Scott Matthews

Though frequently likened to Jeff Buckley, the English singer/songwriter Scott Matthews draws his chief inspiration from folk, with blues playing a secondary role, and has also cited the Beatles and Led Zeppelin among his touchstones. After signing with Island Records, he issued his debut album, Passing Stranger, in 2006. Several BBC disc jockeys championed the release, while its understated single “Elusive” earned an Ivor Novello Award. Extensive touring ensued, encompassing joint performances with the Foo Fighters, Bert Jansch, and Rufus Wainwright, plus an opening slot on the U.K. portion of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’s Raising Sand itinerary. Once back from the road, Matthews and his band enlisted producer Gavin Monaghan to prepare the follow-up album Elsewhere, which appeared in 2009.