matt hinkley
Born and raised in West Texas and currently living in NYC, Matt Hinkley is a hybrid professional musician in the truest sense of the word.
A multi-instrumentalist, music director, singer, songwriter, and orchestrator/arranger, Matt has not only established himself as a presence on the rock 'n' roll circuit, he is also carving out his place as one of the premier musical minds on the New York theater scene. In addition to being a sought-after guitarist, Matt is the only music director in NYC who can carry out the task at its highest level on both piano and guitar, making him a crucial asset to have.
From his days rocking to Billy Idol as a four-year-old in Scooby Doo underwear, to growing up playing pool parties and dances with rock and punk bands, to acting academically and professionally, to writing his own music and lending his talents to others, Matt continues to find creative ways to incorporate both music and theater into his professional artistic life. There are few musical tasks he can't handle.
In the theater world...
While Matt has spent ten years in NYC working in various aspects of theater, it was only a little under three years ago that he realized he was best suited to serve the art form as a musician. In that small amount of time, Matt has made tremendous strides in establishing himself as a must-have on a variety of projects, in a variety of roles. From the earliest stages of development to full-fledged production and every step in between, Matt helps bring the music to life as a player, a music director, a part-writer, and even with notation work.
While Matt is best known for his work with Paul Scott Goodman (ROOMS, Bright Lights Big City, et al) and for his longstanding collaboration with Kleban and Larson Award winner Joe Iconis (Bloodsong Of Love, Things To Ruin, et al), he has been blessed to work with countless numbers of talented writers and performers on hundreds of productions, readings, concerts, and workshops. For more detailed information, please visit the resume page.
On the rock 'n' roll front...
Matt Hinkley's self-titled album is an original and refreshing collection of twelve infectious songs, ranging from acoustic Americana to full-bore rock ‘n’ roll. His music draws comparisons to Wilco, The Beatles, and Ryan Adams, while retaining a unique character all its own. Matt supports his studio effort with a vigorous live show; his record release show to a capacity crowd at NYC’s historic Bitter End was said to have rocked the venue as hard as it had been in twenty years.
Matt's songwriting is influenced by the country, blues, and folk of Texas, combined with the straight-up, explosive rock 'n' roll he was weaned on, and the tight songwriting style of classic artists like the Beatles. Lyrically, it's all about the decisions, events, and journeys that make up one's inner and outer life, as well as the process of coming to terms with the fact that "when you reach that line, you cross that line on your own."
Matt has played guitar for numerous other pop and rock artists in both live and recorded settings. Matt also served as music director and guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist for Prefab4, a non-impersonating Beatles tribute that played nationwide. His musical efforts have led him to perform across the country and at such NYC venues as Joe’s Pub, Rockwood Music Hall, The Bitter End, Village Underground, Cutting Room, Canal Room, Mo Pitkins, Pianos, Lion’s Den, and more.