The Matthew Bennett Band

The Matthew Bennett Band are a Midlands based four piece. Matthew Bennett was born in Wolverhampton, Matt Foundling and Tom Farnell Jr in Birmingham and Lesley-Marie Turner in Hull. All children of the 80’s...

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In our teens we were overwhelmed by music, new and old but especially that of The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Nick Drake, Tim and Jeff Buckley, The Band, Gram Parsons, Stevie
Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Kate Rusby, Ryan Adams, Ron Sexsmith, Neil young, The Clash, all types of early blues, English, Irish and Scottish folk music, some jazz, gospel and various country music. We each had the ambition to make music that would encapsulate all that energy and history along with its style and substance.

It was these influences that encouraged Matthew to write, to write freely without restriction of genre or expectation. To write up-tempo rockabilly punk songs while also writing traditional Cole Porter style ballads. To write soulful gospel songs while still writing English folk songs and country music. To write lyrics that dealt with big issues but in a microscopic way.

Matthew met Matt at Coventry University where they were both studying Music Composition, and it was Matt who introduced Matthew to Tom. Gradually the seeds of The Matthew Bennett
Band were sown. Together we recorded songs for a University project, songs that brought us to the attention of Redhouse Management. Still in need of a bass, a female voice and a fiddle to
enhance our sound we started our search. After some months we found Peter and his bass and Lesley-Marie who was able to add violina dn BV's plus the mandolin and tin whistle...

Since coming together we have rehearsed for hours on end, played gigs all over the UK, spent long days in the recording studio, signed a management deal, argued, sometimes fought, always laughed, (with alcohol and without), performed for record companies and played live on the radio, but more importantly we've had a great time making music! Our sound embraces all the musicians and
songwriters who have gone before, and we are continually inspired by everything we do and all that comes our way.
Matthew, Matt, Tom, Lesley-Marie and Peter x