Marini of Jazz Discovery, and several Granati brothers.
Other career pursuits have made Aquiline primarily a recording artist over the past few years, but 2004 has seen a renewed focus on live performing.
Matt's music reflects his history. His songs tell the stories of the trials and tribulations of the everyman and the things that really matter in their lives: work, pride, love, and something to believe in. They exhibit insight into their subjects that can only be found by being one of them, and often focus on the small moments that define and change their lives.
Official Website: http://www.mattaquiline.com/
MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/mattaquiline