Hall Of Giants by The Matt Stansberry Band

With this premium blend of rock, flavored with bold new ideas that embrace a wide host of musical styles and artistic observations, the possibilities are endless. Utilizing this open-door concept for artistic influence the MSB is a catalyst for this cultural movement as music evolves in the new millennium.

BAND HISTORY

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The Matt Stansberry Band began in the mind of Matt in his early teens, and has grown into its present form through evolution, adaptation, and determination. The current cast of characters was assembled in November of 2004, and while this brought an end to a flourishing solo career it marked the beginning of a solid partnership between three friends. Benefiting from previous shared musical experiences, Matt, along with bassist Denver Greene and drummer Ben Tinius make up this modern-day power trio.

Growing up in Edmond, Oklahoma and surrounded by a musical family, there was never a doubt in Matt’s mind about his future as a musician. He began taking steps toward that future as soon as he was able, writing songs as early as fourteen years old, and performing in various bands. Often, these bands were shared endeavors with his older brother, and fellow singer/songwriter, Joe. Matt has never shied away from creating art of any type. From drawing, painting, and graphic design to writing and performing music there was never any limitation on the outlets he would explore. And while he credits his love for playing guitar to a wide range of musical influences from Stevie Ray Vaughan, to Trey Anastasio, to John Scofield and Tom Morello, it’s that inborn desire to create art that shapes his style, which can be heard and felt in his songwriting and live performances.

It was on the campus of Oklahoma Christian University where Matt encountered the Summer Singers, a summer-long traveling cover band, sponsored by the university. Knowing that here was the opportunity to experience life on the road, and improve as a player; he auditioned and was added to the group, along with Ben, in the summer of 2001. Placed alongside Denver and other current members, then was the time to gain experience and form the bonds that would eventually lead to the MSB.

For Denver, performing was the only option from the first moment he picked up the bass. Known through high school days for repeated efforts to hold a band together with little success, the Summer Singers represented a chance to share that same passion with an equally committed group of musicians. So moving off to Oklahoma became the clear choice for this bassist from Burleson, TX.

As a native of Fort Worth, Texas, Ben developed his skills initially through the band program at Arlington Heights High School. Coming from a family of musicians, he’s the most classically trained of the three. After a few years of different interests in his earlier college days, music would call Ben back again and lead him to Oklahoma Christian. Ben always had the right feel to adapt to any style, and this would be more greatly developed in a cover band, Summer Singers, where he would provide the backbone to a stylistically diverse set list on a nightly basis.

It was throughout college and those next few summers that these three would find themselves together in a variety of musical adventures that spanned outside the Summer Singers and even the university. For Matt’s 2002 solo release, Ruff Tracks, Denver and Ben spent time laying down tracks and exchanging ideas, never fully knowing what was later in store for them. Throughout Jazz bands, and other side projects as well, paths kept crossing and things kept meshing.

2003 marked the launch of Matt’s solo career, as he began filling his calendar with dates, poised to share his musical ideas with any local listening ear. He used a variety of different local musicians, and while learning the tricks of the trade managed a win at the State Fair battle of the bands in the fall of that year. However, by 2004, Matt had gotten his fill of an ever changing cast, and was ready to nail down the right squad of players to commit to his vision, and become a fixed and final version of the MSB. When the time was right, he could think of nothing better than joining forces with the pals from his days in the cover band. So, along with keyboardist Grant Stevens, a friend from Oklahoma Christian and devoted musician throughout Matt’s solo career, he invited Ben and Denver on board to share in his ambition and become The Matt Stansberry Band.

At this point, with all the right pieces in place, it was time to tighten up the nuts and bolts and get down to business. The MSB wasted no time getting to work on the band’s first album, The World Goes Up. Completed entirely by July of that year, the MSB’s debut received great reviews from fans and media alike for its clean and catchy pop sound, quite a musical feat given its low budget and homemade roots. With an increased number of live calendar dates, the band continued to stretch and grow together, finding a comfortable uniformity, and a unique and adventurous live sound. The foursome was winning fans with every show and turning heads with its new brand of rock music. 2005 was a good year for Matt and his crack squad to introduce themselves to the scene.

Heading into 2006 meant shifting the focus of the band towards increased exposure not only locally, but around the region. Shows in Ft. Worth, Austin, and St. Louis were signs of the growth on a horizon that was now very visible. Yet with all growth comes change, and in June of that year, Grant, the longtime keyboardist departed the MSB. Now with a harder edged sound, more geared for the rocking mentality, the band refocused as a three piece. The group surged forward into a series of summer shows that would give viewers and listeners their first taste of the new look, new sound, and the chance to feel a renewed energy.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE MSB?

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Always moving ahead, the Matt Stansberry Band is pushing itself toward an ultra creative and ambitious 2007 with the release of their latest CD, Hall of Giants. In support of the new music MSB will continue to tour regionally (Hall of Giants Tour). Be on the lookout as MSB continues to take their music and fans to the next level.

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