A Blues Beginning
Some people spend decades wrestling with the anxiety of what they want to do with their life. For Georgia’s very own Cody Matlock, that is not the case. Cody was already pretty good on the guitar but an encounter with blues artist Jonny Lang got the young musician really hooked on performing the blues. The wannabe music star began getting audience facing gigs at the age of 13—talk about handling pressure at a young age! Once audiences began to fully comprehend that such a young talent was producing the incredibly soulful tunes their ears were hearing, a fandom was born.
How to Become a Blues Star
Cody credits his dad for igniting his passion for music and the blues. His dad would play the CDs of great performers such as BB King, Eric Clapton, Jonny Lang and Tinsley Ellis and the young music fanatic in the backseat would enjoy every note. He would soon be trying to replicate the songs of these performers. Once the older Matlock put a guitar in his son’s hands, little did he know a blues-singing star would be the result.
Cody’s rise to fame has not been a total breeze. In order to make it in the music industry, you have to constantly practice and improve your act, and finding opportunities to perform can be a challenge when you’re first starting out. One of his first performances took place inside a deli and now he is opening for big name performers such as Lalah Hathaway—which came about through social media, believe it or not! (See, Mom and Dad? Social media CAN be useful!) Eager-to-perform Cody posted a video of himself performing on Instagram with the caption ‘#iwanttoopenforlalah’ andvoila! Opening gig booked.
Gettin’ by with a Little Help from Friends
Cody knows that he could not have gotten to where he is now on his own. The artist’s dad is responsible for starting his son’s love of music, but it was actually other blues performers from around the area who helped the young talent grow into the star he is today. Cody stresses how important it is for young performers to go out and meet other people in the same profession. Not only can the people you meet offer advice, but they can also help change your music for the better. By listening to other people’s songs and sounds, Cody was able to combine others’ tunes to produce music he loves to perform.
And it never hurts to have a few mentors! The Cazanovas were among the first people to help guide a young Matlock. The band gave Cody insight on what it’s like to be a professional musician and shared with him their knowledge of the blues. Another great mentor, Melanie Denard can be credited for pushing Cody to sing more and helping to perfect this aspect of his performance.
Sharing His Talent
Calhoun couldn’t hide their gem of a superstar for long! Cody has evolved into a great performer and is even writing his own songs that he wants to share with the world. The times of playing at places like Schroeder’s New Deli in Calhoun are coming to an end, with gigs like Northside Tavern, the International Plaza and the Masquerade beginning to fill up his schedule.
Cody isn’t focused on the money or the fame that might come along with his career. Instead, this performer’s goal is to spread happiness with his music, and it seems that he is well on his way to doing that. Stay on the look-out for his debut album!