Matthew West facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Matthew West
Matthew West live at the Grand Ole Opry in 2012
Background information
Birth name	Matthew Joseph West
Born	(1977-04-25) April 25, 1977 (age 48) Downers Grove, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	Contemporary Christian music, pop rock
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Universal South, Sparrow, Provident Label Group

Matthew Joseph West (born April 25, 1977) is an American contemporary Christian musician, singer, and songwriter. He is famous for his inspiring songs like "More", "You Are Everything", and "The Motions". Matthew West has released many studio albums and won the 2013 American Music Award for Best Contemporary Inspirational Artist.

He started his music career as an independent artist in the late 1990s. After releasing three independent albums, he signed with Universal South Records. His first big album, Happy, came out in 2003. The song "More" from this album was a huge hit, staying at No. 1 on Christian music charts for nine weeks!

Besides singing his own songs, Matthew West also writes music for other popular Christian artists. He has written for groups like Casting Crowns and singers like Mandisa. He even wrote songs for mainstream country stars like Rascal Flatts. His song "Hello, My Name Is" was a massive success, staying at No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Songs chart for 17 weeks!

Early Life and Big Dreams

Matthew West was born on April 25, 1977, in Downers Grove, Illinois. When he was a kid, he loved the Chicago Cubs baseball team. He even dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player!

He played baseball all through high school at Downers Grove North High School. He was even the team captain in his senior year. Matthew also sang in his school's Chamber Choir. He hoped for a college baseball scholarship, but instead, he received a four-year music scholarship. This scholarship took him to Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, where he graduated in 1999.

Starting His Music Journey

Matthew West wrote many of his first songs in his father's church. This was during his college breaks. A special moment happened in 1997 at a Steven Curtis Chapman concert. Matthew felt strongly that Jesus was leading him to become a singer and songwriter.

From 1997 to 2002, he was an independent musician. He released three albums on his own: September Sun (1997), Every Step of the Way (1998), and Sellout (2002). In 1997, he even went on a small tour to support his first album.

Just before graduating college in 1999, Matthew was encouraged to attend a music event for new artists. There, he met someone from Word Publishing who was interested in his music. Five weeks after graduating, Matthew was offered a songwriting deal! He started writing songs for famous musicians like Billy Ray Cyrus. By 2000, he was touring the United States as an independent artist.

First Big Album: Happy

On July 26, 2002, something scary happened. Matthew accidentally broke his left arm trying to get into his house. He was told he might not get full use of his arm back. This was a big worry for a guitar player! Luckily, he recovered and was able to continue his music career.

Soon after, on August 23, 2002, he signed with Universal South Records. His first major album, Happy, came out on December 26, 2003. The song "More" from this album became his biggest hit. It stayed at No. 1 on Christian music charts for nine weeks! It was even named the Christian Song of the Year in 2004. Matthew was nominated for five Dove Awards in 2005 for this album.

Matthew West at a concert on tobyMac's Winter Wonder Slam tour in December 2005

Overcoming Challenges

Matthew West released his second album, History, in 2005. The title song was inspired by a news headline that called him a "history maker." He started his first headlining tour, the History 101 tour, in September 2005.

Matthew West playing a concert on the History 101 tour in September 2005

In April 2007, Matthew faced a big challenge. He started having problems with his voice. Doctors found "hemorrhaging caused by some polyps" on his vocal cords. He needed surgery, which happened on May 17, 2007. This was a "career threatening" moment. After the surgery, he had to stay silent for two months to let his voice heal.

A documentary called Nothing to Say was made about this time. It showed Matthew's journey of silence and recovery.

His Comeback Album: Something to Say

His next song, "You Are Everything", came out in late 2007. Matthew's album Something to Say was released on January 15, 2008. It reached No. 8 on Billboard's Top Christian albums chart. Matthew said that all the songs for this album were written before he knew he would have "nothing to say" during his vocal rest. "You Are Everything" became a No. 1 hit in March 2008. Another popular song from the album was "The Motions", which also hit No. 1 in April 2009.

Sharing Stories Through Music

West on stage with Renee Napier, whose story inspired his song "Forgiveness"

In 2010, Matthew West released his album The Story of Your Life. This album was inspired by thousands of real-life stories shared by his fans. He spent two months reading 10,000 stories in a cabin to write the songs!

He also acted in a Christian film called The Heart of Christmas in 2011. That same year, he released a Christmas song with country legend Vince Gill.

His album Into the Light came out in 2012. Matthew continued to release new music, including Live Forever in 2015 and All In in 2017. His song "The Motions" was certified Platinum, meaning it sold over a million copies! In 2020, he started his own music label called Story House Music. His latest album, My Story Your Glory, was released in 2023.

Other Cool Stuff He Does

Besides his own music, Matthew West is a talented songwriter for many other artists. He has written songs for Christian bands like Casting Crowns and singers like Natalie Grant. He has also written for country stars like Billy Ray Cyrus and Rascal Flatts.

Matthew also enjoys acting. He has appeared in Christian TV shows and made his film debut in The Heart of Christmas in 2011.

His Family Life

West with his family (L-R) Lulu, Delaney, Emily, and his mother in 2013

Matthew West lives in Nashville with his wife, Emily. They got married on May 10, 2003. They have two daughters and two dogs named Nick and Rocky.

Awards

American Music Awards

GMA Dove Awards

Discography

See also

In Spanish: Matthew West para niños