Canadian singer-songwriter Matthew Burkhart has performed within the Ontario musical underground in a variation of different forms for over a decade. In 2019, writing solo material led to a creative explosion in songwriting that produced a more dynamic, visceral and honest sound.
In March of 2020, Burkhart went into the studio to record his debut solo EP “Slow Burn” with Kitchener-based producer Brandon Fehderau. The recording took place over five days at Mkondo Studio with Fehderau tackling rhythm duties as well as producing. Drawing inspiration from classic Americana Rock ballads with dashes of Folk and Country, Burkhart’s striking vocals wrap the songs together with a fervent energy.
2021-2022 was spent touring all over Ontario, performing acoustic shows from breweries in North Bay to dive bars in Windsor. Back in Toronto, Burkhart turned up the volume on his live shows and began jamming with “The Sorrows”. This brought an elevated full-band experience to the stage at legendary Toronto venues like Horseshoe Tavern, El Mocambo, and a showcase at Canadian Music Week.
Upon moving from Toronto to the small town of Powassan, ON in early 2023, Burkhart began diving into his most ambitious project yet – a full-length, 11 song Alt-Country-Folk-Rock LP titled “Runaway Star”. Once again produced by Brandon Fehderau at Mkondo Studio in Kitchener, “Runaway Star” presents another large leap forward for Burkhart as a songwriter. The first single titled “Step Into the Dream” was released March 3rd on all streaming platforms with the entire record released June 2nd, 2023. Burkhart continues to live in Powassan with his Fiancé and works as a General Foreman in his local lumberyard. -matthewburkhart.ca
Photo: Fab Moreira. Cameron House. 2022